Ngāti Konohi

Ngāti Konohi
Iwi	Ngāti Konohi
Waka	Mataatua
Rohe	Whakatāne District, Bay of Plenty
Hapū	Ngāti Awa associated hapū
Marae	Kohinata Marae, Ohope Marae

Ngāti Konohi Ngāti Konohi trace descent from ancestral figures linked to the Mataatua waka and maintain affiliations with iwi and hapū across the Bay of Plenty, East Cape, and Auckland Region. Their whakapapa connects to notable ancestors commemorated in oral traditions, linking them to landmarks such as Whakatāne, Rangitāiki River, and Motuoroi Island. Contemporary Ngāti Konohi engage with institutions including Te Puni Kōkiri, Waitangi Tribunal, Te Arawhiti, and regional councils to advance treaty settlements, resource management, and cultural revival.

Origins and Ancestry

Ngāti Konohi descent narratives reference waka migrations including Mataatua and ancestral figures tied to the wider kin networks of Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Tūhoe, and Ngāi Tūhoe. Their whakapapa intersects with tribal histories recorded alongside events like the Musket Wars and relationships with chiefs noted in colonial records such as Wiremu Tamihana. Genealogical links relate Ngāti Konohi to landmarks including Whakaari/White Island, Rangitāiki River, Motuoroi Island, and pā sites near Ōhope Beach.

Tribal Structure and Hapū

Ngāti Konohi organisation comprises multiple hapū that interlink with wider groups such as Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and Ngāi Tūhoe through marriage, alliance, and descent. Connectivity with marae like Kohinata Marae and meeting houses recorded alongside iwi registers held by Te Puni Kōkiri and New Zealand Maori Council supports functions with agencies including Department of Conservation, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and Whakatāne District Council for resource consent and kaitiakitanga arrangements.

Rohe (Tribal Territory)

The Ngāti Konohi rohe centres on coastal and inland areas adjacent to Whakatāne, Ōhope, Rangitāiki River, and islands such as Motuoroi Island and extends influence across parts of the Bay of Plenty seascape. Traditional fishing grounds include waters near Whakaari/White Island and reefs recognized in customary rights registered with agencies like Fisheries New Zealand and arrangements considered by the Waitangi Tribunal. The rohe overlaps contemporary administrative boundaries including Whakatāne District and regional planning areas managed by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

History and Key Events

Ngāti Konohi history includes pre-contact settlement, intertribal engagements during periods such as the Musket Wars, and encounters during colonisation referenced in land transactions and native land court decisions involving figures like James Aspinall and institutions such as the Native Land Court. Twentieth-century events include participation in national movements led by organisations like New Zealand Māori Council, Māori Women's Welfare League, and iwi responses to environmental incidents such as the Rangitāiki floods and maritime events near Whakaari/White Island. More recently, Ngāti Konohi have engaged in treaty settlements advanced through the Waitangi Tribunal process and negotiations with Te Arawhiti and central agencies, addressing historic grievances and cultural redress.

Culture, Marae, and Traditions

Cultural life revolves around marae such as Kohinata Marae and other meeting places that host tangihanga, hui, and kapa haka performances alongside regional festivals like events in Whakatāne and Rotorua. Traditional arts include carving associated with waka and meeting houses reflecting styles seen across Mataatua descendant communities, weaving practices contemporary to groups like Ngāti Awa, and oral histories preserved by kaumatua with connections to leaders recorded in publications by researchers at University of Auckland, Massey University, and University of Waikato. Cultural partnerships extend to national institutions including the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and conservation projects with the Department of Conservation.

Governance and Contemporary Issues

Ngāti Konohi governance structures operate through trusts and rūnanga engaging with government entities such as Te Puni Kōkiri, Te Arawhiti, and local authorities including Whakatāne District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council for resource management, fisheries settlement implementation with Fisheries New Zealand, and freshwater rights influenced by legislation like the Resource Management Act 1991. Contemporary issues include environmental restoration projects, co-management of ngahere and waterways with the Department of Conservation, participation in settlement processes via the Waitangi Tribunal, and collaboration with regional economic development organisations such as Eastern Bay of Plenty Economic Development initiatives and iwi collectives like Iwi Māori Council.

Notable Members and Contributions

Prominent individuals connected by whakapapa to the wider Mataatua network and allied iwi have contributed to fields represented by organisations such as Māori Women’s Welfare League, New Zealand Māori Council, academia at University of Waikato, and cultural leadership in iwi fora. Members have participated in treaty negotiations with Te Arawhiti, contributed to conservation partnerships with the Department of Conservation, and engaged in regional governance with Whakatāne District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Contributions extend to kapa haka competitions linked to events at Te Matatini, scholarly work housed in archives at Alexander Turnbull Library, and collaborations with museums like Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Category:Iwi