NgÃÂti Awa is a MÃÂori iwi (tribe) centred in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. It is made of 22 hapà « (subtribes), with 15,258 people claiming affiliation to the iwi in 2006. The NgÃÂti Awa people are primarily located in towns on the Rangitaiki Plain, including WhakatÃÂne, Kawerau, Edgecumbe, Te Teko and MatatÃÂ. Two urban hapà « also exist in Auckland (NgÃÂti Awa-ki-Tamaki) and Wellington (NgÃÂti Awa-ki-Poneke).
NgÃÂti Awa traces its origins to the arrival of MÃÂori settlers on the MÃÂtaatua waka (canoe). The MÃÂtaatua settlers established settlements in the Bay of Plenty and Northland. Initially, the tribe controlled a large area in Northland, but conflicts with other northern iwi resulted in a southward migration. One group eventually settled in the eastern Bay of Plenty, whose descendants would eventually found the iwi.
Awanuiarangi II is recognised as the eponymous ancestor of NgÃÂti Awa. Awanuiarangi II was a chief descended from Toroa, captain of the MÃÂtaatua. Descendants of Awanuiarangi II eventually formed their own iwi, NgÃÂti Awa, named after their ancestor.
NgÃÂti Awa was frequently at war with neighbouring iwi, including those with similar ancestry.
During the Musket Wars of about 1806-1845, NgÃÂti Awa played the part of both defender and aggressor. In 1818, NgÃÂti Awa protected NgÃÂti Pukeko (then an independent iwi but now a hapà « of NgÃÂti Awa) from raid by Te Morenga and Korokoro of NgÃÂpuhi. Strategically withdrawing to the Urewera hills, the allies held out successfully at Okahukura pàuntil reinforcements arrived, ultimately driving off the raiders with heavy casualties. In an 1821-1822 raid, Pà Âmare and Te Wera Hauraki of NgÃÂpuhi returned to avenge this defeat. NgÃÂti Awa and NgÃÂti Pukeko initially tried to hold out in abandoned Tà «hoe pàin Ruatoki, but after losing five of these pàthe rangatira Te Mautaranui (who also descended from Tà «hoe) led a wholesale evacuation that NgÃÂpuhi pursued nearly 70 kilometers to the south. Eventually, Te Mautaranui opened negotiations with Pà Âmare and secured not only peace for NgÃÂti Awa and Tà «hoe, but Pà ÂmareâÂÂs friendship as well. When the Tà «hoe rangatira Te Rangiwaitatao was killed by NgÃÂti Kahungunu, Te Mautaranui was able to call upon Pà Âmare to join an 1824 retaliatory raid with NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua, Whakatà Âhea, NgÃÂti Maru, NgÃÂti TamaterÃÂ, NgÃÂiterangi, Tà «hoe, and NgÃÂti Awa against NgÃÂti KahungunuâÂÂs Titirangi pÃÂ, which was successfully captured. When Te Mautaranui was treacherously killed by Tuakiaki of NgÃÂti Kahungunu in 1826, NgÃÂti Awa and Tà «hoe called upon the help of Te Whatanui of NgÃÂti Raukawa and Pà Âmare and Te Wera of NgÃÂpuhi to attain revenge. The alliance successfully captured Pohaturoa and Waihau pÃÂ, slaughtering their inhabitants and killing Tuakiaki.
In 1829, the rangatira Ngarara plundered the trading ship Haweis, provoking retaliation from other iwi who feared that the attack would jeopardize their access to international trade. NgÃÂiterangi immediately responded with an attack on Puketapu pÃÂ, which NgÃÂti Awa repelled with the help of a cannon they had captured from the Haweis. The rangatira Te Hana of NgÃÂpuhi, for his part, simply hitched a ride on the schooner New Zealander and assassinated Ngarara when he came aboard to trade. The New Zealander was also carrying a number of NgÃÂti Porou passengers, and their mere presence at the scene of the assassination was enough to mobilize NgÃÂti Awa, Whakatà Âhea, and Te WhÃÂnau-ÃÂ-Apanui for a raid against NgÃÂti Porou at Omuru-iti, where they killed a European trader associated with the iwi. In 1830, NgÃÂti Maru under Tuterangianini and Te Rohu raided NgÃÂti Awa territory. In 1834, NgÃÂti Awa sent forces alongside Whakatà Âhea and NgÃÂi Tai to assist Te WhÃÂnau-ÃÂ-Apanui in the defense of Toka a Kuku pàagainst NgÃÂti Porou, NgÃÂpuhi, and Rongowhakaata. Although this relief force was badly mauled by Te Wera of NgÃÂpuhi and Kakatarau of Rongowhakaata at Puremutahuri Stream, the defenders nonetheless held the pÃÂ.
NgÃÂti Awa initially had good trading relations with European settlers. However, the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s resulted in the British Crown confiscating more than 1,000 km<sup>2</sup> of NgÃÂti Awa land.
For more than a century afterwards, NgÃÂti Awa remained an aggrieved, struggling people. However, in 1999, the Waitangi Tribunal determined that the confiscation of NgÃÂti Awa land in the New Zealand Wars by the British Crown was illegal, and in 2003 a settlement was reached between NgÃÂti Awa and the New Zealand Government.
In the nineteenth century NgÃÂti Pà «keko were considered a separate iwi, but they are currently considered a hapà « of NgÃÂti Awa.
In 2003, following almost ten years of negotiations between the New Zealand Government and NgÃÂti Awa, a settlement was announced and reparations were made to the iwi. In summary:
On settlement the NgÃÂti Awa Research Centre that was established in 1989 to generate research for the Waitangi Tribunal claim became NgÃÂti Awa Research and Archives.
The following hapà « are based around WhakatÃÂne and Coastlands:
The following hapà « are based around Poroporo and Paroa:
The following hapà « are based around Te Teko and Edgecumbe:
The following hapà « are based around Matatàand on Mà Âtëtë Island:
The following urban hapà « are affiliated with NgÃÂti Awa:
Te Rà «nanga o NgÃÂti Awa became the new governing body of the iwi in 2005. Representatives from the Rà «nanga were responsible for negotiating the settlement with the government on behalf of NgÃÂti Awa. Based in WhakatÃÂne, the rà «nanga manages the financial assets of the iwi, and promotes cultural, educational and economic development in the region.
The trust manages the tribe's Treaty of Waitangi settlement under the NgÃÂti Awa Claims Settlement Act and is a body corporate for the tribe's land, under Te Runanga o NgÃÂti Awa Act. It represents the iwi in aquaculture and fisheries under the MÃÂori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act, and represents the iwi during resource consent consultation under the Resource Management Act. The trust is governed by one representative from each of the 22 hapà «, and is based in WhakatÃÂne.
The tribal area of the iwi is within the territory of Kawerau District Council and WhakatÃÂne District Council.
It is also within the wider territory of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Sun FM is the radio station for NgÃÂti Awa. It was first known as Te Reo Irirangi o Te Manuka TutÃÂhi during a three-week AM trial run in 1990. It went to air as Tumeke FM on 6 April 1991, became Sun FM in 1994 to increase its advertising appeal, and between 1996 and 1999 worked to increase its MÃÂori language content. The classic hits station broadcasts on in WhakatÃÂne.