Te Whiti biography

Te Whiti-O- Rongomai was born in 1880 in Ngamotu,Taranki. He was born during the musket wars. Te Whiti was the son of the Minor Chief of the Patukai hapu Ngati Tawhirikura brance. He attended the Reimenshneider Mission school. Te Whiti was passionate about bible studies. After he left school he set up a flour mill at Warea and lived peacefully on the coast near Parihaka until 1865.

In 1870 Parihaka had become the biggest village in the country. In 1879 the Europeans invaded the land. Te Whiti and Tohu were  the leaders of the Parihaka movement and protested peacefully. In 1881 the Europeans began taking the Maori land and violently punishing people unfairly. Meetings were held with two Europeans Government. officials Te Whiti refused to run the monthly meetings Te Whiti and Tohu were then taken to jail. Te Whiti was a very spiritual man and believed in peace. In prison Te Whiti learned how to us European technology and also played mind games on the guards he attempted to make them doubt there sanity. In 1888 Te Whiti’s wife died and he was not allowed to return for her funeral.

Shortly after Te Whiti’s wife died he was realesed from prison. Te Whiti returned home to Parihaka with his son in law Tare Waitara. Te Whiti then began to run the monthly meetings again to work out how to reclaim their land. The town started to modernize there land. Parihaka was thought to be ahead of its time. It had lighting,drainage and running water.

Te Whiti-O-Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi died within a few months of each other. Te Whiti’s followers adopted the white albatross feather as a symbol protecting the mana of the Paihaka settlement.

Te Whiti was a very inspirational person because he protested peacefully and fought without violence. His beliefs saved their land in the end. Te Whiti was a very good man and this history will never be forgotten. His teaching will forever live on.

By Ella Littlejohn