Rongowhakaata came from Uawa to Turanganui A Kiwa as a young man.
Upon his arrival he visited Te Huia pa and while there met and married Turahiri, the daughter of Moeahu.

Rongowhakaata and Turahiri had only one child, a son named Rongomairatahi. Through Turahiri comes the tribal saying "Te kotahi a Turahiri ripo ana te moana" translated "The only child of Turahiri, who causes the rippling of the sea". There came to be many descendants of this union.

Some years after the birth of Rongomairatahi, Turahiri passed away and Rongowhakaata married Turahiri's sister, Uetupuke. He also took another sister, Moetai for a wife.

Uetupuke however, did not believe in sharing her husband with other women. Although she was pregnant to Rongowhakaata she left Te Huia pa with a group of people and travelled to Opotiki. No sooner had the party reached Opotiki than Rongowhakaata arrived to take his wife home. It is said that Rongowhakaata had special powers and was able to turn himself into a bird. By doing this he had flown to catch up with his wife. Uetupuke refused to return with him and instead promised Rongowhakaata that if their child was born a boy, she would name him Rongopopoia.

Rongowhakaata lived his later life in the Pewhairangi Marae, where he died and was buried. Early in the nineteenth century a great flood broke through Pewhairangi. Despite efforts by Raharuhi Rukupo and his brothers to redirect the flood waters Rongowhakaata's burial ground was swept away.