Tohitapu also known as Tohi or Toi-Tapu (died 14 July 1833) was a rangatira (chief) of the Te Roroa iwi (tribe) of Northland, New Zealand, and a tohunga and MÃÂori warrior. An account told by a NgÃÂpuhi informant to British ethnographer John White of the visit of Marion du Fresne to the Bay of Islands in 1772 describes Tohitapu as participating in the massacre when du Fresne and 26 men of his crew were killed and cannibalised.
As a Tohunga o Tumatauenga (expert in weapons or war party chaplain) he was acknowledged by the NgÃÂpuhi of the Bay of Islands as a spiritual leader who possessed the ability of communicating between the spiritual and temporal realms through karakia (prayers), pÃÂtere (chants) or performing waiata (songs). On 28 November 1832, the Revd. Alfred Brown witnessed Tohitapu practicing as a Tohunga to foresee the success of TëtoreâÂÂs second muru (war expedition) to Tauranga, which followed the Girls' War in the Bay of Islands.
Tohitapu lived at Te Haumi and was a frequent visitor to the Revd. Henry Williams at Paihia. Although there occurred miss-understandings and several confrontations between them. One of the most severe was the confrontation on 12 January 1824, which was witnessed by other chiefs. The incident began when Tohitapu visited the mission. As the gate was shut, Tohitapu jumped over the fence. Williams demanded that Tohitapu enter the mission using the gate. Tohitapu was a chief and a tohunga, skilled in the magic known as makutu. Tohitapu was offended by William's demand and began a threatening haka flourishing his mere and taiaha. Williams faced down this challenge. Tohitapu then seized a pot, which he claimed as compensation for hurting his foot in jumping over the fence, whereupon Williams seized the pot from Tohitapu. The incidence continued through the night during which Tohitapu began a karakia or incantation of bewitchment. Williams had no fear of the karakia. The next morning Tohitapu and Williams reconciled their differences, although the failure of the karakia to have any effect on Henry Williams reinforced his mana and created doubt among the NgÃÂpuhi as to the powers of a Tohunga.
Tohitapu remained a supporter of Williams and the mission at Paihia. In 1829, Tohitapu came to the assistance of the CMS missionaries when the action of one of the MÃÂori assistants of the mission damaged part of one of Te KokiâÂÂs houses, which was a serious offence against MÃÂori custom. Te Koki was the principal chief of the NgÃÂpuhi at Paihia, uncle of Hongi Hika, brother to Tuhikura, of NgÃÂti Rehua, and husband of Ana Hamu.
Tohitapu accepted changes that followed from the work of the CMS missionaries. In March 1828, Tohitapu, Henry Williams and George Clarke were present at fighting occurring between the NgÃÂpuhi and Te Mahurehure hapà « (subtribe). Tohitapu addressed the NgÃÂpuhi and ordered that no fighting would take place the next day as it was a Sunday. The Revd A. N. Brown reported in his journal of August 1831 that Tohitapu choose to apply a less severe punishment to a slave, when the penalty under MÃÂori custom was usually death.
Tohitapu also engaged in mediation of conflicts between NgÃÂpuhi chiefs. The death of Tiki, a son of Pà Âmare I (also called Whetoi) and the subsequent death of Te Whareumu in 1828 threw the Hokianga into a state of uncertainty as the NgÃÂpuhi chiefs debated whether revenge was necessary following the death of a chief. Henry Williams, Richard Davis and Tohitapu mediated between the combatants. As the chiefs did not want to escalate the fighting, a peaceful resolution was achieved. During the Girls' War in March 1830, Tohitapu sought the assistance of the CMS missionaries to mediated between the combatants. In December 1831, Tohitapu requested that the CMS missionaries intervene to stop the fighting at KororÃÂreka between the warriors of Tëtore and Tareha.
The journals of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) missionaries describe Tohitapu as a person of high intelligence and considerable mana among the Te Roroa and NgÃÂpuhi. The Revd. Henry Williams said âÂÂhe is a very important person in his way, though our good folks generally cannot manage himâÂÂ. Tohitapu did not renounce his status as a Tohunga and warrior or become a Christian. From January 1832 until late July 1832 Tohitapu was part of the muru, or war expedition, that Tëtore and NgÃÂpuhi warriors made to Tauranga, which followed the Girls' War. In February 1833, Tohitapu joined the second muru led by Tëtore with Te Rarawa warriors, allies of the NgÃÂpuhi, from the North Cape back to Tauranga to continue the war expedition. Henry Williams accompanied both expeditions in an attempt to bring them to a peaceful conclusion.
Tohitapu died in the Bay of Islands on 14 July 1833. On 17 January 1834, CMS missionaries went to Wangai, a settlement south-east of Paihia, to attend the funeral feast held at the hahunga (disinterment and bone cleansing ceremony) of the bones of Tohitapu.