Ko Tongariro te Maunga
Ko Whanganui te Awa
Ko Te Atihaunui-ā-Pāpārangi te Iwi

Our whānau have been on a hīkoi, from the awa of Whanganui, to the shores of Te Waipounamu. There are up to five generations, numbering well over 700. Although it has taken more than a century to get here, our new found heritage will last long into the future.

We have discovered we are the descendants of Aperahama Pukukaiaotea, #372 on the 1848 Kaumātua Census. Pinana Te Atua (his daughter) had a daughter, Elizabeth King aka Betsy Emmanuel or Peti Imanuera. Peti and John McLeod had 12 children, all born in Otago/Southland.

Their son John married Pare Whare Te Nape Puanaki at Waitea, King Country in 1907. They had a daughter and three sons. Our whānau are from two of the sons — John and William — however we were not included in any whakapapa within Te Waipounamu.

After much research, and with help from Dr Terry Ryan and the Iwi, we are privileged to be part of Whakapapa File 153 held at Ngāi Tahu. Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki has accepted my registration for membership, the first rūnaka we are eligible to affiliate to, as we continue to trace the footsteps of our tupuna.

Although our search is over, may it encourage you to persevere. Yes, it takes time, but our tūpuna deserve to be recognised, after all they are the ones who give us our whakapapa — our Precious Taonga.
Ko au Te Awa
Ngāi Tahu Ko Au
Nā Flora and David Falanaki.