Rāmeka Te Ketu

Rāmeka Te Ketu married Ngātaiau on 12 October 1847. Ngātaiau was also known as Meretaiawa and was the sister of Hēnare Te Ranga. Rāmeka Te Ketu, alongside Hēnare Te Ranga and other rangatira, were part of Ngā Hekenga, the great migrations south from Taranaki, settling in Te Tauihu.

Rāmeka signed three major Ngāti Tama deeds of 1855 (Motupipi and Tākaka land) and 1856 (Separation Point) as well as the 1863 agreement with Ngāti Rārua over boundaries at Te Tai Tapu. Rameka Te Ketu and his whānau settled in Tākaka, he was named an original owner in Nelson Tenths associated with Wakapuaka, Tākaka and Parapara. Rāmeka Te Ketu and Ngātaiau had six children named Mereana, Tiki, Rangimihia, Te Ketu, Ngataiau and Hineraka.

In 1874 the Rāmeka whānau returned to Taranaki and Rāmeka Te Ketu did not return to Tākaka. He passed away on 12 August 1877 leaving his five children and three grandchildren (the children of Tiki) who had pre-deceased him.

R Meka Track

This track is located at the top of the Abel Tasman National Park and Golden Bay. The Rāmeka Creek also starts from the highest peaks of the Piki ki-runga Range and drains to the Tākaka river.

The track and creek were named after Rāmeka because he was named as an original owner of the Nelson Tenths associated with Wakapuaka and Tākaka, along with his uncles Manihera Te Whitu and Te Hāwera, his aunt Pewa, and his cousin Hēnare Te Ranga.

The Nelson Tenths was an agreement to reserve one-tenth of all land purchased by the New Zealand Company for the on-going and future prosperity of its Māori owners.