Akaiti Ponga family history

AKAITI PONGA 

Born: 14/09/1899

Deceased - 30/04/1989

Mangaia Historian and Chief of Karanga, Mangaia

Akaiti Ponga (on the right) 

Born on the island of Mangaia in the Cook Islands, I have Māori ancestry and deep whakapapa 

connection to the people of Karanga, Mangaia. I served my community in many roles, including

as a church deacon and a humble chief, dedicating my life to the wellbeing of my people. 

 One of his greatest passions was preserving the genealogy of the people of Mangaia.

I carefully recorded family trees and whakapapa, documenting generations of connections dating 

back to the 1800s. This work was more than a hobby—it was his life's dedication and 

a treasured legacy.

 After his passing, his genealogy diary was taken from the family. 

Several years later, it was discovered in the archives of the University of Canterbury 

in New Zealand, where it remains an important record of Mangaia's ancestral history. 

Akaiti Ponga connection to Ani Paratene Wihongi

PARATENE TE RIPI

(c. late 1700s – 1838)

Ngāpuhi / Te Uri-o-Hua connections

│

└── WIREMU TAKENA WIHONGI

(1851–1923)

│

├── HEMI NGARE WIHONGI

(c.1853–1934)

m. ERANA KINO MAIHI

│

└── PARATENE TE RIPI WI HONGI / WIHONGI

(1880–1951)

Kaikohe

m. AKINIHI (NGAOTA) WIHONGI UTUTAONGA TIHEI

│

└── HAMIORA PARATENE WI HONGI

(1902–1974)

│

└── [next generations]

│

└── ANI PARATENE WIHONGI

│

└── connection to:

       AKAITI PONGA

       born Mangaia (Sept 1900)