Over the past several years I have compiled many research journals which relate to the history of the Kaihu Valley, North Ripiro West Coast and South Hokianga in Northland, New Zealand. The period covers the arrival of the first nation people (Maori) in about 1300 AD, to the year 1900. In some cases, this time span overlaps as details of the history require.
I have created this webpage to publish the journals for those who may be interested now, or in the future. I have also included work I have done on local genealogies/whakapapa and military histories. Please feel free to save anything you find useful as you flick through the vast amount of information, and if you have any questions you are welcome to contact me, either by commenting on the site or through the contact details below:
Roger Mold
rangerrodge@gmail.com
KO MAUNGANUI ME TUTAMOE O NGA MAUNGA
MY MOUNTAINS
KO WAIMA, ME WHATORO ME KAIHU ME WAIROA O NGA AWA
MY RIVERS
KO KAI IWI TE ROTO
MY LAKES
KO RIPIRO TE TAHUNA
MY COAST
KO WAIPOUA TE NGAHERE
MY FOREST
KO TANE MAHUTA TE ATUA
MY GOD OF THE FOREST
KO MOLD KO SNOWDEN
TE WHANAU E NOHO ANA TENA WAAHI
Research Journals
Links to the journals can be found by selecting from the menu in the top right hand side of the page, or by clicking here and choosing from the links.
Genealogies and Military History
Information on the genealogies/whakapapa I have compiled can be found by clicking on here.
Links to local military histories and war stories I have compiled can be found here.
Special Characters
A compilation of special characters who farmed in the valleys and hills between the Hokianga and Kaipara Harbours can be found here.
Kaihu River Valley History - Northland, New Zealand/Aotearoa 
Kia Ora my name is Wai Hadfield, my great great Grandfather is Pene Popata he was one of 39 first nation children that attended Maropiu School, his wife is Te Awe Popata ( Rapana) known in the community as Granny Pene, they had a daughter named Susy Popata she enrolled at Maropiu in 1916, later Susy married Te Hira Erai, they all lived in Mamaranui thr first house burned and thr 2nd house was situated behind the local O’Hellorans Shop( I hope I spelled that right). Hira and Susy had 14 Children, Kiwi was thr son.
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Many thanks Wai for this. Very interesting whakapapa you have. I have sent you an email. So please reply so we can have a chat about Maropiu and Mamaranui.
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Tena koe Roger I’m I’n search of wanting to know my mother’s whakapapa which my great grand father was te wira panapa and my great grand mother is wiha ketete can you help me
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Can do Adam, contact me at email…rangerrodge@gamil.com
Thanks,
Roger
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Kia ora Adam, please contact me at email…rangerrodge@gmail.com…for help with your enquiry.
Roger
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Yes I understand whakapapa can be a very sensitive issue. But nowadays in the world of Treaty claims whakapapa becomes more open to public scrutiny.
I misunderstood your reason for sharing yours and thought you were asking for help to fill in the dots. So I am sorry for that.
I get many email requests from my webpage to help people find their whakapapa in the Kaihu Valley and surrounds so just assumed you were asking as well.
Anyway as far as knowing your family, well you are right the name “Erai” is not familiar to me but I did know the Hita and Pumipi whanau really well. Johny Hita was a good mate of mine. The Te Waiti family also lived at Mamaranui until their house burnt down and Mr Te Waiti was killed. Their eldest son, Tamaki or Mac, lived with me and my family for about five years after that terrible accident.
I lived in Maropiu, and went to the Maropiu school only… I played rugby in the district for about twenty years and got on well with all of my team mate’s of which many were Maori.
I am now seventy-five and in my retirement I have compiled over 100 whakapapa for various people. I have had over 25,000 views to my webpage with only one complaint about one whakapapa. I enjoy doing this, it is good for my heart.
Now to your ancestral whakapapa. Meaning; do you have all of your whakapapa on both maternal and paternal side of your Maori family going back to ‘Kupe’ or if you are Ngapuhi ‘Rahiri’. That is what I meant.
It has been nice meeting you and your whakapapa is fascinating so thanks for sharing.
Roger Mold.
