Te Maropounamu was the widow of Taparaha a chief of Ngāti Tama, and sister of Tupoki.
Biographical sources
- Nga Moteatea: He Maramara Rere No Nga Waka Maha: The Songs: Scattered Pieces From Many Canoe Areas. Comp. Apirana Ngata and trans. Pei Te Hurinui. Pt. 2. Wellington, N.Z.: Published for the Polynesian Soc. by A. H. & A. W. Reed, 1961. 171.
Theses
- "A Lament for Tupoki, by his sister, Te Maro-pounamu/He Tangi Mo Tupoki, Na Tona Tuahine, Na Te Maro-Pounamu." English trans. and notes by D. F. G. Barclay. Journal of the Polynesian Society 2 (1893): 52-54. Rpt. as "He Tangi Mo Tupoki/A Lament For Tupoki." in Nga Moteatea: He Maramara Rere No Nga Waka Maha: The Songs: Scattered Pieces From Many Canoe Areas. Comp. Apirana Ngata and trans. Pei Te Hurinui. Pt. 2. Wellington, N.Z.: Published for the Polynesian Soc. by A. H. & A. W. Reed, 1961. 170-177.
- Te Maro-pounamu presents an evocative picture of grief and regret over the death of her brother Tupoki, which she contends could have been avoided if he had waited for the support of Te Puni and the Ngātiawa tribe from Ngamotu, and if Tupoki’s orders for fasting before the battle had been followed. The Journal of the Polynesian Society Editors write that Tupoki, chief of the Ngāti-tama tribe, lived at Te Kawau pa north of Pari-ninihi and was killed in battle against Ngāti-roro, Ngāti-haua, and Ngāti-paoa at Pararewa when Tupoki was seeking revenge for Te Kawa-iri-rangi’s death. The editors add that ‘[a]nother version of this lament will be found in Sir George Grey’s "Ngamoteatea," p. 197 - where it is said to be by Makirangi - which differs somewhat from this, especially in the opening lines.’