Akuaku, also known as Aku Aku, was a settlement about halfway between Waipiro Bay and Whareponga in the East Coast region of New Zealand's North Island. A traditional landing point for waka taua, the town is most notable now as the former home (and possible birthplace) of Major Ropata Wahawaha NZC, as well as the ancestral home of Te Whānau-a-Rākairoa.

Akuaku was once a thriving settlement – the hub of the area – with a school, church, and a marae with a wharenui called Rakeiroa. Akuaku never had road access, and when Waipiro Bay's road was built in the early 20th century, Akuaku's residents began to move. The final residents left around 1945. Three cemeteries are all that remain of the town today.

Akuaku was named by Pāoa, captain of the Horouta waka, around 1350. The name is literally translated as "scraper", or to "scrape out" or "cleanse".

Akuaku was the site of one of the main Ngāti Ruanuku pā, where the tribe welcomed Pākānui ashore before he eventually killed many of them in a battle at Whareponga called Te Ika-Kōpara-rua (two fish in one net). After observing Ngāti Ruanuku as their guest, Pākānui and his 90 men trapped members of the tribe, including their chief, Rangi-rākai-kura, in nets while they were fishing, before killing them with their patu. This was done for Pākānui's grandmother, Materoa, who wanted the whānau's mana restored after Ngāti Ruanuku killed her father, Poroumātā, a former resident of the area.^{[failed verification]}

Survivors from Ngāti Ruanuku retreated to the Waiapu Valley, where they found refuge among the Wahine-iti people while planning their attack on Pākānui. When Pākānui's scouts informed him Ngāti Ruanuku were returning to Whareponga, he put a plan into action. His warriors were concealed up small streams along the beach in between Whareponga and Akuaku's Mataahu Point, with Pākānui himself stationed at the point (at 37°59′7″S 178°22′4.5″E / 37.98528°S 178.367917°E / -37.98528; 178.367917 (Mataahu Point)). His brothers Riki-pāpaki and Raro-taka, who were fast runners, challenged Ngāti Ruanuku at Whareponga, then ran away towards the point. Ngāti Ruanuku chased them, and by the time they reached Pākānui, they were exhausted. At this point Pākānui's warriors emerged from their hiding place, and killed the entire party. There were so many bodies lining the beach after the battle that they formed a barrier for the sea, giving rise to the battle's name Te Tai-timu-roa (The long high-tide). The other name of the battle, Te Poho-wera (The Burnt-breast), refers to the fact that when the bodies of Ngāti Ruanuku were customarily cooked to be eaten, some of the victim's breasts were burnt.^{[failed verification]}

The last members of Ngāti Ruanuku were eventually killed inland up the Tapuaeroa River and at Kāhui-tara (a pā at 37°55′43″S 178°17′15″E / 37.92861°S 178.28750°E / -37.92861; 178.28750 (Kāhui-tara pā)).^{[failed verification]} Pākānui settled at Whareponga, building a large house from ponga trees, hence the town's name, which means "ponga house".

Māori say the Akuaku area was gifted to Rākairoa's children, Te Haemata and Pona-pātukia – the east given by Takapū-te-rakahia, and the west by Takapu-atua, daughter of Iritekura. Rākairoa is the ancestor of Te Whānau-a-Rākairoa, a hapū of Ngāti Porou that has spread widely from Akuaku. Their distribution is endearingly described as "Ngā wekāhu a Rākairoa", literally, "the sprawling 'couch' grass of Rākairoa". The hapū's proverb of identity is:

Ko Tokatea te maunga; Ko Kiekie te awa; Ko Te Whānau-a-Rākairoa te hapū; Tihe mauri ora!
Tokatea is the mountain; Kiekie is the river; Rākairoa is the sub-tribe; Alas, the breath of life!