Rangitīkei iwi Ngāti Apa retraces the steps of a tūpuna

The Ngā Wairiki-Ngāti Apa group at Murupara's Rangitahi Marae. Photo / Supplied

A contingent of Ngā Wairiki, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō and Ngāti Apa people has made a memorable trip to the Bay of Plenty, retracing the steps of ancestor Apa-Hāpai-Taketake.

It's a journey the iwi had dreamed of for a long time, research team member Kiri Wilson said. Some had made it as individuals but this was the first time it had been done by a group.

The 50 who went were mainly young people, including rangatahi from the tribe's Maripi Tuatini leadership programme and 10 from the southernmost outpost of the iwi, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, in the top of the South Island.

They left on April 21 for the six-day journey and stayed at Kokohinau Marae in Te Teko, Rangitahi Marae in Murupara, Umutahi Marae in Matatā and at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatāne.

Some of those on the trip felt an almost-instant connection with places.

Apa-Hāpai-Taketake is one of the tūpuna that Ngāti Apa takes its name from. The Rangitahi Marae has a whare called Apa-Hāpai-Taketake.

Along the way the group talked with Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Manawa people about the role their ancestor had in those places.

It was a story with lots of layers, Wilson said.

"The thing about whakapapa is that there's always multiple truths. The trip was about learning together and how we share our own truth. It was about bringing all our stories together."

The group returned with hours of podcast interviews.

"We are working on what we will do with those podcasts. At the moment it's just lots and lots of recordings. How do we share those stories? How do we best learn from them?"

The trip made new connections that will last and grow.

"The conversation has been years in the making. It's awesome to see it come together," Wilson said.