Geneology

Our Cook Island grandmother Makiroa comes from Numangatini, an ariki of Mangaia and he descends from Ngati Vara. He had five wives and we come from the 5th one, Tuteenuki who was the niece of Teava (also our mother’s name) a mataiapo of Rarotonga, Arai-Te Tonga marae. Nana’s grandfather was Taniella Tangitoru who was a taunga, master carver of Mangaia and Numangatini’s grandson.

On our grandfather’s line his father Leandro, comes from Aketairi, a well-known chieftess of the island of Atiu. She had two husbands and with each of those husbands, they had children. One daughter Paruarangi from Akaina, married the son Ikurangi from Taura and we descend from this line…

….. Our Mitiaro side, which married into the Atiu side, comes from the Tou ariki family. With Roimata Tou having a daughter Mary, who married Manuel Fortes, our grandfather’s grandparents. Our grandfather’s Portuguese side, where the name Fortes comes from, were Catholic missionaries. Grandfather’s mother, Tupuranga Tuapiki, from Areora, Atiu, is connected to Rarotonga via the Uritau line. We are of Irish, Scottish, French and British descent on our father’s side .  Our Irish family comes from Cork which was a monastic city in the year 500. Our Scottish grandmother Valmai came from Perth. The Peach family was known as the Peche family,  the name originating in France, in the North West region of Normandy. William de Peche I, born in Normandy around 1040 A.D  was the first person known to use the Peach surname and he was one of 314 knights to conquer England and it is thought the family migrated to Kent.