In this interview, Maunu Stephens reflects on the life and legacy of his ancestor Hūria Mātenga. Born in Nelson in 1936 and with connections to Ngāti Toa, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Raukawa and Taranaki, Stephens shares memories passed down through his whānau and speaks about the people and places that shaped Mātenga’s life.

The interview explores Mātenga’s upbringing and family relationships, including her marriage to the prominent landowner Hēmi Mātenga and the ways in which whānau connections ensured the continuation of their family line. Stephens discusses the contrast between Hēmi’s engagement with Pākehā society and Hūria’s preference for a simpler life among her own people, describing her as a woman of quiet strength, dignity and cultural grounding.

Central to the interview is Mātenga’s celebrated role in the 1863 Delaware Bay shipwreck rescue, when she saved crew members stranded at sea in a storm. While Mātenga was honoured by the people of Nelson for her bravery, Stephens considers how history has remembered Hēmi more readily than Hūria, who appeared in fewer written records. This interview presents Hūria Mātenga as a figure whose courage, resilience and generosity continues to resonate across generations.