| Ngāti Maru | |
| Iwi of New Zealand | |
|---|---|
| Rohe (location) | Taranaki |
| Waka (canoe) | Aotea, Tokomaru, Tainui |
| Website | ngatimaru.co.nz |
Ngāti Maru is a Māori iwi of New Zealand. There are two iwi known as Ngati Maru, one based in Taranaki, the other based in Thames (Hauraki). These two iwi have a common ancestor in Hotunui who had three sons Marukopiri, Maruwharanui and Marutūāhu. Ngāti Maru in Hauraki (Thames) are descendants of Marutūāhu's son Te Ngako, who was younger than his older half-brothers Tamatepō (whose descendants are Ngāti Rongou), Tamaterā (Whose descendants are Ngāti Tamaterā) and Whanaunga (Whose descendants are Ngāti Whanaunga). Marutūāhu married two sisters, Hineurunga and Paremoehau. Hineurunga was the tuakana (eldest sister). This gave Te Ngako the mana of being tuakana to his older brothers. Hence the name given to the descendants of Te Ngako was not Ngāti Te Ngako but Ngāti Maru. All of the descendants of Marutūāhu are also known as Marutuahu or more often as Hauraki. The Taranaki-based Ngāti Maru iwi descend from Maruwharanui. The descendents of Marukopiri settled on the Whanganui river. Ngāti Maru is also the name of a hapū of the Rongowhakaata iwi of the Gisborne region.[1]