Ngāi Te Ahi is a hapū of Ngāti Ranginui in Tauranga Moana. Ngāi Te Ahi are descendants of the eponymous ancestors Rongokako, Tamatea Arikinui, Ranginui, Tamahika and Ngariunga. Tamahika and Ngariunga are the founding tipuna for the hapu that is today known as Ngāi Te Ahi.
The original name of the Hairini area was Ohau. For generations, Ngāi Te Ahi has occupied the lands of Hairini, Ohauiti, Kaitemako, Poike, Waoku and parts of the Waimapu and Taumata. They share these areas with neighbouring whanau and hapū of Ngāti Ruahine, Ngāi Tamarawaho and Ngāti Hē.
Ngāi Te Ahi has affiliations with Ngāti Ranginui and Te Arawa, and close kinship ties to Ngāi Te Rangi. The hapū is descended from Tamahika of Ngāti Whakaue and Ngariunga of Ngāti Ranginui, the founding tipuna of Ngāi Te Ahi.
“Mai ngā ngarehu o Whakapaukarakia, kei te kā tonu te ahi”
"From the embers of Whakapaukarakia, the fire burns on"
This whakataukī represents the survival of those who rose from the ashes during an incident that occurred at the battle of Whakapaukarakia. Tamahika lost his life at this battle.
Tohu
Our tohu was designed and created by two of our rangatahi as an insignia to be flown when we first embarked on our Treaty of Waitangi Claims journey in 2000 as an embodiment of of the above whakataukī.
