Ruatamore were some of the earliest inhabitants of NZ. They came out with Maruiwi and Taitāwaro respectively, their canoe Taikōria landed with the Kahutara and Ōkoki canoes at Ngāmotu near New Plymouth. The descendants of the three crews were later known as Te Tini-o-Maruiwi, Te Tini-o-Ruatāmore, Te Tini-o-Taitāwaro, Te Tini-o-Pananehu, Koaupari and Te Wīwini.
According to Te Rangi Hiroa (Sir Peter Buck) the descendants from this early migration subsequently were called Tini O Taitawaro. They occupied the Taranaki coast from Ōakura to Mokau and then it appears the descendants of Ruatamore spread out to various places of the North Island.
According to DoC, Koaupari built the original Ōtātara Pā in Hawkes Bay. Ngati-ti-Koaupari were exterminated at Mohaka, Hawkes Bay. [See “the end of this people“ Journal Polynesian Society, Vol. XV., p. 25.]
There were Ruatamore tribes in Taranaki, Northland (where they were known as Te Iwi o Te Ngaki), Rotorua Lakes and the Bay of Plenty area at Whakatane, Ohiwa, and Opotiki where, according to Elsdon Best, there was constant warfare with Ngati-Awa; “The task of Ngati-Awa when dwelling at Whakatane, Ohiwa, and Opotiki was continuous fighting against Maruiwi and Ngati-Ruatamore.”
In Hawkes Bay the descendants of Ruatamore lived as a branch of the Rangitane tribe before being wiped out.
In the Rotorua Lakes district they were known as Te Tini o Ruatomore (the myriads of Ruatomore) who were to later adopt the name Ngati Kahupungapunga. Source: Lake Okataina Scenic Reserve history. They were also wiped out.
In the coast at Waikato they lived in caverns.
According to local lore Ngāti Kahupungapunga were said to be the people that populated the area around Ngāruawāhia/Karakariki. The original name of the Hākarimata is a denotation to these people, it originally was called whāwhāpunga – or pungapunga whāwhā – this was one of the many caverns of the Kahupungapunga people. There were remnants of these people who lived in caverns out west towards Te Pahu also. Hakarimata Reserve, Huntly
See related page: Ngati Kahupungapunga
Northland (Te Iwi o Te Ngaki)
The Ngati Kuri at the very top of the North Island state they are descended from Ruatamore; “Ngāti Kuri are descended from the original inhabitants, the founding peoples of the northernmost peninsula of Aotearoa, in Te Hiku o Te Ika. These peoples, known also as Te Iwi o Te Ngaki, were already occupying Te Hiku o Te Ika before the arrival of the many migratory waka from Polynesia. Their ancestor was Ruatamore.”
The tribe is one of six Muriwhenua iwi of the far north of the North Island. These may be some of the Ruatamore / Waitaha artifacts:
Artifacts and canals from the Far North
Links
Te Ara, Canoes of the west coast and lower North Island
Rāwiri Taonui, Canoe traditions – Canoes of the west coast and lower North Island, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/canoe-traditions/page-7 (accessed 1 July 2025).
According to Te Rangi Hiroa (Sir Peter Buck) the first Māori to arrive at Ngā Motu, long years before the so called great fleet, were three waka called Kahutara, Taikoria, Otoki and their commanders were Maruiwi, Ruatamore and Taikoria. Descendants from this early migration subsequently were called Tini O Taitawaro. They occupied the Taranaki coast from Ōakura to Mokau. One of their villages was Otaka, the pā at Ngā Motu that was the site of the battle between Te Ātiawa and the Waikato in 1832 (Mullon, page 1). Source: Te Whānau o Wakaiwa Rāwinia Barrett: Ngā Tūpuna
Bay of Plenty
See related page: The Maruiwi
Hawkes Bay
Descendants of Ruatamore also lived in Hawkes Bay; “Ngāti Awa, who descended from Whatonga’s sibling Awanuiarangi, travelled from Whakatāne to help Rangitāne and Ngai Tara displace Ruatamore people.” Source: Hawkes Bay Today, From the MTG: The complex history of Pā Kōwhai
Waikopiro, Hawkes Bay
“They once lived at Waikopiro near Dannevirke as a branch of the Rangitane tribe who lived in the district in very early times. For some reason they killed the chief of Rangitane Te Awa-riki whose pa was at Waikopiro. They in turn were attacked by Rangitane and defeated at the battle of Ti-Kauka-nui, and in commemoration of this event the lands on which the victors lived were ever afterwards called Te Wai-kopiro-o-Rua-tamore.”
Source: Bush Advocate, Volume XIX, Issue 793, 14 August 1907, Page 4
The son of Te Rironga and Tūtahuna, Ruatāmore went to live with Rangitāne at Takapau, where he married a local woman named Uaroi. However, Ruatāmore failed to repay his hosts’ help and hospitality, killing his wife’s grandfather, the Rangitāne chief Te Awariki. A Rangitāne war party led by Ngaroroa (Te Awariki’s son and Uaroi’s father), defeated Ruatāmore and all but wiped out his people. Parsons states:
The two war parties engaged on the banks of a stream a few kilometres east of Ormondville. Rangitane killed Ruatamore and many of his followers. The bodies piled up in the stream which became known as Te Waikopiro o Ruatamore, the place where the bodies of Ruatamore piled up.
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