From Waiapu to Valverde, the Ngāti Porou descendants of a Spanish lothario are making the pilgrimage to the Spanish hometown of their ancestor, Manuel Jose.
The Mānuera family claim to be the biggest in Oceania and soon "Ngā Pāniora o Ngāti Porou", will make the long trek to Valverde, Spain.
Manuel Jose settled in the Waiapu Valley, around the 1830's and eventually married 5 wives. Five generations later, their descendants are now believed to be numbered in the tens of thousands, scattered around the globe.
James Barnes, who descends from Manuel and his first wife, Tapita Te Herekaipuke of Te Whānau a Takimoana, says technology plays a pivotal role in keeping the clan connected.
"Back in 1981 we registered 16,000 members, so we're thinking that there's at least 4 generations that we're possibly looking at between 30 and maybe 40,000 because we're breeding like anything."
Frances Rangihuna, who also descends from Tapita Te Herekaipuke, says she understands from her elders Manuel was a good looking, charming man.
"He tangata tāroaroa, he whero ōna makawe, he kākāriki ōna whatu, he tangata horetītī - ko te hatakēhi tērā."
(He was a tall man, with red hair and green eyes. He was also hardcase.)
Next month, members of the Mānuera whānau will head to Valverde, in the Segovia province northwest of the Spanish capital, Madrid. They will be honoured with to official welcomes at Valverde.
Barnes says it will the first time the sister city relationship between Gisborne and Valverde will be acknowledged in person.
"There will be an official welcome by the mayor of the town, who incidentally is now a family member."
While the whānau are very proud of their Spanish roots, Rangihuna admits it will be a different feeling being immersed around the Spanish language of their tīpuna.
"Taku reo Pāniora, pakaru mai te haunga."
(My Spanish can only be described as terrible."
Still, what they lack in language, they make up with pride, something their relations in Valverde will soon see in person.
-Additional reporting by Tina Wickliffe