TE WAHAROA, WIREMU TAMIHANA TARAPIPIPI (?-1866) succeeded his father as head chief of the Ngati-Haua, who had their headquarters at Tamahere and Matamata and owned much land in the Thames and Waikato valleys. He accompanied his father on several campaigns against the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty tribes, and was present at the battle of Motunui (1822). Tarapipipi had all his father's courage and determination, but having adopted Christianity as soon as the mission was established at Matamata, he refused thereafter to take part in tribal wars. Shortly after the death of his father (Sep 1838) he was baptised, taking the name 'Wiremu Tamihana' (William Thompson). The Ngati-Haua, with their wrongs unavenged and tribal wars dragging on until 1840, urged Tarapipipi to carry on the feud. When part of the tribe was obdurate he built a separate pa for the protection of the Christian section, for whose guidance he drew up a simple code of laws. As neither his father nor himself had signed the Treaty of Waitangi he claimed some measure of independence.

For a quarter of a century Tamihana led his people on the path of progress, encouraging them to adopt pakeha customs and manners of life. He was not indifferent, however, to the grave injustices inflicted upon the Maori people by thoughtless Europeans, and he became interested early in the proposal submitted by Matene te Whiwhi to elect a king for the purely Maori portion of New Zealand. After the second meeting (at Pukawa), Tarapipipi convened a third, which was held in the Waikato and culminated in the election of Te Wherowhero Potatau as the first Maori King. Tamihana had no ambition for himself; he remained loyal to the British Crown, but threw his whole weight into the King movement from the time when (in 1857) he visited Auckland to lay before the Governor the grievances of his people and was rebuffed with official indifference and rudeness.

On the death of Potatau (1860) Awaitaia was proposed as his successor. Tamihana preferred Matutaera owing to his greater influence, and he was duly elected as Potatau II. Tamihana thus acquired the title of 'King-maker' often applied to him. While he was at Ngaruawahia on this occasion he received letters from Governor Gore Browne, the Chief Justice (Martin) and Bishop Selwyn, begging him to intervene to bring about peace in the Taranaki war. He reached Waitara on 11 Mar 1861 and obtained a truce to enable him to enter Pukerangiora to consult Wiremu Kingi te Rangitake and other leaders. They having agreed that he should adjudicate on the dispute, he proposed that the Waikato and Ngati-Maniapoto contingents should return to their homes; Te Rangitake to Mataitawa, and the Ngati-Ruanui to their own homes; and that the Waitara dispute should be decided by law. While the terms were being sent to Auckland fighting was resumed. Wiremu Tamihana therefore returned to Waikato with the remnant of the Ngati-Haua contingent, and Rewi withdrew, taking Te Rangitake to Kihikihi.

Tamihana was restrained by the fierce opposition of his chiefs from going to Auckland again to meet Governor Grey (who had arrived there on 26 Sep 1861). He was at this time settled down at Peria with his son (then aged 15), ploughing and sowing wheat for the support of the children in his own school. He held a meeting at Arikirua to consider Grey's scheme for the government of the Maori people, which was generally approved on condition that the laws of the runanga were approved by the Maori King and then by the Governor. At the meeting at the other Ngati-Haua settlement, Tamahere, all the chiefs were against the scheme. At Ngaruawahia they agreed to adopt it if the King and the King flag were permitted to remain. Tamihana could not attend the meeting at Taupari (12 Dec 1861). He was suspicious of the Governor's decision to construct a road into the Waikato, as being in fact an act of war. Having no sympathy with the warlike ceremonial of mounting guard for the King at Ngaruawahia, he sent there 12 ploughs which turned up 70 acres of ground for the planting of potatoes. He warned the Waikato that if they interfered with the road which Wiremu Naera te Awaitaia was constructing from Raglan to the Waikato he would oppose them, but at the same time he wrote to Awaitaia begging him not to proceed with the work since it must place the Waikato at the mercy of England. At a meeting of the tribe at Peria in Oct, at which Bishop Selwyn was present, Tamihana tried to persuade Wiremu Kingi and Rewi to accept an investigation of the Waitara title. Early in 1863 Grey appeared unexpectedly at Ngaruawahia, and Tamihana was sent for to welcome him at a public meeting. He sent letters to Taranaki counselling peace. Rewi was firmly in favour of resistance, but the King sided with Tamihana in his desire for peace. He now became associated with John Gorst, who had been stationed in the Waikato and was endeavouring to establish a technical school for the Maori. It was at his suggestion that the paper Hokioi was established. Tamihana did not approve of the ejection of Gorst from his station (1863); he was determined not to countenance hostilities until there was some hostile movement by the British troops. He contended that the Maori had no wish to be a separate nation, but it was in their interest to remain distinct from the pakeha and to retain their rights under a king of their own. 'Let the Queen be a fence to protect them.' As neither he nor his father had signed the Treaty he felt some freedom in these proceedings. Tamihana visited the tribes on the East Coast and the Bay of Plenty. At meetings to consider Sir George Grey's plan of government he consistently advocated governing through the runangas, the laws being approved first by the King and then by the Governor. Owing to his influence the administration of justice amongst his own people, the Ngati-Haua, was always creditable and smoothly conducted. To his great grief a proclamation of war followed soon after Gorst's eviction. When at length the troops crossed the Maungatawhiri river he considered that the King tribes were on the defensive and that he could no longer remain neutral. He took the field with them. After the battle of Rangiriri he perceived that the struggle was in vain and wished to surrender, but was dissuaded by his people. He did, however, send a mere to General Carey as a sign of peace.

The violence of the Hauhau, and particularly the murder of Volmer early in 1865 finally decided him to surrender; he gave his allegiance to Colonel Greer (27 May 1865) and Matutaera signed the overtures of peace. Tamihana refused the Governor's invitation to proceed to Auckland, but at length he did agree to go to Wellington to plead for the return of the confiscated lands. There he was treated with great deference, and entertained as the guest of the Government. At a dinner given to him by the Superintendents of Auckland, Wellington and Hawkes Bay he offered to play draughts with them with the freedom of the Waikato as the stake. His offer being declined, he played the three Superintendents and won all the games. In broken health Tamihana was conducted back to his home with great ceremony. He continued to petition the Government and Parliament until his death on 28 Dec 1866. As his strength declined Tamihana was carried by easy stages from Maungatautari to his home, through the Maungakawa mountains. Believing himself about to die, he stopped for two days at the spot in the mountains where his father died, and then proceeded to Peria, where J. C. Firth (q.v.) awaited him, anxious to hear his dying statement to his people and to witness his loyalty to Christianity. Always a total abstainer, Tamihana yielded to Firth's exhortation to take wine to sustain him. He enjoined his people to stand by the Government and the law. (Nevertheless they afterwards associated themselves more closely with the King movement.) No Pai Marire prayers were permitted. Tamihana was a man of unimpeachable principles, a clear logical mind, and straightforward in all his dealings. Gorst was impressed by his high intellectual attainments and statesmanlike mind; and Buller remarked that 'those who knew him best admired him most.'

Gorst (p); Cowan (p); App. H.R., 1857-66, pass; Buller; Taylor, Past and Present; Cooper; Firth; Gudgeon (p), and Hist.; Southern Cross, 15 Jun 1868; Taranaki Herald, 28 Dec 1861; White, v, vi; Shortland, Traditions, 84-99, 247; Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxii, 348; Polyn. Jour., xvii, 196; xviii, 11, 177.

Reference: Volume 2, page 221

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