 Cape Reinga, Far North, in the rohe (tribal area) of the Muriwhenua people. | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Northland, New Zealand | |
| Languages | |
| Māori language |
Muriwhenua are a group of northern Māori iwi, based in Te Hiku o te Ika, the northernmost part of New Zealand's North Island. It consists of six iwi, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Takoto, Te Pātū, Ngāti Kahu, Te Aupōuri and Te Rarawa, with a combined population of about 34,000 people. The spiritually significant Hokianga Harbour, located just to the south of the Maungataniwha Range, is of special significance to the Muriwhenua people.[1]
The name Muriwhenua means "this is the end of the land", describing the rohe (traditional tribal lands) of the iwi, extending up the North Auckland Peninsula from the Maungataniwha Range to Cape Reinga. The name Te Hiku o te Ika translates as the tail of the fish, meaning the end of the North Island, which in Māori mythology is the fish Māui caught.[1] Elders sometimes say the head of the fish is the New Zealand capital city of Wellington, but it can only go where the tail will allow.[2]
- ^ a b Taonui, Rāwiri (10 February 2015). "Muriwhenua tribes". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ^ Taonui, Rāwiri (10 February 2015). "Muriwhenua tribes". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 September 2016.