Ngā Iwi o te Tauihu

Resources / Narratives

8 Iwi and their Waka

Iwi images for learning

Waiata Ngā Iwi o te Tauihu

One of the akiaki/challenges that have been laid out to kura is to learn about the Eight Iwi in Te Tauihu.

It's fast! It's impressive and super rewarding when you nail it! This video only contains the first two verses.

Credit: Myron Elkington, Tom and Tiana Alesana (Waiata) Hana and Bailee Tava (Performers)

Nga iwi e waru track with kids singing

Nga iwi e waru track with guitar only

Iwi stories from Te Wairau

Iwi stories encompass a wide range of narratives that often include:

Creation Myths: These stories describe the origins of the world and humanity according to Māori beliefs. They often involve powerful deities, natural elements, and spiritual concepts.
Ancestral Histories: These narratives trace the genealogical lines of a particular iwi, highlighting significant ancestors, their feats, migrations, and interactions with other iwi.
Whakapapa (Genealogy): Central to Māori culture, whakapapa establishes the connections between individuals, families, and iwi, revealing their relationships and roles within the broader community.
Migration Stories: Many iwi stories recount the journeys of their ancestors as they navigated the seas and landscapes of New Zealand. These stories often explain how different iwi settled in specific regions.
Heroic Legends: These stories celebrate the achievements and adventures of revered figures within the iwi, showcasing qualities like bravery, wisdom, and leadership.
Environmental and Cultural Knowledge: Iwi stories often contain valuable insights into traditional ecological practices, natural resource management, and sustainable living.
Spiritual and Cultural Practices: The stories also convey spiritual beliefs, rituals, and customs that are integral to Māori identity and way of life.
Interactions with European Settlers: In more recent history, iwi stories also include the interactions between Māori iwi and European explorers, missionaries, and settlers

Rangitāne o Wairau

Rangitāne have resided in the northern South Island for many generations since the arrival of their tupuna Te Huataki in the sixteenth century. Rangitāne have close whakapapa connections with other Kurahaupo iwi - Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō and Ngāti Kuia. Rangitāne established themselves as tangata whenua through conquest, intermarriage and assimilation with the tribes they found residing in the district. The maunga and awa in the region are the source of stories and whakatauki and in some cases embody their tupuna.

Environmental Court visits Wairau Bar

A group of seven judges and 15 commissioners were hosted on a tour of the archaeological ground by members of the Rangitane iwi.

Kupe and Cook in the Marlborough Sounds - Roadside Stories

In Māori tradition, the drowned river valleys of the Marlborough Sounds were explored by the legendary Polynesian navigator Kupe in his pursuit of a giant octopus. Many place names in the area relate to Kupe. British navigator James Cook also explored the Sounds, resting and reprovisioning his crew at Ship Cove. Whaling stations were later established.

Trouble at Tuamarina - Roadside Stories

Today a sleepy settlement between Picton and Blenheim, Tuamarina was the site of bloody conflict in June 1843. The New Zealand Company believed they had bought the Wairau plains -- but Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha considered that the area had not been purchased. He evicted surveyors from the Wairau, and when a party of settlers arrived to arrest him, conflict broke out.