Iwi-TRIBAL AFFILIATIONS
An image of Waimangō, on the western shores of the Firth of Thames, Hauraki. Waimangō is the home of my family, Te Whānau-a-Haunui, and we belong to the Marutūahu peoples of Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Tamaterā.
Ko Kohukohunui te maunga
Ko Tīkapa te moana
Ko Ngāti Whanaunga te iwi.
Ko Waimangō te awa
Ko Waimangō te kāinga
Ko ngā uri a Haunui Tukumana
e ngunguru nei
Aue, Te Whānau-a-Haunui e!
My primary iwi-tribal affiliation is Ngāti Whanaunga of Hauraki. My papakāinga is Waimangō, the home of of our family Te Whānau-a-Haunui, located on the western shores of the Firth of Thames, Hauraki. We are also closely affiliated with Ngāti Tamaterā as we are also descendants of Tukukino Te Ahiātaewa of Kōmata, near Paeroa. Our family name ‘Royal’ name comes from Ngāti Raukawa of the south and our grandmother, Meri Te Oi Tamehana, belonged to Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Hine of the north.
I was born in Auckland in 1965. In 1970, my family moved to Wellington when my father was appointed Inspector of Māori and Island Education at the old Department of Education. Hence, I grew up in that part of the country. Because my family has strong connections with Ngāti Raukawa in the south (Kapiti, Horowhenua, Manawatū, Rangitīkei), when time came for me to learn Te Reo Māori and aspects of my culture, I became heavily involved with Ngāti Raukawa and Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa, Ōtaki. (My father worked at Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa for many years). I learnt a great deal there and also worked for the wānanga and so, in time, I became heavily associated with Ngāti Raukawa-ki-te-tonga.
In 2009, I moved to Auckland (after getting a new job at the University of Auckland) and I began to reconnect with my Hauraki roots - particularly with Te Whānau-a-Haunui and Ngāti Whanaunga in the Wharekawa/Kaiaua area and with Ngāti Tamaterā at Kōmata (Paeroa) and Te Puru, north of Thames township. Today, my wife and I divide our time between Auckland and Kaiaua and we very much involved in our iwi in Hauraki. (My wife belongs to Ngāti Pāoa of Kaiaua).
Finally, my grandmother belonged to Ngā Puhi, particularly Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Kōpaki of the Moerewa area, and Ngāti Korokoro and Ngāti Whārara of Pākanae, Opononi and Ōmāpere, near the mouth of the Hokianga Harbour. I have visited the north many times and have learnt a great deal through my whānau connections throughout the north.
Hence, when I describe my iwi-tribal affiliations today, I say Marutūahu, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngā Puhi to reflect the three major kāwai (branches) that flow into my family and also to reflect that my primary kāinga is Waimangō within Ngāti Whanaunga/Marutūahu.