Kahungunu

Kahungunu came to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa from Uawa and stayed at Pa Titirangi.  From there he saw the smoke from the fires of Popoia, pa of paramount chief Ruapani. He visited Popoia and impressed Ruapani with his industrious skillset.  Ruarahanga, daughter of Ruapani, was given to Kahungunu as a wife and Ruaroa was born.  This union began a strong political alliance that was strengthened over time with a series of intermarriages between the families of Ruapani and Kahungunu.  Kahungunu left and as he moved south he had more liaisons and children. Many of his descendants married back into the iwi of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.  When Kahungunu died, his remains were collected by his son Ruaroa who interred them alongside Kahungunu’s greatest ally Ruapani in the sacred Te Ana-o-Kohurau caves.

For a period of time after Ruapani and Kahungunu, the history of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa witnessed the breaking down of their alliance through in-fighting, skirmishes and ultimately, three major battles that redefined the landscape of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.