Te Kawerau ā Maki

Te Kawerau ā Maki
Iwi of New Zealand
Rohe (region)	Auckland Region[1]
Population	150 (2013 census)[2]
Website	www.tekawerau.iwi.nz

Te Kawerau ā Maki, Te Kawerau a Maki, Te Kawerau-ā-Maki or Te Kawerau is a Māori iwi from the Auckland Region of New Zealand.^{[1][3][4][5][6]}

Te Kawerau ā Maki as a distinct tribe descend from the rangatira Maki who conquered much of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) in the early 1600s. The iwi is named after Maki and his wife Rotu's son Tawhiakiterangi, also named Te Kawerau ā Maki. Te Kawerau people trace their ancestry from a number of ancestral waka (canoes) including the Aotea, Tokomaru, Kahuitara, Kurahaupo, and particularly the Tainui. Through this ancestry Maki and his people were connected to a number of earlier groups that settled in the Auckland region including Ngāti Awa and the wider Tainui descent group then known as Ngāoho who had occupied the region since the fourteenth century. Tainui ancestors including Hoturoa and the tohunga Rakataura (Hape) are particularly important in Te Kawerau whakapapa, as is the ancient Turehu ancestor and tohunga Tiriwa.

Although their rohe or area of customary interest includes the southern Kaipara, Mahurangi, North Shore, Auckland Isthmus, and Hauraki Gulf islands such as Tiritiri Matangi, Te Kawerau ā Maki are particularly associated with west Auckland (formerly Waitakere City), which is known traditionally as Hikurangi. The Waitakere Ranges and the huge forest that once covered much of Hikurangi are known by the traditional name Te Wao nui a Tiriwa— the great forest of Tiriwa. The many peaks extending down the Waitakere Ranges from Muriwai to the Manukau Harbour entrance became known as Ngā Rau Pou a Maki, or the many posts of Maki.

Recent Events

In September 2015 the Te Kawerau ā Maki Claims Settlement Act^[7] was passed into legislation. This Act records the acknowledgements and apology given by the Crown to Te Kawerau ā Maki and gives effect to provisions of the deed of settlement that settles the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Te Kawerau ā Maki.

In late 2017 Te Kawerau ā Maki issued a rāhui (ban) on people entering the Waitakere Ranges, in order to help slow the spread of kauri die-back disease.

Te Kawerau ā Maki were the official host iwi in 2018 for Auckland Council's annual Matariki Festival. As part of this, amongst other activities, they organised the festival's official dawn ceremony launch at the Arataki Visitor Centre, a sound and light display on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, and an exhibition of their history at Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery.

See also

• List of Māori iwi

References