Ngati Whatua
Encyclopedia
Ngāti Whātua is a Māori iwi
(tribe) of New Zealand
. It consists of four hapu (subtribes): Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa
, Te Taoū, and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei.
By the time of European settlement in New Zealand, Ngāti Whātua's territory or rohe was around the Kaipara Harbour
and stretching south to Tamaki Makaurau, the site of present-day Auckland
, including in what is today Waitakere City. In earlier centuries, the iwi had migrated from further north on the Northland Peninsula
.
Rivalry with Ngapuhi
escalated in the early 19th century when Ngapuhi acquired musket
s. Ngapuhi attacked Ngāti Whātua in 1807 or 1808 in the battle of Moremonui
, probably the first use of firearms in Māori warfare. Ngāti Whātua overcame the Ngapuhi warriors with hand weapons while Ngapuhi were reloading their muskets, winning a decisive victory over the attackers. Ngapuhi, led by Hongi Hika
, exacted revenge in 1825 when they defeated Ngāti Whātua in the battle of Te Ika a Ranganui.
Wishing to attract European settlement in their area, Ngāti Whātua offered land at Tamaki Makaurau to Governor William Hobson
in 1840. Hobson took up the offer and moved the capital of New Zealand to Tamaki Makaurau, naming the settlement Auckland
.
Ngāti Whātua came to national prominence in the 1970s in a dispute over vacant land at Bastion Point
, a little way east of the Auckland city centre, adjoining the suburb of Orakei
. The land, which had been acquired cheaply for public works many decades before, was largely returned to the tribe after a long and not entirely bloodless occupation.
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
(tribe) of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It consists of four hapu (subtribes): Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa
Te Roroa
Te Roroa is a Māori iwi from Northland, New Zealand....
, Te Taoū, and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei.
By the time of European settlement in New Zealand, Ngāti Whātua's territory or rohe was around the Kaipara Harbour
Kaipara Harbour
Kaipara Harbour is a large enclosed harbour estuary complex on the north western side of the North Island of New Zealand. The northern part of the harbour is administered by the Kaipara District and the southern part is administered by the Rodney District...
and stretching south to Tamaki Makaurau, the site of present-day Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, including in what is today Waitakere City. In earlier centuries, the iwi had migrated from further north on the Northland Peninsula
North Auckland Peninsula
The North Auckland Peninsula, frequently referred to simply as the Northland Peninsula, is located in the far north of the North Island of New Zealand. The peninsula is easily confused with, though not the same as Northland Region, which occupies the top 80% of the peninsula...
.
Rivalry with Ngapuhi
Ngapuhi
Ngāpuhi is a Māori iwi located in the Northland region of New Zealand, and centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands and Whāngārei.Ngāpuhi has the largest affiliation of any New Zealand iwi, with 122,214 people registered , and formed from 150 hapu, with 55 marae.-Foundations:The founding...
escalated in the early 19th century when Ngapuhi acquired musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
s. Ngapuhi attacked Ngāti Whātua in 1807 or 1808 in the battle of Moremonui
Moremonui
Moremonui or Moremunui is a location in the Northland Region of New Zealand, 12 miles south of Maunganui Bluff. It is known principally as the site of a Māori battle fought in either 1807 or 1808 between the Kaipara branches of the Ngāti Whātua, Te-Uri-o-Hau and Te Roroa iwi on one side and the...
, probably the first use of firearms in Māori warfare. Ngāti Whātua overcame the Ngapuhi warriors with hand weapons while Ngapuhi were reloading their muskets, winning a decisive victory over the attackers. Ngapuhi, led by Hongi Hika
Hongi Hika
Hongi Hika was a New Zealand Māori rangatira and war leader of the Ngāpuhi iwi . Hongi Hika used European weapons to overrun much of northern New Zealand in the first of the Musket Wars...
, exacted revenge in 1825 when they defeated Ngāti Whātua in the battle of Te Ika a Ranganui.
Wishing to attract European settlement in their area, Ngāti Whātua offered land at Tamaki Makaurau to Governor William Hobson
William Hobson
Captain William Hobson RN was the first Governor of New Zealand and co-author of the Treaty of Waitangi.-Early life:...
in 1840. Hobson took up the offer and moved the capital of New Zealand to Tamaki Makaurau, naming the settlement Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
.
Ngāti Whātua came to national prominence in the 1970s in a dispute over vacant land at Bastion Point
Bastion Point
Bastion Point is a coastal piece of land in Orakei, Auckland, New Zealand, overlooking the Waitemata Harbour. The area has significance in New Zealand history for its role in 1970s Māori protests against forced land alienation by non Māori New Zealanders.-History:The land was occupied by Ngāti...
, a little way east of the Auckland city centre, adjoining the suburb of Orakei
Orakei
Orakei is a suburb of Auckland city, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on a peninsula five kilometres to the east of the city centre, close to the shore of the Waitemata Harbour, which lies to the north, and Hobson Bay and the Orakei Basin, two arms of the Waitemata, which lie to...
. The land, which had been acquired cheaply for public works many decades before, was largely returned to the tribe after a long and not entirely bloodless occupation.