KOROKORO, or MANUHIKITEA (?1760-1823) of the Parupuwha hapu of Ngapuhi, lived at Paroa, Bay of Islands. He was implicated in the attack on Marion du Fresne in 1772. He was the elder brother of Tuhi, who had lived in England and spoke the language well. Korokoro (already an elderly man in 1820) had shortly before 1814 been on a long trading expedition as far as Port Nicholson. He went to Sydney in the Active in 1814, and lived with Marsden while the second voyage of the Active was in preparation. On the return to Bay of Islands Marsden reconciled Korokoro with the chiefs of Whangaroa. He pleaded with Marsden for a missionary to be settled at Rangihoua, near his island pa at Moturoa, urging that the long absence of his brother Tuhi in Australia and England gave him a claim. Tuhi agreed that Hongi had the superior claim as the more powerful chief. Eventually in 1819 Korokoro's offer was accepted, and the mission was established at Manawara. Marsden considered Korokoro a brave, sensible chief, who had good control over his people and was willing to stop fighting if he could make an honourable peace with his enemies at the Thames.

In 1818 he accompanied Te Morenga on his East Coast expedition, and early in 1820 he inflicted severe losses on the Thames tribe. He took part in Hongi's expedition against Rotorua (1823) and in Sep died of wounds at Katikati.

S. P. Smith, Wars; Carleton; Stack; Marsden, L. and J.

Reference: Volume 1, page 255

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