Riwha Tëtokowaru (born Riwha, 1823â 18 August 1888) was a Taranaki MÃÂori rangatira, military commander, general and religious leader. He is considered to be one of the most capable and influential military strategists in New Zealand history. He waged a war against invading settlers and Crown forces which became known as Tëtokowaru's War. His reputation has stayed largely the same for 150 years; James Belich has described him as "perhaps the greatest war leader either of New ZealandâÂÂs peoples has ever produced".
After the period of warfare he again became an advocate for peace and made diplomatic efforts between MÃÂori, colonial settlers and the government. He was arrested and jailed after a peaceful occupation of land near Manaia in 1886 and he died two years later in 1888.
Riwha was a subtribal leader, having succeeded his father Tëtokowaru the Elder (died 22 February 1848) of the NgÃÂti Ruanui and NgÃÂruahine iwi in South Taranaki. A lot of what was accomplished by his father had been wrongly attributed to the son; being events of intertribal warring during his time of preadolescence. There is some mystery about his early life, but he is known to have become a Methodist in 1842 having been baptised and given the name of Hohepa Otene (named after the missionary). He joined the Këngitanga movement and fought in the First Taranaki War in 1860 and 1861.
In 1865 and 1866, British troops conducted a punitive campaign throughout Taranaki, though they were unable to force a decisive result.
In 1867, the year was declared by Tëtokowaru to be a year of peace, "the year of the daughters...the year of the lamb", and he led over 100 of his followers on a peace march during the winter of 1867 from Waihi, near HÃÂwera, down to PÃÂtea and Whanganui and ending at Pipiriki on the upper Whanganui River.
However, continuing disputes with settlers proved intolerable and in 1868 Tëtokowaru went to war.
In June 1868 Tëtokowaru's forces destroyed a colonist blockhouse at Turuturumokai, inland of HÃÂwera. The colonial response was to send a large contingent to destroy Tëtokowaru's stronghold. On 7 September 1868 the colonial forces were defeated with heavy casualties. The stronghold was then abandoned. Amongst the dead was the famous Prussian adventurer Gustavus von Tempsky. Turuturumokai was, previous to becoming a PÃÂkehàgarrison, a small MÃÂori encampment, which had been found to be abandoned. Later after careful surveying, it was also discovered that, contrary to appearances, Turuturumokai was not as inconquerable as thought by British troops. The MÃÂori decision to leave Turuturumokai was a strategic move.
Tëtokowaru then advanced southward and defeated a second colonial force at Moturoa. He then stopped at Tauranga Ika and proceeded to build another fortress pÃÂ. This diamond-shaped fortress is considered the strongest ever constructed in New Zealand according to James Belich. It had numerous underground bunkers and tunnels, which could withstand heavy bombardment. There were three types of firing positions: trenches, loopholed palisades and European-style bastions from which fire could be directed along the frontages of the diamond. On the north-west corner was a tall lookout tower. At 5 am, on 2 February 1869, the advance party moved to within a few hundred meters of the stronghold and artillery opened fire. MÃÂori returned rifle fire from within. Under cover of darkness, the colonial force closed the fort to within shouting distance. Both sides shouted and sang to encourage themselves until at 3 am the fighting reached a peak, gradually dying away until daybreak. At dawn, the army noticed the pàhad gone very quiet. Three men approached the pàwith great caution and found it deserted.
His later understanding of the needed union of two peoples (MÃÂori and settler) was incomparable. He advocated peace and diplomacy between the British and MÃÂori. He practised his own message, demonstrating great tolerance that was noted by many settlers and authority figures of his time.
In 1886, he was part of a peaceful occupation of land near Manaia. Tëtokowaru and nine others were taken to Wellington and, after being held in jail for two and a half months, were tried and sentenced to jail.
Tëtokowaru suffered from pneumonia and was cared for by a nurse named Ann Evans. He died on 18 August 1888 at his home in à Âkaiawai.
Hailed as a war leader, prophet and peacemaker, Tëtokowaru's story lapsed into obscurity before being popularised by New Zealand historian James Belich in his works on the New Zealand Wars. He is also the subject of a Maurice Shadbolt novel Monday's Warriors. The character, Te Kaipo, in the 2005 film River Queen, played by Temuera Morrison, is closely based on Tëtokowaru.
The Fox Boy. Peter Walker. Bloomsbury. 2001
I Shall not Die. James Belich. Wellington 1989.