Nau mai, haere mai ki te paetukutuku o Tamaoho.
The Ngāti Tamaoho rohe (area) and area of cultural interests extends from north of the Tamaki Isthmus to south of the Waikato River, and Whangamarino wetlands. It extends from the West Coast to the Hauraki Gulf - Firth of Thames. Its interests are concentrated in the Manukau lowlands, āwhitu Peninsula, Papakura, Hunua Ranges, Mangatangi, and Whangamarino.
Ngāti Tamaoho are staunch supporters of the Tainui-Waikato Kingitanga, they hold six seats on Te Kauhanganui, and hold annual Poukai at Mangatangi and Whātapaka Marae. It is part of the Waiohua confederation of tribes that were the original inhabitants in the Tāmaki-makau-rau region.
Ko Maungaroa te Maunga,
Ko Waikato te Awa,
Ko Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa te Moana,
Ko Tainui te Waka,
Ko Mangatangi ko Whātapaka ko Ngā Hau E Whā ngā Marae
The people of Tamaoho have long occupied the Tāmaki Makaurau region. From the summits of Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill) and the lands of the Tāmaki Isthmus, they migrated through the Pukekiwiriki (Red Hill area) ranges and throughout the Papakura and Takanini regions, to Pukekohe, and Mangatangi.
The Ngāti Tamaoho Trust Board entered into an agreement with the Crown to settle all historical grievances of Ngāti Tamaoho. The Crown has acknowledged the mandate of the Trust Board and its two negotiators.The Trust entered into the formal negotiations process with the Crown in order to address all historical Treaty breaches. This has evolved into three key wai claims and six other claims that overlap with interests of other iwi in the region, being lodged with the Office of Treaty Settlements.
The Trust has come a long way, signing of the Terms of Negotiation in September 2009, is proof of this. But there is still much more to do. The Trust signed and Agreement in Principle with the Crown in December 2012.
Regular negotiation meetings are being held for the next process which is to "Initial Deed of Settlement" (IDOS). To assist the work, the Ngāti Tamaoho Trust Board has secured funding from the Crown Forestry Rental Trust to set up an office to administer the negotiation business.