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I REMEMBER THE FIRE! I LIVED NEXT TO THE MARAE IN MAMARANUI. MY PARENTS WERE SOL & EVA NATHAN. I LEFT MAMARANUI IN 1960 TO ATTEND ARDMORE TRAINING COLLEGE
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Gosh, and yes it was a travesty. I believe the house collapsed on Mr Te Waiti just as he got his last child out through the window. He survived the war to have this happen to him and his family. A very sad disaster. His eldest son Tamaki Te Waiti lived with my family for about five years after this accident. He was like a brother. I was really young and didn’t understand the significance of this until later in life. I meet up with Tamaki (Mac) a few years ago. He was my Tai chi instructor and a very good one at that. I had studied Tai chi for about six years previously and it was good to relearn some of it again. Rest in peace Mac with your very brave dad.
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Roger, your work on the Kaihu railway, and your “paper trail” have saved me hours of work as I document several hundred photos of a family album that covers from the far north to Taumarunui. Once this is done, I’ll go back to the early editions of NZMS 1 and link to some of the excllent historical photographs you reference. Much appreciated.
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I am happy this is of some use to you. Thanks for yours.
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Hi Roger my name is jai van der heide my father is waru John the waiti. I’m just wondering the the waiti that was killed in the house fire was he in the army
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Hello Jai, yes he was in the army. The 28th Maori battalion. My dad and him were great mates. My dad was in the 20th battalion and fought alongside the 28th when they tried to take Malame airdrome back from the Germans on Crete. Unfortunately they were unsuccessful and the rest is history.
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Hi my name is tony batistich,iam try to find some information my great grandfather used to own the store in kaihu his mane was petar batistich he had 18 ballads tables there as well if anyone knows anything that would be great thanks time would been round 50s i think
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Hi there, just wondering if you have any information on Ruma and Mere Timu? Ruma listed Maggie Cassidy as his half sister in his war records ( first world war) as his next of kin. Mere was a Maekore before marrying Ruma.
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Hello Sue, I will do some research asap for this. In the meantime can you contact me by e-mail at rangerrodge@gmail.com Many thanks, Roger.
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Hi Roger, loved reading the journal you wrote on the Meurant family, may I ask if you are going to publish journal two the continuation of Ferdinand Meurants life?
Thank you for the great work.
Loretta
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Hi Loreta, yes I hope to finish the next two journals. Many thanks. Roger
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hi roger i knew your father when i was a teenager in kaihu we went to siphon his truck down in maropiu one night while he was in stan stewarts having a few beers. he caught us but didn’t actually growl us at all. all he said was why didn’t we come and ask. we made some sort of excuse which i don’t think he bothered answering he just gave us some petrol and told us to go. ive never forgotten the kindness your old man showed us that night. your’e quite correct in your description of him he was part of the maori whanau all over. i was bred in kaihu i know everyone there .my great ganfather wiremu rikihana was gifted 200 acres of land by some chief but i’m not to sure who. anyway i see roi mccabes name mentioned as well. i think i may be related to roi through my granma who was one of the browns from pakiri.
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Hello Fred, yep that was the ole man alright. Parore Te Awha gifted the whole of that land around the Kaihu Village to Rikihana. 197 acres. He was Te Rarawa from memory. Te Rarawa helped out Parore during a skirmish just south of Hokianga over a wahine I believe. He never forgot. A lot of those people who settled in the village were Te Rarawa. Not Te Roroa as some would believe. Did you have a sister called Leanne or some name similar? Nice to hear from you. Roger.
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Kia Ora, my Mum was born in the Hokianga. Her father was a Cooper, her mother was from Mamaranui? My mums granddad was Fred Hall from England. He Married a Maori lady. The only name I’ve heard is Tikapene. If you have any whakapapa on my Kuia would be much appreciated.
Regards Chris McCausland
Ngati Ranginui (Pirirakau), Ngati Awa (Patuwai), Ngati Kahungungu (Pahauwera). Ngati Whatua ki Kaipara
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Yes I am sure I can help Chris. Please contact me by email… rangerrodge@gmail.com Thanks for your enquiry
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