Moteo Marae

Although Ngati Mahu, Ngati Ruapirau and Ngati Tamawahine had intermarried, they were not a numerous people and were vulnerable to stronger hapu who sought to increase their territory. It was common practice for small hapu in similar circumstances, to throw in their lot with a stronger hapu and place themselves under the protection of a chief of rank. In exchange, they gathered food for the parent hapu, lived with them, fought with them and in some cases died with them.

Hikateko and his wife Huakirangi produced eight children:

Ruruarau = Hinekino of Ngati Mahu (F)

Manawa = Whakapakaru (F) (Daughter of Hikawera II)

Manuatea (F) = married a Taupo man

Toheriri   = Te Kawa (F)

Taotahi (F) = Te Kereru (son of Hikawera II)

Iwikohurehure (F) = Te Kereru

Hikawera Mokai (went to Patangata)

Paka   = Wakahae (F) of Ngai Te Ao

The descendants of each of Hikateko’s children will be traced more fully later on. Only the first born Ruruarau married twice.  His first wife was Hinekino of Ngati Mahu. By her he had one son, Taui.

His second marriage to Whakapakaru was the result of a saga involving both fathers. Whakapakaru fell in love with Ruruarau, but his father Hikateko disapproved of the union because she was the daughter of Hikawera II and he feared Hikawera was trying to get a foothold on Ngati Hinepare lands. Hikawera became concerned when his daughter started wasting away from unrequited love and forced the issue by threatening to kill Hikateko.

Hikawera II has returned to Heretaunga to take up the legacy of his mother Te Huhuti. On the death of his grandfather Rangitaumaha, he occupied Oueroa pa where he lived with his wife Te Uiraiwaho, a famed beauty and the mother of Whakapakaru. Hikawera was gifted another wife while living at Oueroa by the people of Wairoa. He looked out from Oueroa one day and saw a starving party of people straggling across the Otupaopao flats. They were climbing cabbage trees to try and reach the shoots.

He instructed his men to kill dogs from the pa and collect eels and kakahi from the neighbouring swamps. He prepared a hangi at Te Umukuri and fed the starving people. The remains of the dogs were thrown into the river which took the name Tutaekuri from this event. The people told him they had been invited to Porangahau on the promise of unlimited food by Kaitahi, but when they got there they found that the claims were exaggerated, so they were forced to head for home. When word reached Wairoa of Hikawera’s generosity, Te Rangimokai, sister of Te Huki, was sent down as a wife for him.

One of the sons of Hikawera and Te Rangimokai was Te Kereru. He had pa sites on Lake Oingo and at Te Whanganui a Orutu.  Te Kereru married Taotahi and Te Iwikohurehure, daughters of Hikateko thus providing further links between Ngati Hinepare and Ngati Hikawera. The descendants of Taotahi merged back into Ngati Te Upokoiri while Te Iwikohurehure’s issue can be found at Matahiwi, Waiohiki and Korongata.