Te Heuheu Tukino I 1790 1815 Waikato Nz

edmondsallan - Hello - Lets floor the pedal to the metal and get under way . 1/2 the day gone and nothing done .
Ngati Tuwharetoa leader- Te Heuheu Tukino I, Herea. Herea, later known as Te Heuheu Tukino, was born around the middle of the eighteenth century. He was the son of Tukino, leader of the Ngati Turumakina section of Ngati Tuwharetoa, and his wife, Parewairere. Through his mother, Herea was related to powerful leaders of Ngati Maniapoto and of Waikato tribes. As well as Ngati Pehi hapu (known later as Ngati Turumakina), he belonged to Ngati Te Aho (known today as Ngati Kurauia and Ngati Turangi), who lived in the Tokaanu area.

The name Te Heuheu derives from an incident which occurred during the lifetime of Herea. Te Rangipumamao, a major leader of Ngati Tuwharetoa, died while with his Ngati Maniapoto relatives. The people who set out to return his body to Taupo found the journey difficult, and placed the body in a cave at Kaiwha, on the north-west side of Lake Taupo. They returned to their homes after carrying out appropriate rites. A few years later, when a party came from Taupo to take the bones to the ancestral burial ground, they found the entrance to the cave concealed with brushwood called maheuheu. The name Te Heuheu was then given to Mananui, the eldest son of Herea and his first wife, Rangiaho. Herea himself, after becoming paramount leader, was widely known as Rangimaheuheu, which became Te Heuheu. From that time on the name has been given to the oldest in the family's male line in each generation.

Herea first distinguished himself in the wars against Tuhoe in the late eighteenth century. Then, when Te Rangitua-matotoru died, he became one of three contenders for the leadership of the tribe. It was the custom of Ngati Tuwharetoa to select a leader from among high-born ariki, those who were direct descendants in the senior male line from the ancestor Tuwharetoa. The position was not necessarily a hereditary one; it was conferred on the most suitable man, irrespective of seniority. It was the prerogative of the senior ariki to install the new leader.

At this time Ngati Tuwharetoa had special problems. They needed to remain friendly with their western and northern neighbours - Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Maniapoto and Waikato tribes. In addition, it was realised that Ngati Tuwharetoa were beginning to divide into separate branches, living to the east and the west of Lake Taupo, and that the tribe needed to be unified. Of the three contenders for the leadership, Te Wakaiti, of Ngati Manunui, seemed to be the logical choice. He was of good lineage and an excellent war leader, and possessed the tribal god Rongomai. He was supported by several leaders. Another contender, Tauteka, of Ngati Te Aho, with influence among Te Arawa and the Bay of Plenty peoples, was considered unsuitable because he lacked connections with the tribes to the north and the west. The third was Herea, a renowned warrior with Ngati Maniapoto connections through his mother, Parewairere, and through his wife, Rangiaho, who was also influential among Waikato.

At first Te Wakaiti, with his good connections with Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Maniapoto and Waikato, was favoured as likely to bring unity to the tribe. But he was an arrogant man, who considered that the position was his as of right. To show his power he decided to kill the senior hereditary ariki, Te Whatupounamu, when he attended the installation ceremonies. When they heard of this, the ariki immediately offered the leadership to Herea.
Till we meet again - Regards -edmondsallan