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| Te Taoū | |
|---|---|
| Iwi name | Te Taoū |
| Waka | Tainui, Mataatua, Tokomaru |
| Rohe | Auckland, Northland, Waikato |
| Waka ancestor | Hoturoa, Toi-kai-rākau |
| Hapū | Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Rongo, Ngāti Kahu |
| Marae | Te Puea Memorial Marae, Papakura Marae, Takapuna Marae |
Te Taoū Te Taoū is an iwi collective traditionally associated with regions of Auckland, Northland and parts of Waikato with deep links to multiple waka traditions such as Tainui and Mataatua. The group has been central to historical events including the Musket Wars, the New Zealand Wars, and negotiations under the Treaty of Waitangi. Te Taoū's whakapapa connects them to prominent ancestors recorded in oral histories and to contemporary marae and hapū engaged in Treaty settlements and iwi development.
Te Taoū trace descent to waka ancestors like Hoturoa of Tainui and voyaging figures associated with Mataatua and Tokomaru. Their whakapapa intersects with tribes noted in early contact accounts such as Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whatua (as an umbrella grouping), and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei in the Waitematā Harbour region. Traditional narratives reference migrations following encounters linked to figures like Toi-kai-rākau and settlements near landmarks including Maungawhau (Mount Eden), Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill), and Rangitoto Island. Oral histories record intermarriage and descent lines that also mention interactions with groups recorded in European journals such as those of Samuel Marsden and William Colenso.
Te Taoū were involved in pre-colonial and colonial-era conflicts including skirmishes during the Musket Wars and engagements related to the Flagstaff War. In the 19th century they navigated alliances and rivalries with tribes such as Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whatua, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Maniapoto, and Tainui Confederation. Colonial pressures led to contested events connected to land seizures around Auckland and confrontations tied to the New Zealand Wars and campaigns in Waikato and Tāmaki Makaurau. Contacts with officials and settlers involved figures and institutions like Governor George Grey, William Hobson, Thomas Gore Browne, Land Claims Commissioners, and the Colonial Office.
The social structure of Te Taoū comprises hapū and whānau organized around marae such as Kohimarama Marae, Ngā Wharau, and coastal meeting places along the Kaipara Harbour and Hauraki Gulf. Cultural practice includes formal pōwhiri led by kaumātua and kuia linked to genealogical recitations referencing ancestors like Hoturoa and Toi-kai-rākau. Ceremonies involve taonga connected to artists and carvers akin to those recognized by institutions such as Auckland War Memorial Museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, and arts organisations like Toi Māori Aotearoa. Knowledge transmission engages kapa haka groups participating in events like the Te Matatini Festival and educational partnerships with organisations such as Auckland University of Technology and University of Auckland.
Prominent leaders and elders of the community have engaged with political and cultural figures such as Apirana Ngata, Wiremu Tamihana, Hone Heke, and locally significant kaumātua who represented hapū at forums with officials including Waitangi Tribunal commissioners and members of Parliament like Helen Clark and John Key. Marae serving as focal points include Orakei Marae, Ngāti Whatua Ōrākei Maraaka, Takapuna Marae, and urban marae used in community organising with NGOs such as Auckland Council initiatives and social services like Te Puni Kōkiri. Cultural leaders have collaborated with arts patrons and institutions like New Zealand Film Commission and Creative New Zealand.
Te Taoū claims have featured in inquiries and settlements before the Waitangi Tribunal and negotiations with Crown bodies such as the Office of Treaty Settlements and ministers including those from Te Puni Kōkiri. Historical grievances over land around Tāmaki Makaurau, Kaipara, and Hauraki involved interactions with colonial statutes and processes like the Native Land Court and Crown purchase mechanisms established under events tied to Treaty of Waitangi breaches. Settlements have included redress mechanisms employed in other iwi settlements like Ngāi Tahu Settlement and Tainui Settlement, with settlements often involving cultural redress, financial compensation, and co-management arrangements with agencies such as Auckland Council and Department of Conservation.
Modern priorities for Te Taoū communities include urban development in Auckland City, housing initiatives with organisations like Housing New Zealand, environmental stewardship of sites including Hauraki Gulf Marine Park and collaborations with Department of Conservation on coastal restoration. Economic development projects range from fisheries settlements administered under frameworks similar to Sealord deal models and partnerships with iwi enterprises engaging investors such as New Zealand Superannuation Fund and regional bodies like Auckland Regional Council. Health and education programmes involve providers like Waitematā District Health Board, kaupapa Māori services, and tertiary engagements with Unitec Institute of Technology. Contemporary advocacy engages legal and political mechanisms including litigation strategies used in landmark cases before the High Court of New Zealand, appeals to the Supreme Court of New Zealand, and participation in national dialogues led by entities like Human Rights Commission.