Tai Rawhiti
Kaaro / Karoraina Harihona
Kaaro also known as Karoraina and was born in 1852 at Huntly, Waikato. This biography will refer to her as Kaaro. This kuia married twice, first to Paora Puni a man that was residing at Kaitotehe Pa in Taupiri, he had links in Kawhia, though there is not much information about this koroua but that his name was on the list for “‘The 1844 General Concensus
Paora belonged to a hapu called Te Ngaungau also called Ngaati Whawhakia. He was a relative to Heta Kereru Tarawhiti; Paora was of the same hapu as Heta's wife and brother-in-law to Te Tarawhiti (m), Rangitamoana (f)Mauruuru (f) the descendants of the latter live around Hastings, Napier and South Taranaki.
Kaaro and Paora both descend from the tupuna Whawhakia, Paora Puni's father was Te Hikihiki or “Hikihiki” he belonged to Ngati Whawhakia, below is the whakapapa of their descent from the tribe’s ancestor including the four children of Paora and Kaaro.
Nga Koorero a Kaaro raua ko Paora Puni.
There is little information on the life history of Paora Puni and his parents. But there is history on Kaaro Harihona and her whanau. As mentioned before both Paora and Kaaro came from the same hapu and iwi. “Te Ngaungau”later to be known as “Ngati Whawhakia” one of the largest hapu of Waikato. This was a hapu noted for participating in many battles, attacks and raids with Waikato, in particular during the times of Potatau Te Wherowhero. However his son Tukaroto Matutaera Tawhiao the second Maori King choose a more passive role during his reign.
Paora and Kaaro were born in the mid 1800’s however some of the records from the Mormon church have their birth dates earlier which is speculative. Paora Puni may have been known as Kawahia and Kaaro also known as Karoraina both born at Waahi Pa, Huntly. However in the 1830’s the families of Paora and Kaaro relocated to another strong hold Pa of Te Wherowhero which once stood opposite the urupa or burial grounds of the Waikato people on Taupiri maunga, this pa was called “Kaitotehe’ another pa close-by was Tukapoto. The Kaitotehe pa hosted a strong population and had many warriors and in 1821 a strong force departed from this Pa for Taranaki to pursue Te Rauparaha and Ngati Toa. This taua returned back to fight at Matakitaki in 1822 against Ngapuhi. In 1831 another ‘Ope-taua’ lead by Te Wherowhero returned back to Taranaki to avenge their loss in 1821, the taua consisted of 2,500 fully armed men. When this taua returned back to Waikato there were many captives taken, the Te Ngaungau tribe also known as Ngati Whawhakia took many slaves.
The Kaitotehe pa became widely known for the establishment of a successful Mission School under the direction of the Church of England, founded by the Rev Benjamin Yates Ashwell when he arrived in 1849. One of the Native teacher that eventually become an ordained Minister in the Church and received Priests Orders was Heta Kereru Tarawhiti or Rev Heta (Seth) Tarawhiti a half brother of Kaaro Harihona. Heta and the Te Ngaungau hapu gifted 1,385 acres of land to the church for the mission school. Paora Puni and Wetere Te Paki married two sisters, these two were Kaaro (Karoraina) and Rangitamoana.
Paora Puni was the son of Tiki (f) and Te Hikihiki of Ngati Whawhakia this would explain how the name “Hikihiki”was passed down through the generations.Tiki belonged to Ngati Maahuta, the same tribe as Te Wherowhero or the Maori Kings. Paora Puni though recorded as living at Kaitotehe in Taupiri was also in Kawhia at one time. Paora was the only issue to Tiki and Te Hikihiki, Paora and Kaaro’s son was Hikihiki II. Erena died before her husband in 1941.Erena is believed to have links with Tauhei marae. Erena and Hikihiki both had two children Mere and Titoki. As mentioned earlier Mere went to the Tai Rawhiti where she lived and died. Titoki also known as Frank remained back in the Waikato and lived around Tauhei Marae until his death. Frank married Pui Kirkwood from Whatapaka marae, South Auckland.
