Matau’s sisters married Te Ikaiti of Ngäti Pükenga from whom many Ngäti Pükenga descend. This is also illustrated in Appendix I.

Ngäti Rereamanu and Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma

16. All Ngäti Pükenga are Waitaha, that is, are all descendants of recognised Waitaha ancestors. Waitaha and Ngäti Pükenga often operated in tandem, and were never in conflict with each other after a certain period of time, because the two had become almost one. Whakamoeariki and Te Rongotoa were leading chiefs of Ngäti Rereämanu prior to the time of Wïremu Te Whareiro. They were also prominent Ngäti Pükenga chiefs. Te Whareiro who was present at the battle of Gate Pä, was also the leader who lead Ngäti Pükenga back to Ngäpeke from Hauraki in the 1850’s. Wï Wärena Mokopapaki, Te Rakatau, Hira Te Wawahanga, Ïhaka Te Hiwi and Te Kou-o-Rehua (II), the chiefs of Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma in the 1860’s were likewise acknowledged chiefs of Ngäti Pükenga.

17. As an example, in the Taumata 3 Block investigation in 1884 Hënare Ranginui stated that Ngäti Pükenga and Waitaha lived together at Te Whakatangaroa, where Ng ä i Te Rangi were defeated by Ngäti Pükenga³. When Ngäti Pükenga came from Päpämoa and resided at Maketü, it was said that they had become Waitaha⁴. The fortunes of Ngäti Pükenga, Ngäti Rereämanu and Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma were intrinsically tied to each other. In further evidence by Hënare Ranginui he stated ‘ Ngäti Pükenga are only another name for Rereamanu ’⁵, which supports the general körero of the time. During the period 1870-1878, Ngäti Rereämanu looked after the Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma lands at Te Puke, as they had left to live at Maketü⁶.

Te Pukuohäkoma — Background

18. It is important to contextualise Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma history, so that the Tribunal is clearly aware of our identity. This includes körero relevant to the Tauranga Moana enquiry where Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma did not present a separate case, deciding to support the collective Waitaha claim, although strong references were made to the mana of Te Pukuohäkoma by his descendants at the Ngäti Pükenga Waitangi Tribunal hearing in 1999.

19. Te Pukuohäkoma occupied lands allotted him by his elder brother Te Iwikorokë, As the history regarding the division of lands between Te Iwikorokë and his younger brother Kümaramaoa has been discussed I will not elaborate any further, suffice to say that a considerable amount of land was shared between the two of them, the former inheriting interests on the Te Puke side of the Ötawa range, and the latter, land on the Tauranga side. They in turn settled their siblings on portions of these lands. Te Pukuohäkoma lands were between those of Te Iwikorokë and Kümaramaoa, and ran from Ötara to Wairäkei, along the coast to Te Repehunga (present day Päpämoa Domain), and including the Raparapahoe river.

³ Tauranga Minute Book 2, p.107, 16 March 1884, Taumata 3 Block Case

⁴ Maketü Minute Book 1

⁵ Tauranga Minute Book 2, p.101, 16 March 1884, Taumata 3 Block Case

⁶ ibid.