Details | Pito KoreroTE TAUAARAI He whakamārama nā Matiu Dickson"Anei nga korero e mohio nei au mo te waiata.This waiata was composed by a chiefly woman of Ngaitukairangi, a hapu of the Ngaiterangiiwi in Tauranga The whakapapa is:Te Rangihouhiri = Paewhitu (Ngaiterangi Iwi)Tapuiti = KahuruaTukairangi = Whariki(Ngaitukairangi Hapu)The rohe of Ngaitukairangi is the two peninsula at Mt Maunganui including Mauao mountain, and Matapihi. The hapu also lived where Tauranga city is but that land was confiscated after the land war at Te Ranga. One of the main Ngaitukairangi chiefs of the land wars, Rawiri Puhirake is buried at the urupa at Otamataha which right next to the harbour bridge on the city side.A tupuna rangatira of the hapu Te Hauoterangi lived on Mauao and is said to be buried there. The mountain was abandoned as a pa after the hostilities with neighbouring tribes ceased in about 1820.Presently, the recognised Ngaitukairangi marae are Whareroa at Mt Maunganui (near the harbour bridge) and Hungahungatoroa at Matapihi. In pre-European times the people of Maungatautari mountain, Ngati Koroki-Kahukura used to visit Maunganui to fish gather seafood to take back to their Waikato home. They were offered a place to live during that time on land near Whareroa marae. So a relationship between the two tribe was established. Ngaparetaihinu a mokopuna of Tamapahore, Rangihouhiri’s younger y, married Tukorehe.A woman of Ngaitukairangi (the composer) fancied a man of the visiting Ngati Koroki but she was rejected by his iwi because she was thought to be too lowly born. But in fact she was a rangatira in her own right because of her illustrious whakapapa.To answer her critics she composed the waiata and named all her chiefly female ancestors, Te Ahooterangi, Poiaoterangi, Tarerewaiorangi,Tahurangi, Hinerangimarino Hinerangitaotao, etc. The ancestors were being used as a tauarai or shelter for the composer.Lisa, Te Rina and Tamati are direct descendants of Tahurangi, she was their great(x3) grandmother.The waiata is therefore one to establish identity and to answer criticism. It is a manawahine waiata. The performers can add their own actions and emphasis to the words and use pukana. It is not a waiata tangi. The waiata is always led by a woman therefore woman should feature prominently in ihi and wehi. Let the men carry the “tone “ of the waiata and let the women give the kaha.Its one of those “take that!”waiata and should be sung accordingly. This waiata has been dormant for many years till only three people knew the rangi.You will be helping to revive it.Nga mihi ki a koutou katoa mo tena!!"Collection | KohikohingaKapa HakaMoteatea and Waiata
