Te Arawa People

Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori comprising iwi and hapū (tribes and subtribes) who trace their ancestry to the Arawa migration waka. As part of an epic origin story, the final landing of the Arawa waka was at Maketū. Many of these early Te Arawa ancestors headed inland to establish themselves in new lands in the central plateau, with Te Arawa people settling in the Rotorua area, and Ngāti Tūwharetoa around Kawerau and Taupō.

As the landing place of the Te Arawa waka was in Maketū, the following saying describes the tribal boundaries of Te Arawa:

‘Ko te ihu o te waka kei Maketū, ko te kei o te waka kei Tongariro,’
The prow of Te Arawa is at Maketū and the stern at Mt Tongariro.

Although Ngāti Tūwharetoa trace their origins back to Te Arawa waka, and maintain this connection, they operate their tribal affairs autonomously.

This website mainly focuses on stories from Ngā pūmanawa e waru (the eight beating hearts of Te Arawa). A saying that is a reference to the eight children of the ancestor Rangitihi, from whom Te Arawa tribes trace their descent, and to the traditional lands of the Te Arawa people around the Rotorua lakes.

Te Arawa iwi include 56 hapū (sub-tribes) and 31 marae (family groupings).

The forbears of Te Arawa provided a rich history through their kōrero. These stories serve as reminders of what came before and enable their descendants to step into the fullness of who they are to successfully navigate the path of their own dreams.