Apihai Te Kawau (died November 1869) was a paramount chief of the NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua MÃÂori iwi (tribe) of Auckland (), New Zealand in the 19th century.
Te Kawau's father was Tarahawaiki and his grandfather was Tà «periri, the principal leader of Te Taoà « hapà « (sub-tribe) of NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua who overran the TÃÂmaki isthmus in the 1740s, defeating the Wai-o-Hua. Te Kawau's mother was Mokorua, who was descended from the Wai-o-Hua. Te Kawau was born at IhumÃÂtao, near the Manukau Harbour.
Te Kawau is thought to have fought against the NgÃÂpuhi iwi in the NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua victory of Battle of Moremonui in 1807 or 1808. He then helped lead the 1,000 mile long NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua and NgÃÂti Maniapoto cannibalistic war expedition known as (encircling the land) from 1821 to 1822. After a major defeat to NgÃÂpuhi at Te Ika-a-ranga-nui in 1825, Te Kawau and his people left the TÃÂmaki isthmus (the future site of Auckland) for several years.
On 20 March 1840 in the Manukau Harbour area where NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua farmed, Te Kawau signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the te reo MÃÂori translation of the Treaty of Waitangi). NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua sought British protection from NgÃÂpuhi as well as a reciprocal relationship with the Crown and the Church. Soon after signing the Treaty, Te Kawau made a tuku (strategic gift) of 3,500 acres (1,400 hectares) of land on the WaitematÃÂ Harbour for the new capital of Auckland.
Te Kawau was associated with the Church Mission Society (CMS) since meeting Samuel Marsden in 1820, and the two men become friends. During the 1840s, some time after becoming a Christian, he was baptised by Bishop George Selwyn at the chapel near à ÂrÃÂkei Pàand was given the baptismal name of ÃÂpihai, MÃÂori for the biblical warrior Abishai.
In the 1850s Te Kawau was an assessor involved with settling disputes between MÃÂori in Auckland. Known then as a peaceful man, he spoke publicly against land sales, but was unable to stop Governor George Grey's evictions and confiscations. In 1868 he secured the title to the last 700 acres of NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua land in à ÂrÃÂkei for his iwi.
Te Kawau was the uncle of Paora Tà «haere, who succeeded him as a leader of NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua.
In 2018 NgÃÂti WhÃÂtua à ÂrÃÂkei and the Ports of Auckland created a memorial to Te Kawau for his gifting of land to Governor Hobson and commemorating his contributions to Auckland, while marking the place where the city was founded on 18 September 1840.