Tītokowaru
Riwha Tītokowaru (c. 1823–1888) was a
Early life
Riwha was a subtribal leader (having succeeded his father "Tītokowaru") of the
In 1865 and 1866, British troops conducted a punitive campaign throughout Taranaki, though they were unable to force a decisive result.
In 1867, the year was declared by Tītokowaru to be a year of peace, "the year of the daughters...the year of the lamb", and he led over 100 of his followers on a peace march during the winter of 1867 from Waihi, near
However, continuing disputes with settlers proved intolerable and in 1868 Tītokowaru went to war.
Tītokowaru's War (1868–69)
In June 1868 Tītokowaru's forces destroyed a colonist blockhouse at Turuturumokai, inland of Hāwera. The colonial response was to send a large contingent to destroy Tītokowaru's stronghold. On 7 September 1868 the colonial forces were defeated with heavy casualties. The stronghold was then abandoned. Amongst the dead was the famous Prussian adventurer Gustavus von Tempsky. Turuturumokai was, previous to becoming a Pākehā garrison, a small Māori encampment, which had been found to be abandoned. Later after careful surveying, it was also discovered that, contrary to appearances, Turuturumokai was not as inconquerable as thought by British troops. The Māori decision to leave Turuturumokai was a strategic move.
Tītokowaru then advanced southward and defeated a second colonial force at Moturoa. He then stopped at
Later life
His later understanding of the needed union of two peoples (Māori and settler) was incomparable. He advocated peace and diplomacy between the British and Māoridom. He practised his own message, demonstrating great tolerance that was noted by many settlers and authority figures of his time.
In 1886, he was part of a peaceful occupation of land near Manaia. Tītokowaru and nine others were taken to Wellington and, after being held in jail for two and a half months, were tried and sentenced to jail. He died shortly afterwards.[3]
Hailed as a war leader, prophet and peacemaker, Tītokowaru's story lapsed into obscurity before being popularised by New Zealand historian James Belich in his works on the New Zealand Wars. He is also the subject of a Maurice Shadbolt novel Monday's Warriors. The character, Te Kaipo, in the 2005 film River Queen, played by Temuera Morrison, is closely based on Tītokowaru.
See also
- Tītokowaru's War
- New Zealand Wars
- Marian Maguire, artist whose series Titokowaru's Dilemma depicts a dialogue between Tītokowaru and Socrates
References
- ^ "Titokowaru". 1966 Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
- ^ "The year of the lamb"
- ^ Sole, Tony (2005). Ngati Ruanui: a history. Huia Publishers.
Ms NJ Taniwha (2001). Te Ngutu O te Manu, Whanganui – Taranaki 2001, 2002 [History of Ruanui – The War Years]. National Congress Library Washington. {{cite book}}
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ignored (help)
The Fox Boy. Peter Walker. Bloomsbury. 2001
I Shall not Die. James Belich. Wellington 1989.