Ngāti Pukenga, Te Tawera
IWI / HAPU AFFILIATIONS
Gottfried Lindauer painted this portrait of Ratene Hihitawa in
1897. We know almost nothing about Hihitawa. He is wearing a kahu hururu made of kiwi
feathers. A kuru
pounamu or ancestral treasure is suspended from his ear and
ornaments such as kuru, represent enduring friendship
with people and were often bestowed with personal names.
NM
Tukua mai āu nā kōreroSubmit your storyTāhuhu kōrero
Contributed stories
Do you have a story related to this portrait? Maybe you have images of this person? If you would like to see your story published on this website, please submit it here. All stories are reviewed before publishing.
- open
Ratene Hihitawa of Ngāti Pukenga
contributed by
Shane Ashby, Ngāti Pukenga, Te Tawera, Waitaha, Tapuika, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Tamatera on
6 September 2010
Ratene is an ancestor of the Ngati Pukenga and Te Tawera iwi. He
is descended from the ancestors, Pukenga and Kumaramaoa from whom
these two tribes descend. He was one of the principle chiefs of the
Ngati Pukenga during the Tauranga wars in 1863. He along with other
chiefs and warriors of Ngati Pukenga and Te Tawera were recalled to
Manaia in Hauraki at the request of Te Kouorehua, the paramount
chief at the time. Te Kou had asked that all his people come and
reside with him to avoid participating or getting caught up in the
impending war. Though Ngati Pukenga did not participate they still
lost all their lands to confiscation and various other methods of
appropriation by the Crown. One of those large appropriations of
land was labelled the Te Puna and Katikati block purchase. While
Ratene, along with other principle chiefs of the tribe signed a
deed of sale in 1866 it is clear they were unwilling sellers and
subsequently all Ngati Pukenga's interests on the western side of
the tauranga harbor were lost. The Te Puna Katikati purchase is now
the subject of Treaty settlements being negotiated by both his
descendants and iwi, Ngati Pukenga today.
Shane Ashby,
Ngāti Pukenga, Te Tawera, Waitaha, Tapuika, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti
Tamatera
Read full story | View