--- title: Te Rūnanga o Ōnuku description: Pepeha and whakataukī information specifically related to Te Rūnanga o Ōnuku for usage by descendants of the marae. url: https://www.taiuru.co.nz/te-runanga-o-onuku/ markdown_url: https://www.taiuru.co.nz/te-runanga-o-onuku.md type: post slug: te-runanga-o-onuku author: Karaitiana Taiuru published: 2017-07-15T08:38:07Z modified: 2026-10-18T06:23:50Z language: en-NZ taxonomies: category: - Ngāi Tahu word_count: 547 tokens: 747 --- # Te Rūnanga o Ōnuku Te Rūnanga o Ōnuku is one of 18 Papatipu Rūnanga across Te Waipounamu as seen in the resource. The takiwā centres on Ōnuku and the hills and coasts of Akaroa to the adjoining takiwā of Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata and Wairewa Rūnanga. Pepeha Waka: Tākitimu Moana: Takamatua Maunga: Ōteauheke, Tuhiraki Awa: Awaiti Tupuna whare: Karaweko Marae: Ōnuku Whare: Karaweko Wharekai: Amiria Puhirere Whare Karakia: Te Whare Karakia o Ōnuku Whare Tīpuna: Karaweko Hapū: Ngāi Tarewa, Ngāti Irakēhu Contact Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnukuMarae Contact: 389 Ōnuku Road RD1, Ōnuku Akaroa 7520 Banks Peninsula Email: onuku@ngaitahu.iwi.nz Google Map: here Waiata Mōteatea – Ka ara ake rā Kaitito / Composer – Hana O’Regan This song is about Akaroa and was composed in the year 1997. The themes in the waiata come from a discussion with a well known Pōua of his time, Henry Robinson, during a short time spent together on his marae at Ōnuku. He told me of his deep attachment to the place that is Ōnuku and his love for the glorious attributes of his land, and it is these things that form the essence of this song. It is with regret however, that he was called by the mother of the night before the waiata was composed, and again I felt the consequences of the curse of procrastination. This waiata is appropriate for formal pōwhiri as waiata kīnaki. KA ARA AKE TE RĀ Ka ara ake te rā i te paeroa Tau iho ana ōna hihi ki ruka i kā taiwhenua o Irakehu Nā rātou mā i tapa kā awa, kā waipuna I whakakākahu te whenua i kā hua a Haumie, a Roko hai ō mā te iwi e Kapukapu ana te wai o Akaroa I te ihi, i te wana o te ata hāpara Tomo ana te wai i kā pūmahara o kā tīpuna I hoe i ōna karu whakateo Ka taki kā riporipo o te wai I kā kupu a te huka kua karo I te Ara-Whānui-a-Tāne ki tua o Paerau e Takamiri tonu ana te kohu i te takutai E pokapoka ana tōna korowai i te ao marama Ka roroku tōna awe, Kia kite atu ai i te tai torehape Ko te tai kauawhi i te kāika e Ka marumaru te whare o Ōnuku I a Ōteauheke mā Tiro iho ana kā ihoiho o te pō Ki te Aitaka a Irakehu E whakakā ana i kā ahi whitawhita rawa ake e. AS THE SUN RISES As the sun rises behind the range Its rays fall upon the lands of Irakehu They who named the rivers, the springs Who clothed the land with the fruits Of Haumietikitiki, of Rongomatāne To sustain the people The harbour of Akaroa gleams below the dawning sun Filled with the memories of the ancestors Who rowed upon its cresting waves The ripples recite the words Of those who have been lost To Te Ara Whānui-ā-Tāne, and beyond Paerau The morning mist still caresses the shore But its strength is weakening As the light cuts through its cloak To reveal the rugged shores That embrace the kāika of our people The house of Ōnuku is sheltered By Tuhi Ariki and his peers They who no longer walk the earth Keep a watchful eye on the descendents of Irakehu Lighting the fires below That burn so brightly.