HINERONGO

Hinerongo was a Ngati Mamoe ariki. Her home base was at Waipapa (near the mouth of Waiotoa — Clarence river). Originally she was the leader of the Ngati Mamoe people from Hawkes Bay (at Otatara pa). These people had migrated south three generations before her and intermarried with the people of the Wairau area. Some time later they moved down to the Kaikoura coast in the migration by the Rangitane people to that area.

Hinerongo was of mixed Rangitane and Mamoe descent and in a battle between the two tribes was captured by her Rangitane relations and a few days later was in the care of the Ngati Kuri (hapu of Ngai Tahu). These people had migrated to the Tory channel area (Kura tei au) under Puraho and his son Maru. When Ngati Kuri took Hinerongo she became the prize of the Ngai Tahu rangatira Tuteuretira, who thought he had acquired a Rangitane woman. After a series of events Tuteurutira left his people and took her by sea home to Waipapa where he became a noted rangatira amongst her people.

There are many descendants today from the marriage of Tuteuretira and Hinerongo. Many of the Kaikoura Ngai Tahu people carry the blood of Rangitane, Ngati Mamoe and Ngati Kuri because of the descendants of Hinerongo. Traditional accounts of their meetings are remembered in the place-names from Wairau to Te Karaka (Cape Campbell) and down to Kaikoura.