User:Ngatimaraeariki/sandbox

Ngati Maraeariki are the descendants of Maki and Rotu through their son Maraeariki who had three children named Te Rupenga, Te Utu and Kahu. The descendants of Maraeariki still live in the Mahurangi today. Their customary rights and obligations are derived from Te Kawerau “customary take”. Te Kawerau have been in occupation of the wider Mahurangi region since the raupatu by Maki and Mataahu in the early 1600’s. Maraeariki was an active warrior along with his family and people when they left Kawhia to migrate northwards. He participated in the raupatu of Tamaki, Waitakere, Kaipara, Mahurangi and the offshore islands. His name still rests on the land at Orewa. There has not been a further raupatu of Mahurangi since the time of Maki and Mataahu. Maraeariki was the only son of Maki to immediately occupy the east coast Mahurangi area after the Te Kawerau raupatu. His descendants have exercised mana rangatira and kaitiakitanga in the Mahurangi up until the present day and were only disturbed in their active, continuous, permanent occupation by Crown interference with the Mahurangi Purchase. There are three Ngati Maraeariki hapu. Ngati Raupo are descended from Te Rupenga. Ngati Kahu and Ngati Poataniwha are descended from Kahu. Historically these hapu used the tribal name Te Kawerau.