Waikato-King Country

Ngati Puehutore

Ngati Hinerangi

Ngati Takihiku, Ngati Kiri, Ngati Whakatere, Rereahu

He marae a Hapori

The desire for a marae at Okarea is an old and enduring one. Our tupuna lived here in a close papakainga - whanau community. In 1948 land was set aside as a reserve for a marae. Our people had a whare that functioned for their marae purposes. A small rural place, one hour south of Auckland along State Highway 2, past Maramarua 8 k's through the forestry, or 30 minutes from Hamilton near Te Kauwhata.

Okapu marae is situated further around from the village on the foreshore, with the host Maori tribe being Ngati Te Wehi, who are very active in the conservation and protection of the natural and cultural resources of the Aotea harbour.

When there are issues of importance to all the Tainui tribes (or to the Tainui people as a single entity) their leaders usually demonstrate a preference for bringing those issues to Maketu, to the cradle of the tribe, to be discussed. There are two reasons for this, one is that Maketu as the mooring place of the canoe belongs to all of Tainui decent, and they in turn belong to Maketu. Because of this, all Tainui tribal voices can be heard as tangata whenua in Auaukiterangi. and none is disadvantaged as an outsider might be. Secondly, any course of action decided upon or agreement made at Maketu is sanctioned by the embrace of their common ancestor, Auaukiterangi.

Kaputuhi Pa is the cultural center for Ngati Kaputuhi, a hapu of Ngati Maniapoto.  Kaputuhi, the ancestor, traces her line of descent from Kurawari, a daughter of Raukawa.  Her husband, Taitengahue, descends from the celebrated Maniapoto.  They had three children, Maniauruahu, Parekura and Tarawehi. It was Parekura’s descendents alone who adopted the hapu title Ngāti Kaputuhi and later built a meeting house, naming it after their ancestor, Kaputuhi.

Kaitumutumu Marae located in Huntly.

Living up to its name, Aotearoa Marae is a beautiful place. Situated amid rolling South Waikato farmland, it is far from any town and sits surrounded by majestic trees, both native and European. From it can be seen several of Waikato’s prominent peaks including Wharepuhunga, which the marae is associated with.