'Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamura' 
'When you understand the past, you know your future'

The source of life: 
Hawaiki is a place of great importance in Māori tradition, and appears in many songs, proverbs and whakapapa 
​(genealogies). In tradition, the ancestors of Māori came to New Zealand in their canoes from Hawaiki, navigating the seas by the stars 

---

Location unknown
Māori have wondered about the true location of Hawaiki. The actual location has never been confirmed, and it is uncertain if it is a real, physical island, or a mythical place. Some have associated Hawaiki with the Tahitian island Ra‘iātea (Rangiātea, in Māori). Like Hawaiki, Rangiātea is seen as both a physical and spiritual place 
​

More coming soon - meanwhile the main iwi for the Eastern Bay of plenty are: 

Ngāti Awa,
 
Ngāi Tūhoe,
 
Te Whakatōhea.