Waikato Tainui, Waikato or Tainui is a group of MÃÂori iwi based in the Waikato Region, in the western central region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the larger Tainui confederation of Polynesian settlers who arrived to New Zealand on the Tainui waka (migration canoe). The tribe is named after the Waikato River, which plays a large part in its history and culture.
PÃ
Âtatau Te Wherowhero, the first MÃÂori king, was a member of the NgÃÂti Mahuta hapu (sub-tribe) of Waikato iwi, and his descendants have succeeded him. The king movement is based at TÃ
«rangawaewae marae (meeting place) in NgÃÂruawÃÂhia.
The Waikato-Tainui iwi comprises 33 hapÃ
« (sub-tribes) and 68 marae (family groupings), with a population of over 80,000 tribal members who affiliate to it. In the 2023 New Zealand census, 47,664 people gave Waikato as an affiliation. Hamilton City is now the tribe's largest population centre, but NgÃÂruawÃÂhia remains its historical centre and modern capital.
Government
Waikato-Tainui's governing parliamentary body is Te Kauhanganui, a governing body of 204 tribal members â 3 members from each of the 68 marae. The marae are spread over a large area from Te KÃ
«iti and Cambridge in the south to Auckland in the north.
The executive board is Te Arataura, which has 10 representatives elected from Te Kauhanganui and an 11th member appointed by the MÃÂori king. The Waikato-Tainui tribal administration (or iwi authority) is the Waikato Raupatu Trustee Company Ltd, which replaced the Tainui MÃÂori Trust Board, and is situated at Hopuhopu, NgÃÂruawÃÂhia.
The Waikato iwi has been using the name Tainui to describe itself for some time, through the establishment of the Tainui MÃÂori Trust Board by the Waikato-Maniapoto Maori Claims Settlement Act 1946, with many people now referring to the Waikato iwi as "Tainui" or "Waikato-Tainui".
There have traditionally been strong links between Tainui and the University of Waikato, which has strengths in MÃÂori language and modern local history. The university also holds documents and objects related to the tribe.
HapÃ
« and marae
Waikato Tainui is made up of several iwi (tribes) and hapÃ
« (sub-tribes).
Each tribal group has marae (meeting grounds), which usually includes a wharenui (meeting house).
NgÃÂti Mahuta
The hÃÂpu of NgÃÂti Mahuta is associated with 20 marae:
- 1 in MÃÂngere Bridge: Te Puea Memorial Marae
- 3 near Te Kauwhata: Ã
Âkarea marae, Taniwha marae and Matahuru Papakainga marae
- 1 in Rangiriri: Horahora marae
- 4 in and around Huntly: Te Ã
ÂhÃÂkë marae, Kaitumutumu marae, Te Kauri marae and Waahi marae
- 3 in and around NgÃÂruawÃÂhia: Taupiri marae, WaikeriâÂÂTangirau marae, and TÃ
«rangawaewae marae
- 1 near Te Awamutu: Te KÃ
Âpua marae
- 4 around Aotea Harbour: Ã
Âkapu marae, MÃ
Âtakotako (Taruke) marae, Te Papatapu (Te Wehi) marae and Te Tihi o Moerangi marae
- 3 around Kawhia Harbour: MaketÃ
« marae, ÃÂruka marae and Te KÃ
Âraha marae
NgÃÂti Hikairo
The iwi of NgÃÂti Hikairo is associated with 4 marae:
- 3 around Kawhia Harbour: Waipapa Marae (hapÃ
«: NgÃÂti te uru, NgÃÂti Pokaia, Te Whanau pani, NgÃÂti Horotakere), Mokai kainga marae (hapÃ
«: NgÃÂti Te Mihinga, NgÃÂti Paretaiko), Kaiewe marae (hapÃ
«: NgÃÂti Puhiawe, NgÃÂti Hineue)
- 1 in Pirongia at Purekireki marae
NgÃÂti Te Wehi
The iwi of NgÃÂti Te Wehi is associated with 11 marae:
- 4 marae around Aotea Harbour: Ookapu marae, MÃ
Âtakotako (Taruke) marae, Te Papatapu (Te Wehi) marae and Te Tihi o Moerangi marae
- 4 marae around Kawhia Harbour:Raakaunui marae, MaketÃ
« marae, ÃÂruka marae and Te KÃ
Âraha marae
- 2 marae in NgÃÂruawÃÂhia: TÃ
«rangawaewae marae and Waikeri â Tangirau marae
NgÃÂti Kuiaarangi, NgÃÂti Tai and NgÃÂti WhÃÂwhÃÂkia
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti Tai, NgÃÂti Kuiaarangi and NgÃÂti WhÃÂwhÃÂkia are associated with 8 marae:
