NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa is an iwi descended from NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi, the priest who navigated the Arawa canoe to New Zealand. The Tà «wharetoa region extends from Te Awa o te Atua (Tarawera River) at Matatàacross the central plateau of the North Island to the lands around Mount Tongariro and Lake Taupà Â.
Tà «wharetoa is the sixth largest iwi in New Zealand, with a population of 35,877 of the 2013 New Zealand census, and 40% of its people under the age of 15. The tribe consists of a number of hapà « (subtribes) represented by 33 marae (meeting places). The collective is bound together by the legacy of NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi as epitomised in the ariki (paramount chief), currently Sir Tumu te Heuheu Tà «kino VIII.
In the 2013 New Zealand census 35,877 people identified as NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa. By the 2018 New Zealand census, there were at least 47,103 people identifying with the iwi, including 44,448 identifying with the Taupà  branch, and 2,655 identifying with the Kawerau branch.
NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa are descendants of the eponymous male warrior Tà «wharetoa i te Aupà Âuri. He was born at Te Pare-o-te rawahirua at Otamarakau ca. 1300. The main tribal areas of his people are based from Te Awa o te Atua in Matatàto Tongariro. He gains his mana principally from the powerful tohunga and navigator NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi who piloted the great waka Te Arawa from Hawaiki to Aotearoa and also the great navigator Toroa of the MÃÂtaatua waka. NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi was tricked onto the Te Arawa waka by the chief Tama-te-kapua as it was considered good luck to have him aboard. He was originally destined to travel aboard the Tainui waka. This greatly angered NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi and his disdain and animosity of the Te Arawa chief led to his leaving the group soon after arrival.
In Aotearoa they made landfall at Te Awa o Te Atua, and NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi departed heading inland to Te Takanga i o Apa (Kawerau area), thence to Ruawahia there he encountered the monstrous Tama o Hoi and eventually reaching Taupà  district where he climbed Mount Tauhara. From Tauhara, NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi made his way to Tongariro with the intention of standing on its summit and thus claiming the district as his own. While climbing the mountain a powerful southerly wind whipped his face, icy gales chiselled the warmth from his body while the frozen volcano cut painfully into his feet eventually bringing him to his knees with cold. As NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi lay dying he called to his sisters Kuiwai and Haungaroa in Hawaiki, to send fire to warm him, "Kuiwai e! Haungaroa e! Ka riro au i te tonga! Tukuna mai he ahi!" (Oh Kuiwai! Oh Haungaroa! I am seized by the cold south wind! Send fire to me!)
Heeding his call, they sent fire in the form of two taniwha, Te Pupu and Te Hoata. As they travelled underground the flames first erupted at Whakaari, then Rotorua and Taupà Â, finally bursting at the feet of NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi, welling up from the large vent in the volcanoâÂÂs summit, warming the tohunga and thus allowing him to achieve his goal. On the summit of Tongariro NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi gave thanks and established 'Te Wharetoa o Tà «matauenga' The Warrior House of Tà « â the legacy of Tà «wharetoa.
NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi did not remain at Tongariro, instead returning to the coast to live out his life at Mà Âtëtë Island. His descendants settled at Te Awa o Te Atua inland to Kawerau increasing over the generations until the time of Mawake Taupà Â, 8th generation descendant of NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi. Mawake Taupà  married an ariki of Hapuoneone named Hahuru, whose lineage included the original inhabitants of the area and their son Manaia would eventually take the name Tà «wharetoa.
The sons of Tà «wharetoa moved from Kawerau across Waiariki and eventually into the district around Taupà  and by skill at arms, strategy and might eventually established the rohe of Tà «wharetoa settling in three divisions at Kawerau, Waiariki and Tongariro. Mai Te Awa o Te Atua Ki Tongariro, Tà «wharetoa Ki Kawerau, Tà «wharetoa Ki Waiariki, Tà «wharetoa Ki te Tonga (From Te Awa-o-te-Atua to Tongariro, Tà «wharetoa at Kawerau, Tà «wharetoa at Waiariki, Tà «wharetoa at Tongariro). This (tribal saying) describes the tribal boundaries of NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa extending from Te Awa o Te Atua (a confluence of rivers at MatatÃÂ) south to Tongariro.
NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa were very active during the early 19th century through military and diplomatic actions amongst the surrounding iwi. From about 1822 to 1832 they fought battles against Ngati Maru. Although the location of Tà «wharetoa in the Central North Island kept them isolated from European contact until 1833, the iwi was nonetheless very aware of PÃÂkehàimpact on the coast both through the introduction of new crops and stock (horses) and due to upheavals and conflicts amongst neighboring iwi to the north caused by the introduction of muskets. Te Rauparaha sought shelter with Tà «wharetoa during his early rise to prominence and the Tà «wharetoa war party met with Hongi Hika during the 1820s as part of the Roto-a-tara campaign at Heretaunga. Most notably Tà «wharetoa actions during this period consolidated its position as the dominant iwi of the central plateau and the mana (authority) of Te Heuheu Mananui as paramount ariki.
In 1840 Iwikau Te Heuheu and others were in the upper North Island trading flax and later attended the meeting at Waitangi. However he did not have the authority to sign as that right was held by his older brother Mananui as ariki. Later during the Flagstaff War Mananui attempted to support HÃ Âne Heke, but was dissuaded from doing so by Waikato. Iwikau Te Heuheu replaced his brother in 1846 and was a key supporter of the founding of the Kingitanga movement after hearing of growing abuses and land theft by the British Colonials.
Tà «wharetoa did not take part in any of the early 1863 raids and battles in Auckland. Their first effort to join the Kingitanga movement was the Battle of à ÂrÃÂkau. A few NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa men, women and children fought the Colonials with their fellow soldiers inside the à ÂrÃÂkau fortifications. The bulk of Horonuku Te Heuheu's Tà «wharetoa warriors were prevented from entering the rebel stronghold by the early arrival of government troops, who quickly formed a ring around the stronghold to prevent reinforcement. Tà «wharetoa warriors were left to watch from a hillside 900 metres away where they were intermittently bombarded by Armstrong cannons. They could only encourage the defenders with haka from a safe distance.
Later in 1869, Tà «wharetoa joined with the MÃÂori sovereignty warrior Te Kooti and his Hau Hau supporters. Te Kooti had challenged the MÃÂori King TÃÂwhiao at Te Kà «iti for his position but been rebuffed. However the Kingitanga kept a close eye on Te Kooti as he fought with the government and settlers and loyal MÃÂori. Tà «wharetoa joined with Te Kooti's Hau Hau at Te Pà Ârere Redoubt, which was styled after a European fort. The result of the Battle of Te Pà Ârere was a decisive defeat for Tà «wharetoa and Te Kooti. Women taken prisoner at Te Pà Ârere by the government soldiers indicated that Tà «wharetoa were reluctant to fight. Te Kooti had kept the Tà «wharetoa women under Hau Hau guard to ensure the Tà «wharetoa men would fight. Donald McLean the native minister realised that confiscating significant Tà «wharetoa land could cause further anti-colonial dissent. Instead, Tà «wharetoa were forced to give some land â Mount Tongariro â to the crown.
NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa academic Hemopereki Simon wrote that the mana, in particular the mana whenua and mana motuhake, of NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa is derived from the arrival of NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi and that this is best demonstrated culturally through Puhiwahine's mà Âteatea, "He waiata aroha mo Te Toko", more commonly known as "Ka Eke ki Wairaka."
The following lines from this moteatea relate to the history of NgÃÂtoro-i-rangi.
The following NgàAriki o Te Whare Ariki o te Heuheu (paramount chiefs) have held the position of Ariki of NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa.
The ariki are listed here in chronological order:
The Senior male line of NgÃÂti Tuwharetoa is maintained by Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau.
Tuwharetoa = Uira (first wife) Rakeimarama Te Kotori Te Tuhoro Te Whiu Te Awhe o Te Rangi Te Oretukarea Te Awhe o Te Rangi II Te Akaurangi (Tohunga)
Their descendants are from Hahuru Marae at Onepu.
Another whakapapa from Rongomaitengangana
Tuwharetoa = Paekitawhiti (second) Rongomaitengangana Tutapiriao Rongoteahu Piri Tunono Umutahi (Ariki) Rakaumaoa Pokipoki Te Paetata Te Araomakau Tahapirau
The Senior Ariki lines are maintained by NgÃÂti Umutahi hapu of Ngati Tuwharetoa at Te Awa o Te Atua.
Tuwharetoa FM is the official radio station of NgÃÂti Tà «wharetoa. It began at Waiariki Polytechnic in Tà «rangi in February 1991, was taken off air in late 1992, relaunched in 1993, and added a frequency reaching as far as Taumarunui. An off-shot station, Tahi FM, began in February 1993 but is no longer operating. Tuwharetoa FM broadcasts on in Tà «rangi, and in the areas of Taumarunui, National Park, Whakapapa and Raetihi.
Hamiora Pio - NgÃÂti Tuwharetoa, notebook, Alexander Turnbull national library
Whakapapa - Rakeimarama Umutahi