The first wharenui to stand at Aotearoa, was Takihiku I. All hapū of Ngāti Raukawa descend from Takihiku, who was the youngest child of Raukawa and Tūrongoihi. Takihiku married Maikukutara, a mokopuna of Māhanga, the eponymous tupuna of Ngāti Māhanga. They had five sons, Tamatehura, Wairangi, Upokoiti, Ngakohua and Pipito. When Takihiku I was burnt by a bush fire, our whanaunga down the line built Takihiku II at Pua o Tau (close to Levin), sadly it became derelict and dilapidated .

Tūpuna moved between the kāinga surrounding Aotearoa and Rāwhitiroa freely - many tūpuna had homes both at Aotearoa, and Ōwairaka, and thus Takihiku III was built at Rāwhitiroa where he stands today . Regardless of there being two marae, the whānau of both of our marae are one people.