Te KapuamÃÂtotoru was a MÃÂori rangatira (chieftain) of the NgÃÂti Kahungunu iwi and ancestor of the NgÃÂi Te KapuamÃÂtotoru hapà « based on the middle reaches of the Wairoa River in northern Hawke Bay, New Zealand. He was active in the eighteenth century. Through his marriage to Te Whewhera, he established several local lines of chiefs that remained important in the region into modern times.
Te KapuamÃÂtotoru's father was Puruaute of NgÃÂti Rakaipaaka. His mother was Te Matakainga-i-te-tihi, the queen (hei tihi) of the NgÃÂi Tamaterangi hapà « of the Wairoa river valley. His grandfathers were Te Huki and Tapuwae. Only descendants of these two men were traditionally considered to be aristocrats among the NgÃÂti Kahungunu of the northern Hawke Bay area. As a descendant of both Te KapuamÃÂtotoru was particularly well-born. Through his father, he was a direct male-line descendant of Rakaipaaka, and through both parents he was descended from Kahungunu and Tamatea Arikinui, who captained the Takitimu waka from Hawaiki to New Zealand. He was born at Pohonui-o-hine pàon the western bank of the Wairoa river. He had two younger full brothers, Te Kahu-o-te-rangi, ancestor of NgÃÂti PÃÂhauwera, and MÃÂtaitai.
When Te KapuamÃÂtotoru reached adulthood, a chief of NgÃÂti Rakaipaaka called Manawa took him to his pÃÂ, Wairoro, located on the Tahaenui River. There he married a commoner lady, called Te Aramoana, and they had a child. At this, Manawa said ("Son, what a rubbish woman you have married!") and said that he should have married his well-born cousin Te Whewhera, a granddaughter of Tapuwae, who had recently married Te Kakari and had a child herself. Te KapuamÃÂtotoru followed this advance and married Te Whewhera. His child by Te Aramoana and her child by Te Kakari were killed using dark magic "so as to leave no prior issue to this union, thus commencing with the marriage a clean line of descent." Te KapuamÃÂtotoru and Te Whewhera then settled at Whereinga and Hikawai, near modern Frasertown. In expectation of many noble offspring from the new marriage, these pÃÂ were dubbed ("Seed-bed of chiefs").
Te KapuamÃÂtotoru opened up reserved hunting and fishing areas and settled people on them in exchange for bringing tributes of food, "to make Te Whewhera's milk flow"(). These included hunting grounds for birds at Whakapunake. According to NgÃÂti Kahungunu, Pakitua, ancestor of NgÃÂti Pakitua was settled at Wairau-kereku and Lake Waikaremoana to hunt kererà «, while Takupumaro and Te Whakaangiangi were settled at Lake Ohuia and Lake Wairau to catch eels. Subsequently, Pakitua's grandson Tamahore began to claim greater authority over the land at Waikaremoana and stopped sending food, so Te Kapumatotoru had him killed with magic. This led to a battle between Tuhoe and Ngati Hore. These events formed the basis of a successful appeal before a parliamentary commission by Te KapuamÃÂtotoru's descendants to be included among the owners of the Waikaremoana block in 1907.
Te KapuamÃÂtotoru and Te Whewhera had eight children, who were settled as paramount chiefs in various locations across the region, where their descendants maintained interests in the areas as of 1946. These settlements were achieved through arranged marriages which renewed the network formed by Te Huki in the previous two generations. These children were: