Descendants of a famous Rotorua guide who sheltered survivors of the Mt Tarawera eruption have written to a tourism boss asking that he stop claiming ancestry with her.
Former TVNZ reporter Hone Nuku Tarawhiti, who runs a tour company Footprints of the Maori in Rotorua, readily admits there is no actual blood relationship to Sophia Hinerangi, who was known as Te Paea and Guide Sophia.
Her story was featured as part of Maori Television's Behind the Brush series about Gottfried Lindauer's paintings. In that instance, as in a Weekend Herald story, he was identified as a "descendant".
Les Wasley says he is descended from Sophia through his mother, a great-granddaughter of Sophia. His lineage is from one of 14 children the guide had with her first husband, Koroneho Tehakiroe of Ngapuhi.
Mr Wasley said he was frustrated at Mr Tarawhiti's use of his ancestor's legacy.