Ngāti Awa

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[4][5]

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[3]

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[3]

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[3]

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[3]

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[3]

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa became the new governing body of the iwi in 2005.[2] Representatives from the Rūnanga were responsible for negotiating the settlement with the government on behalf of Ngāti Awa. Based in Whakatāne, the rūnanga manages the financial assets of the iwi, and promotes cultural, educational and economic development in the region.[6]

The trust manages the tribe's Treaty of Waitangi settlement under the Ngāti Awa Claims Settlement Act and is a body corporate for the tribe's land, under Te Runanga o Ngāti Awa Act. It represents the iwi in aquaculture and fisheries under the Māori 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 hapū, and is based in Whakatāne.[3]

The tribal area of the iwi is within the territory of Kawerau District Council and Whakatāne District Council.

It is also within the wider territory of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.[3]

Sun FM is the radio station for Ngāti Awa. It was first known as Te Reo Irirangi o Te Manuka Tutāhi during a three-week AM trial run in 1990. It went to air as Tumeke FM in 6 April 1991, became Sun FM in 1994 to increase its advertising appeal, and between 1996 and 1999 worked to increase its Māori language content.[7] The classic hits station broadcasts on 106.5 FM in Whakatāne.[8]