Te tīhoka me te karo : Struggles and transformation of Ngāti Hinemanu of Ōmāhu

Abstract

The broad aim in writing this thesis is to document, examine and analyse the transformation of the Ngāti Hinemanu hapū (sub-tribal kin group) and associated community of Ōmāhu located in Hawke’s Bay. The thesis argues that Ōmāhu is a marginalised community and this is as a direct result of colonisation. I use a lineal whakapapa (genealogy) framework to track the transformation of the hapū from its mythical origins, focussing particularly on the 16 generations since the ancestors Rongomaiwahine and Kahungunu who lived some 400 years ago. The thesis tracks the colonisation of the broader Heretaunga Plains through the mid-1800s; then focuses on Ōmāhu and its development and transformation through to recent times. I am a Ngāti Hinemanu descendent myself, adopting the stance of participant-observer and telling the story of Ngāti Hinemanu from the inside, employing the approach of ‘researching back’ that is characteristic of much of the indigenous post-colonial or anti-colonial literature . The research draws upon multi-methods for gathering data from sources such as the Native Land Court, tribal texts, and ‘inside’ knowledge from my elders and from my own active participation in community affairs. I make no claim to be neutral and acknowledge the social constructedness of my researcher positioning. The study identifies the processes and impacts of colonisation on Ngāti Hinemanu and on related hapū which have also experienced loss of land and resources, chiefly authority, and language and culture. I refer to colonisation as te tīhoka (the thrust). In this regard, the hapū and community can be said to be a localised example of the larger socio-political reality for many hapū in Aotearoa. The study concludes by examining case studies which show some of the struggles by the hapū for resistance, recovery, and transformation. I refer to this process as te karo (the parry). The Ōmāhu community has made multiple and creative efforts to recover and re-develop itself. However, there is little room for complacency given the dynamic nature of colonisation and the ongoing need for vigilance and resistance on the part of Ngāti Hinemanu.