Tūrongo was a

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

rangatira In Māori culture, () are tribal chiefs, the leaders (often hereditary) of a (subtribe or clan). Ideally, were people of great practical wisdom who held authority () on behalf of the tribe and maintained boundaries between a tribe's land ( ...

(chief) in the

Tainui Tainui is a tribal waka (canoe), waka confederation of New Zealand Māori people, Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki Māori, Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapo ...

confederation of tribes, based at Rangiātea, near Waikeria,

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. He quarrelled with his brother,

Whatihua Whatihua was a Māori people, Māori rangatira (chief) in the Tainui confederation of tribes, based at Kāwhia, New Zealand. He quarrelled with his brother, Tūrongo, and as a result Tainui was split between them, with Whatihua receiving the norther ...

, and as a result Tainui was split between them, with Tūrongo receiving the southern

Waikato region The Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City, as well as ...

. His marriage to Māhina-a-rangi created a genealogical link between Tainui and

Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi (tribe) located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke's Bay and Wairārapa regions. The Kahungunu iwi also comprises 86 hapū (sub-tribes ...

of the East Coast, which is still commemorated. He probably lived in the early sixteenth century.

Life

Tūrongo was a male-line descendant of

Hoturoa According to Māori tradition, Hoturoa was the leader of the ''Tainui'' canoe, during the migration of the Māori people to New Zealand, around 1400. He is considered the founding ancestor of the Tainui confederation of tribes (iwi), who now in ...

, leader of the ''

'' ''waka'', through his father

Tāwhao Tāwhao was a Māori rangatira (chief) in the Tainui confederation of tribes, based at Kāwhia, New Zealand. He probably lived around 1500 CE. He was the last chief to lead the whole of Tainui, as the feud between his two sons Whatihua and Tūron ...

. Tāwhao married two daughters of Te Aorere, another descendant of Hoturoa, Pūnui-a-te-kore and Maru-tē-hiakina. Tūrongo was born to the senior wife, Pūnui-a-te-kore, but his half-brother

was born before him to Maru-tē-hiakina. As a result, the relative status of the two sons was unclear and they competed for pre-eminence. As youths, Whatihua and Tūrongo went hunting ''kūaka'' (

bar-tailed godwit The bar-tailed godwit (''Limosa lapponica'') is a large and strongly migratory wader in the family Scolopacidae, which feeds on bristle-worms and shellfish on coastal mudflats and estuaries. It has distinctive red breeding plumage, long legs, ...

s) on Kaiwhai island off Kāwhia. At first all the birds came to Tūrongo and he caught great numbers, but while he was focussed on cooking the birds, Whatihua snuck up behind him and "snatched the ''hau''" (the spiritual essence) from Tūrongo's head. After that all of Tūrongo's ''

mana Mana may refer to: Religion and mythology * Mana (Oceanian cultures), the spiritual life force energy or healing power that permeates the universe in Melanesian and Polynesian mythology * Mana (food), archaic name for manna, an edible substance m ...

'' passed to Whatihua.

Courtship of Rua-pū-tahanga

When the two brothers reached adulthood, Tūrongo travelled south to

Patea Patea ( ) is the third-largest town in South Taranaki District, New Zealand. It is on the western bank of the Pātea River, 61 kilometres north-west of Whanganui on . Hāwera is 27 km to the north-west, and Waverley, Taranaki, Waverley 17 ...

and got engaged to Rua-pū-tahanga, a descendant of Turi, leader of the ''Aotea'' canoe. He then returned to Kāwhia and began to build a house at Te Whare-o-Ngarue in Kāwhia in preparation for her arrival. As he was working on the house, Whatihua came and advised him that the planned house was too big, convincing him to shorten the ''

tāhuhu A wharenui (; literally "large house") is a communal house of the Māori people of New Zealand, generally situated as the focal point of a ''marae''. Wharenui are usually called meeting houses in New Zealand English, or simply called ''whare'' ...

'' (ridge beam) in order to complete the task on time. He also convinced him to plant huge gardens, using up all of his

kumara Kumara may refer to: Places * Kumara (Mali), a province * Kumara, New Zealand, a town * Kumara (New Zealand electorate), a Parliamentary electorate Other uses * Kumara Illangasinghe, an Anglican bishop in Sri Lanka * Kumara (surname) * The Fo ...

, so that he had none remaining in his storerooms. Meanwhile, Whatihua built his own house at Te Wharenui ('The Big House') on the

Aotea Harbour Aotea Harbour () is a settlement and smallest of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located between Raglan Harbour to the north and Kawhia Harbour to the south, 30 kilom ...

, where it is said that the outline of the house is still visible in the grass in the summer. While Tūrongo was waiting to harvest his kumara, Whatihua summoned Rua-pū-tahanga from Patea. Rua-pū-tahanga made the journey up the

Whanganui River The Whanganui River is a major river in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the country's third-longest river, and has special status owing to its importance to the region's Māori people. In March 2017 it became the world's second natur ...

