NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei or NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua-o-à ÂrÃÂkei is an Auckland-based MÃÂori hapà « (sub-tribe) in New Zealand. Together with Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa and Te Taoà «, it comprises the iwi (tribe) of NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua. These four hapà « can act together or separately as independent tribes. The hapà «'s rohe (tribal area) is mostly in TÃÂmaki Makaurau, the site of present-day Auckland. NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei has around 6,000 members whose collective affairs are managed by the NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei Trust.
NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua descends from the ancestor Tuputupuwhenua (also known as Tumutumuwhenua). The iwi traces its arrival in New Zealand to the MÃÂhuhu-ki-te-rangi canoe, which landed north of the Kaipara Harbour. They also descend from ancestors who migrated from Muriwhenua in the Far North and intermarried with the tribes in NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua's territory.
NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua originally occupied the area between the Hokianga and Kaipara harbours. They later pushed south and came to control the area around the Kaipara Harbour. This led to tension with Te Wai-o-Hua, led by Kiwi TÃÂmaki, who were the main tribe in Auckland. Kiwi TÃÂmaki attacked NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua and ensuing conflict led to a battle near Laingholm in about 1741, where NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua chief Waha-akiaki killed Kiwi TÃÂmaki. In subsequent battles, Waha-akiaki and his cousin Tà «periri conquered all of central Auckland. Waha-akiaki returned to the Kaipara, leaving a section of NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua under Tà «periri who settled in Auckland. Tà «periri arranged peace marriages between his sons Tomoaure and Tarahawaiiki to important Waiohua women, Tahuri and Mokorua. The descendants of these marriages became known by the hapà « name NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei.
During the early to mid-19th century Tà «periri's grandson Te Kawau (later baptised Apihai) became the leader of the hapà «. On 20 March 1840 in the Manukau Harbour area where NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua farmed, now paramount chief Apihai Te Kawau signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the te reo MÃÂori translation of the Treaty of Waitangi). NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua sought British protection from NgÃÂpuhi as well as a reciprocal relationship with the Crown and the Church. Soon after signing Te Tiriti, NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei, the primary hapà « and landowner in TÃÂmaki Makaurau, made a strategic gift of 3,500 acres (1,400 hectares) of land on the WaitematàHarbour to Hobson, the new Governor of New Zealand, for the new capital.
By 1855, NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei, who had given two further land gifts of 13,200 acres (5,342 hectares) to the Crown, had lost most of their remaining land through speculators. The 700-acre Orakei block was all that remained. Within a century, this too was compulsorily acquired by the Crown (apart from a cemetery).
In the 1970s NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei played a leading role in a dispute over vacant land at Takaparawhau / Bastion Point, east of the Auckland city centre, adjoining the suburb of à ÂrÃÂkei. The land, which the New Zealand government had acquired cheaply for public works many decades before, largely reverted to the hÃÂpu after a long occupation and passive resistance. In 1988 the New Zealand Government returned Takaparawhau / Bastion Point and à ÂrÃÂkei Marae to NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei, with compensation, as part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement process. The 1991 à ÂrÃÂkei Act was passed to recognise the rights of NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei under the Treaty. In 2011 the hapà « signed a Deed of Settlement with the Crown.
As part of the 1990 Commemorations NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei made a large waka with the same name as the historical MÃÂhuhu-ki-te-rangi or MÃÂhuhu-ki-te-rangi waka. It led the 150th Auckland Anniversary celebrations in 1990 and the new millennium celebrations in 2000, both on the WaitematàHarbour.
In 2018 NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei and the Ports of Auckland created a memorial to Te Kawau for his gifting of land to Governor Hobson and commemorating his contributions to Auckland, while marking the place where the city was founded on 18 September 1840.