Iwi facts for kids

Iwi are like big family groups or tribes for Māori people in Aotearoa (New Zealand). The word iwi in the Māori language means "people" or "nation". It can mean one iwi or many iwi. Māori use the word rohe to describe the land or area where an iwi lives.

Iwi groups trace their history back to the first Polynesian people. These people traditionally arrived in New Zealand from a place called Hawaiki. Some iwi groups are part of even larger groups called waka. These waka groups are named after the canoes that brought their ancestors to New Zealand. They are mostly for showing family connections, not for everyday tasks. Before Europeans arrived, most Māori belonged to smaller groups called hapū (sub-tribes) and whānau (families). Each iwi has many hapū. For example, the Ngāti Whātua iwi includes hapū like Te Uri-o-Hau and Te Roroa.

Today, iwi in New Zealand have a lot of political power. They help manage land and other resources. For example, in 1997, the New Zealand Government made an agreement with the Ngāi Tahu iwi. This agreement, called a Treaty of Waitangi settlement, paid them back for rights they lost under the Treaty of Waitangi from 1840. What iwi do can really affect New Zealand's politics and society.

What Does the Name Iwi Mean?

In Māori, the word iwi also means "bone". Māori people sometimes say they are "going back to the bones" when they return home. This means they are going back to the burial places of their ancestors. The book The Bone People by Māori author Keri Hulme uses this idea of "bone" meaning both a body part and "tribal people".

Many iwi names start with Ngāti or Ngāi. These words mean "the offspring of" or "the descendants of". Ngāti is often used in New Zealand English to talk about groups of people. For example, Ngāti Pākehā means Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) as a group. Ngāti Tūmatauenga is the Māori name for the New Zealand Army. It means "Tribe of Tūmatauenga", who is the god of war. Ngā Opango ("Black Tribe") is a Māori name for the All Blacks.

In the southern part of New Zealand, some Māori dialects change Ngāti and Ngāi to Kāti and Kāi. You can see this in iwi names like Kāti Māmoe and Ngāi Tahu/Kãi Tahu.

How Iwi Are Organized

Each iwi usually has its own land or area, called a rohe. But sometimes, these areas overlap. This can make it tricky to sort out old agreements about land and fishing rights. For example, how much coastline an iwi had was important when deciding fishing rights in 2004.

Self-Determination for Iwi

Iwi can be important for ideas about self-determination. This means having the right to make your own decisions. The Māori Party, for example, talks about the goal for Māori people (tangata whenua) to have self-determination for their families (whānau), sub-tribes (hapū), and iwi. Some Tūhoe people want their iwi to have more control over their own affairs.

Connecting to Your Iwi

Many Māori now live in cities, far from their traditional iwi lands. This means some Māori might not know which iwi they belong to, or they might not feel a strong connection to one. A study in 2006 showed that about 16% of Māori people didn't know their iwi. Another 11% didn't say their iwi or only gave a general area. Groups like the Iwi Helpline are working to help people find out their iwi. This has helped more people connect with their heritage.

Pan-Tribal Groups

Some groups work across different iwi. For example, the Rātana Church brings together Māori from many iwi. The Māori King Movement, mostly based around the Waikato region, also tries to unite different iwi under a larger Māori identity.

Iwi Radio Stations

Many iwi have their own radio stations. Most of these stations are part of Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Māori, which is the National Māori Radio Network. These stations get money from the government to help promote the Māori language and local Māori culture.

A study in 2003 found that half of Māori in areas with these stations listened to an iwi radio station. Another study in 2009 suggested that more people would listen to iwi radio in the future. This is because more Māori want to stay connected to their culture, family history, and language.

The first Māori-owned radio station, Te Reo o Poneke, started in 1983. Between 1989 and 1994, twenty-one iwi radio stations were set up. They received government funding because of a Treaty of Waitangi claim. These stations then formed the network Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Māori.

Major Iwi

Here are some of the largest iwi in New Zealand by population (based on 2013 numbers):

Largest Iwi by Population

• Ngāpuhi – 125,601 people. They are based in the Northland Region.
• Ngāti Porou – 71,049 people. They are based in Gisborne and East Cape.
• Ngāti Kahungunu – 61,626 people. They are based on the east coast of the North Island.
• Ngāi Tahu – 54,819 people. They are based in the South Island.
• Waikato Tainui – 40,083 people. They are based in the Waikato Region.
• Ngāti Tūwharetoa – 35,874 people. They are based in the central North Island.
• Ngāti Maniapoto – 35,358 people. They are based in Waikato and Waitomo.
• Tūhoe – 34,890 people. They are based in Te Urewera and Whakatane.
• Te Arawa – 19,719 people. They are based in the Bay of Plenty.

Largest Iwi Groupings by Population

Some Māori people don't have an iwi affiliation, or they belong to larger groups of iwi.

• No affiliation – 110,928 people. These are Māori in New Zealand who don't identify with a specific iwi.
• Waikato Tainui – 55,995 people. This is a larger grouping based in the Waikato Region.
• Ngāi Tahu Whanui – 55,986 people. This is a larger grouping based in the South Island.
• Te Arawa – 43,374 people. This is a group of iwi and hapū based in Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty.
• Te Hiku, or Muriwhenua – 33,711 people. This is a group of iwi and hapū in the Northland Region.
• Ngāti Raukawa – 29,442 people. This is a group of iwi and hapū in the Waikato region, Taupo, and Manawatū.
• Te Atiawa – 23,094 people. This is a group of iwi and hapū in Taranaki and Wellington.
• Hauraki Māori – 14,313 people. This is a group of iwi and hapū around the Hauraki Gulf.

Other Important Iwi

• Ngāti Tama (based in Taranaki and Wellington)
• Ngāti Toa (based in Porirua, they moved from Kawhia in the 1820s led by Te Rauparaha)
• Ngāti Ruanui (based in the Taranaki region)
• Ngāti Whātua (based in and north of Auckland – especially Bastion Point in Orakei)
• Te Ātiawa – Taranaki and Lower Hutt
• Whakatōhea (based in the Ōpōtiki district)

See also

• In Spanish: Iwi para niños