The history of Wairaka, from whom Ōwairaka was named
As told by Wairaka descendent Pouroto Ngaropo
For the past 800 years Ōwairaka has been the Ngāti Awa iwi’s ancestral and spiritual home through their ancestress, Wairaka.
Wairaka was born on Ma’uke, the most easterly of Rarotonga’s islands. She was the daughter of the chief Toroa. She held mana, imbued beauty and is the common ancestor of many tribes today.
The island Mauke, like the Aotearoa maunga she would come to call home, Ma’uke was an extinct volcano.
The tiny island only 18 km in circumference, comprised a central volcanic plateau surrounded by a ring of jagged, razor-sharp fossilised coral, which reaches up to 1,000 metres inland. Its volcanic origins created fertile soil and a reputation of being the garden of the Rarotongan islands.
According to legend, Chief Uke, who was descended from the Gods, arrived at Ma’uke after a long voyage from Avaiki - the Rarotongan fatherland in the sky. After a peaceful sleep he awoke and named it Akatokamanava – a place where my heart rested. He gave his beautiful daughter in marriage to Chief Atiu-Mua and their descendants populated Ma’uke and Atiu for many generations. And it was those later generations who renamed the island Ma’uke ("Ma Uke" means Land of Uke). The original name is still used in songs and on formal occasions.
The Ngati Awa people descend from the ancestor Toi and his wife Te Kura-i-Monoa. It is said Toi used the constellations to navigate across the Pacific Ocean. He likened the celestial bodies to the star gate as he was a time traveller, travelling from island to island to reconnect back to his descendants. When his wife was giving birth to their son, he said to her: “I name our child after the star gate, the stars I used as a navigational compass, which guided me to Aotearoa”. And so the son was named Awanuiarangi, meaning people of the stars.
A journey across the seas to Aotearoa
In around 1250 AD, Wairaka and her extended whanau journeyed to Aotearoa from the island of Mauke in Rarotonga on board the waka Mataatua, which was captained by her father the high chief Toroa.
The journey from Rarotonga took the whanau via the Kermadec Islands, landing at Parengarenga Harbour near to Aotearoa’s northernmost points. From there they sailed to Kerikeri, to Hokianga, Whangarei, Kaipara and the Manukau Harbour.
Many well-known places in the Auckland district bear the whanau names to this very day, including Muriwai (after Wairaka’s Aunty), Puhinui (after her mother) and Toroa Terrace (Mt Albert) / Toroa Street (Torbay) after her father and Ngāti Awa street in Onehunga. Ruarangi Road in Mt Albert commemorates the Tutumaio chief who died at Oruarangi stream in Ihumatao.
Further explorations
When they first arrived at the maunga, Wairaka’s family found the maunga was occupied by tutumaio – fairy-like beings of forests and mountain tops. One of the tutumaio’s leaders was Ruarangi, who is remembered to this day through a Mt Albert street named after him. Wairaka and her family lived harmoniously alongside these light-complexioned supernatural creatures of the night until the tutumaio got caught in the sun’s rays one morning at Pt Chevalier and perished.
Shortly after their arrival, Wairaka’s father blessed some karaka saplings he had brought from Rarotonga. He planted them on the summit and told Wairaka they would be a symbol of her home should she later wish to return and establish herself there. In an interesting parallel with Pākeha immigrants planting exotic trees on the maunga hundreds of years later, Toroa’s karaka were also introduced species that reminded him of home. Yet over time we have all come to love karaka and have adopted them as our own.
Wairaka's geneology
Te Tīmatanga
Toitehuatahi
Awanuiārangi I
Awaroa
Awatumakiterangi
Parinuiterā
Awamorehurehu
Irakewa
Toroa = Puhanui
Wairaka
Sailing down the East Coast
After a time, Wairaka’s whanau left the region and sailed the Mataatua down the East Coast to Whakatane. Upon arrival, the men anchored the waka and went ashore to set up the camp, leaving Wairaka and the rest of the women and children to wait on board.
During this time, it came loose from the anchor stone and started drifting out to sea. Recognising they were in danger, Wairaka defied the tapu that forbade women to handle a canoe, took hold of Toroa’s paddle, and brought everyone back to safety, calling: “Kia Whakatane au i ahau’ – I will act the part of a man”. This cry is the origin of the town's name. Her bravery is commemorated in a bronze statue, which stands on a rock at the Whakatane Heads.
Wairaka and her whanau lived in and around the Whakatane region in the early years of her adult life, transitioning from a child to a woman during this time. It didn’t take long for news of her beauty to spread. So much so, that many men came from as far afield as Tainui and Taranaki to gain her favour.
Te Awa o Te Atua- The River of God
Another incident occurred where Wairaka was bathing in the lagoon, situated in Matata. Here she received her menstrual cycle. She said to her father: E papa he aha kei raro I a au? / What is that beneath me father? Toroa replied and said that is the blood of God. Hence the lagoon in Matata is attributed to this moment known as Te Awa O Te Atua. The river of the gods. This is also our tribe as another segment of Ngāti Awa, known as Ngāti Awa Ki Te Awa O Te Atua.
Po I raru ai a Wairaka - The night Wairaka was deceived
A story tells that, during this time, Wairaka fell in love with the handsome Tukaiteuru who was visiting the area at the time. They arrived at her home and were welcomed and invited to stay. As everyone was setting up their beds for the night, Maiurenui from Tainui descent noticed Wairaka and wanted to be with her. She had other ideas, so once Wairaka left the whare, he tricked Tukaiteuru into moving his bed closer to the door, away from Wairaka so to allow him to put his own bedding by hers.
