NIHONIHO, TUTA (1850-1914), a Ngati Porou chief, was the son of Henare Nihoniho of the Aowera hapu of Ngati-Porou. He was educated at the mission school at Waerenga-a-hika and at the age of 14 he was with his father when he was killed in action at Mangaone, near Pukemaire, Waiapu (1865). Tuta was wounded in a three-aside combat outside the palisade of Waerenga-a-hika. With his mother he served in most of the later engagements north of Gisborne. He was with Ropata at Ngatapa and held a lieutenant's commission under Porter in the Urewera, and was at the capture of Kereopa te Rau at Waikaremoana.

After the war he often appeared before the Native Land Court and in native affairs as assessor and native land purchase officer. In 1886 he raised and commanded the Ngati-Porou Rifles (which lasted four years), and in 1900 he volunteered to raise 500 men for service in South Africa. The offer was declined, but in 1901 he was an officer in the Duke of York's bodyguard at Rotorua. He took an active part in the conference which preceded the passing of the Maori councils act.

Nihoniho married first Terena te Katohau (Ngati-Rangi hapu of Ngati-Porou), and second Rea Horomona (of Ngai-Tahu, Kaiapoi). In his declining years he lived in Wairarapa and took an interest in collecting Maori artifacts and relics for the Dominion Museum. He died in Jan 1914.

Lambert; Porter; Cowan; Who's Who N.Z., 1908.

Reference: Volume 2, page 65

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