Nau mai ki
Te Keeti Paa
Ko Rangitoto me Kakepuku ngaa maunga
Ko Waipa te awa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Ngaati Maniapoto te iwi
Ko Ngaati Parewaeono te hapuu
Ko Te Keeti te paa
Ko wai maatou
Te Keeti Paa commonly known as “Gate Paa” is located in the district of Otorohanga, Te Rohe Pootae. The Waipa awa runs alongside Te Keeti, the paa being strongly recognised as the marae near the river. Te Keeti is the closest marae located to the Waipa in Ngaati Maniapoto iwi.
Te Keeti has whakapapa to Tainui waka and is connected to the iwi of Ngaati Maniapoto, one of the four main iwi apart of the Tainui confederacy: Maniapoto, Waikato Tainui, Raukawa and Hauraki.
The principle Maniapoto hapuu identified with Te Keeti, is Ngaati Parewaeono. Te Keeti is for all intents and purposes the tuurangawaewae of Ngaati Parewaeono. Ngaati Hinewai, Ngaati Urunumia, Ngaati Rungaterangi, Ngaati Manga also have kin ties to Te Keeti Paa.
History
Parewaeono and Her Legacy
Te Keeti Paa is named after Parewaeono, the eponymous ancestress of Ngaati Parewaeono. She was the eldest daughter of Maniauruahu (Te Kanawa Whero), a renowned Tainui tohunga, and his first wife, Hinewai. As the eldest daughter of a high-born rangatira, Parewaeono held the esteemed position of puhi, carrying significant rights and privileges within the iwi. Her descendants honoured her by naming their hapuu, Ngaati Parewaeono, after her.
Establishment of Te Keeti Paa
Te Keeti is a relatively recent paa, formally established in 1937 when part of the Orahiri block was designated as a marae reservation for its owners, Maniapoto, and its sub-tribes. Before this, the land was undoubtedly used as a kaainga noho (settlement) by tuupuna.
Connection to Surrounding Kaainga
Before the establishment of Te Keeti, tuupuna including Ngaamihi, Kopa, Ngahina Ani, and Tiaraukura lived across various kaainga such as Otewa, Te Kotahitanga, Kaputuhi, Rohirohi, Kahuwera, and Piopio. Ngaamihi, in particular, played a key role in the community, gifting land for the first Piopio school. As local settlements grew, these tuupuna set aside land for their own needs, leading to the formation of Te Keeti Marae.
Raymond Monk
Te Keeti Paa Trustee & Committee Chair
“Ko au te mokopuna o Parewaeono”
I serve as the current Chairperson for Te Keeti Paa, carrying the kaupapa of our marae with pride and responsibility. As a descendant of Parewaeono and affiliated to Ngaati Parewaeono, Ngaati Maniapoto, and Waikato-Tainui, I remain committed to upholding our tikanga and supporting our whaanau and hapuu into the future.
