Ngāti Te Wehi | |
---|---|
Iwi of New Zealand | |
Rohe (region) | Kawhia |
Waka (canoe) | Tainui/Aotea |
Population | 10,000 |
Ngāti Te Wehi is a Māori tribal group of North Island, New Zealand.
Ngāti Te Wehi is a Māori iwi Located on the West-coast of Kawhia in the Waikato District region of New Zealand. According to the 1874 census, Ngati Te Wehi were registered as an iwi. They are the principle iwi of The Aotea Harbour Aotea Moana tribes, maintaining close ties with Ngati Reko, Ngati Mahuta, Ngati Whawhakia, Te Patupo, Ngati Te Uru and Ngati Mahanga. Ngāti Te Wehi also have historical connections with Ngāti Hauā, Ngati Whatua, Ngati Koata, Ngati Toa Rangatira, Ngati Mutunga, Ngati Ruanui, Ngati Tahinga, Ngati Paipai, Ngati Paiaka, Ngati Rangitauwwaro, Ngati Whare, Ngati Koura, Ngati Hourua, Ngati Te Wehiwhakaruru and Ngati Peehi. The Aotea Moana iwi all consider Mt Karioi and her Husband Karewa or Gannet Island to be sacred. Ngāti Te Wehi have tribal holdings in Te Taitokerau, Waikato/Maniapoto and Aotea.
Te Wehi is the founding ancestor of the Ngāti Te Wehi iwi. Achieving this by securing back a sacred dog skin war cloak or Kahu Kuri (dog-skin korowai were the most prestigious of Maori cloaks) also a war club or pounamu mere, items that no other local chief could obtain but by the mana(prestige) of his father Pakaue, who got killed for them anyway by the son of the local Kawhia Chief who was jealous as he was refused the High Chiefly and sacred items.