Te Whareumu
Encyclopedia
Te Whareumu was the Ariki
and Warrior Chief of Ngāti Manu, a hapū
within Ngā Puhi iwi
based in the Bay of Islands
in New Zealand
.
Te Whareumu was the most important chief in the Kororakeka
area in his day. He was a warrior chief of the highest mana
in pre-European times and well respected by the early missionaries and traders, to whom he provided the greatest protection.
Te Whareumu quickly realised the advantage of trading with the many ships visiting the Bay.
One of Te Whareumu's wives was Moehuri, daughter of Mohi Tawhai, an important chief of the Mahurehure tribe. Another wife was Whakakati, mother of Hori Kingi Tahua and at least three more children. He also married the wife of Tara, who was called Mrs Go-Shore, a term brought about from her boarding the ships in the harbour and telling them to come ashore.
with nearly 200 men and marched inland to confront the enemy. Meanwhile Hongi Hika had started out again with 300 warriors overland, within this party were many different chiefs of Ngapuhi, including Te Ahu, Patuone, Nene, Te Morenga and others.
The battle was fought in open land near a stream called Waimako, close to Kaiwaka
.
The Ngapuhi taua, led by Te Whareumu and Hongi Hika were armed with many muskets and Hongi must have looked impressive in his suit of armour, given to him by King George IV, on the other side of the field were the Ngati Whatua tribe and allies, numbering over a 1,000 men, though they lacked the firepower of the Ngapuhi combine.
On spotting their rivals, the Ngati Whatua launched a full assault met by Te Whareumu and his tribe, the fighting was fierce and bloody and just when it looked like the superior numbers of Ngati Whatua would overwhelm them, in came Hongi Hika, the guns blazed unmercifully and Ngati Whatua retreated to the forest edge, but they were rallied again by an old chief and once more charged the Ngapuhi ranks, only to die in a rain of bullets. Then Te Whareumu and Hongi charged the Ngati Whatua lines and the slaughter commenced, the bodies of over 700 Ngati Whatua and their allies were spread all over the field and the remaining survivors fled for their lives, being chased all the way by members of Ngapuhi.
The slaughter was so great that the Waimako stream ran red with blood and while Ngati Whatua suffered large losses, Ngapuhi also lost several chiefs including Te Ahu, Te Puhi, Hare Hongi (Hongi Hikas son). As the triumphant victors returned home they saw enemy heads stuck on posts by celebrating members and one captured woman was eaten at a certain point by members of Patuone
and Nenes hapu, this was the last time those two participated in the eating of human flesh, such was the bloody nature of the time. Te Whareumu was well satisfied with his utu (revenge) but Hongi Hika went straight in to another fight with Ngati Pou at Whangaroa.
district of the Hokianga
, seeking utu (revenge) for the death of his relative Tiki, a son of Whetoi (aka Pomare I). The dispute involved te Mahurehure, a tribe from South Hokianga and from which Te Whareumu's wife Mohuri was descended. This shows the complex nature of utu, when Tiki felt offended by the theft of some pigs by members of te Mahurehure tribe, he went to their land seeking redress, in this case, sweet potatoes and was shot while removing them. When news of Tikis death reached the Bay of Islands, a large taua (war party) was immediately assembled, Whiria (aka Pomare II) and his party reached the Waima first and negoiated a deal, when Te Whareumu arrived he was most displeased and took to deriding the Waima tribal leaders, especially Muriwai. Things quickly turned ugly and in the ensuing chaos, Te Whareumu was shot twice. On seeing the mighty leader fall, Patuone and Nene from the Hokianga took up his body and made great lamentations. In normal Maori tradition his body was cleaned and the bones placed in a secret burial cave. Hongi Hika
had prophecised Te Whareumu's death, when on his own death bed just two weeks earlier, Hongi said that Te Whareumu was shortly to follow.
Te Whareumu's death threw the whole area into a state of nervous tension as the other bay chiefs debated what revenge was required and the hapless missionaries tried valiantly to restore some kind of peace. Finally Patuone and others made peace with the Bay of Island tribes, with the assistance of the CMS missionaries.
Te Whareumu was survived by two of his wives and at least two children, a son, Hori Kingi Tahua and a daughter Kohu.
Ariki
An Ariki , ‘Ariki , Aliki , Ali‘i , Ari'i or ‘Eiki is or was a member of a hereditary chiefly or noble rank in Polynesia.-Aotearoa Ariki:Political leadership or governance in Māori society has traditionally come from two...
and Warrior Chief of Ngāti Manu, a hapū
Hapu
A hapū is sometimes described as "the basic political unit within Maori society".A named division of a Māori iwi , membership is determined by genealogical descent; a hapū is made up of a number of whānau groups. Generally hapū range in size from 150-200 although there is no upper limit...
within Ngā Puhi iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
based in the Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is an area in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located 60 km north-west of Whangarei, it is close to the northern tip of the country....
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Te Whareumu was the most important chief in the Kororakeka
Russell, New Zealand
Russell, formerly known as Kororareka, was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands, in the far north of the North Island. As at the 2006 census it had a resident population of 816, an increase of 12 from 2001...
area in his day. He was a warrior chief of the highest mana
Mana
Mana is an indigenous Pacific islander concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The word is a cognate in many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian....
in pre-European times and well respected by the early missionaries and traders, to whom he provided the greatest protection.
Te Whareumu quickly realised the advantage of trading with the many ships visiting the Bay.
Family
Born in the late 18th century, possibly about 1770-80, into a high ranking family, Te Whareumu was the son of Te Arahi and Te Ruru. He was closely related to Kawiti and Whetoi (Pomare I) and related to most of the northern chiefs. Te Whareumu assumed control of the tribe after the passing of Tara. Also known as Uruti and 'King George'.One of Te Whareumu's wives was Moehuri, daughter of Mohi Tawhai, an important chief of the Mahurehure tribe. Another wife was Whakakati, mother of Hori Kingi Tahua and at least three more children. He also married the wife of Tara, who was called Mrs Go-Shore, a term brought about from her boarding the ships in the harbour and telling them to come ashore.
Te Ika-a-ranga-nui
Koriwhai of Ngapuhi, had been murdered by some members of the Ngati-Whatua and Ngati-Maru tribes. This murder bought back memories of the defeat that Ngapuhi had suffered at Moremonui. So Hongi Hika decided to help Te Whareumu, to whom Koriwhai was related, and at the same time use the opportunity to wipe out their warlike neighbours of the Kaipara. So Ngapuhi assembled under Hongi Hika 500 strong and after the usual haka, the taua (war party) proceeded by way of the Mangakahia Valley. With them was the Roroa chief, Te Hihi-o-tote who was related to Ngapuhi and to Ngati-Whatua. Te Hihi managed to stop Hongi Hika from destroying his relatives by presenting the warrior with a fine old mere (greenstone weapon). Hongi turned back and when Te Whareumu found out, he was very angry and immediately set out to sea with his own taua. He landed at MangawhaiMangawhai
Mangawhai is a locality in Northland, New Zealand around the Mangawhai Harbour. The township of Mangawhai is at the south west extent of the harbour, and the township of Mangawhai Heads is 5 km north east...
with nearly 200 men and marched inland to confront the enemy. Meanwhile Hongi Hika had started out again with 300 warriors overland, within this party were many different chiefs of Ngapuhi, including Te Ahu, Patuone, Nene, Te Morenga and others.
The battle was fought in open land near a stream called Waimako, close to Kaiwaka
Kaiwaka
Kaiwaka "the little town of lights" is a settlement in Northland, New Zealand. The Kaiwaka River runs from the east through the area and joins with the Wairau River to form the Otamatea River, which drains into the Kaipara Harbour. State Highway 1 passes through Kaiwaka...
.
