Approximately 17,000 people registered their affiliation to Te Āti Awa in 2001, with about 10,000 in Taranaki, 2,000 in Wellington and 5,000 of unspecified regional location.

Mount Taranaki dominates the regional landscape, and many of the eight local iwi, including Te Āti Awa, regard it as sacred.

The iwi also maintains a cultural association with several waterways in Taranaki, including Wai-o-ngana, Waiwakaiho, and the Waitara River.

Whilst Manaia and the other three captains of Tokomaru are recognized, the whakapapa for the Kaahui people is clearly of older stock as can be seen in the carved house and principal marae of Te Atiawa.

The story continues that, in several North Island traditions, Awanuiarangi originally settled in the Northland region, but migrated southwards with his people following disputes with other northern iwi.

As for the ones that returned home from their sojourn around the country (Te Awanuiarangi included), they were welcomed back to their original homeland in Taranaki with open arms.

In 1819, Ngā Puhi began a campaign of conquest throughout the North Island, newly equipped with muskets brought from Sydney.

In that same year, newly arrived English settlers brought increased demand for land around the Wellington area.

This severely undermined the political and social structures of the iwi and revealed the deceptive nature of the oppressive Crown colonial entities.

[4] The 20th century saw several attempts by the New Zealand Government to redress past actions towards Te Āti Awa.

This included recommendations for a settlement monetary sum; a figure was eventually reached by the Government, but without consultation with Taranaki tribes.

In 2004, the New Plymouth District Council resolved to sell 146 ha of land at Waitara to the Crown on condition that it was used in settlement of Te Atiawa claims under the Treaty of Waitangi.