Story: East Coast region
This map shows waka (canoe) landing sites, tribal areas and places of significance for Māori in the East Coast region.
Tradition holds that Nukutaimemeha, the waka that Māui used to haul up the North Island, rests petrified on Hikurangi mountain.
Paikea travelled to Aotearoa from Hawaiki on the back of a whale and landed at Whāngārā.
The Takitimu waka landed at Whangaōkena (East Cape), Ūawa (Tolaga Bay), Tūranganui (Gisborne), Nukutaurua (on Māhia Peninsula) and other points further south along the eastcoast.
The Horouta waka was captained by Kiwa and Pāoa. It made landfall at Ōhiwa after its prow (haumi) was damaged. Pāoa travelled inland, locating timber to repair the prow on a mountain, hence the name Maungahaumi. Urinating from there, he enlarged the Waioeka, Motu, Waikohu and Waipāoa rivers. Horouta was later sailed to Tūranganui, which Pāoa reached on foot. Hinekauirangi also travelled overland to Tūranganui, via the Tapuaeroa River. Horouta was beached in the Te Wherowhero Lagoon, at Muriwai. The footprints of Rongokako, a friend of Pāoa, are found at a number of places along the coast.
Ngāti Porou and the tribes of Poverty Bay – Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata and Ngai Tāmanuhiri – all trace descent from Kiwa and Pāoa.
Popoia was the pā of Ruapani, a prominent chief of Poverty Bay, who had many descendants.
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