Ngāti Awa is a Māori iwi (tribe) centred in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. It is made of 22 hapū (subtribes), with 15,258 people claiming affiliation to the iwi in 2006. The Ngāti Awa people are primarily located in towns on the Rangitaiki Plain, including Whakatāne, Kawerau, Edgecumbe, Te Teko and Matatā. Two urban hapū also exist in Auckland (Ngāti Awa-ki-Tamaki) and Wellington (Ngāti Awa-ki-Poneke).
History
Early history
Ngāti Awa traces its origins to the arrival of Māori settlers on the Mātaatua waka (canoe). The Mātaatua 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 Ngāti Awa. Awanuiarangi II was a chief descended from Toroa, captain of the Mātaatua. Descendants of Awanuiarangi II eventually formed their own iwi, Ngāti Awa, named after their ancestor.
Tribal and land wars
Ngāti Awa was frequently at war with neighbouring iwi, including those with similar ancestry. Ngāti 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 km² of Ngāti Awa land.
For more than a century afterwards, Ngāti Awa remained an aggrieved, struggling people. However, in 1999, the Waitangi Tribunal determined that the confiscation of Ngāti Awa land in the New Zealand Wars by the British Crown was illegal, and in 2003 a settlement was reached between Ngāti Awa and the New Zealand Government.
In the nineteenth century Ngāti Pūkeko were considered a separate iwi, but they are currently considered a hapū of Ngāti Awa.
Government settlement
In 2003, following almost ten years of negotiations between the New Zealand Government and Ngāti Awa, a settlement was announced and reparations were made to the iwi. In summary: The New Zealand Government ('the Crown') acknowledged and apologised for the illegal confiscation of Ngāti Awa land during the New Zealand Wars The Crown paid NZ$42.39 million in reparations to Ngāti Awa The Crown agreed to return control of seven sites of historical and cultural significance to the iwi Three locations were renamed in accordance with original Ngāti Awa place names. On settlement the Ngāti Awa Research Centre that was established in 1989 to generate research for the Waitangi Tribunal claim became Ngāti Awa Research and Archives.
Hapū and marae
Whakatāne hapū
The following hapū are based around Whakatāne and Coastlands:
Ngāti Hokopū, based at Te Hokowhitu a Tū ki te Rāhui marae and Te Hokowhitu a Tūmatauenga wharenui, and at Te Whare o Toroa marae Ngāti Wharepaia, based at Te Hokowhitu a Tū ki te Rāhui marae and Te Hokowhitu a Tūmatauenga wharenui and Te Whare o Toroa marae Te Patuwai me Ngāti Maumoana, based at Toroa marae Warahoe, based at Tokitareke marae and Te Puna o Te Orohi wharenui Ngāi Te Rangihouhiri II, based at Te Rangihouhiri II marae Ngāi Taiwhakaea II, based at Taiwhakaea marae and Taiwhakaea II wharenui
Poroporo hapū
The following hapū are based around Poroporo and Paroa:
Ngāti Pūkeko, based at Pūkeko marae
Ngāti Rangataua, based at Rangataua marae
Ngāti Tamapare, based at Rewatu marae and Ueimua wharenui
Te Whānau o Tariao Tapuke, based at Rangimarie marae and Rarawhati wharenui
Ngāti Hikakino, based at Puawairua marae
Te Teko hapū
The following hapū are based around Te Teko and Edgecumbe:
Ngā Maihi, based at Tūteao marae
Ngāi Tamaoki, based at Ruaihona marae
Ngāi Tamawera, based at Uiraroa marae
Ngāti Hāmua, based at Te Māpou marae and Rongotangiawa wharenui
Te Pahipoto, based at Kokohinau (Tuhimata) marae and Oruatapare wharenui
Tuariki, based at Tuariki marae
Te Kahupāke, based in the area of Te Teko
Matatā and Motiti hapū
The following hapū are based around Matatā and on Motiti Island:
Te Tāwera, based at Iramoko marae and Te Paetata wharenui, in Matatā
Te Patuwai me Ngāti Maumoana, based at Te Hinga o te Ra marae, and at Te Rua Kopiha marae and Tamatea ki te Huatahi wharenui, on Motiti Island
Urban hapū
The following urban hapū are affiliated with Ngāti Awa:
Ngāti Awa ki Poneke, based at Te Tumu Herenga Waka marae at Victoria University in Wellington Ngāti Awa ki Tāmaki Makaurau, based at Mātaatua marae and Awanuiarangi wharenui, at Māngere in Auckland