Tainui
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Tainui is a Maori Iwi Waka Confederation of New Zealand.
The Tainui Waka (canoe) confederation comprises of four principal related Maori Iwi of the central north island of New Zealand. The four Iwi being, Hauraki, Maniapoto, Raukawa and Waikato. The Tainui Waka was one the migratory sailing canoes that voyaged across the Pacific Ocean from Hawaiki to Aotearoa (New Zealand) approximately 800 years ago.
The captain of the Tainui Waka was the chief Hoturoa. On its voyage the Tainui Waka stopped at many locations around the upper North Island of New Zealand; its first landfall was Whangaparaoa in the Bay of Plenty then on to Coromandel, Waitemata, Manukau, Kaipara, Waikato West Coast harbours, Mokau before its final resting place at Maketu, Kawhia harbour (Te Tumu O Tainui 1986).
It is well know that the Waikato Iwi has been using the name Tainui to describe itself for sometime through the establishment of the Tainui Maori Trust Board in 1946; with many people now referring to the Waikato Iwi as Tainui or Waikato-Tainui. The Waikato Iwi is based in the Waikato region and the Waikato River plays a large role in the history and culture of the iwi. Hamilton City, New Zealand is the largest population center for the Waikato Iwi people, however the township Ngaruawahia is also important historically and for the National Marae; Turangawaewae. The Waikato-Tainui Iwi comprises of 33 Hapu (sub-tribes) and 65 Marae (Family groupings). There are over 52,000 tribal members who affiliate to Waikato-Tainui.
Waikato-Tainui's governing parliamentary body is Te Kauhanganui o Waikato Incorporated, which is comprised of 195 tribal members; 3 members from each 65 Marae. The 65 Marae are spread over a large area from Te Kuiti and Cambridge in the south to Auckland City in the north. The Waikato-Tainui tribal administration (Iwi Authority) is the Waikato Raupatu Trustee Company Ltd which replaced the Tainui Maori Trust Board and is situated at Hopuhopu, Ngaruawahia.
There have traditionally been strong links between Tainui and the University of Waikato, which has strengths in Maori language and modern local history. The university also hold documents and objects related to the tribe.