TE PUOHO KI TE RANGI (otherwise Te Manu, or Ngarau) was a celebrated fighting chief and high priest of the Ngati-Tama tribe. Born at Poutama, near Kawhia, he was directly descended from one of the crew of the Tokomaru canoe. Through his father, Whangataki, and his mother, Hinewairoro, he was connected also with Ngati-Awa. He was full brother to Te Kaeaea (q.v.).

Te Puoho fought in many campaigns. Under pressure of the Waikato tribes, Ngati-Tama moved south with Te Rauparaha and took up their residence at Pukearuhe (north Taranaki). About 1818 Te Puoho's daughter, who had married a son of the Whanganui chief Takarangi, was grossly insulted by her husband. Calling upon Waikato and Ngati-Toa for assistance, Te Puoho joined the taua under Tuwhare which was on its way south, and attacked the Whanganui chief Te Anaua and his brother at Purua pa. The Ngati-Tama, possessing a few muskets, crossed the river on mokihi. Puoho's next campaign (1820) was to obtain utu from Ngati-Maniapoto on account of the reverse at Tihimanuka on the heke from Poutama (1819). In that year, when the Ngati-Toa passed through en route to Cook Strait, Te Rauparaha left his wife Te Akau at Turangarua pa in the care of Te Puoho, who as high priest would be able to make provision for the baptismal ceremony of the unborn child, Tamihana te Rauparaha (q.v.).

Te Puoho took part in the Tataramoa heke to Cook Strait in 1822. Returning with his brother, Te Rangitaka-roro, he then joined the second heke (Nihoputa) in 1824. By his military prestige and his high standing as a priest he exercised great influence with Te Rauparaha, and when he contemplated moving his people to Cook Strait the adjacent part of the South Island was assigned to him. During the early years in the new district Te Puoho took a leading part in compassing the destruction of the Rangitane by inviting them to a feast at Waikanae, from which only Te Awe Awe (q.v.) escaped. About 1827 he led down from Taranaki a heke of Ngati-Tama. In 1831 he led a small taua to assist the Ngati-Awa besieged in Pukerangiora, but was not strong enough to relieve them. Proceeding to the South Island, he took part in the attack on Kaiapohia (1831). Two years later (1833) Te Puoho brought his tribe down in the heke Hauhaua. He established himself at Massacre Bay and Taitapu and proceeded to occupy a portion of the northern end of the South Island. In 1834 he was temporarily at Ohariu and is said to have been implicated in the massacre of the Muaupoko, but he did his best to save some of his wife's relatives.

He now turned his attention to the conquest of the Ngai-Tahu. With a small force of Ngati-Tama and a few Ngati-Awa he sailed down the West Coast in canoes as far as the Awarua river, calling at Mawhera in an unsuccessful attempt to enlist the help of Niho (Ngati-Toa). Leaving the canoes, Puoho crossed the Haast pass and reached Lake Wanaka, where he met a few of the Ngai-Tahu. Then passing down the Matau river, he fell upon an eeling party at Waikaia, and sacked their pa. One of the party who escaped reported the incursion to Tuhawaiki at Ruapuke. A taua hastily raised by Tuhawaiki, Taiaroa and Patuki crossed to the mainland and marched swiftly to Tuturau, where Puoho was caught unawares and shot by Patuki. The whole party were killed or captured, Te Puoho's stepson and nephew, Wahapiro Paremata, being taken into captivity by Taiaroa. One fugitive bore the news to Te Puoho's wife, Kauhoe, at Parapara. Her son, Wi Katene te Puoho, who also bore the names Te Manu and Wi Nga Manu, was the father of Huria, who married Hemi Matenga. (See HURIA MATENGA).

App. H.R., 1896, G 6B; S. P. Smith, Taranaki; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; J. Cowan in Otago Daily Times, 10 Jun 1931

Reference: Volume 2, page 97

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