Later into the night, the evening meal, socialising and entertainment went well into the night. After bidding her leave, Wairaka entered darkened sleeping quarters with only one thing on her mind: a passionate night with Tukaiteuru. And what a night it was, such was her passion for Tukaiteuru that she scratched his face during the lovemaking, as to mark her man. She would then let her father know the next morning, this was the man for her.
It may have been a magical evening but the next morning Wairaka’s bliss turned to horror when saw Tukaiteuru had no scratch on his face and realised Maiurenui had deceived her.
Maiurenui then walked by, bearing the scratches.
Wairaka became pregnant as a result and subsequently wed Maiurenui, but she never forgave him for tricking her. One day she sent him out to go fishing as she was craving seafood, where he drowned and died.
The energy created by the power of love was so strong that Wairaka composed a song in memory of that special night:
Piki mai, kake mai ra Homai te waiora Kia ahau e tutehu ana Koia te moe a te kuia, I te po Po I raru ai a Wairaka Po I raru ai a waira Papaki tu ana ngatai ki te reinga Ka po, ka ao, ka awatea tihei Mauriora!
Climb to me, climb with me, give me the waters of life.
This song has echoed down through the centuries and her ancestors still sing it to this day.
Wairaka in the later years
Later in life, Wairaka subsequently married and had three children. After they grew up and left home, she decided to return to Auckland to be near to a brother, Te Whakapoi, who lived on Puketāpapa (Mt Roskill). Wairaka missed her brother and wanted to go and find him in the region of Tāmaki Makaurau, so she headed off. By this time she was in her late 30’s
Arrival at Tāmaki Makaurau
On their travels up to Tāmaki Makaurau to find Whakapoi, Wairaka brother, they found their way to the Manukau Harbour, whereupon they travelled to the east coast via the portage at Ōtāhuhu – one of two portages on the Auckland isthmus. Their explorations revealed the Whau River – an estuary that flows into the Waitemata Harbour and they travelled up it as far as what is now Avondale / New Lynn. Tāmaki Makaurau’s second portage lies at the Whau’s upper reaches but, instead of crossing it to re-launch in the Manukau Harbour,
Wairaka whanau were drawn by a maunga to the north-east at what is now Mt Albert. The maunga was still unoccupied when she arrived in around 1250 AD, so Wairaka climbed to the summit and lit her fires thus creating Te Pā of te Wairaka – the home of Wairaka. From that time onwards the name has been held because of the mana, the authority and physical and spiritual influence that she had. Wairaka became the mountain; the mountain became her.
The source of Te Wai-unu-roa a Wairaka - The spring of Wairaka, which can be seen to this day at Unitec.
Te Wai-unu-roa a Wairaka - The spring of Wairaka
Wairaka lived in Tāmaki Makaurau on the maunga for over 30 years, establishing her mana over the surrounding area and leaving many legacies that have lasted to this day. For example, she brought eels with her from Te Teko so went searching for fresh water for eels and her people.
Finding herself at the grounds now underneath Unitec, Wairaka uttered a karakia and stamped her foot hard on the aquifer and the spring came forth - Te wai Unuroa a Wairaka. This is the place where the Unitec is established and the puna ( spring) remains alive and flourishing.
A group is established here with Ngāti Awa Ki Te Awa o Te Atua descendants who are part of the restoration, preservation and protection of the puna ( spring) know as Ngā Kaitiaki o Te Wai-unu-roa a Wairaka.
Te Waiorea a Wairaka – The eels of Wairaka
From there she went to what is now known as Western Springs and urinated to form its aquifer (Te Wai Mimi o Wairaka). As water gushed forth, Wairaka placed her eels in the pool as guardians of the area, naming it Te Waiorea – Water of eels.
The eels are known as Kaitiaki and very spiritual and sacred. They are the guardians of this area. After establishing the eels, Wairaka walked over to where Auckland Zoo is now located and planted a mauri stone known as a keo. This stone was brought over from the island Ma’uke. The mauri remains there at this site today, as a symbol of Wairaka’s presence and life-force.
She was quite adventurous and went to a number of places around Auckland, Te Atatu, Huruhuru Creek. There are branches of her tribe at Glen Innes. Ngāti Awa’s mana whenua is therefore established here in this area Mt Roskill, Albert, One Tree Hill, Grey Lynn. She went back to Whakatane and died there and was buried by the Whakatane River at Opihiwhanaungakore.
Final resting place of Wairaka
Wairaka spirit remains strong to this day and her mana and mauri continues to flow strongly through the Tāmaki Makaurau region, where she resided for over 30 years. Her steps are imprinted there. Her spirit is present at the maunga that still bears her name to this day. As a high-born chieftainess, Wairaka carried the power and knowledge of her people’s history. Her mana and mauri lives on through Ngāti Awa and all peoples who feel spiritually connected with the land in particular the area of Tāmaki Makarau. The Ngāti Awa descendants that still reside in the Tāmaki Makaurau region and are representatives of her. Her history proceeds her and Ngāti Awa presence is forever in the Tāmaki Makaurau region. Moe mai ra e Kui, e Wairaka e.
Wairaka statue on Turuturu Rock, Whakatane