Hoturoa

He is considered the founding ancestor of the Tainui confederation of tribes (iwi), who now inhabit the central North Island.

[1] Because over-population had led to famine and warfare, Hoturoa decided to leave Hawaiki[2] and he commissioned Rakatāura, an expert boat builder in the tradition of Rātā (or according to Wirihana Aoterangi by Rātā himself) to build the Tainui waka[3] According to Pei Te Hurinui Jones the waka was named Tainui because when it first went into the water, it did not ride smoothly and one of Hoturoa's wives, perhaps Marama, shouted out "Hoturoa, your canoe is tainui ('very heavy')".

Hoturoa's wife, Marama-kiko-hura, decided to make the crossing by land, planning to meet up with the rest of the crew at Ōtāhuhu.

[9] According to one tradition, reported by Aoterangi, they carried the waka overland to Manukau Harbour on the west coast at Ōtāhuhu, after rendezvousing with Marama-kiko-hura there.

[11] At Mount Roskill or Puketutu Island, Rakatāura and Hiaroa lit a fire and sung incantations to prevent Tainui from entering the Manukau Harbour.

[12] Then Rakatāura and Hiaroa went south, climbed up Karioi Mountain, and sung incantations to prevent Tainui from entering Raglan harbour.

[13] At the mouth of the Mimi river, Hoturoa brought Tainui to shore and planted a pōhutukawa tree, which was still living as of 1912, though it was chopped down by the local New Zealand council government in 1915.

The area had already been settled by one of Hoturoa's relatives, Awangaiariki from the Tokomaru waka, so they turned around and began to head north once more.

At Kāwhia, Hoturoa established settlements at Maketū, Paringa-a-tai, Motungaio, Ōmiti, and Te Puru, laying out gardens of taro, hue, and kūmara, which had been brought from Hawaiki by his wife Whakaotirangi.

[9][15] Hoturoa was summoned to Pākarikari by the false news that Whakaotirangi was dying and when he saw the kūmara he wept and reconciled with her.