TE RANGIHIWINUI, KEEPA (1823-98) was the son of Tanguru, a Muaupoko chief who had a fortified pa at Katihiku when the Amiowhenua expedition invaded the southern district in 1820-21. Tanguru sallied out to attack the besiegers and was captured, but escaped in the confusion. A powerful man and brave warrior, he once challenged Rangihaeata to single combat with the taiaha against the tomahawk, but was declined. Many of Rangihiwinui's relatives were killed in the massacre at Ohariu in 1835. His mother, Rere-o-Maki, belonged to the tribes Ngati-Apa, Rangitane and Nga Rauru. In the forties Rangihiwinui distinguished himself in fighting on the Whanganui river. He married a Whanganui woman, but fell out with his uncle Te Anaua (q.v.) with whom he was not reconciled till the sixties. He was a member of the Maori police force, and for some time carried mails between Wellington and Whanganui. When the Hauhau rising occurred Tanguru was ageing and Rangihiwinui was practically chief of the tribe. Early in 1864 he was gazetted ensign in the native contingent under Colonel McDonnell, and he distinguished himself in the field on many occasions. Whitmore found him brave, modest and generous on all occasions, with a great capacity for military operations, deliberation and courage. At the battle of Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu (Sep 1868), he commanded a native contingent of 110 who scouted and outflanked the pa, and later carried off the wounded. He was present at the reverse at Moturoa in Oct, with 300 of his Whanganui men, and again covered the retreat and brought off the wounded under heavy fire. For this he received the New Zealand Cross, and was promoted captain. At the capture of Weraroa he caught the Hauhau rearguard and inflicted considerable losses upon them, and he continued intrepidly in the chase of Titokowaru until he escaped at Whakamara. Rangihiwinui then took the field against Te Kooti, whose forces he pursued across the central plateau and assisted to rout finally at Porere (Oct 1869). At Tapapa he captured all of Te Kooti's horses, and he continued the chase into the Bay of Plenty. At Waipunapa he assisted to besiege the fort, from which Kereopa escaped. In the operations in the back country he met Tamaikowha and made peace (without the sanction of the Government, but afterwards approved). Rangihiwinui then returned with his men by steamer from Opotiki to Wanganui.

When the campaign ended Te Keepa (now a major) and Kawana Hunia took advantage of their arms and high prestige in the field to assert their claim to lands in Horowhenua and Manawatu which they had lost through Te Rauparaha's invasion and the sojourn of the Ngati-Raukawa in that region. When the native land court (under Judge Rogan) sat at Foxton in 1873, Te Keepa demonstrated with an armed force and brought pressure to bear upon the adjudication. The boundaries of the land assigned to the Muaupoko were increased, and he afterwards agreed to transfer 1,200 acres to the Ngati-Raukawa.

Litigation and fractiousness lost Keepa his position as an assessor and land purchase officer, and he remained under a cloud until the Stout-Vogel Government came into office and Ballance reappointed him to his position and pension. Shortly before his death he spoke strongly against the further sale of native lands. He stood for the Western Maori seat in 1876, but was defeated by Nahe. Te Rangihiwinui died on 15 Apr 1898.

App. H.R., 1868-73, 1907, G la, p. 16; Gudgeon; Gorton; Cowan (p); Whitmore (p); Bowen; N.Z. Herald, 16 Apr 1898.

Reference: Volume 2, page 100

🌳 Further sources