Although eels are known by their generic Maori name, tuna, different Maori iwi (tribes) around New Zealand call them by more than 170 other names.

The names most commonly used by Wairarapa Iwi are kuwharuwharu (New Zealand Longfin eel) and tuna hao or tuna heke (New Zealand Shortfin eel).

The ancestral river, Ruamahanga, was famed for its tuna, and for the hospitality its plentiful supply provided. Rangitane traded preserved tuna for pounamu in the south, kumara in the northeast, and argillite and obsidion in the north.

Kaumatua (respected Maori elders) tell many stories of tuna that guarded special pools and caves. One of these guardians is a tupuna (ancestor), who was transformed into a massive eel.