Tapuwae Poharutanga o Tukutuku
Tapuwae Poharutanga o Tukutuku was a Māori upoko ariki (head chieftain) of the Ngāti Kahungunu iwi and Ngāi Tamaterangi hapū in the Wairoa area of Hawke Bay of New Zealand.
Tapuwae established eight pā (fortified villages) along the river, which he split between his two wives, Te Rauhina and Ruataumata.
In his later life, he exercised great forbearance when his position was challenged by two tohunga Manawa and Kowhaki and treated the visiting chief Taharakau in a generous and friendly manner.
[3] Tapuwae's maternal grandfather, Kotore had also been killed in battle, by Apanui, founder of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui.
[3] Therefore, when they grew up, Te Okuratawhiti took the two of them to the village of Rangihoua, on the west side of the Wairoa River mouth and divided the river valley between them, ordering Te Māha to cross over to the eastern bank and Tapuwae to stay on the western bank, and telling each of them to "never show your shadow" on the other side.
The southern four belonged Te Rauhina and her children and the northern four for Ruataumata and hers:[8] Tapuwae decided to get revenge on the descendants of Parua, who were living at Tologa Bay, for the deaths of his great-grandfather Tama-te-rangi and his uncle Tukutuku.
This signified that Awamate belonged to him and Ngaherehere therefore moved on again, until him came to Marumaru, where he established a pā called Te Rapu ("seeking a place").
They named the grandson Te Atua-noho-riu ("the god living in the valley") and planned for him to overthrow Tapuwae and become leader of the local region.
They went first to Poututu, where they recruited Manawa's allies Whakamae and Kaike, then proceeded to Whakamahi (just west of the Wairoa River mouth).
After this, Manawa and Kowhaki withdrew eastward and established a fortress called Wairoro at Te Kokohu on the Tahaenui River.
[12] Rongomaitahuna and Tumokonui, two brothers from Manutūkē in Turanganui-a-kiwa, attacked Tapuwae's territory on a raid and were killed at Parawera.
Tapuwae then asked what the main food was at Turanganui-a-kiwa and Taharakau said: He ahi kōaka ki te awatea, a he ai ki te pō ("cabbage tree leaves in the day, sex at night"), a modest response.
[13] In his old age, Tapuwae still wished to avenge the death of his mother's father Kotore at the hands of Apanui.
[4] They had eight children:[8] According to J. H. Mitchell, only descendants of Tapuwae and his cousin Te Huki are traditionally considered to be aristocrats among the Ngāti Kahungunu of the Wairoa area.
