Te Mahuki

Te Mahuki (?–1899) was a notable New Zealand tribal prophet who believed he was an Israelite[1] sent to find the promised land. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngati Kinohaku and Ngāti Maniapoto iwi. He was born in Te Kumi, King Country, New Zealand.[2]

Te Mahuki (centre) in 1885 at Te Kumi in the Waitomo District

Te Mahuki was a member of the warlike Ngati Maniapoto tribe who bitterly resented Pakeha settlement in New Zealand. He was fiercely opposed to all aspects of Paheka culture being adopted by Maori. He had taken part in the First Taranaki War in 1860 against the instructions of the Maori king.[3] He led a kidnapping of a surveyor Charles Hursthouse, for whom he had a bitter hatred. Hursthouse and Wetere Te Rerenga were surveying the path of the North Island Main Trunk railway line on land that had been purchased by the government from Ngati Maniapoto when he was captured. Hurststone and the others escaped with the help of a rescue party. A few days later Te Mahuki and his followers marched on Pirongia hoping to provoke a government reaction. He was arrested and jailed. Later he and his followers took over stores in Te Kuiti and he was arrested again. He was jailed for 12 months. In 1897 he set fire to a store in Te Kuiti and was jailed again. He was certified insane and sent to Auckland Lunatic Asylum where he died.[2]

References
  1. Waikato Times History. Oct 2012.T .O'Conner.
  2. Koroheke, Chris. "Te Mahuki". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  3. J Gorst .The Maori King. Reed. 2001


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