Reitū and Reipae

Reitū and Reipae (or Reipare) were twin sisters from the Tainui confederation of Māori tribes in Waikato, New Zealand, who lived before European settlement.

The basic story is that Ue-oneone, a rangatira of Ngā Puhi descent, who was based at Pawarenga on the Whangape Harbour in Northland became enamoured by the beauty of Reitū – either after visiting her in Waikato or simply after hearing her described in rumours.

Therefore, Ue-oneone performed a karakia ('incantation') which caused his pet kāiaia (falcon) to fly all the way to Waikato and land on the paepae of Reitū's house, which was called Tauranga-miromiro ('perch of the tomtit').

[3] According to the account that Jones got from Te Puea, Reitū and Reipae were the daughters of Wairere, who was the son of Tamainu-pō.

Jones' second account makes them the sisters of Te Ao-tū-tahanga, who is usually a son of Māhanga and places one "Maru-Māhanga" among their ancestors (Wahanui has their grandfather as "Raka-Māhanga").