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Kahe Te Rau-o-te-rangi was the daughter of Te Matoha, of Ngati Toa, and Te Hautonga, of Ngati Mutunga and Te Ati Awa. Her birthplace is uncertain; it was either Kaweka, her mother's village near Urenui, in northern Taranaki, or Tutaerere, the home village of Te Rauparaha of Ngati Toa, on the southern side of Kawhia Harbour. Kahe was old enough in 1821 to walk on Te Rauparaha's migration, an expedition which took two years to travel 300 miles from Kawhia to Kapiti Island. The group stopped twice to raise and harvest food crops; the first major stop was at Kaweka. During their stay there they were attacked by enemies from Waikato. Te Matoha, Kahe's father, is credited with having killed Hiakai and Mama, important Waikato men, in the battle of Motunui.
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