(verb): to order, plan, calculate, beautify

(noun): lineage, purpose, ancestry

– Tātai signifies a physical presence of Te hapū O Puketapu on its whenua, between Whaitara and Waiwhakaiho.

– Tātai is proud to offer authentic māori products and services to the world, in one place.

– Tātai brings together māori artists, producers, manufacturers, and service providers to offer high-quality products + services to the world.

Starting from Puketapu Hapū, through to Te Atiawa nui tonu, to Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and Ngā Iwi o Aotearoa.

Ko Te Atiawa no Runga i Te Rangi - Te Atiawa descended from the heavens.

Puketapu hapū are proud to present Tātai, our retail store based in the New Plymouth Airport building Hono. We aim to showcase authentic quality products that have a whakapapa (genealogy) that link you to our corner of the world.

The site that the New Plymouth Airport currently stands on, is part of the ancient and endemic coastal estate of the Puketapu hapū who are a sub-tribe of Te Atiawa iwi. Our people both pre and post-migration have occupied these sites since time immemorial.

Our oral history tells of Rongoueroa who had taken her young son Rauru to bathe with her in the Waiongana Stream. While there she was noticed by a whatu kura or celestial being called Tamarau-te-heketanga-a-rangi. He was captivated by her beauty and watched her for some time.

Tamarau then came down from the heavens in a whirlwind and upon landing took the form of a man who first appeared to Rongoueroa as a reflection in the waters of the Waiongana. Rongoueroa gazed at this reflection for a long time eventually turning to see Tamarau who stepped forward and embraced her.

Afterwards he said, ‘Should our child be a son, call him Awanui-a-rangi to commemorate my descent from the heavens to this place.’

In due course, Rongoueroa gave birth to a son and called him Awanuiarangi. From here on the descendants of Awanuiarangi were known as Ko Te Atiawa no Runga i Te Rangi –

Te Atiawa descended from the very heavens above with the following ngeri (song) encapsulating this story.

Tamarau no Runga i Te Rangi

Heke iho ki raro ki te whakamarimari te tatari ai

Ki te hurahanga i te tapora o Rongo-ue-roa

Taku kuia e! Taku kuia e!

Te Ara o taku tupuna o tohia ai au

Ko Te Atiawa no Runga i Te Rangi

Te toki te tangatanga e te ra

Taringa mango, ko te kete nge

Ue ha! Ue ha!

Tamarau from the heavens above

Came down to make love and waited

Until he could have Rongo-u-eroa to wife

She is our Kuia! She is our Kuia!

This is therefore the consecrated pathway of my ancestors

Te Atiawa from the heavens above

The adze (of Tamarau) which can remove the very sun from its axis

Tenacious to the end, focused on the future

This is who we are!

This Celestial-Terrestrial narrative, which is embedded into the design elements of the Hono Airport building, we believe compliments the role of the airport as a gateway to the Taranaki region. It also connects us to our adjacent hapū of Te Atiawa and secures our whakapapa (genealogy) links to the other major iwi groupings throughout the country.