Kōrero: Ngāi Tahu
Migrating from the North Island’s East Coast, Ngāi Tahu thrived in the South Island. They intermarried with local tribes, and adopted their beliefs. Their lands cover much of Te Wai Pounamu – the South Island – and are New Zealand’s largest single tribal territory.
Te Tino Kōrero nā Te Maire Tau
Te āhua nui: Aoraki/Mt Cook in the Southern Alps
Te Kōrero Poto
He whakarāpopototanga ngāwari
Read the full storyNgā pūtaketanga
Ka hoki rā anō ngā whakapapa o Ngāi Tahu ki a Paikea. Noho rawa ai a Paikea ki Hawaiki, kei Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. I puta tōna ihu i te riri o tōna tuakana, ka rere mai ki Aotearoa mā runga i te tohorā. He tipuna nui hoki a Paikea nō te iwi o Ngāti Porou. Ka noho tamaiti a Tahupōtiki te tipuna nui o Ngāi Tahu, mā Paikea. I noho a Tahupōtiki ki Te Tai Rāwhiti o Te Ika-a-Māui.
Te heke ki te tonga
I te wehenga o Ngāi Tahu i Te Tai Rāwhiti, heke ai rātou ko tōna iwi ki Te Whanganui-a-Tara ka whakawhiti i Te Moana-o-Raukawa tau atu ana ki Te Wai Pounamu. E mōhiotia ana tērā whenua ko Te Wai Pounamu, arā te motu o te pounamu, te kōhatu whakamīharo rawa atu ki te Māori. Ka heke haere te iwi i te motu, ka pakanga ki ngā tāngata whenua, ki a Ngāti Māmoe rāua ko Waitaha. Nō te paunga o te rau tau 1700, kua tae a Ngāi Tahu ki te whaitua tonga rawa o Te Wai Pounamu ki te Ara-o-Kiwa (Foveaux Strait), tae atu ki Te Tai Poutini (West Coast).
Te whenua
Ehara nā te ringa kaha anake i toitū te noho o Ngāi Tahu ki Te Wai Pounamu. Nā ngā moemoe a Ngāi Tahu ki ngā whānau rangatira o Waitaha me Ngāti Māmoe ka tau tā rātou noho ki Te Wai Pounamu. I tahuri hoki a Ngāi Tahu ki te ako i ngā tikanga me ngā kōrero tuku iho a Waitaha, te iwi whakaheke mai i a Rākaihautū, nāna ngā roto me ngā maunga o Te Wai Pounamu i auaha mā tana kō. Ki tā rātou titiro, he tipuna ngā tohu whenua ki a Waitaha, ā, e whai pānga anō ngā hau o te takiwā ki a rātou.
Ngā riri me Ngāti Toa
I roto i ngā tekau tau 1820 me 1830, ka aratakina e Te Rauparaha ngā taua whakaeke o Ngāti Toa ki runga i a Ngāi Tahu. He mau pū ngā taua o Ngāti Toa, e whai utu ana mō ngā tao kī me ngā tao tū i whiua e Ngāi Tahu. He hiahia anō hoki nō Ngāti Toa ki ngā pounamu o te takiwā mō rātou ake. Ka kōkiritia, ka whakaekea a Ngāi Tahu. E toru marama te roa e mau ana a Ngāi Tahu ki roto i te pā o Kaiapoi i te whakaekenga o Te Rauparaha. Nā te aha ka kainga te pā i te ahi. Nui te parekura o Ngāi Tahu. Heoi, kīhai i murua ngā whenua o te iwi. I tētahi wā, ka tata mau a Te Rauparaha i te taua o Ngāi Tahu i Kāparatehau (Lake Grassmere).
Te kerēme a Ngāi Tahu
I hokona e Ngāi Tahu te nuinga o ōna whenua ki te Karauna atu i te tau 1844 ki te tau 1863. Ko te kupu oati a te Karauna, ka rāhuitia ki a Ngāi Tahu he whenua, he wāhi mahi kai hoki, ka whakatūria he kura, hōhipera mō te iwi. Heoi, kāore i mana tēnei kupu a te kāwanatanga; whāia, mō ngā tau 150 ka whai, ka arumia e Ngāi Tahu te tika me tētahi paremata. Nō te tekau tau atu i 1990 tutuki ai tēnei moemoeā.
