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Become a registered member of Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara to receive regular updates on Rūnanga and hapū activities
Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara is a proud hapū of Te Arawa, based in Horohoro, near Rotorua. Our vision is to strengthen our culture and community by embracing our whakapapa, reviving our traditions, and protecting our whenua for future generations. We are dedicated to maintaining our mana and rangatiratanga through environmental stewardship, the preservation of our reo, and the continuation of important cultural practices.
At the heart of our mission is the connection between our people, our land, and our heritage. By fostering unity and support within our hapū, we are committed to ensuring that the values and aspirations of Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara continue to thrive in the present and future.
Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara has several marae:
Kearoa Marae: Located between Horohoro maunga and the Pōkaitu awa, Kearoa Marae is one of Te Arawa’s oldest meeting houses, where gatherings, hui, and cultural events take place.
Rongomaipāpā Marae: Situated near Kearoa, Rongomaipāpā celebrates the whakapapa links between Te Arawa and Ngāti Kahungunu, and continues to be used by whānau.
Tarewa Pounamu Marae: In central Rotorua, Tarewa Pounamu Marae is leased by Te Roopu A Iwi O Te Arawa and used to provide social services to the community.
In a momentous return to our roots, members of Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara embarked on a profound journey to Waikarakia, a site of significant spiritual and historical importance to our hapū. This visit was not merely a trip; it was a journey to the place where Kahumatamomoe, during his travels with Tia, performed a sacred act of cleansing through karakia.
In the early hours of 24 June 2022, Ahenata-May Daniels led a group of intrepid Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara members who braved a Horohoro frost to climb to the ridge on our Te Oha farm to observe Matariki. Here is her story.
For the past 3 years I had been navigating my own Matariki experiences and learning about my own taiao. Stargazing the sky that I live under and slowly understanding what it means to me.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, members of Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara assembled, with a singular purpose: to return to Patetere South. This land, woven into the very fabric of our identity, awaited our footprints once more, echoing the legacy of our tupunas. Supported by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, this journey was more than a visit—it was a journey, a collective step towards embracing and retracing the steps of our tupuna.