Riwah Titokowaru
"I shall not die,
I shall not die,
When death itself is dead, I shall be alive."
Titokowaru's prophecy
I shall not die,
When death itself is dead, I shall be alive."
Titokowaru's prophecy
Titokowaru was born in about 1823, most probably near Okaiawa in South Taranaki of the Nga Ruahine tribe. Titokowaru is said to come from a selection of patronage; his mother was one of the Tangahoe people. Titokowaru’s father (Hori Kingi Titokowaru) was a prominent figure of the Ngati Ruanui tribe and was leader during the 1830-40s. Titokowaru has traceable descent from Turi, Rongorgono and Manuhiakai and through family marriages; Ngati Maru and Nga Rauru. Titokowaru turned to Christianity in the early 1840s and later supported the Kingitanga (King Movement) in the 1850s expressing his opposition to the government selling of Maori land. He was also an advocate for the Pai Marire religion, loosing an eye in battle in 1864. Titokowaru gained his notability as a prophet, peacemaker and as a non-violent resistance leader, similary to Te Kooti and Te Whiti following the outbreak of war. Titokowaru’s military leadership and support of the two emerging prophets, following the war, lead him to become a significant figure as he gave Maori a voice and led them to take a stand against the government who were taking and selling the basis of Maori livelihood.
Titokowaru’s War
The third outbreak of war in Taranaki, known as Titokowaru’s War (1868), was lead by Titokowaru based on the principles that his iwi, Nga Ruahine, were on the brink of facing war or starvation due to growing land confiscation. The war was in protest over the government’s continued efforts of land surveying and the threat of more confiscations and sentences placed on Maori. During this campaign, Titokowaru was taken as a prisoner and war broke out following this. However, Titokowaru, even though heavily outnumbered, won many victories, impressively winning back much of Maori territory. By early 1869, 110km of land was won back from Waingongoro and Whanganui river. Titokowaru’s strength grew as his troops grew from 150 to 1000; heightening the conflict between the government and Maori. The government considered returning the land but the army unexpectedly fell apart with Titokowaru suffering the loss of losing his mana due to him possibly committing adultery with one of his warrior’s wives in February 1869. The government eventually gave up on the campaign and this left Titokowaru to support the growing passive resistance movement of Te Whiti and Tohu. Titokowaru later organised and lead the campaign, under the two prophets, of non-violent resistance when the government started to re-confiscate land in 1878. Historian James Belich argued, in the 1980s, that Titokowaru was ‘arguably the best general New Zealand has ever produced’ and that the war was a ‘dark secret’ of New Zealand’s history. [1]
[1] http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/titokowarus-war
Titokowaru’s War
The third outbreak of war in Taranaki, known as Titokowaru’s War (1868), was lead by Titokowaru based on the principles that his iwi, Nga Ruahine, were on the brink of facing war or starvation due to growing land confiscation. The war was in protest over the government’s continued efforts of land surveying and the threat of more confiscations and sentences placed on Maori. During this campaign, Titokowaru was taken as a prisoner and war broke out following this. However, Titokowaru, even though heavily outnumbered, won many victories, impressively winning back much of Maori territory. By early 1869, 110km of land was won back from Waingongoro and Whanganui river. Titokowaru’s strength grew as his troops grew from 150 to 1000; heightening the conflict between the government and Maori. The government considered returning the land but the army unexpectedly fell apart with Titokowaru suffering the loss of losing his mana due to him possibly committing adultery with one of his warrior’s wives in February 1869. The government eventually gave up on the campaign and this left Titokowaru to support the growing passive resistance movement of Te Whiti and Tohu. Titokowaru later organised and lead the campaign, under the two prophets, of non-violent resistance when the government started to re-confiscate land in 1878. Historian James Belich argued, in the 1980s, that Titokowaru was ‘arguably the best general New Zealand has ever produced’ and that the war was a ‘dark secret’ of New Zealand’s history. [1]
[1] http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/titokowarus-war