When Hapu claim their tupuna to be a male, we can never be sure that that particular tupuna is authentic to the region because they could be a traveller passing through.As one can appreciate, when a mother gives birth to her child or children, we know that regardless of their gender, male and female, they belong to that region and therefore hold the mana whenua as hereditary right passed down by their bloodline. Continue reading “Why does the Tupuna have to be female?”