Ngāti Māhanga


The Ngāti Māhanga tribe is part of the Waikato Confederation of Tribes.
The tribe's Ancestral Estate extended from Raglan Harbour to the West Bank of the Waikato River in the city of Hamilton, New Zealand.
The Waikato Land Confiscation of 1864 meant that Ngāti Māhanga and their associated hapu were pushed to the West of the Waipa River.

Māhanga the Eponymous Ancestor

Ngāti Māhanga is named after Māhanga, a Waikato Chief and an 11th generation descendant of Hoturoa, the Navigator of Tainui Waka. Māhanga lived approximately 15 generations ago and was the son of Tūheitia and Te Ataihaea. The current Maori King, Tūheitia Paki is a namesake of the ancestor Tūheitia. Māhanga is a Key-Ancestor of Waikato, as all of the Waikato Iwi and hapu can trace their descent from him. Ngāti Māhanga however, is a particular reference to the descendants of his sons; Kiekieraunui, Tupanamaiwaho, Tonganui, Ruateatea and Atutahi.
The main hapu of Ngāti Māhanga today are Ngāti Ruateatea, Ngāti Kuku, Ngāti Tonganui and Ngāti Hourua. In former times, there were upward of 20 hapu.

Ngāti Māhanga Pa/Marae

Ngāti Māhanga have three Pā ; namely, Aramiro Pa in the Waitetuna Valley,
Omaero Pa, in Whatawhata
and Te Papa-o-Rotu Marae also in Whatawhata.
Te Papa-o-Rotu Marae is considered to be the Tribe's Headquarters and is the venue of the Annual Poukai hosted by Ngāti Māhanga on 10 April. Te Papa-o-Rotu was also renowned as the Whare Wananga o Waikato.

Ngāti Māhanga Notables on Wikipedia