Northland tribe Ngapuhi is sending a message to Tainui to back off until its own claim for Auckland is settled.

Yesterday King Tuheitia announced a claim on behalf of Waikato's Tainui, covering an area from Mahurangi Peninsula in the north to the Firth of Thames, and across to the Manukau Harbour and Piha.

Ngapuhi elder David Rankin said plans are already well under way for his iwi to make a Treaty claim in the area.

He claims a breach of the Treaty occurred when the Crown ignored the Northland tribe when settling the Auckland claim with local tribe Ngati Whatua.

Rankin said Ngapuhi's history in Auckland extends back for several centuries, and there are numerous sites in the city that are sacred to the iwi.

He said Ngapuhi also make up the single biggest Maori population in Auckland, "so historically, and because of current occupation, Auckland is a Ngapuhi city first and foremost."

He said Ngapuhi’s plans for a claim go back five years but are just being made public today because of King Tuheitia’s announcement.

He said "the King of Huntly" is "being a bit cheeky".

"His ancestors didn’t even sign the Treaty and now he wants a piece of the action. But Ngapuhi’s message to him is clear: keep out of Auckland until we’ve finished with it.”