, through Tāngarākau, and

Ōhura Ōhura is a small town in the west of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the west of Taumarunui in the area known as the King Country, in inland Manawatū-Whanganui. It lies on the banks of the Mangaroa Stream, a tributary of the ...

, into the Mōkau Valley. The places Te Umu-Kaimata, Taorua, and Te Puna-a-Rua-pū-tahanga are named after events that took place on her journey. When she arrived at Kāwhia, Tūrongo had no food for her and his house was too small to fit all the people whom she had brought along with her, while Whatihua had plenty of food and space, so she married him instead. Beaten, Tūrongo left Kāwhia. The sad song, ''Hei konā ra, e whare kikino, tū mai ai'' ("Farewell, evil house, remain there") that Tūrongo sang as he departed is preserved in

Āpirana Ngata Sir Āpirana Turupa Ngata (3 July 1874 – 14 July 1950) was a prominent New Zealand statesman. He has often been described as the foremost Māori politician to have served in parliament in the mid-20th century, and is also known for his work in ...

's collection of Māori songs, ''Nga Moteatea''.

Courtship of Māhina-a-rangi

Tūrongo travelled east, seeking to marry Māhina-a-rangi of Ngāti Kahungunu, a daughter of Te Angiangi (also called Te Angi-o-tū) and descendant of

Rākei-hikuroa Rākei-hikuroa was a ''rangatira'' (chieftain) of Ngāti Kahungunu, who may have lived in the fifteenth century. His efforts to establish his son Tūpurupuru as ''upoko ariki'' (paramount chief) of Ngāti Kahungunu led to a conflict with his br ...

. When he arrived at her village near

Pukehou Pukehou is a farming locality in southern Hawke's Bay, in the eastern North Island of New Zealand. Pukehou is located on State Highway 2, about halfway between Hastings and Waipukurau. The locality's name (originally ''Pukehouhou'') is Māori, ...

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay () is a region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region is named for Hawke Bay, which was named in honour of Edward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings, while the more rural ...

, he found the people building a house and joined in the work, impressing the people with his skill at splitting timber. Privately Te Angiangi encouraged his daughter to take him as a husband. For a number of nights, Māhina-a-rangi covered herself in raukawa perfume and met Tūrongo as he was heading to sleep, without revealing who she was. Eventually, this became public knowledge and the pair were married.

Return to Waikato

After the marriage had taken place, Tūrongo's elderly father Tāwhao travelled to Pukehou and invited Tūrongo to return to Kāwhia. There he divided his lands between Whatihua and Tūrongo, roughly along the ''aukati'' line that later formed the northern boundary of the

King Country The King Country ( Māori: ''Te Rohe Pōtae'' or ''Rohe Pōtae o Maniapoto'') is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from Kawhia Harbour and the town of Ōtorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of th ...

. The north went to Whatihua, who remained at Kāwhia, while the south went to Tūrongo, who was sent inland and settled at Rangiātea, near Waikeria and

Ōtorohanga Ōtorohanga is a north King Country town in the Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located south of Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton and north of Te Kūiti, on the Waipā River. It is a service town for the surrounding Da ...

. Tūrongo had told Māhina-a-rangi to come to join him when she was ready to give birth. When that time approached, she went with a party of her people via

Lake Waikaremoana Lake Waikaremoana is located in Te Urewera in the North Island of New Zealand, northwest of Wairoa and west-southwest of Gisborne. It covers an area of . From the Māori Waikaremoana translates as 'sea of rippling waters'. The lake lies wi ...

, Te Wairoa, and

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authorities of New Zea ...

, before heading west. At Ōkoroire she gave birth and the hot spring where she bathed afterwards is now known as Te Wai Takahanga a Māhina-a-rangi. She named the son Raukawa, after the perfume she had worn when he was conceived. Then she carried on, crossing the

Waikato River The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand, running for through the North Island. It rises on the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and flowing through Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake. It th ...

north of

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

. At this point her dog ran off to Tūrongo and brought him to meet Māhina-a-rangi. Tūrongo led her and her people to Rangiātea, and carried out the ''tohi'' baptismal ritual for Raukawa. The family are mentioned in a nineteenth century song, ''Te pātere a Ngoki''. The official residence of the

Māori king Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

and the meeting house at Turangawaewae

marae A ' (in Māori language, New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian language, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan language, Tongan), ' (in Marquesan language, Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan language, Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves reli ...

Ngāruawāhia Ngāruawāhia () is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located north-west of Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato River, Waikato and Waipā Rivers, adjacent to the Hakarimata Rang ...

are Turongo House and Mahinarangi meeting house, named in honour of the couple. The names were suggested by Sir

, to commemorate the links between Tainui and

Ngāti Porou Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. It has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi, behind Ngāpuhi, with an estimated 102,480 people according to the ...

, which had supplied funding and carvers for the construction of the buildings.

