Story: Marutūahu tribes

Ureia

Ureia

Ureia was the taniwha who lived in Tīkapa (the Firth of Thames). Accounts differ as to the form Ureia took – some say he was a fish, others a school of fish. Either way, Ureia was a powerful symbol of the fertility and mana of the Hauraki region. Ureia was killed at Pūponga, by the Manukau Harbour. This carving of him is located inside the Hotunui meeting house, which once stood at Thames and is now in the Auckland Museum.

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How to cite this page:

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, 'Marutūahu tribes - Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Pāoa', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4151/ureia (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 22 Mar 2017