Kehu, also known as Ekehu, Hone Mokehakeha and Hone Mokekehu, was an important ancestor to the MÃÂori iwi (tribes) NgÃÂti Tà «matakokiri and NgÃÂti Apa ki te RàTà Â. He was an expert on how to traverse their regions and knowledgeable on natural resources contained within them. He was a guide to Thomas Brunner and Charles Heaphy, who were English explorers in the 1800s traversing parts of Te Waipounamu (now commonly known as the South Island of New Zealand).
Kehu is from the Golden Bay region, he was born circa 1798. He was MÃÂori, and on his mother's side, of the nations NgÃÂti Apa, NgÃÂi Tahu, NgÃÂti Mamoe and NgÃÂti Tà «matakà Âkiri, on his father's side NgÃÂti Tà «matakà Âkiri. His mother's name was Matanohinohi or Mata Nohinohi and was high-born and his father's name was Tamane. Kehu's half brother, born to Mata Nohinohi, was Mahuika who was the leader of a settlement on the Kawatiri River in the 1840s. His uncle was Puaha Te Rangi.
Historically the region of his iwi (tribe or nation) NgÃÂti Tà «matakà Âkiri was a large area of the north-western quadrant of Te Wai Pounamu from Croisilles Harbour, North of Nelson to Farewell Spit, then to the ranges east of Nelson and south to the Nelson Lakes, (Rotoiti and Rotoroa), and into the Maruia, Kawatiri (Buller), Inangahua and MÃÂwhera from the 'headwaters to the coast'.
During the time around Kehu's birth, the region of NgÃÂti Tà «matakà Âkiri was attacked by other iwi including from the ocean by NgÃÂti Apa at Golden Bay / Mohua and overland by NgÃÂti Kuia, RangitÃÂne and NgÃÂi Tahu. Kehu from a young age had been on many travels around Tà «matakà Âkiri domains and knew the region well. At age around 12 Kehu was captured by NgÃÂi Tahu in the Battle of Kotukuwhakaoho near the junction of the MÃÂwheranui and Arnold River. His father was killed at this battle by a NgÃÂi Tahu warrior Tau. Over his adolescence he was a slave or servant of NgÃÂi Tahu and most likely he worked in the region gathering food at seasonal locations.
Around 1828âÂÂ1832 Kehu was the property of Aperahama Panakenake and Poria Kahuraupo, chiefs of NgÃÂti Rarua, after NgÃÂi Tahu was defeated by a Tainui alliance. They were based at Motueka. Panakenake and Kahuraupo hired Kehu to guide New Zealand Company explorers including Thomas Brunner, Charles Heaphy and William Fox. During this time Kehu moved to Nelson and married a formerly enslaved woman who had run away from NgÃÂti RÃÂrua chief Rurua Te Iti; her name may have been Mary. Kehu's wife also was a guide and travelled with the group. Kehu and his wife looked after Brunner when he became ill, and he credited them with saving his life.
In 1846 Kehu guided Heaphy, Brunner and Fox to the large glacial lakes, Rotoiti and Rotoroa; the English explorers were the first Europeans to see them. He used the Porika track through Howard Valley and MÃÂtakitaki. It is likely Kehu went to a Wesleyan Church and could read; he was said to have liked the scriptures. <blockquote>Kehu was a NgÃÂti Tà «matakà Âkiri / NgÃÂti Apa tohunga and kaitiaki of the inland trails and the natural resources of the region. (NgÃÂti Apa ki te RàTà  Deed of Settlement Schedule: Documents 2010)</blockquote> For his great service to NgÃÂti RÃÂrua he was granted land in Motueka, despite being a slave, and it is likely he spent his later years living there.
The date and circumstances of Kehu's death are not clear.
Kehu Peak in the Saint Arnaud Range is named for him. There is a memorial to Kehu that was revealed at the Department of Conservation Field Centre, Saint Arnaud, 30 June 1995.
Records about Kehu are found in European colonial journals and the Native Land Court records.
NgÃÂti Apa ki te RÃÂ TÃ Â refer to the tramping track commonly known as the Heaphy Track as Kehu's Track due to its use by their ancestors for several hundred years.