TE WHAREPOURI was one of the grandchildren of Te Whiti Katua and Rongo-ua-roa, his first wife. His father was Te Whiti the second, the fourth child of Aniwaniwa and Tawhirikura, and his mother was Hine-te-uru. His uncle was Rawakitua, the youngest child of Aniwaniwa and Tawhirikura. He was older than Honiana te Puni, his cousin, who was the child of Rerewha (the eldest child of Aniwaniwa and Tawhirikura). Ngatatai-te-Rangi was a great grandson of Te Whiti Katua by his second wife, Tarawhakauka. Thus, in Maori custom, Wharepouri, Honiana te Puni, and Ngatatai-te-Rangi were first cousins. These three chiefs all originated from Pukeariki pa, which was situated where the New Plymouth railway station now stands. From this pa sprang the two subtribes of Ngati-Awa known as Ngati-Tawhirikura (the elder branch) and Ngati-Te Whiti (the younger). Te Wharepouri was senior to both Honiana te Puni and Ngatatai-te-Rangi. When Ngatata-i-te-Rangi and Wharepouri (then known as Te Kakapi-o-te-Rangi) went to visit their Ngapuhi friends, the latter, when they saw Ngatatai-te-Rangi watching every move of the Ngapuhi, said: 'Hemara ma he Wharepouri kei roto i tenei tangata' (Friends, this man is like a house in darkness). When the ope returned to Pukeariki Ngatata said to Te Kakapi-o-te-Rangi: 'As this is the honour which we have received from our visit to Ngapuhi your name shall be changed to Te Wharepouri, since their taiaha has been given to our leader Rawakitua.' The first migration of any of the Taranaki tribes to Whanganui-a-Tara was known as Whirinui; the Ngati-Mutunga, Ngati-Rahiri and Ngati-Tama tribes coming with Te Rauparaha. During this migration the Muaupoko were destroyed. In the second migration, known as Tamate-Uaua, the Ngati-Tama, Ngati-Ruanui, Taranaki and Ngati-Awa came from Taranaki. It was with this migration that Rawakitua (the leader), Wharepouri, Honiana te Puni and Ngatatai-te-Rangi and their followers came to Whanganui-a-Tara. Later the Ngati-Mutunga, having been defeated by Ngati-Kahungunu, were living on Somes Island. Shortly afterwards they left in Captain Baker's schooner for the Chatham Islands. Rawakitua stayed at Whanganui-a-Tara only a short time. When he returned to Taranaki the leadership of the tribe devolved on Te Wharepouri. During a visit of Te Matoha, Wi Hapi Pakau, and Wiremu Otaki to Okorewa they were attacked by the Ngati-Kahungunu and Matoha was killed. Thus commenced the war with Ngati-Kahungunu for possession of the Wairarapa. Ripeka Wharawhara, a Ngati-Awa woman, who had been captured by the Ngati-Kahungunu, was returned to Te Wharepouri and peace was made, the Ngati-Kahungunu staying on the north-eastern side of the ranges, commencing from Turakirae to Rimutaka, and the Ngati-Awa on the Wellington side. Thereafter most of the Ngati-Awa and other Taranaki tribes lived at peace in Whanganui-a-Tara, but a large number went to live in Waikanae and Tory Channel owing to the better fishing and to be near the whaling industry at Kapiti and Te Awaiti.

In 1838 Te Wharepouri went to Te Awaiti to induce them to come back to Wellington, but they refused. Their leaders (Ropoama and Toheroa) said: 'Mawai e noho to awa piro, ka pa ko Arapawa, kia inuake i te wai o te Pakirikiri e tia ko aku hina.' ('Who would live in your poor harbour, when we can drink the water of the fat blue cod which resembles the grey in my hair.') Te Wharepouri, feeling insulted, replied: 'Ka hoki nei au, ka whakapai au i au ki titi taku raukura apopo au ka awhina au he wahine tauhou' ('I shall return home and adorn myself to take unto myself a strange wife'). In 1839 the Tory arrived in Wellington and Te Wharepouri metaphorically took unto himself a strange wife-the pakeha. He felt that his own people did not deserve to hold their lands as they would not return to them, and he was afraid that should Whanganui-a-Tara be invaded he would not have sufficient men to defend it. Before coming south he had visited Sydney in John Love's schooner, The Whaler, and had bought muskets and seen the effect of Love's three cannons on the Waikato tribes at the battle of Otaka. He felt that he would be safer with more pakeha near. Accordingly, on the arrival of the Tory, Wharepouri pointed out the boundaries of Wellington-'Te Rimurapa to Te Pokaimangumangu, to Rimutaka to Turakirae.' Twelve months after the first settlers arrived in Wellington Wharepouri died at his home at Ngahauranga. He was buried at Pito-one pa, where later some of his European friends were buried. A portion of his canoe was erected as a memorial. As the trade in preserved heads of noted chiefs was not yet dead his burial place was kept a close secret until recently. On his death bed Wharepouri said to Honiana te Puni: 'Muri nei ki aku taonga Maori ki aku taonga pakeha' ('Care for my Maori and European people when I am gone'). Te Puni acted accordingly, welcoming the early settlers to Pito-one. On his own death bed he in turn passed on the injunction: 'Waiho to koutou taina hei tuakana mo koutou' ('let your younger cousin be your leader. Call Wi Tako Ngatata'). Addressing Wi Tako, he said: 'As I was charged by our late leader, Te Wharepouri, so charge I you. Care for our Maori and pakeha people when I am gone, and let your voice in these matters thunder to me in Te Reinga.' In his younger days Wharepouri was a prominent warrior. He was at Motunui in 1822 and Pukerangiora in the same year. In 1826 he was with Whatanui fighting against the Ngati-Kahungunu and spying out the land. He fought against Ngati-Ruanui to avenge the death and mutilation of Te Karawa and invoked the help of Waikato to carry on the vendetta. About 1828 he is said to have swum off to Love's schooner and urged Love and Barrett to settle at Ngamotu. He helped to defend Ngamotu in 1832 and took part in the heke Tama te Uaua. He visited Sydney, probably twice. When his wife and elder daughter were captured in the surprise at Tauwharerata, near Featherston, Nukupewapewa released his wife and married the daughter of Ihaia, sending them back to Port Nicholson to make peace. Wharepouri was closely related to Te Whiti and Tohu.

Family information from Wi Hapi Love; Thomson; S. P. Smith, Wars; Wakefield; Ward (P); N.Z.C.; H. M. Jervis in N.Z. Herald, 23, 30 Apr 1892; Polyn. Jour., i, 88, vi, 102, 106, x, 45, 157, 158, xvii, 188, xviii, 81, 106, 111, 115, 123, 175, 178, xix, 1-3, 12-14, 25-28, xxiii, 75, xxv, 81-87, xxvii, 107-109, xxix, 159, 160; White, Ancient Hist., iv, 170, vi, 4, 5, 90, 104, 126, 127; Dominion Museum Bulletins, iv, 120, 165, vii, 182; Trans. N.Z. Inst., v, 84, 400, xxxvi, 20, xxviii, 196, xlv, 369-375.

Reference: Volume 2, page 246

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