RUAIHONA/RUAIHONGA

Ruaihona is the son of Toroa and is in the direct line of descent to Tuhoe and Ngati Awa. This whakapapa line is as follows: Toroa, Ruaihona, Tahinga-o-te-ra, Awanui-a-rangi, Rongotangiawa, Irapeke, Awatope etc. Ruaihona is firmly tied to the Mataatua canoe and to the Toroa whanau. He married Mahanga-i-te-rangi, the daughter of Kanioro and Pourangahua. Kanioro however is the sister of Hoaki and Taukata of Te Aratawhao canoe. The two brothers came to Whakatane in search of their sister Kanioro. They visited the famous pa Kaputerangi and introduced the people there to kumara. It was after this that Hoaki took the canoe to the place where the kumara grew, in order to fetch kumara. The canoe which brought back the kumara was Mataatua.

The people of the two canoes come together in the marriage of Ruaihona to Mahanga-i-te-rangi which consolidates the position of the people of Tuhoe and Ngati Awa as Mataatua people.

A meeting house at Te Teko carries the name of Ruaihona.