TE WERA HAURAKI KAITEKE (?-1839), a celebrated Ngapuhi chief, was the son of Kaiteke, or Te Wera, and lived at Te Ahuahu, near Waimate. He was one of Hongi's trusted leaders and his chief priest, but frequently quarrelled with Hongi's father, Te Hotete. Kendall visited him at Kerikeri (Jun 1815) and Marsden in 1819. In 1817 Te Wera visited the East Coast with a taua of 500 Ngapuhi under Titore. They attacked the Wainui pa, and other parts of Mahia peninsula, and swept away the Ngati-Kahungunu defenders, who were helpless before their muskets. Amongst the 40 prisoners they took back to Bay of Islands was an Arawa chief's daughter, Te Ao Kapu-rangi whom Te Wera married. (He took the name 'Te Wera' when their child died of burns.) On a later visit he captured the Ngati-Kahungunu chief Whareumu, whom he took to the north. By this time (1821) he was somewhat under missionary influence at Okura, Kerikeri, and inclined to be less destructive of human life. After assisting Hongi in the attack on Mokoia (1823), where Te Ao Kapu-rangi by a ruse saved many of her own Ngati-Rangiwewehi people, Te Wera and Pomare proceeded to Whakatane and captured the Ngati-Awa pa at Puketapu. Then they broke up to scour the country, Te Morenga following up one party and Moka another, while Pomare and Te Wera, with the main body, caught the fugitive Ngati-Awa at Tunanui. Eventually a peace was made with Mautaranui at Manawaru. After calling at Opotiki, Te Wera's nephew Marino undertook an independent expedition against Te Whanau-a-Apanui at Te Kaha and was killed.

Parting company with Pomare at Waiapu, Te Wera proceeded to deliver Whareumu to his people at Mahia. On their invitation he agreed to stay with them and make Mahia a rallying point for the whole of the Ngati-Kahungunu, who were suffering from the land-hungry raids of the central tribes, particularly Ngati-Raukawa, assisted by Ngati-Tuwharetoa. It was agreed that if there was any fighting in future it should take place outside of the district. Te Wera offered to protect the Ngati-Kahungunu and advised them to come to reside in Mahia until they should be able to clear the marauders out of the Heretaunga plains. Eventually Pareihe (q.v.) came to discuss an alliance of the Hawkes Bay tribes, which was agreed to. Meanwhile Pakake fell to an attack by a strong taua. Te Wera had great success in battle. He defended himself successfully against Ngati-Maru, Ngati-Tuwharetoa, and Ngati-Paoa, who besieged him for two months in Pukenui pa. Twice he surprised and routed the invaders (at Mangatoetoe and Waipohue, near Porangahau), so that the Ngati-Kahungunu, who had consolidated themselves in Mahia, were able to return to their occupation of the Heretaunga plains. They and the Ngapuhi lived together until 1836, when Te Wera set out to the north to avenge the death of his nephew 18 years earlier. He defeated the Bay of Plenty people at Toka-a-kuku, but would not allow his followers to eat the dead. After the peace with Waikato in 1824 Tiakitai was again attacked by Te Whatanui, who wished to establish himself in Heretaunga, but Te Wera defeated him at Roto-a-tara and ejected him from the district. He was a beneficent ruler of great sense and magnanimity, loyal to his engagements and unwavering in his protection of the weak. Te Wera was the first Maori in the Mahia district to ride a horse.

S. P. Smith, Wars; Polyn. Jour., viii, 242; Lambert.

Reference: Volume 2, page 244

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