NgÃÂtiwai or NgÃÂti Wai is a MÃÂori iwi of the east coast of the Northland Region of New Zealand. Its historical tribal area or rohe stretched from Cape Brett in the north to Takatà « Point on Tawharanui Peninsula in the south and out to Great Barrier Island, the Poor Knights Islands and other offshore islands.
Notable descendants of NgÃÂtiwai include brothers Jim, Ian and Winston Peters, artist Shona Rapira Davies, and writer Paula Morris.
NgÃÂtiwai trace their ancestry to one of the earliest settlers of Te Tai-tokerau, Manaia, who was, according to legend, transformed into stone, with his family and servant Paekà Â, atop Mount Manaia beside WhangÃÂrei Harbour. His descendant Manaia II, some 14 generations later, was the rangatira of NgÃÂti Manaia established.
Following a battle with NgÃÂpuhi at their pàat MimiwhÃÂngata, NgÃÂti Manaia fled out to sea, along the eastern coast, and on to the offshore islands. They became adept seafarers and were known as NgÃÂtiwai-ki-te-moana under the leadership of Te Rangihà Âkaia and siblings Torematao and Te Rangapà «.
Known for their ocean traditions and customs and coastal raiding, NgÃÂtiwai ("descendants of the sea") were often accompanied by a guardian sea-hawk or Tà «kaiaia, whereby other tribes would be warned that NgÃÂtiwai were on the move â either at sea or on land.
The iwi has become associated with NgÃÂpuhi.
After the time of Te Rangihà Âkaia, a descendant of Manaia, a number of key marriages cemented the relationship between NgÃÂtiwai and the Kawerau hapà « of NgÃÂti Rehua and NgÃÂti Manuhiri. During the late 1700s and early 1800s the NgÃÂpuhi tribes pushed east toward Kawakawa, Te RÃÂwhiti and the Whangaruru coast, where they absorbed other tribes, including NgÃÂti Manu, Te Kapotai, Te Uri o Rata, Ngare Raumati and NgÃÂtiwai.
In April 2006, NgÃÂtiwai sued the Department of Conservation over its handling of consultation issues in Northland regarding a marine reserve.