The Ruler of Food

The full title of the Ruler of Food is te ariki i te ua i te tapora kai (the high chief presiding at the head of the food baskets). Gill translates the title freely as "Ruler of Food", which suits the office. In the distribution of authority among his three sons, Rongo gave the authority over food to Mokoiro. In the following list by Gill (12, p. 314), Mokoiro figures as the first Ruler of Food:

1.	Mokoiro I: from Avaiki.
2.	Mokoiro II: son of Mokoiro I.
3.	Amu
4.	Maru
5.	Kaoa I: drowned at Te-rua-ava-roa.page 118
6.	Namu I: slain by Ngauta.
7.	Kaoa II: slain by Ngangati at Te-au-papa.
8.	Motau
9.	Namu II: son of Motau; friend of Mautara; slain by Potai.
10.	Kaoa III: held office during Potiki's rule.
11.	Metua-rangiia.
12.	Mauri: visited by Rev. John Williams in 1829, died soon after.

As the Vaeruarangi tribe descended from Vaeruarangi, a son of Mokoiro, it is evident that Mokoiro II must have been a brother of or another name for Vaeruarangi, the office of Ruler of Food went by succession in the Vaeruarangi tribe. My informant Akaeakore, however, maintained that Mokoiro I was a son of Te-akatauira. Gill (12, p. 310) definitely states that Kaoa, shown in the list as the seventh Ruler of Food, was defeated with his Vaeruarangi tribe by Ngangati at the battle of Te-au-papa. This supports the contention that the office passed in succession in the Vaeruarangi division of Ngariki.

The maraes of Rangi-taua in the Keia district and Mau-kiore in Tavaenga are attributed to Mokoiro I, and those of Mamara-atua in Tavaenga and Tavaenga-nui in Tamarua to Mokoiro II. Amu, the third ruler, was evidently the leader of the warriors who defeated the invading Aitutakians at the battle of Iotepui (12, p. 308). The Rulers of Food thus fought with their own tribe when necessary and thereby made themselves obnoxious to the enemy. Three holders of the title were killed.

The office was hereditary like those of the high priests of Rongo and could not be acquired by another tribe. Thus when Namu II was a fugitive from his enemies, Mautara sent for him to perform the duties associated with his office during Mautara's period of rule. Mautara rewarded him by giving him authority over three subdistricts.

The fertility of the land and trees was held to depend on the distribution of the portions of the human sacrifice divided among the ruling chiefs at the ceremony held on the Orongo marae. In olden times the Ruler of Food had some influence as to the imposing of closed seasons (ra'ui) over districts and fishing grounds in order to let depleted food supplies recover. In times of peace, he exercised a ceremonial control over the distribution of food at public feasts. The food was really divided into the required allotments by the local chiefs responsible for the feast, and the public calling of the shares was then made by the Ruler of Food. He was versed in the correct ceremonial and order of precedence for such occasions. The chief who placed the food in the required heaps acted as his hands, but the voice remained with the official Ruler of Food. The correct observance of ceremonial added to the importance of the feast and was associated with continued prosperity. The, hereditary title was treated with great respect during peace, and even the change in Temporal Lords did not affect the position so long as the office-page 119holder and his tribe were not involved in war. During war times the Ruler of Food superintended the provisioning of the troops of his own tribe.