NgÃÂti Kuia is a MÃÂori iwi of the Northern South Island in New Zealand. They first settled in the Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere, and later spread to the Marlborough Sounds, Nelson and Tasman districts to Taitapu on the West Coast, and as far south as the Nelson Lakes National Park. NgÃÂti Kuia tradition states that their founding tupuna Matua Hautere, a descendant of Kupe, came to Te Waipounamu in his waka Te Hoiere, guided by the kaitiaki (tribal guardian) Kaikaiawaro.
NgÃÂti Kuia are the largest and oldest iwi of Te Tauihu o Te Waka a MÃÂui in Te Waipounamu (The Prow of the Canoe of MÃÂui). Also known as The Top of the South Island of New Zealand.
The founding tipuna is Matua Hautere, a descendant of Kupe, who came to Te Waipounamu in his waka Te Hoiere.
According to NgÃÂti Kuia whakapapa, Matua Hautere was guided by the kaitiaki KaikaiÃÂwaro and Ruamano who took the form of dolphins.
Hinepopo/Hinepoupou, a NgÃÂti Kuia tipuna credited as being the first woman to swim Raukawakawa, in her epic swim from KÃÂpiti Island to Rangitoto guided also by KaikaiÃÂwaro.
NgÃÂti Kuia also descend from Awaawa Wetewete Tapiki who came on the Kurahaupà  waka.
NgÃÂti Kuia is an amalgamation of descendants from Matua Hautere and the Kurahaupà  iwi of NgÃÂi Tara Pounamu, NgÃÂti Tà «matakà Âkiri, NgÃÂti Wairangi, RangitÃÂne, NgÃÂti Apa and NgÃÂti MÃÂmoe.
NgÃÂti Kuia are also linked to the oldest known habitation site in New Zealand located at the Wairau Bar. This area was first settled circa 1300 from people who were born and grew to adulthood in Eastern Polynesia then sailed to Aotearoa, lived and were buried at the site.
NgÃÂti Kuia is named after their tipuna, Kuia who is a descendant of Matua Hautere. Kuia was born in Te Waipounamu which is significant for many reasons.
NgÃÂti Kuia ancestors settled in a number of locations across Te Tauihu, including the Marlborough Sounds, Motuweka, Te Hora, Whakapuaka, Whakatà «, Waimeha, Taitapu, and Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa.
Early on, NgÃÂti Kuia ancestors moved with the seasons for trade, hunting and fishing, developing unique art and design from the resources and establishing names for the places they lived.
NgÃÂti Kuia have a rich history of stories and customs that relate to the land, seas and waters in Te Tauihu.
NgÃÂti Kuia ancestors were renowned gardeners, fishermen and harvesters of tëtë (muttonbirds).
Known as an iwi karakia especially in relation to te taiao (the environment). NgÃÂti Kuia are synonymous with pakohe, a black or grey metasomatised argillite stone categorised into 2 types Uriuri(Dark stone) and Marutea(light mud shade stone) found along the Nelson Mineral Belt which became New ZealandâÂÂs first known traded commodity. NgÃÂti Kuia traded with other iwi as far away as Te Tai Tokerau(Northland), Murihiku(Southland) and RÃÂkohu (the Chatham Islands) in exchange for obsidian from the Central Plateau and other resources.
NgÃÂti Kuia ancestors including Kahura and RÃ Ânaki met Captain Cook at Meretoto in TÃ Âtaranui (Queen Charlotte Sound) trading local resources such as timber and furs for seeds, textiles and livestock which were quickly adapted and then resupplied back to Cook's crew on later visits.
NgÃÂti Kuia whÃÂnau supplied food and goods for the settlement of Nelson when it was being established and at the time of early land prospectors arriving, had the largest kà «mara fields in the South Island on the Waimeha Plains. They encouraged settlement in Te Hoiere (Pelorus) in a Deed of Sale with the Crown in 1856, and left their pàat Motuweka so the town of Havelock could be built there.
As descendants of Matua Hautere, NgÃÂti Kuia has continued to survive through the ages and the turbulent times of natural and man-made disasters. This shows a huge amount of resilience, adaptability, strength and an ability to find harmony with others. The descendants of Matua Hautere continue to live in Te Tauihu today and around the world.
In 2010, a Deed of Settlement was signed by the iwi of Te Tauihu which became law in 2014. This acknowledged and listed the wrongdoing by the Crown that meant a loss of language, land and cultural identity for iwi through unfair laws and legislations which meant that NgÃÂti Kuia ancestors had suffered immeasurably.
As part of this deed of Settlement and compensation process, their negotiators acquired land and assets as well as cash. Some of the land acquired through cultural redress and settlement purchases were schools across the region that held cultural significance to the iwi.
The affairs and assets of the iwi are managed by Te Rà «nanga o NgÃÂti Kuia Trust. NgÃÂti Kuia are associated with Te Hora (Canvastown), Whakatà « (Nelson) and Omaka (Blenheim) marae.
NgÃÂti Kuia have keen interests in managing assets for future generations.
Priority areas include Te Taiao, NgÃÂti Kuiatanga, Pà «tea and Te Tangata. The values of manaakitanga, kotahitanga, whakatipuranga, whanaungatanga that NgÃÂti Kuia tëpuna lived by, are still important today.