KAHUNGUNU MARAE
Ruawharo was the high priest of the Takitimu canoe. He stepped off this waka tapu at Nukutaurua, near Mahia. There he built his pa on Table Cape (Mahia Peninsula). From this vantage point he was able to watch over the whales.
Ruawharo married Hine Wairakaia and had three sons whom he named Matiu, Makaaro and Moko Tu-a-raro.
In order to establish the feeding grounds of the fish, Ruawharo decided to plant his sons to look over these feeding grounds. Matiu he planted at the Waikokopu Harbour and there turned him to stone. Makaaro he took further south to Aropaoa-nui, then preceded further south to the mouth of the Ngaruroro river, and there he placed his last son Mokotuararo.
As a monument to this renown ancestor of the Maori people, the meeting house at Opoutama is named Ruawharo.
Ruawharo waiata
"RUAWHARO"
1. Ruawharo, Te Tohunga nui te tohunga maia
Ki tona iwi e
I hoea mai ra
tawhiti nui
tawhiti roa
tawhiti pamamao
Kia kite rawa i te pari o te ra, te papa wai o
Oraka
Nga one roa o Te Mahia
2. Ruawharo,
te waka ki
te waka nei
A Takitimu e
Ko wai e kau ana,
he taniwha he tipua
Ko Ruamano e
Kia whakahuka mai te moanu nui
Te whanau a Tinirau
Te tangi mai a Tangaroa
3. Ruawharo, anei to hoa wahine
Nga Nuhaka e
He wahine toa, he wahine
Karahika e
Taiporutu, Taiwananga, Te motu
Tapu o Waikawa
Me heke taua ki te Waikokopu
4. E te iwi, Nga mihi ki te
Whare Tipuna a Ruawharo e
Te tuanui i te ata o nga maunga
Ki Opoutama e
Piki ake, kake mai ra
Te Karanga a Rongomaiwahine
Nau mai, Haere mai ki te Mahia
5. Ko Tamatea Arikinui
Ko Ruamano Te Taniwha
Ko Takitimu te waka Tipua
Ko te Tohunga ko
Ruawharo e!
Composed by: T. Taurima