Marking Territory

Hawai, East Cape. May 2009 Ajr

I love the way so many North Island iwi (tribes) mark the borders of their tribal territory with large signs. I came upon this one in early May, the day I left Rotorua to drive around East Cape. It was just before the little beach settlement of Hawai . Te Whanau-a-Apanui land extends from Te Taumata-o-Apanui (between Torere and Hawai) as far north as Potaka, near the top of the Cape. There are 13 hapu within the tribe, which was named after the 17th century ancestor, Apanui Ringamutu, who had four wives and more than 17 children. He is represented in a carving in the contemporary marae, Te Hono ki Hawaiki, in Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand – carved by well known contemporary carver, Cliff Whiting (Te Whanau-a-Apanui). Today Te Whanau-a-Apanui has investments in forestry blocks, fisheries operations and other industries and most of their 11,808 population (2006) is based in Bay of Plenty. Their tribal authority, Te Runanga o Te Whanau is based in Opotoki. www.apanui.co.nz