Māori Culture in Pukekohe
The name Pukekohekohe, Ngāti Tamaoho and the Waiohua iwi, Ngā Hau e Whā Marae, the hill carvings and te reo classes.
Pukekohe is a shortened form of Puke kohekohe, the hill of the kohekohe, and several iwi have ancestral ties here: Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua and Te Ākitai Waiohua, with Waikato-Tainui hapū along the river. Ngāti Tamaoho call themselves among the first peoples of Tāmaki Makaurau, and their marae Ngā Hau e Whā is on the edge of town. Here’s what to know about Māori culture in Pukekohe: the name, the hill, the marae, the iwi, the history and te reo.
Pukekohekohe
Pukekohe is a shortened form of Puke kohekohe, the hill of the kohekohe, a native tree. Pukekohe Hill rises south of the town, and Ngāti Tamaoho name Pukekohekohe among the places where their tūpuna lived.
Pukekohekohe
The hill of the kohekohe tree, named by Ngāti Tamaoho among the places of their tūpuna.
Te Mānukanuka o Hoturoa
The Manukau Harbour, named in the Ngāti Tamaoho pepeha.
Te Waiohua
In their own words, Ngāti Tamaoho are of Te Waiohua and Waikato descent.
Kīngitanga
Te Ākitai Waiohua’s whakataukī: “Kia kotahi tatou i raro i te Kiingitanga” (let us be united under the Kīngitanga).
Places to know in and around Pukekohe
Some places tied to this history are private or wāhi tapu, so this guide sticks to what can be seen from public land. Check with each place before you go.
Pukekohe Hill carvings
A series of carvings made under the guidance of Ngāti Tamaoho master carver Ted Ngataki, unveiled in 2016, tells the stories of the area and of Ngāti Tamaoho as mana whenua.
Auckland CouncilPukekohe East church
Attacked on 14 September 1863 during the invasion of the Waikato. Some of the Māori who died are buried beside the churchyard, marked by a boulder memorial unveiled in 1929. The church is private, so view it from Runciman Road.
Our guideMarae near Pukekohe
Marae are the gathering places of hapū and iwi. They are not visitor attractions: you visit a marae when you’re invited, or by arrangement with the marae, often with a group, a school or an event. Each marae has its own kawa (protocol), so ask your hosts what they expect.
Ngā Hau e Whā o Pukekohe
One of the three marae of Ngāti Tamaoho, on the northern outskirts of Pukekohe. The wharenui is Ngā Hau e Whā and the wharekai is Te Tari o Te Ora; a kōhanga reo is on the site.
Māori MapsTāhuna
A marae of Ngāti Te Ata, Waiohua and Waikato. The wharenui is Teuwira, and the marae connects to the maunga Maungawhau, Matukutureia, Puketapu and Taupiri.
Māori MapsReretēwhioi
Home to the hapū Ngāti Paretaua of Waikato. The wharenui is Arohanui and the wharekai is Te Iti o Waikato.
Waikato-TainuiNgā Tai e Rua
Near the centre of Tuakau. Its two principal hapū are Ngāti Tiipa and Ngāti Āmaru of Waikato; the wharenui is also Ngā Tai e Rua and the wharekai is Reitū.
Waikato-TainuiThe other two Ngāti Tamaoho marae are Mangatangi, near Pōkeno, and Whātāpaka, at Karaka. Our guides to Tuakau and Te Kohanga cover the marae along the Waikato River.
How a welcome usually goes
- GatherThe visitors assemble together, and the hosts begin the welcome.
- KarangaA woman from the hosts calls you on, and a caller from your group answers. Walk on together as the calling continues.
- Whaikōrero and waiataSpeeches from hosts and visitors, each followed by a song.
- KohaA gift, usually money in an envelope, laid down by your last speaker.
- Hongi and harirūShake hands and press noses with the hosts.
- HākariA shared meal ends the welcome and lifts the tapu of the pōwhiri.
Iwi of Pukekohe
In their own words, “Tamaoho were among the first peoples of Tāmaki Makaurau.” Their kaumātua Raniera Barney Kirkwood described the rohe as “Mai Ihumaatao, tae atu ki Papakura, na, ka huri mai ki tetahi wahanga, ko Pukekohe, Mangatangi, Maramarua, Te Paina, Hūnua, me te Manukau”. Their pepeha names Maungaroa and Taupiri, the Waikato River, Te Mānukanuka o Hoturoa and the Tainui waka. Te Kāhui Māngai lists Ngāti Tamaoho as an iwi in its own right, and also among the hapū of Waikato-Tainui. Te Ākitai Waiohua, who say “Kei Taamaki te Rua o Te Waiohua”, include Patumahoe, Tuhimata and Pukekohe in their rohe. Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, whose marae include Tāhuna and Reretēwhioi near Waiuku, describe a rohe from Te Pūaha o Waikato to Te Pūaha o Kaipara. Te Kāhui Māngai lists 19 iwi for Auckland Council as a whole.
