Land Tenure in the Cook Islands

Genealogy of Ngati Te Ora: explanatory note

This does not claim to be an exhaustive genealogy of all persons descended from the original progenitor, for some names were quoted in the evidence without any indication of the sex or marital status of the persons concerned, and many without details as to their issue. The number of issue shown may not be all the children of the parents concerned, for witnesses often mentioned only the persons through whom they traced their own descent, and omitted those who were not relevant to the matter under discussion. Moreover, the witnesses (who were invariably adults) seldom made mention of their own children, as the rights of the latter were dependent on those of their parents.

Likewise, there are many persons included in the genealogy who are not primary members of the Ngati Te Ora, but who have joined other lineages by marriage, adoption, or prolonged residence. Such people were admittedly once primary members of this lineage (or are descendants of persons who were) and accordingly can regain primary membership by adoption or other formal acceptance back into the group.

The genealogy was reconstructed from evidence given before the Land Court and the Appellate Court between 1905 and 1954, and includes all those persons whose names were mentioned during the relevant hearings who can be shown to be descended from the Te Ora line. Various items and segments of the genealogy were given by different witnesses at different times. Disputed differences between various versions have been noted on the genealogy, but minor variations which do not affect the principles illustrated have not been shown.

The following Court records were consulted:

Land and Titles Court Minute Book	No: 2 pages	264, 318.
(For period 1905–13)	4	48, 277–351A
	5	157–88, 223–6
	6	266
Native Land Court Minute Book	No: 9 pages	27–8, 162–4
(For period 1921–54)	10	12–15
	13	265–71
	16	188–92, 218–21, 254
	18	39
	19	64–116, 155–91, 230–40, 291–4
	21	46–59, 110–19, 164–6
	22	–
Appellate Court Minute Book	No: 1 pages	295–300, 318,
(For period 1949–54)		399–402
	2	18–20, 87–95, 117–21, 143, 275–9.

page 343

Time sequence is shown on the genealogy in generations beginning from the progenitor Uriarautokerau. Working back from living persons listed, and allowing twenty-five years for each generation, it would appear that Uriarautokerau was born between 1675 and 1700 A.D.

The following symbols are used:

(1)	Name underlined and preceded by a number. Indicates that the person concerned held the title of Te Ora Rangatira. The number indicates the order of holding starting from Te Ora (born circa 1750 A.D.) as there is some dispute as to whether the title existed before his time.
[James Cecil]	Names in square brackets are those of non-Rarotongans married to Ngati Te Ora women.
??	Husband not known – issue therefore not legitimate and would be treated as members of the mother's lineage.
DSP	(Decede sans progene) This is the symbol used by the Native Land Court to indicate either that the person concerned died without issue, or that such issue as were born subsequently died without issue.
(Issue?)	No details recorded as to issue.
—–	Issue linked by dotted line. Adopted under native custom – not registered.