WIREMU TAMIHANA
I am a direct descendant of Wiremu Tamihana (c 1805 - 1866). He is my fourth great grandfather. This is my whakapapa.
The photograph of Wiremu Tamihana, marked with the "PULMAN PHOTO" stamp, was taken by Elizabeth Pulman (1836-1900), New Zealand's first professional female photographer. My wife is a direct descendant of Elizabeth Pulman, making our daughters, Anahera and Māia, direct descendants of both the photographer and her subject, Wiremu Tamihana. When these two individuals were face-to-face for this photograph, they could not have imagined that they would one day share descendants - my daughters.
THE KINGMAKER IS CHRISTIAN
Wiremu Tamihana, chief of the Waikato iwi Ngāti Hauā, is widely known as being largely responsible for establishing the Māori King movement (The Kīngitanga) and for crowning the first Māori King. What is often downplayed by those Māori who have returned to worshipping "Māori Gods" is the fact that Wiremu Tamihana was a staunch Christian of the Anglican denomination. He was baptised in 1839 by the Anglican missionary Alfred Nesbit Brown, who later became the first Archdeacon of Tauranga.
In 1858, Wiremu Tamihana crowned the first Māori King, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero. In his own words, Wiremu Tamihana wrote the following:
No person sat down, - all stood motionless, and not one word was uttered, nor could even the rustling of any ones garment be heard. I then stepped forward holding in my hand the Old Testament, the Psalms, and the New Testament of our Lord. Potatau was in his tent, which I entered and said "Peace be to this house, and to him who is within it". I then sat down by his (Potatau's) side and presented to him the Old Testament open at the 20th chapter of Exodus from 1st verse to the 17th - the Commandments. I presented the Psalms also pointing the xxiii-56; also the New Testament, pointing out Matthew xi-28, John xiv-15, John x-11.
"Now," said I, "let me ask you which of these two titles do you prefer, that of Chieftain or that of King?"
He replied, "I prefer the title of King."
I then said, "Who is to be your protector?"
"Jehovah," was the reply.
"Yes," said I, "the only - is there no other?"
"Jesus Christ," was the answer.
"Even so" said I, and I read to him the words of David, "The Lord is my Shepherd" &c.
I then said, "Let us pray to God in order that he may bless us and succeed our present movement."
No person sat down, - all stood motionless, and not one word was uttered, nor could even the rustling of any ones garment be heard. I then stepped forward holding in my hand the Old Testament, the Psalms, and the New Testament of our Lord. Potatau was in his tent, which I entered and said "Peace be to this house, and to him who is within it". I then sat down by his (Potatau's) side and presented to him the Old Testament open at the 20th chapter of Exodus from 1st verse to the 17th - the Commandments. I presented the Psalms also pointing the xxiii-56; also the New Testament, pointing out Matthew xi-28, John xiv-15, John x-11.
"Now," said I, "let me ask you which of these two titles do you prefer, that of Chieftain or that of King?"
He replied, "I prefer the title of King."
I then said, "Who is to be your protector?"
"Jehovah," was the reply.
"Yes," said I, "the only - is there no other?"
"Jesus Christ," was the answer.
"Even so" said I, and I read to him the words of David, "The Lord is my Shepherd" &c.
I then said, "Let us pray to God in order that he may bless us and succeed our present movement."
Years later, on Wednesday the 24th of July 1866, Wiremu Tamihana wrote the following:
Now, O Friend, this is how I have been saved from evil - because of my constant striving to do that which is good, ever since the introduction of Christianity on to the time of the King movement, and up to the present days of darkness. After we had embraced Christianity, when my tribe sought payment for our dead who had fallen I did not give my consent. Then I said, "Stop, strive to repay in a Christian manner. Let peaceful living be payment for my dead." They consented. I then drew all my enemies to me; they all came, not one continued a stranger to me; but all became related to me in the bonds of Christian fellowship. Then I said - what a good payment this is for those that are dead, this living peacefully!
Now, O Friend, this is how I have been saved from evil - because of my constant striving to do that which is good, ever since the introduction of Christianity on to the time of the King movement, and up to the present days of darkness. After we had embraced Christianity, when my tribe sought payment for our dead who had fallen I did not give my consent. Then I said, "Stop, strive to repay in a Christian manner. Let peaceful living be payment for my dead." They consented. I then drew all my enemies to me; they all came, not one continued a stranger to me; but all became related to me in the bonds of Christian fellowship. Then I said - what a good payment this is for those that are dead, this living peacefully!
THE TREATY OF WAITANGI / TE TIRITI O WAITANGI
In his own words, Wiremu Tamihana wrote the following:
"I am chief of Ngati-Haua, which is an independent tribe. My father, Te Waharoa, was chief before me. Neither he, I, or any of my people signed the treaty, therefore we are not bound by it."
"I am chief of Ngati-Haua, which is an independent tribe. My father, Te Waharoa, was chief before me. Neither he, I, or any of my people signed the treaty, therefore we are not bound by it."
WHAKAPAPA NOTES:
- Purangataua (aka Hote Tamihana) was the eldest son of Wiremu Tamihana.
- I am also related to Tarore (the child whose death sparked the spread of the Gospel to different parts of New Zealand). Tarore's father Ngakuku was a cousin of Wiremu Tamihana.
