Te Munu Te Ohiro,
Died 1872
Read in language
Te Munu Te Ohiro (or Te Orohiro) belonged to Ngati Haumia, Ngati Haupoto, and Ngati Kura at Te Aro. Ngati Kura is another name for Ngati Mutunga, most of whom went to the Chatham Islands (Wharekauri) in 1835. Te Munu Te Ohiro was the son of Tihone and Kaho. He could trace back through his father Tihone to Tokowai who was the child of Tuwakaata and Parearangi. Te Munu's wife was Hinetua.
Te Munu and Hinetua are recorded as having had only one child, a daughter called Riria Kaho (Riria Te Munu) who died in 1887. Riria had two uncles living in Wellington called Titiro Te Ura and Rangi Tarawau. They had a sister called Waikiringa Hemi Te Pua.
Riria first married Timoti and they had a daughter Rawinia Timoti (Hinekino or Rawinia Te Munu), who died on the 26 April 1901. Riria then married Panapa Titokawe and they had a son called Panapa Te Mutu (1875-1906) also recorded as Te Mutu Panapa or Te Mutu Hokinga.
Timoti, Panapa Titokawe and Teritiu were cousins and Teritiu (died 1876) was the father of Paora Teritiu, Harata Teritiu, Hamuera and Maata. Rawinia Timoti married William Jenkins of Bell Block (Wiremu Tinikini) at New Plymouth in 1889. They then came to Wellington but stopped off at Waikanae on the way, to allow Rawinia to adopt Paora Tuwhare Tamaiti (Paora Tuhae or Paora Te Rangikauwhata) who was the son of Harata Teretiu. His father was a European. Rawinia and Wiremu lived for some time at Te Aro Pa with their adopted son Paora Tuwhare.
Te Munu Te Ohiro came to Wellington in the 1830s. He was one of the chiefs who welcomed Bumby and Hobbs in June 1839 and signed one of the McCleverty agreements in 1847 as Te Urinu Ohiro. He had an interest in Te Aro Pa Section no.6 and no.9 together with Hemi Parai. He later left Wellington to go back to Taranaki. Some years after both Te Munu and his daughter Riria had died, his granddaughter Rawinia was able to claim an interest in Town Acre no.1, no.16 and Part of Ohiro. Rural Sections no.19 and 21 as well as parts of two sections at Wiremutaone and at Kaireperepe. Rawinia also inherited an interest in the Ngati Haupoto Block in Taranaki.
Te Munu Te Ohiro died in about 1872 at Taranaki.
References:
- WMB no.1 p.85-86
- WMB no.2 p.88, 92
- WMB no.3 p.30
- WMB no.15 p.62, 64, 72,
- Taranaki MB no.4 p.104-105
- Wanganui MB no.49 p.146-149, 166-170, 171-172, 201-203