Kahukuranui was a MÃÂori ariki (chieftain) of the NgÃÂti Kahungunu iwi and ancestor of the NgÃÂti Kahukuranui hapà « of Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti. He led an expedition to Te Pà Ârangahau in order to avenge Tà «pouriao and marry his widow Tà «-teihonga. He may have lived in the fifteenth or sixteenth centuries.
Kahukuranui was the son of Kahungunu and Rongomaiwahine. He was born at Nukutaurua on Mahia Peninsula and was the only one of their children to receive a whare-kà Âhanga ("nest house"), a building specially erected for the mother to give birth in. Through his father, he was a direct descendant of Tamatea Arikinui, captain of the TÃÂkitimu canoe. Through his mother, he was probably descended from Ruawharo, the tohunga (priest) of the TÃÂkitimu, and Popoto, one of the captains of the Kurahaupà  canoe. Mitchell characterises him as a man of peace, like his father, who secured his position through marriages, notably with Ruatapu-wahine, an adoptive daughter of his maternal grandfather.
Kahukuranui's brother Tuaiti had married Moetai daughter of Moeahu and settled at Rurutawhao at Aranui (near Frasertown). Tuaiti murdered his brother-in-law Te Rironga, so Moeahu and his son-in-law Rongo-whakaata killed Tuaiti. The elderly Kahungunu went to Wairoa and got the rangatira Wekanui to lead a war party to get revenge on Rongo-whakaata. Kahukuranui also joined the campaign. At the Battle of Kai-whakareireia, Wekanui was victorious and captured a noblewoman named Pou-wharekura (a great-grand-niece of Kahungunu). Wekanui and Kahukuranui both claimed Pou-wharekura. To avoid a conflict, Kahungunu married her himself.
Kahukuranui heard that Tà «pouriao of à ÂtÃÂtara (near Taradale) had been killed in battle with Te Pà Ârangahau and resolved to marry Tà «pouriao's beautiful widow Tà «-teihonga. He arrived at à ÂtÃÂtara at night and Tà «-teihonga would not see him, so he stood outside where she was sleeping and said ("penis touches it") and she said ("Who's that there saying 'touches it'?"). Kahukuranui announced himself and his wish to marry her, but she said that she would not remarry until Tà «pouriao had been avenged.
Therefore, Kahukuranui set out for Te Pà Ârangahau's settlement, also called Te Pà Ârangahau (south of Waipukurau) with a war party of 250 men. Tà «-te-ihonga said that Te Pà Ârangahau would be identifiable as a man in a cloak of kÃÂkàfeathers, wielding a taiaha-kura. Te Pà Ârangahau appeared and single-handedly drove back the attackers, until he reached Kahukuranui, who took him captive and brought him back to à ÂtÃÂtara, where Tà «-te-ihonga killed him. She then married Kahukuranui.
Kahukuranui married Ruatapuwahine, Their children were:
He also married Tà «-te-ihonga. Their children were the ancestors of the main line of NgÃÂti Kahungunu:
Finally, he married Hinekumu and had one child:
Another child was:
The NgÃÂti Kahukuranui hapà « of Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti is named after Kahukuranui.
At OmÃÂhu marae, which is linked to NgÃÂti Kahungunu, the wharenui is named Kahukuranui and the whare kai (dining hall) is named after his first wife Ruatapuwahine. At Kahungunu Marae at Nà «haka, which is linked to NgÃÂti Rakaipaaka, Kahukuranui was depicted on one of the original poupou (carved wall panels) of the wharenui, when it was opened in 1947. Later, his name was also given to the tiki carved on the koruru (gable) of the wharenui. This location that is traditionally reserved for the chief ancestor honoured by the marae.