Ariariterangi was a MÃÂori rangatira (chief) of the NgÃÂti Whakaue iwi within the Te Arawa confederation of tribes. He built a major coalition of tribes in an effort to drive NgÃÂi Te Rangi out of Maketu, but was defeated and killed.
Ariariterangi was the son of Whatumairangi of NgÃÂti Whakaue and the grandson of Hinemoa and Tà «tÃÂnekai, through whom he was descended from Tama-te-kapua and NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi, the captain and tohunga of the Arawa. His mother was Parehina. He had six brothers: Huingarangi, Taiwere, Moekaha, Hape-te-rarau, Hurunga, and Hikarua.
After NgÃÂi Te Rangi conquered Maketu from Te Arawa, they began to launch raids and tribute collecting missions inland. One of these missions resulted in NgÃÂi Te Rangi sacking Pakotore, the main pÃÂ of Tuteamutu. As a result, the people of Arawa, together with Tapuika and Waitaha, sought to drive NgÃÂi Te Rangi out of Maketu. Taiwere pulled together a large war party and led it to Maketu, but he was confronted by NgÃÂi Te Rangi in the Kawa swamp south of Maketu and was killed. Moekaha gathered a second army, but he too was intercepted, defeated, and killed in the Kawa swamp.
Meanwhile, NgÃÂti Whakahinga from Whakatane and Ngariki of Te Aitanga-a-MÃÂhaki from Opotiki entered the Maketu region. Two chiefs of Tapuika, Paruhiterangi and Te Hanananui, decided to surrender their villages, Takaihuahua and Paraoa, to the invaded. However, they soon were at war with NgÃÂti Whakahinga. Tapuika were victorious at Te Karaka and Te Kakaho. Te Ariariterangi allied with Tapuika and NgÃÂti Rangiwewehi.
After his brother's defeats, Te Ariariterangi gathered a much larger force. He forged an alliance with NgÃÂti HauÃÂ, by arranging for a woman of Tapuika called Tamanga-arangi to be married to their chief HauÃÂ and for HauÃÂ's daughter Kaimatai to be married to his own son Te Roro-o-te-rangi. By marrying another Tapuika woman, Peuerangi, to Te Ruinga, he brought the people of Hauraki into his coalition. A third woman, Ngaparitau was married to yet another group, perhaps Waitahaturauta of Otamarakau.
Finally, Te Ariariterangi gathered his forces together and led them along the beach from Te Tumu to the Kakaho ford, where they were intercepted by NgÃÂi Te Rangi. After a difficult fight, the Arawa forces were defeated and Te Ariariterangi was killed, along with HauÃÂ. According to one story, Te Ariariterangi was extraordinarily boastful, saying "Kotahi tangata ki Hawaiki ko Whakatau anake, kotahi ki Aotearoa ko Ariariterangi anake" (there was only one man at Hawaiki: Whakatau; there is only one man in Aotearoa: Ariariterangi). This had insulted all his followers and allies, so they pretended to retreat into the sea at Kakaho, but then disappeared inland, leaving him alone to be captured. He was killed by NgÃÂi Te Rangi and presumably eaten.
It was left to his son, Te Roro-o-te-rangi, to organise a fourth attack on Maketu, which finally resulted in peace being made between Te Arawa and NgÃÂi Te Rangi.
Te Ariariterangi had three children: