Manaia
Ngāti Maru asked for help to avenge their chief, Te Waha, who was killed by Te Whata-karaka of Ngāti Raukawa.
Ngāti Pūkenga and other allies rallied to answer the call. The ancestor, Te Kou-o-rehua led the troops to Waikato. They decimated several pā along the Waikato river.
After many years of seeking revenged, finally it was attained when Te Whata-karaka was finally captured and killed.
The victors returned to Haowhenua pā and the celebrations began, lasting for days on end. The celebrations were so great that the food stores started to dwindle and they would not last.
Te Tapuru spoke to Te Kou-o-rehua and his people and explained,
“Na te korekai, ma koutou taku pataka kai - as there is no food, you may have my pantry.”
She had gifted her land at Manaia.
While tikanga dictated that the gift of land should be acknowledged, it was not necessary to take it up. Ngāti Pūkenga already had kāinga and land interests in other parts, it would be some time before they would take her up on her offer.
Ngāti Pūkenga continued to traverse the Kaimai ranges to support their Marutuahu allies for many years after.
After the battle of Taumatawiwi, Ngāti Pūkenga were asked once again to support the Marutuahu tribes in case of attack from Ngā Puhi. The campaign had been long and arduous. Ngati Pūkenga had been away from their land in Tauranga and Maketū for quite some time. They received word that trouble was stirring in Maketū. It was decided that Te Kou-o-rehua would return to Hauraki with part of the army and Naenae would return home with the rest to Maketū.
On returning to Hauraki a chief of Marutuahu, Taipari, appointed land for Ngāti Pūkenga to live on at Kauaeranga. As Ngāti Pūkenga continued to travel back and forth, that place was considered a temporary home.
During their stay there at Kauaeranga, trouble arose where by Te Kou-o-rehua’s son, Paroto, was slapped across the face by a Ngāti Maru person. Said person had been angered by something the boy had supposed said. This insult was too much for Ngāti Pūkenga who was there in support of Marutuahu.
A great council was held to make amends. However, Te Kou-o-rehua would not accept any type of reparation for the assault on his mana.
They made preparations to return home to Tauranga.
Taraia, a chief of Ngāti Tamatera, invited his friend to stay at Waikawau, further up the Thames coast. Te Kou-o-rehua agreed and moved his people to Waikawau. This would become home for Ngāti Pūkenga for a while where gardens, kāinga and a large wharenui were established.
In 1855, Ngāti Pūkenga were invited to live on the land gifted by Te Tapuru. Chiefs of the gifted and surrounding lands met to discuss the extent of the gifted lands. When an agreement was made, Ngāti Pūkenga left Waikawau to take up the land at Manaia and proceeded to establish themselves there.
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