The Ngapuhi taua, led by Te Whareumu and Hongi Hika were armed with many muskets and Hongi must have looked impressive in his suit of armour, given to him by King George IV, on the other side of the field were the Ngati Whatua tribe and allies, numbering over a 1,000 men, though they lacked the firepower of the Ngapuhi combine.
On spotting their rivals, the Ngati Whatua launched a full assault met by Te Whareumu and his tribe, the fighting was fierce and bloody and just when it looked like the superior numbers of Ngati Whatua would overwhelm them, in came Hongi Hika, the guns blazed unmercifully and Ngati Whatua retreated to the forest edge, but they were rallied again by an old chief and once more charged the Ngapuhi ranks, only to die in a rain of bullets. Then Te Whareumu and Hongi charged the Ngati Whatua lines and the slaughter commenced, the bodies of over 700 Ngati Whatua and their allies were spread all over the field and the remaining survivors fled for their lives, being chased all the way by members of Ngapuhi.
The slaughter was so great that the Waimako stream ran red with blood and while Ngati Whatua suffered large losses, Ngapuhi also lost several chiefs including Te Ahu, Te Puhi, Hare Hongi (Hongi Hikas son). As the triumphant victors returned home they saw enemy heads stuck on posts by celebrating members and one captured woman was eaten at a certain point by members of Patuone
Eruera Maihi Patuone
Eruera Maihi Patuone , was a Māori rangatira, the son of the Ngati Hao chief Tapua and his wife Te Kawehau. His exact birth year is not know, but it is estimated that he was at least 108 years old when he died....
and Nenes hapu, this was the last time those two participated in the eating of human flesh, such was the bloody nature of the time. Te Whareumu was well satisfied with his utu (revenge) but Hongi Hika went straight in to another fight with Ngati Pou at Whangaroa.
Death
Te Whareumu was killed in 1828, in the WaimaWaima, Northland
Waima is a community in the south Hokianga area of Northland, New Zealand. State Highway 12 runs through the area. The Waima River flows through the Waima Valley into the Hokianga Harbour. Rawene is to the north west, and Kaikohe is to the north east....
district of the Hokianga
Hokianga
Hokianga is an area surrounding the Hokianga Harbour, also known as The Hokianga River, a long estuarine drowned valley on the west coast in the north of the North Island of New Zealand....
, seeking utu (revenge) for the death of his relative Tiki, a son of Whetoi (aka Pomare I). The dispute involved te Mahurehure, a tribe from South Hokianga and from which Te Whareumu's wife Mohuri was descended. This shows the complex nature of utu, when Tiki felt offended by the theft of some pigs by members of te Mahurehure tribe, he went to their land seeking redress, in this case, sweet potatoes and was shot while removing them. When news of Tikis death reached the Bay of Islands, a large taua (war party) was immediately assembled, Whiria (aka Pomare II) and his party reached the Waima first and negoiated a deal, when Te Whareumu arrived he was most displeased and took to deriding the Waima tribal leaders, especially Muriwai. Things quickly turned ugly and in the ensuing chaos, Te Whareumu was shot twice. On seeing the mighty leader fall, Patuone and Nene from the Hokianga took up his body and made great lamentations. In normal Maori tradition his body was cleaned and the bones placed in a secret burial cave. Hongi Hika
Hongi Hika
Hongi Hika was a New Zealand Māori rangatira and war leader of the Ngāpuhi iwi . Hongi Hika used European weapons to overrun much of northern New Zealand in the first of the Musket Wars...
had prophecised Te Whareumu's death, when on his own death bed just two weeks earlier, Hongi said that Te Whareumu was shortly to follow.
Te Whareumu's death threw the whole area into a state of nervous tension as the other bay chiefs debated what revenge was required and the hapless missionaries tried valiantly to restore some kind of peace. Finally Patuone and others made peace with the Bay of Island tribes, with the assistance of the CMS missionaries.
Te Whareumu was survived by two of his wives and at least two children, a son, Hori Kingi Tahua and a daughter Kohu.