Te Whakakitenga

The Whakakitenga, formerly known as the Kauhanganui,[2] is the governing council of the Waikato Tainui tribal confederation in New Zealand. It is structured as a bicameral parliament, and members are elected for three year terms, with each marae electing two members.[3]

Te Whakakitenga o Waikato
Waikato Tainui Parliament
Type
Type
HousesTe Arataura
Te Kauhanganui
Leadership
Chair
Parekawhia McLean
since February 3, 2021[1]
Deputy Chair
Ikimoke Tamaki-Takarei
since February 3, 2021
Structure
Seats204
Political groups
Independents (204)
Elections
Last election
January 2021
Next election
2024
Meeting place
Ngāruawāhia, Waikato region, New Zealand
Website
http://waikatotainui.com/

The parliament was established by King Tāwhiao of the Kīngitanga in 1889 or 1890.[4]

Background

Te Kauhanganui was originally established at Maungakawa, located in the present day settlement of Te Miro, near Cambridge.[4] It was founded by Tāwhiao after his proposal to set up a pan-Maori parliament in New Zealand to complement the Colonial legislative council was denied by Auckland authorities.[4] The parliament's members consisted of tribally appointed delegates who advised King Tāwhiao on policy and was used by him to communicate with his subjects.[4]

The Kauhanganui remains in existence today, and currently serves as the governing council of the modern Waikato Tainui tribal government.[5] It is headed by 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 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, Ngāruawāhia.

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.

A flag used during the reign of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the first Maori king.

See also

References
  1. "Exciting new era in tribal leadership – Waikato Tainui". Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  2. "Te Kauhanganui now known as Te Whakakitenga o Waikato". Māori Television. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  3. "Governance – Waikato Tainui". Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  4. "Tensions ease - Maori King movement 1860-94". Normalising relations. New Zealand History online. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  5. Foster, Bernard. "TE KĪNGITANGA". TE KĪNGITANGA. Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
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