Tainui
The hapÃ
« of Tainui is associated with 7 marae:
- 4 marae east of Huntly: Te ÃÂkau marae, Pukerewa marae, Te Poho o Tanikena marae and Weraroa marae
- 2 marae around Raglan Harbour: PoihÃÂkena marae and Te KÃ
Âpua marae
- 1 marae around Aotea Harbour: MÃ
Âtakotako (Taruke) marae
NgÃÂti TÃÂhinga
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti TÃÂhinga is associated with 6 marae:
- 2 marae in Port Waikato: NgÃÂti TÃÂhinga marae and Pakau marae
- 4 marae west of Huntly: Pukerewa, Te ÃÂkau, Te Poho o Tanikena and Weraroa
NgÃÂti Apakura
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti Apakura is associated with 6 marae:
- 3 marae around Pirongia: PÃ
«rekireki marae, Hëona marae and Te KÃ
Âpua
- 1 marae in Ã
Âtorohanga: Kahotea marae
- 1 marae in Te KÃ
«iti: Te Tokanganui a Noho
NgÃÂti Tiipa and NgÃÂti ÃÂmaru
The hÃÂpu of NgÃÂti Tiipa and NgÃÂti ÃÂmaru are associated with 6 marae:
- 2 marae in Tuakau: NgÃÂ Tai e Rua marae and Tauranganui marae
- 4 marae at Port Waikato: Pakau marae, Te AwamÃÂrahi marae, Te Kotahitanga marae and Tikirahi marae
NgÃÂti HauÃÂ
The hÃÂpu of NgÃÂti HauÃÂ is associated with 5 marae:
- 3 marae in and around Morrinsville: Kai a Te Mata marae, Raungaiti mare and Rukumoana marae
- 2 marae in Hamilton: Te Iti a HauÃÂ (Tauwhare) marae and Waimakariri marae
NgÃÂti Korokë and NgÃÂti Raukawa
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti Korokë and NgÃÂti Raukawa are associated with 5 marae:
- 2 marae south-east of Te Awamutu: RÃÂwhitiroa (Ã
Âwairaka) marae in Parawera and Aotearoa marae in Wharepapa South
- 2 marae near Lake Karapiro: Maungatautari marae in Maungatautari and PÃ
Âhara marae in Arapuni
- 1 marae near Tokoroa: NgÃÂtira marae in Kinleith
NgÃÂti MÃÂhanga and NgÃÂti TamainupÃ
Â
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti MÃÂhanga and NgÃÂti TamainupÃ
 are associated with 4 marae:
- 2 marae around Raglan Harbour: Te Kaharoa (Aramiro) in Raglan and Waingaro marae in Waingaro
- 2 marae near Whatawhata: Ã
Âmaero marae and Te Papa o Rotu (Te Oneparepare) marae
NgÃÂi Tai, NgÃÂti Koheriki, and NgÃÂti Tamaoho
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂi Tai, NgÃÂti Koheriki, and NgÃÂti Tamaoho are associated with 5 marae:
NgÃÂti Hine, NgÃÂti Naho and NgÃÂti Pou
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti Hine, NgÃÂti Naho and NgÃÂti Pou are associated with 4 marae:
- Waikare marae at Te Kauwhata
- Horahora marae at Rangiriri
- Matahuru Papakainga marae at Ohinewai
- Maurea marae at Te Ã
Âhakë
NgÃÂti Te Ata and NgÃÂti Paretaua
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti Te Ata and NgÃÂti Paretaua are associated with 4 marae:
- 2 marae in Waiuku: ReretÃÂwhioi marae and TÃÂhuna marae
NgÃÂti Taratikitiki
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti Te Ata and NgÃÂti Paretaua are associated with 4 marae:
- 1 marae in Te Kauwhata: Waikare marae
- 1 marae in Rangiriri: Horahora marae
- 2 marae east of Huntly: Maurea marae and Te Poho o Tanikena marae
NgÃÂti Makirangi
The hapÃ
« of NgÃÂti Makirangi has no marae of its own, but is associated with 4 marae:
- 2 marae near Taupiri: Hukanui marae and Tauhei marae
- 1 marae near Rangiriri: Waiti (Raungaunu) marae
- 1 marae near Tahuna: Hoe o Tainui marae
Ngaati Wairere
Ngaati Wairere is associated with 2 marae:
Other hapÃ
«
- NgÃÂti Ngutu, based at Mangatoatoa marae in Te Awamutu and RÃÂkaunui marae near Kawhia
- NgÃÂti Paretekawa, based at Mangatoatoa marae in Te Awamutu and RÃÂkaunui marae in Hauturu
- NgÃÂti PÃÂtupÃ
Â
- NgÃÂti Puhiawe, based at Waipapa marae in Kawhia
- NgÃÂti Ruru, based at PÃÂrÃÂwera marae near Te Awamutu
- NgÃÂti Werokoko, based at PÃÂrÃÂwera marae near Te Awamutu
- Te ÃÂkitai Waiohua, based at Makaurau marae in Mangere
References
External links