Te Poho o Te Arawa: Te Mana Whenua o Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū

Abstract

Maketū is a small coastal town in the Bay of Plenty and is the final resting place of the Te Arawa canoe, the ancestral waka of the Te Arawa people. This is the home of Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū a coastal hapū of the tribe Ngāti Whakaue from the Te Arawa confederation of tribes. Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū is actually a collection of smaller hapū who descend from the union of their ancestor Whakaue Kaipapa and his wife Rangiuru, and they trace their overall decent from the celebrated chief Tama te Kapua. It is on their ancestral land in Maketū that Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū have resided and established their mana whenua (tribal authority) for over 170 years. In that time they have faced many internal and external challenges to their mana whenua including military engagement, political maneuvering, and other social issues.

This thesis traces the historical origins and mana whenua of Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū and analyses the various key components that combine to ensure Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū maintain mana whenua across their tribal lands. This thesis also explores how mana whenua is a vehicle for maintaining tribal authority and well being for Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū. Part of this study is the creation of a mana whenua strategic plan that will help Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū maintain and secure mana whenua in Maketū for future generations.

It is the proposition of this thesis that mana whenua has, is and will always play an important part in the social identity and fabric of Ngati Whakaue ki Maketū. However as Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū stand at the dawn of a new era, it is important for this related group to understand how mana whenua operates, and can be nurtured as a means of protection to ensure the survival of Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū in this ever changing world.