Nanny Ata derived her whenua interests from her father Te Rehu Hoterene and her mother Heeni Whatipu.

Nanny Ata’s mum, Heeni or otherwise known as Ganny Heeni, was a highly respected kuia within the Te Orewai community and was known for her matriarchal leadership with both our whanau and hapu. Ganny Heeni was the only child of Tame Horomana (Whatipu) and Whakarongotai Waa Paora. Ganny Heeni was also known as Heeni Te Kori, The Colonel and Te Kai Haa. Te Kai Haa was reference to her mana or breath of life to help other people. She was given the name of the Colonel as she wore a Colonel’s war hat. She was described as a woman who had strong leadership attributes and demonstrated acts of kindness, advocacy, service and support to her whanau, and hapu. These values were also strongly embedded in her children.

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Ganny Heeni was known for her wealth both in whenua and material possessions as she received large dividends from land interests at the gold mines in Ngati Maru, also known as the Coromandel. Ganny Heeni had jars of sovereigns buried around her kainga at Manawatopu.

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Ganny Heeni had significant land interests at Pipiwai. Our grandmother and great grandmothers land was known as the “bread basket of Ngati Hine”. Ta Himi said that Heeni was a very wealthy woman with a lot of land, cattle, horses, gardens, fruit trees and money. He also recalls that she would contribute food in abundance to Waitangi Day celebrations.

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 In 1958, Nanny Ata filed a secession order in the Maori Land Court on behalf of her siblings to succeed to the lands of her mother Heeni. The succession order was granted to Ataiti Te Rehu Hoterene, Moetahi Hoterene, Ngarongoa Ihaia Hoterene and Rosie Palmer (half sister). 

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