Māori history and stories
In 1863 the Crown ordered Māori in South Auckland to swear an oath of allegiance or leave their settlements. In the words of the Crown’s settlement summary, “despite Ngāti Tamaoho never having been in rebellion”, it “unfairly labelled most Ngāti Tamaoho as ‘rebels’, evicted them from their settlements, and confiscated most of their remaining lands”, and by 1900 Ngāti Tamaoho were virtually landless. The summary also records that Māori children experienced discrimination and segregation at a state-run school in Pukekohe. The Crown and Ngāti Tamaoho signed a Deed of Settlement, with a Crown apology, on 30 April 2017.
Māori History in Pukekohe
Ngāti Tamaoho, the 1863 invasion of the Waikato and the settlement.
Read the historyThe Ngāti Tamaoho settlement
The historical account, the Crown’s acknowledgements and its apology.
Read itMatariki at the marae
Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki
In 2026 Ngāti Tamaoho and Auckland Council Events held the Matariki Festival’s Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki on 10 and 11 July, with kai, performances, markets, kapa haka and a kite day over the marae. 2026 was the last year of their three-year arrangement, so check for future plans.
Auckland CouncilLearning te reo Māori in Pukekohe
Te reo Māori learning for adults. Check each provider for the latest dates.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
A 20-week, full-time Level 1 te reo programme with no fees, including noho marae: a weekly class plus self-directed study, for people 16 and over living in New Zealand. In Pukekohe the class starts in February 2027 on Monday evenings at 6pm.
Find out moreTe Ataarangi
An online pathway open to anyone, from Beginner to Level 3. Te Ataarangi also runs community classes by region, so check for one near Pukekohe.
Find out moreKōhanga reo and puna reo
Kōhanga reo and puna reo are Māori-language early learning centres. Find more on the Kōhanga Reo National Trust map.
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Hau e Whā o Pukekohe (at the marae, Beatty Road, Pukekohe)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Awaruaiti (Tāhuna Pā Road, Waiuku)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Mokopuna o Te Awamarahi (Port Waikato Road, Tuakau)
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Puaha (Stack Road, Port Waikato)
- Te Hononga Puna Reo (Beatty Road, Pukekohe)
Schools that teach in te reo Māori
TKKM o Waiuku
Full primary kura kaupapa Māori. All students taught in te reo Māori.
TKKM o Te Puaha o Waikato
Full primary kura kaupapa Māori on marae land at Port Waikato. All students taught in te reo Māori.
Read our school guidePukekohe North School, Tuakau School and Tuakau College also have some students taught in te reo Māori.
About this page
Explore Pukekohe is an independent local guide. This page draws on the websites of Ngāti Tamaoho, Te Ākitai Waiohua, Waikato-Tainui, Te Kāhui Māngai, Māori Maps, NZ History, Te Tira Kurapounamu, Auckland Council, Te Ara, the Ministry of Education and the providers’ own sites. Spotted something to add or correct? Let us know.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pukekohe mean?
It is a shortened form of Puke kohekohe, the hill of the kohekohe, a native tree. Ngāti Tamaoho use the full name, Pukekohekohe.
What iwi is Pukekohe?
Several iwi have ancestral ties to Pukekohe, including Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua and Te Ākitai Waiohua, with Waikato-Tainui hapū nearby. Ngāti Tamaoho describe themselves as of Te Waiohua and Waikato descent.
Is there a marae in Pukekohe?
Yes. Ngā Hau e Whā o Pukekohe, a Ngāti Tamaoho marae, is at 88 Beatty Road on the northern edge of town. Ngā Tai e Rua is in nearby Tuakau. Visits are by invitation or arrangement.
What are the marae of Ngāti Tamaoho?
Mangatangi, near Pōkeno; Whātāpaka, at Karaka; and Ngā Hau e Whā, in Pukekohe.
What happened to Ngāti Tamaoho in 1863?
The Crown unfairly labelled most Ngāti Tamaoho as rebels, though they had never been in rebellion, evicted them from their settlements and confiscated most of their remaining lands. The Crown apologised in the 2017 Deed of Settlement.
Are there Māori carvings on Pukekohe Hill?
Yes. Carvings made under the guidance of Ngāti Tamaoho master carver Ted Ngataki were unveiled on the hill in 2016. They tell the stories of the area and of Ngāti Tamaoho as mana whenua.
Where can I learn te reo Māori in Pukekohe?
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa runs Te Kahupapa o te Reo Level 1, a no-fees, full-time programme with a weekly class at Pukekohe Intermediate School on Monday evenings from February 2027.
Is there a kōhanga reo in Pukekohe?
Yes. Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Hau e Whā o Pukekohe is at the marae on Beatty Road, and Te Hononga Puna Reo is on Beatty Road too.