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Te whakatuwheratanga o Te Tumu Herenga Waka : 6 Tihema 1986, Poneke, Te Whare Wananga o Wikitoria

9b. TURI and RONGORONGO

9b. TURI and RONGORONGO

9b TURI/RONGORONGO

9b TURI/RONGORONGO

Because of a dispute between Turi and (another ariki, Uenuku) in Hawaiki, plus a general shortage of resources to support a growing population, Turi and his people migrated to Aotearoa on the Aotea canoe. Following the directions left to them by Kupe — who had earlier returned from Aotearoa — they set out in search of the snow capped mountain in the west.

Aotea traditions hold, that Rongorongo — (Turi's wife, and daughter of Toto — from whom the Aotea was obtained) brought the kumara from Hawaiki, Turi bringing karaka berries and pukeko. The Aotea was so richly laden with provisions that it is often referred to as "Aotea utanga nui".

It is believed that Aotea first made land on the north-east coast, passed around Te Reinga, and finally came to rest at the harbour in the Waikato region which bears her name. Her passengers then made their way overland down along the West Coast of Te-Ikaroa-a-Maui. So it was that many places of note to Turi, Rongorongo and their family and followers were named, including "Hongihongi" — where Turi smelt the earth, Kapuni-one of their camp-sites, and their final settlement Te-Patea-nui-a-Turi.

From Turi and Rongorongo's children descend the Ngati Ruanui tribe with its various hapu and, some say, Nga Rauru Kitahi also. But others hold that Nga Rauru were tangata whenua in the South Taranaki-Whanganui area where the people of Aotea arrived and that due to much intermarriage through the generations — Nga Rauru and its traditions were almost totally assimilated into those of Ngati Ruanui.