Waikato (iwi)
Encyclopedia
Waikato is a Māori iwi
(tribe) from the Waikato
region of the North Island
of New Zealand
. Actually a confederation of smaller tribes, it is also part of the larger confederation of Tainui
, consisting of tribes descended from Polynesian migrants who arrived in New Zealand on the Tainui
canoe. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero
, the first Māori king
, was a member of the Waikato sub-tribe of Ngāti Mahuta
, and his descendants have succeeded him. The iwi is named after the Waikato River
, which plays a large part in its history and culture.
Hamilton City
is now the largest population center for the iwi. The township Ngaruawahia
is important historically, and is the location of Turangawaewae
marae, the centre of the Māori King Movement
. In the 2006 census, 33,429 people in New Zealand indicated they were affiliated with Waikato (including those affiliated with more than one tribe).
The Waikato iwi has been using the name "Tainui" to describe itself for some time, through the establishment of the Tainui Māori Trust Board in 1946, with many people now referring to the Waikato iwi as "Tainui" or "Waikato-Tainui". The Waikato-Tainui iwi comprises 33 hapu
(sub-tribes) and 65 marae
(family groupings). There are over 52,000 tribal members who affiliate to Waikato-Tainui.
Waikato-Tainui's governing parliamentary body is Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated, comprising 204 tribal members – 3 members from each of the 68 marae. The marae are spread over a large area from Te Kuiti
and Cambridge
in the south to Auckland City
in the north. The executive board is Te Arataura, which has 10 representatives elected from Te Kauhanganui and an 11th member appointed by the Māori king. The Waikato-Tainui tribal administration (or iwi authority) is the "Waikato Raupatu Trustee Company Ltd", which replaced the "Tainui Māori Trust Board", and is situated at Hopuhopu, Ngaruawahia.
There have traditionally been strong links between Tainui and the University of Waikato
, which has strengths in Māori language
and modern local history. The university also holds documents and objects related to the tribe.
In 1999 the tribe invested in the Auckland Warriors along with a consortium that included Graham Lowe and Malcolm Boyle. The club performed poorly both on the field and financially. Half way through the 2000 season the tribe bought out the consortium in a bid to turn the fortunes of the club around. By the end of the season the club was near bankruptcy and most of the assets were sold to Eric Watson who formed the New Zealand Warriors
.
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,...
(tribe) from the Waikato
Waikato
The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District...
region of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
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...
. Actually a confederation of smaller tribes, it is also part of the larger confederation of Tainui
Tainui
Tainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato...
, consisting of tribes descended from Polynesian migrants who arrived in New Zealand on the Tainui
Tainui (canoe)
In Māori tradition, Tainui was the name of one of the great ocean-going canoes in which Polynesians migrated to New Zealand, approximately 800 years ago. The Tainui waka was named for an infant who did not survive childbirth...
canoe. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero
Potatau Te Wherowhero
Pōtatau I, Māori King was a Māori warrior, leader of the Waikato tribes, the first Māori King and founder of the Te Wherowhero royal dynasty. He was first known as simply Te Wherowhero and took the name Pōtatau after he became king...
, the first Māori king
Maori King Movement
The Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
, was a member of the Waikato sub-tribe of Ngāti Mahuta
Ngati Mahuta
Ngāti Mahuta is a sub-tribe of the Waikato tribe of Māori in the North Island of New Zealand ....
, and his descendants have succeeded him. The iwi is named after the Waikato River
Waikato River
The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...
, which plays a large part in its history and culture.
Hamilton City
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
is now the largest population center for the iwi. The township Ngaruawahia
Ngaruawahia
Ngāruawāhia is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 20 km north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers...
is important historically, and is the location of Turangawaewae
Turangawaewae
Turangawaewae Marae is a very significant marae of the Māori people of New Zealand and is the headquarters for the Māori King Movement...
marae, the centre of the Māori King Movement
Maori King Movement
The Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
. In the 2006 census, 33,429 people in New Zealand indicated they were affiliated with Waikato (including those affiliated with more than one tribe).
The Waikato iwi has been using the name "Tainui" to describe itself for some time, through the establishment of the Tainui Māori Trust Board in 1946, with many people now referring to the Waikato iwi as "Tainui" or "Waikato-Tainui". The Waikato-Tainui iwi comprises 33 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...
(sub-tribes) and 65 marae
Marae
A marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
(family groupings). There are over 52,000 tribal members who affiliate to Waikato-Tainui.
Waikato-Tainui's governing parliamentary body is Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated, comprising 204 tribal members – 3 members from each of the 68 marae. The marae are spread over a large area from Te Kuiti
Te Kuiti
Te Kuiti is a small town in the south of the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the junction of State Highways 3 and 30 and on the North Island Main Trunk Railway, 80 km south of Hamilton....
and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
in the south to Auckland City
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
in the north. The executive board is Te Arataura, which has 10 representatives elected from Te Kauhanganui and an 11th member appointed by the Māori king. The Waikato-Tainui tribal administration (or iwi authority) is the "Waikato Raupatu Trustee Company Ltd", which replaced the "Tainui Māori Trust Board", and is situated at Hopuhopu, Ngaruawahia.
There have traditionally been strong links between Tainui and the University of Waikato
University of Waikato
The University of Waikato is located in Hamilton and Tauranga, New Zealand, and was established in 1964. It has strengths across a broad range of subject areas, particularly its degrees in Computer Science and in Management...
, which has strengths in Māori language
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
and modern local history. The university also holds documents and objects related to the tribe.
In 1999 the tribe invested in the Auckland Warriors along with a consortium that included Graham Lowe and Malcolm Boyle. The club performed poorly both on the field and financially. Half way through the 2000 season the tribe bought out the consortium in a bid to turn the fortunes of the club around. By the end of the season the club was near bankruptcy and most of the assets were sold to Eric Watson who formed the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
.
External links
- Official site of the tribe, Waikato
- Official site of Tainui Group Holdings, Waikato-Tainui Owned Company
- Official site of Waikato University
- Waikato tribes in Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand