RETIMANA TE KOROU
I am a direct descendant of Retimana Te Korou (late 1700s - 1882). He is my fourth great grandfather. This is my whakapapa.
The portrait of Retimana Te Korou was painted by Gottfried Lindauer, and it is currently stored at Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History. A Lindauer portrait of his daughter Irihapeti Whakamairu (nee Te Korou) is also held at the museum.
Retimana Te Korou was chief of Rangitāne (hapū: Ngāti Hāmua) and was responsible for gifting the land to Joseph Masters that became Masterton.
Retimana Te Korou was also a recognised chief of Ngāti Kahungunu. A framed copy of the Lindauer portrait of Retimana Te Korou is displayed in the head office of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated in Hastings. Hence, I am a registered member of both Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu.
In the 1840s Retimana Te Korou and his family were drawn towards Christianity. His eldest child was Irihapeti (my third great grandmother). He had a son Te Tua-o-te-rangi (or Te Turuki / Turuki), later known by his baptismal name, Karaitiana (Christian).
In 1846 the Anglican missionary William Colenso married my third great grandparents: Retimana Te Korou's daughter Irihapeti and Ihaia Whakamairu.
In 1848 Colenso baptised all four Te Korou generations: Retimana Te Korou himself, who took the name Retimana (Richmond); his aged mother Te Kai who took the name Roihi (Lois); his wife Hine-whaka-aewa who became Hoana (Joan/Joanna); his daughter Irihapeti (my third great grandmother) and her husband Ihaia Whakamairu (my third great grandfather); his four sons and two grandsons.
In 1860, Retimana Te Korou (my fourth great grandfather) and his son-in-law Ihaia Whakamairu (my third great grandfather) were signatories of a letter to the "Chiefs of the Runanga at Wellington, Porirua, and the Otaki". That letter included the following sections:
"Friends, you say, let us live under the 'Mana' (authority) of the Queen; we say, let us live under the Mana of God and His Church; that is all our thought; we must love each other, whether Maori or European. Love must be shown towards each other, Romans xiii, 8 10" (dated 24 May 1860; authors included Retimana Te Korou and Ihaia Whakamairu).
Retimana Te Korou remained a committed Anglican from his baptism in 1848 until his death in 1882. The Wairarapa Daily Times (13 March 1882) reported on his funeral, including:
"On reaching the Church the coffin was carried in by four Europeans, the service being impressively conducted by the Reverend W. E. Page, assisted by the native minister of Te Ore Ore. After service in the Church the procession re-formed and marched to the Masterton Cemetery, where the remains were lowered to their final resting place in the Church of England portion of the ground."
The Wairarapa Daily Times reported the following day (14 March 1882) that -
"The proceedings at the grave of the chief Te Retimana te Korou yesterday were conducted in thorough European style, the only addition being that the women took off the green boughs which they had bound round their heads, and threw them into the grave. The responses to the service were made by the natives present (who all had Maori prayer books) in clear and distinct tones, the effect being very impressive. This is the first native interred at the Masterton Cemetery, and a very large number of spectators assembled to witness the ceremony".
In the 1840s Retimana Te Korou and his family were drawn towards Christianity. His eldest child was Irihapeti (my third great grandmother). He had a son Te Tua-o-te-rangi (or Te Turuki / Turuki), later known by his baptismal name, Karaitiana (Christian).
In 1846 the Anglican missionary William Colenso married my third great grandparents: Retimana Te Korou's daughter Irihapeti and Ihaia Whakamairu.
In 1848 Colenso baptised all four Te Korou generations: Retimana Te Korou himself, who took the name Retimana (Richmond); his aged mother Te Kai who took the name Roihi (Lois); his wife Hine-whaka-aewa who became Hoana (Joan/Joanna); his daughter Irihapeti (my third great grandmother) and her husband Ihaia Whakamairu (my third great grandfather); his four sons and two grandsons.
In 1860, Retimana Te Korou (my fourth great grandfather) and his son-in-law Ihaia Whakamairu (my third great grandfather) were signatories of a letter to the "Chiefs of the Runanga at Wellington, Porirua, and the Otaki". That letter included the following sections:
"Friends, you say, let us live under the 'Mana' (authority) of the Queen; we say, let us live under the Mana of God and His Church; that is all our thought; we must love each other, whether Maori or European. Love must be shown towards each other, Romans xiii, 8 10" (dated 24 May 1860; authors included Retimana Te Korou and Ihaia Whakamairu).
Retimana Te Korou remained a committed Anglican from his baptism in 1848 until his death in 1882. The Wairarapa Daily Times (13 March 1882) reported on his funeral, including:
"On reaching the Church the coffin was carried in by four Europeans, the service being impressively conducted by the Reverend W. E. Page, assisted by the native minister of Te Ore Ore. After service in the Church the procession re-formed and marched to the Masterton Cemetery, where the remains were lowered to their final resting place in the Church of England portion of the ground."
The Wairarapa Daily Times reported the following day (14 March 1882) that -
"The proceedings at the grave of the chief Te Retimana te Korou yesterday were conducted in thorough European style, the only addition being that the women took off the green boughs which they had bound round their heads, and threw them into the grave. The responses to the service were made by the natives present (who all had Maori prayer books) in clear and distinct tones, the effect being very impressive. This is the first native interred at the Masterton Cemetery, and a very large number of spectators assembled to witness the ceremony".
