Te Arawa
Encyclopedia
Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori iwi
and hapu
(tribes and sub-tribes) based in the Rotorua
and Bay of Plenty
areas of New Zealand
, with a population of around 40,000.
The history of the Te Arawa people is inextricably linked to the Arawa canoe. The iwi and hapu that constitute Te Arawa include Ngati Whakaue
, Ngati Rangiteaorere, Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Makino, Ngati Rangitihi
, Ngati Rangiwewehi, Tapuika, Waitaha
, Ngati Ngararanui, Ngati Rongomai, Ngati Tahu, Ngati Whaoa, Ngati Tarawhai, Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi, Ngati Kea Ngati Tuara, Ngati Tura-Ngati Te Ngakau, Ngati Uenukukopako, Tuhourangi and Ngati Wahiao.
The Te Arawa tribes have a close historical interest in the lakes around Rotorua. Many were killed in the Mt Tarawera eruption of 1886.
Many Te Arawa men fought for the Colonial Government in the New Zealand land wars
that occurred in the mid-19th century in the North Island of New Zealand.
Perhaps in part for this reason the iwi chose to negotiate directly with the New Zealand government over their historical grievances, bypassing the Waitangi Tribunal
. A series of negotiations has resulted in several settlements of their various claims, the largest of which are the settlement relating to the 14 lakes, signed in December 2004, and the settlement for all the historical claims of a cluster of Te Arawa iwi and hapu signed on 30 September 2006. The Government apologised to Te Arawa for breaches of the Treaty, and paid $36 million in compensation, including up to 500 km² of Crown forest land, as well as 19 areas of special significance, including the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs Reserve.
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
and hapu
Hapu
A hapū is sometimes described as "the basic political unit within Maori society".A named division of a Māori iwi , membership is determined by genealogical descent; a hapū is made up of a number of whānau groups. Generally hapū range in size from 150-200 although there is no upper limit...
(tribes and sub-tribes) based in the Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
and Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
areas of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, with a population of around 40,000.
The history of the Te Arawa people is inextricably linked to the Arawa canoe. The iwi and hapu that constitute Te Arawa include Ngati Whakaue
Ngati Whakaue
Ngāti Whakaue is a Māori iwi of New Zealand. The tribe lives in the Rotorua district and descends from the Arawa waka. The Ngāti Whakaue chief Pukaki is depicited on the New Zealand 20 cent coin.*...
, Ngati Rangiteaorere, Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Makino, Ngati Rangitihi
Ngati Rangitihi
Ngāti Rangitihi is a Māori iwi of New Zealand, located in the Bay of Plenty.Ngati Rangitihi is the senior tribe of Te Arawa. The 8 beating hearts of Te Arawa come under the umbrella of Rangitihi .-History:...
, Ngati Rangiwewehi, Tapuika, Waitaha
Waitaha
Waitaha is an early historical Māori iwi . Inhabitants of the South Island of New Zealand, they were largely absorbed via marriage and conquest first by the Kāti Mamoe and then Ngāi Tahu from the 16th century onward....
, Ngati Ngararanui, Ngati Rongomai, Ngati Tahu, Ngati Whaoa, Ngati Tarawhai, Ngati Te Roro o Te Rangi, Ngati Kea Ngati Tuara, Ngati Tura-Ngati Te Ngakau, Ngati Uenukukopako, Tuhourangi and Ngati Wahiao.
The Te Arawa tribes have a close historical interest in the lakes around Rotorua. Many were killed in the Mt Tarawera eruption of 1886.
Many Te Arawa men fought for the Colonial Government in the New Zealand land wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
that occurred in the mid-19th century in the North Island of New Zealand.
Perhaps in part for this reason the iwi chose to negotiate directly with the New Zealand government over their historical grievances, bypassing the Waitangi Tribunal
Waitangi Tribunal
The Waitangi Tribunal is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975...
. A series of negotiations has resulted in several settlements of their various claims, the largest of which are the settlement relating to the 14 lakes, signed in December 2004, and the settlement for all the historical claims of a cluster of Te Arawa iwi and hapu signed on 30 September 2006. The Government apologised to Te Arawa for breaches of the Treaty, and paid $36 million in compensation, including up to 500 km² of Crown forest land, as well as 19 areas of special significance, including the Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs Reserve.
External links
- Te Arawa website
- Te Arawa in Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand