during a battle in which ngati mutunga drove ngati ira from wellington in 1827, tamairangi, the wife of the ngati ira chief, is said to have sought refuge on tapu te ranga island with her children, fleeing by canoe when tapu te ranga island was besieged. in treaty of waitangi settlements, both te atiawa and ngati toa have claimed tangata whenua status over tapu te ranga island. ngati toas case was proven in the maori land court