The Ngā Nūhaka River.
TE Kupenga-a-Te Huki, or Te Huki’s Net, could be described as the forerunner of modern day networking or an early version of the internet. The tools were a bit different but the desired intent was the same — to connect people to each other by regular communication. And so it was that Te Huki (circa 1700AD), a greatgreat-grandson of Rākaipaaka, set about establishing his own network of people throughout the district, from Whāngārā in the north to Pōrangahau in the south, through strategic marriages to key families of the region.
Te Huki’s first wife was Te Rangitohu-mare, the granddaughter of Te Whatu-i-āpiti, the paramount chief of the Heretaunga (Hawke’s Bay) area. They had a son, Puru-aute, who upon adulthood settled in the Wairoa area and married Te Mate-kāinga-i-te-tihi, daughter of the principal chief Tapuwae and his wife Te Rua-taumata. Tapuwae also married Te Rauhina, sister of Te Huki. Puru-aute would become the centre float of Te Huki’s net. From Puru-aute descend many chiefs of the Wairoa and Heretaunga area. The second son of Te Huki and Te Rangi-tohu-mare, Mātaitai, was placed at Māhia, from who is descended Īhaka Whaanga and others.
Next was a daughter, Hine-raru, who Te Huki took to Pōrangahau to marry Hōpara. From this union came Ngārangi-whaka-ūpoko, who settled at Te Poroporo on the coast near Pōrangahau. This formed the southern post of Te Huki’s net and from this grandson sprang many people of chiefly rank in the area. Te Huki’s second wife was Te Rōpūhina of Nūhaka. They had three sons — Te Rā-ka-tō, who lived at Māhia; Tūreia, who lived at Nūhaka; and Te Rehu, also at Nūhaka. All these children established hapū groupings that are still to be found in the area today.
Te Huki’s third wife was Rewenga, daughter of Te Aringa-i-waho, chief at Tītīrangi (Kaiti Hill) in Tūranga (Gisborne). They had a daughter, Te Umu-papa, who married Maru-kawiti the son of Konohi, chief of the Whāngārā area. From the marriage was born Ngāwhaka-tātare-o-te-rangi, who became the northern post of Te Huki’s net. From Ngā-whaka-tātare descended a grandson, the famous chief of Ūawa (Tolaga Bay), Te Kani-a-Takirau (see Tītīrangi and Ūawa, December ’08). Thus, after three generations, Te Huki’s net was set — from Whāngārā in the north all the way to Pōrangahau in the south.
A feature of Te Huki’s marriages was that he never settled permanently with any of his wives. Each lived in their own homes with their children and Te Huki would visit each in turn. Te Huki lived his early days near the coast between Waihua and Mōhaka, and it is with the Mōhaka area and the people of Ngāti Pāhau-wera that he is most associated with today.
That aside, there is no denying his descent from Rākaipaaka nor the legacy that he left throughout the region. What a man!
Nga Maunga Korero 