Kingitanga The Short Story

The Kīngitanga (Māori King movement) is one of New Zealand’s longest-standing political institutions. Founded in 1858, it continues today.

The idea of a King There was no single Māori sovereign when Europeans first came to New Zealand. Instead, Māori tribes functioned independently under the leadership of their own chiefs. However, by the 1850s Māori were faced with increasing numbers of British settlers, political marginalisation and growing demand from the Crown to purchase their lands. Māori were divided between those who were prepared to sell and those who were not.

Some Māori attributed the power of the British to their one sovereign Some Māori attributed the power of the British to their one sovereign. This idea was particularly common among men who had travelled to England and had seen British institutions, industry and law and order in operation, such as Piri Kawau (Te Āti Awa), who met Queen Victoria in 1843, and Tāmihana Te Rauparaha (Ngāti Toa), who met her in 1852. They believed that a pan-tribal movement, unifying the Māori people under one sovereign equal to the Queen of England, could bring an end to intertribal conflict, keep Māori land in Māori hands and provide a separate governing body for Māori.

Both Kawau and Tāmihana initially thought they might become king Both Kawau and Tāmihana initially thought they might become king. However, Kawau had admitted to Queen Victoria that Pōtatau Te Wherowhero of Waikato was the most powerful chief in New Zealand, while Tāmihana was reminded by his father, the famous chief Te Rauparaha, that his people had been forced to leave Kāwhia by the powerful Waikato.

Origins Traditionally Māori had no centralised monarchy. Tribes were independent and were led by chiefs. In the 1850s there were growing numbers of European settlers and demand for Māori land, and Māori lacked political power. Some Māori wanted to unify the tribes under a sovereign. In 1853 Mātene Te Whiwhi and Tāmihana Te Rauparaha began travelling round the North Island looking for a chief who would agree to become king. However, most chiefs declined.

Reports to London In 1841 Governor William Hobson had reported to London that Pōtatau was the most powerful chief in New Zealand. Mātene Te Whiwhi of Ngāti Raukawa had canvassed the genealogical experts Te Hūkiki Te Ahukaramū and Te Whīoi of Ngāti Raukawa, who believed that Pōtatau was the most suitable candidate. He had extensive genealogical connections with many iwi and his kingship could be well supported by the fertile lands and resources of the then wealthy Waikato. The wealth of Pōtatau was important, as his people would host many gatherings.

The reluctant 1st King: Pōtatau In 1856, at Pūkawa, on the shores of Lake Taupō, the Waikato chief Pōtatau Te Wherowhero was nominated as king. At first he refused, but later agreed. In 1858 he was declared king at Ngāruawāhia. Declaring ‘E Ta, kua tō te rā’ (o sir, the sun is about to set), meaning that he had not much longer to live.

Hereditary Kingship In response to Pōtatau comment it was suggested that on his passing (death) his son, Tāwhiao, could carry on the kingship, which might then become hereditary. With this idea, Pōtatau accepted the kingship. On 25 June 1860 Pōtatau died, at his home in Ngāruawāhia, within 2 years of his appointment.

Tāwhiao, 1860–1894 When Pōtatau died in 1860 his son, Tāwhiao, became king. Tāwhiao was proclaimed king on 5th July 1860 under Pōtatau’s investiture. The first two years of Tāwhiao‘s reign were dominated by war.

The Waikato War Governor Thomas Gore Browne demanded Tāwhiao submit 'without reserve' to Queen Victoria. Meaning Māori were to pledge allegiance to Queen Victoria not Kingitanga. Browne viewed Waikato Māori as a problem; because Kingitanga were anti-landselling

Waikato War Map

Loss of Land In 1863 government troops invaded the Waikato, and war followed. Waikato were defeated, huge areas of their land were confiscated, and Tāwhiao and his followers retreated into the King Country. In 1881 they returned to Waikato. Tāwhiao worked unsuccessfully for the return of confiscated lands, and travelled to London in 1884 to look for support from Queen Victoria. He had no luck in London.

Tāwhiao Returning home Tāwhiao began poukai, annual visits to Kīngitanga marae, to comfort the widowed, bereaved and impoverished. This tradition still continues to take place. 30 marae hold poukai and are visited by the sovereign. Tāwhiao continued his quest for mana motuhake (Māori political independence), setting up the Kauhanganui, a parliament, in 1892. It had a council of 12 tribal representatives (the Tekau-mā-rua), as well as ministers. Tupu Taingākawa, the second son of Wiremu Tāmihana (and kingmaker at the time), was the tumuaki (premier). Tāwhiao was offered, and accepted, a government pension. There was much iwi concern about the implication that he had given up his independence, and the pension was paid back, with interest.

Mahuta Mahuta became king in 1890 after the death of Tāwhiao, his father. In the 1890s the Kīngitanga tried unsuccessfully to unite with the Kotahitanga (Māori parliament) movement. From 1903 to 1910 Mahuta was a member of the Legislative Council, appointed by Premier Richard Seddon.

Te Rata and Te Puea Mahuta died in 1912 and his son, Te Rata, became king. Te Rata was often ill. In 1914 he and three others travelled to England. He met King George V, but was told that the land confiscations were an issue for the New Zealand government. Te Rata’s cousin, Te Puea Hērangi, became a Kīngitanga leader. She opposed participation in the First World War, and worked to rebuild an economic base and to establish Tūrangawaewae marae at Ngāruawāhia.

Korokī Korokī reluctantly became king in 1933 after his father, Te Rata, died. At Tūrangawaewae he hosted important visitors, including Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Te Ātairangikaahu After Korokī died in 1966, his daughter, Piki, was crowned as Queen Te Ātairangikaahu, the first Māori queen. She was made a dame in 1970. One of the most important achievements during her reign was when Tainui–Waikato signed a settlement with the government in 1995 over the land confiscations. Te Ātairangikaahu died in August 2006. She was the longest-serving Māori monarch.

Tūheitia Te Ātairangikaahu’s son Tūheitia became king in 2006.

Biblography Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/kingitanga-the-maori-king-movement NZ History http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/war-in-waikato