Paora Puni may have married twice to another woman called Kawhia this is not the same woman as Kaaro because of the two different parents. My research and information has derived directly from the Maori Land Court Minute books and historical references. Paora Puni was a land owner in Maungatautari No3A.Section 1.No.3C.and the Pepepe block. Paora Puni passed away Nov 1-2 1899.
One of the sons of Paora and Kaaro was Hikihiki Paora Puni born in 1877 at Kaitotehe Pa, Taupiri. Hikihiki died on the 12th August 1958 at Tahuna in South Auckland; he was associated with Tauhei marae, only through his wife’s connections. In 1906 he married Erena Tahana she was born in 1880 at Tapapa, Auckland and died in 1941. Erena Tahana belonged to Ngaati Raukawa and her hapu was Ngaati Motai, she was also known as Erena Hikihiki and is buried with her husband Hikihiki Paora Puni at Tauhei. Hikihiki had one sister and two brothers. The eldest was Potaka Paora Puni(male) he was 3 years older than their only sister Mere Utauta Te Riringi Paora Puni she was born in 1867 and died 8th October 1966. she married Kopuwera Ngarua Paratene in 1884. Mere was 4 years older than Hikihiki Paora Puni that married Erena Tahana. Hikihiki was 2 years older than Kirika Paora Puni or Kirikau (male) born 1890 and died 13th June 1960 the youngest of all four. Kirika was registered on the 1908 NZ Maori Voters list, his tribe was recorded as Waikato and his hapu was Ngati Whawhakia; his address during those years was Kaitumutumu in Huntly.
Kaitumutumu is in very close proximatey to other places such as Rakaumangamanga this is the place where a lot of the Tarawhiti whanau were born especially the children of Karaka Tarawhiti, It was the original place of Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga. Not far from Rakaumangamanga is the Te Ohaaki is a marae founded by Princess Te Puea, the marae of Kerei Te Paki and Ngawaina and his brother called Wetere Te Paki I the husband of Rangitamoana Pinikera Harihona the elder sister of Kaaro.
Te Kauri a much later and modern marae today is the marae for one whanau of descendants which is the Tarawhiti whanau. A marae founded by one of the children of Heta Tarawhiti called Karaka Tarawhiti. Waahi Pa is the home of the Kahui Ariki and Ngati Mahuta all these marae are linked to Kaaro and the Tarawhiti whanau.
One of their Grand-children, Mere Hikihiki, went to live in the Tai Raawhiti region and has descendants that live in Manutuke, Gisbourne. Mere is believed to have married two brothers of the Nepia and Moeau lineage. This was the first marriage of Mere Hikihiki Paora Puni to Te Aronui Nepia Te Aturangi He was the elder brother of Maaka Nepia Te Aturangi. When Te Aronui passed away Mere then married the younger brother called Maaka (Mark) Nepia Te Aturangi
The second husband of Kaaro was Wharemahihi Mako born in 1852 the son of Mako Te Waru (Te Mako) that was born in 1822 and his wife Kiti born in 1825. Mako Te Waru was accredited as being one the tupuna that fought the battles of Ngati Whawhakia against Ngati Koata at Huripopo and Ngati Toa and Ngati Mahuta for the land called Matakowhai.He fought with Harihona the father of Kaaro and Rangitamoana.
Wharemahihi and Kaaro were first cousins, both fathers were brothers and from the same hapu of Te Ngaungau or Ngati Whawhakia. This koroua once stayed at Waahi in Huntly, he then shifted south where he was recorded as living on the Parapara ranges north of Wanganui, his son Te Mako Wharemahihi was a handsome man and married five women, and he then went to reside at a place called Moawhango near Taihape. Most of the descendants from this man live at Pakipaki Hastings.
Page last updated 21 Sep 2008