Family

Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi had two offspring: * Raukawa, the ancestor of

Ngāti Raukawa Ngāti Raukawa is a Māori iwi (tribe) with traditional bases in the Waikato, Taupō and Manawatū/ Horowhenua regions of New Zealand. In 2006, 29,418 Māori registered their affiliation with Ngāti Raukawa. History Early history Ngāti ...

, who had four sons, with Turongoihi: :*

Rereahu Rereahu was a Māori ''rangatira'' (chieftain) of Ngāti Raukawa in the Tainui tribal confederation from the Waikato region, New Zealand. He probably lived in the first half of the seventeenth century. He is the ancestor of the Ngāti Maniapoto, ...

, ancestor of

Ngāti Maniapoto Ngāti Maniapoto is an iwi (tribe) based in the Waikato-Waitomo region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the Tainui confederation, the members of which trace their whakapapa (genealogy) back to people who arrived in New Zealand on th ...

Ngāti Hauā Ngāti Hauā is a Māori iwi of the eastern Waikato of New Zealand. It is part of the Tainui confederation. Its traditional area includes Matamata, Cambridge, Maungakawa, the Horotiu district along the Waikato River and the Maungatautari ...

, and

Ngāti Korokī Kahukura Ngāti Korokī Kahukura is a Māori iwi of the Maungatautari area in the North Island of New Zealand. It was formed by the coming together of two related hapū, Ngāti Korokī and Ngāti Kahukura. It has historic affiliations with Ngāti Raukawa ...

:* Kurawari, who married a distant cousin, Wharerere, and had several children: ::*

Whāita Whāita was a Māori ''rangatira'' (chieftain) of the Ngāti Raukawa iwi in the Tainui tribal confederation based at Wharepuhanga near Rangitoto in the Waikato region, New Zealand and is the ancestor of the Ngāti Whāita ''hapū''. He probably li ...

, ancestor of

Ngāti Whāita Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

::*Korokore, who married Parahore and whose death sparked the

Ngāti Raukawa–Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga War The Ngāti Raukawa–Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga War was a conflict between the Ngāti Raukawa iwi of Tainui and Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga in the Waikato region of New Zealand in the mid-seventeenth century, which resulted in Tainui's acquisition of the ...

:* Whakatere, the ancestor of Ngāti Whakatere: ::*Poutū-te-rangi, who settled on the south shore of Lake Taupō and was killed in the Ngāti Tama–Ngāti Tūwharetoa War. :* Takihiku, the ancestor of

Ngāti Takihiku Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

, who married Maikuku-tara and had four sons: ::* Tama-te-hura ::*Upoko-iti, who joined the war against Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga and was father of Te Ata-inutai, who led a raid against Tuwharetoa. ::* Wairangi, the ancestor of Ngāti Wairangi, a ('subtribe' or 'clan') of

instead makes him a son of Takihiku's brother Kurawari and thus a brother to

. ::*Pipito, an ancestor of

Te Rauparaha Te Rauparaha ( – 27 November 1849) was a Māori rangatira, warlord, and chief of the Ngāti Toa iwi. One of the most powerful military leaders of the Musket Wars, Te Rauparaha fought a war of conquest that greatly expanded Ngāti Toa south ...

. * Hinewai, who married Mōtai, a son of Tūrongo's brother Whatihua, and had a son Kura-nui, whose daughter Rerei-ao married

Pikiao Pikiao was a Māori ''rangatira'' (chieftain) of the Te Arawa tribal confederation based at Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, who was the ancestor of Ngāti Pikiao in Te Arawa, of Ngāti Mahuta in the Tainui confederation, and of Ng ...

, creating a link between Tainui and

Te Arawa Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori people, Māori iwi and hapū (tribes and sub-tribes) of New Zealand who trace their ancestry to the ''Arawa (canoe), Arawa'' migration canoe (''waka''). The tribes are based in the Rotorua and Bay of Plent ...

that was considered very important in Tainui

whakapapa Genealogy is a fundamental principle in Māori culture, termed specifically in this context as ''whakapapa'' (, , lit. 'layering'). Reciting one's '' whakapapa'' proclaims one's identity among the Māori, places oneself in a wider context, and ...

. Through her son Hekemaru, she is the ancestor of

Ngāti Mahuta Ngāti Mahuta is a sub-tribe (or hapū) of the Waikato (iwi), Waikato tribe (or iwi) of Māori people, Māori in the North Island of New Zealand. The territory (rohe) of Ngāti Mahuta is the Kawhia Harbour, Kawhia and Huntly, New Zealand, Hunt ...

and, in some accounts,

Ngāti Pāoa Ngāti Pāoa is a Māori ''iwi'' (tribe) that has extensive links to the Hauraki and Waikato tribes of New Zealand. Its traditional lands stretch from the western side of the Hauraki Plains to Auckland. They also settled on Hauraki Gulf islands ...

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tūrongo Tainui people Māori tribal leaders 16th-century New Zealand people