Te Ua Haumene
Te Ua Haumene, of Taranaki and Te Ati Awa descent, was born in Waiaua, South Tarankai in the early 1820s to parents Tutawake (father) and mother Paihaka. In 1826, Te Ua and his mother were captured, taken to Kawhia and enslaved where he was taught to read and right in Maori. During this time, Te Ua became familiar with the New Testament of the Bible, especially the Book of Revelations. Te Ua was baptised by John Whiteley, a Wesleyan missionary. It was the combination of a strong Christian influence and growing Maori unsettlement that would initiate his spiritual and prophetic movements later on in his life. Te Ua was active in opposition to the sale of Maori land during the 1850s, supporting the Kaingarara movement, and fought against the government after the outbreak of war in Taranaki in 1860. Te Ua’s life as a prophet only lasted in the last four years of his life where he established the Hauhau faith, a new religion based on the principle of pai marire- goodness and peace. In 1862, Te Ua had a vision of the archangel Gabriel, where he was assured that he was chosen as a prophet and to lead his people “in casting off the yoke of the Pakeha.”[1] The birthright of the Israelites (Maori people) would be restored in Canaan (New Zealand). The teachings of the new church were instructed by the ‘Ua rongo pai’ (Ua gospel). In his new prophetic role, Te Ua took on the name Haumeme, ‘wind man’ (1864), previously discarding Tuwhakararo Tutawake in 1862 after initially renouncing his baptismal name of Horopapera (Zerubbabel). Te Ua’s religion caused concern amongst settlers and the government as the practices of the movement seemed brash and unnecessarily violent. Governor Grey voiced this concern calling the Hauhau practices ‘repugnant to all humanity’[2] after six heads of British soldiers were presented to Te Ua in April 1864. Te Ua sent his disciples around the North Island to spread the message of Hauhau but was met with conflict after iwi thought it was challenging their sovereignty, opposing the new religion. A civil war on the East Coast lasted from 1865 to 1872, breaking out due to the killing of Anglican missionary Carl Volkner in March 1865 in Opotiki by Huahau followers. Te Ua was taken into custody after he signed a declaration of allegiance in Opunake, submitting to Major General Trevor Chute due to a government crackdown on resistance in Tarankai, essentially trying to crush his mana. Te Ua died at Oeo, Taranki, in October 1866 due to a decline in his health.
Te Ua became a significant figure to early Maori resistance, and for Maori religion, inspiring the works of Te Whiti and Tohu who would lead prophetic movements, and later become prominent prophets in Taranaki (Parihaka). Te Ua demonstrated and encouraged Maori to fight for their rights and to refuse, through resistance, the confiscation of their land whilst enabling Maori Christianity to break free from the mold of traditional Christian practices and theology.
[1] http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/te-ua-haumene
[2] http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/te-ua-haumene
Te Ua became a significant figure to early Maori resistance, and for Maori religion, inspiring the works of Te Whiti and Tohu who would lead prophetic movements, and later become prominent prophets in Taranaki (Parihaka). Te Ua demonstrated and encouraged Maori to fight for their rights and to refuse, through resistance, the confiscation of their land whilst enabling Maori Christianity to break free from the mold of traditional Christian practices and theology.
[1] http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/te-ua-haumene
[2] http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/te-ua-haumene
Wesleyan Mission
The Wesleyan Missionary Society was established in New Zealand in June 1823 in Whangaroa. Samuel Leigh, a Methodist minister, visited New Zealand in 1818 on a return trip to England where he proposed he should be sent to establish a missionary settlement. He returned in 1822 along with William White, Luke Wade and James Stack, who joined Leigh in 1823, and later Nathaniel Turner and John Hobbs. They established Wesleydale, a Wesleyan mission station at Kaeo, near Whangaroa Harbour. Their mission was “to propose the gospel in its simplest and most explicit truths, as an undoubted revelation from God.”[3] The men aimed to immerse themselves in traditional Maori culture, learning their language, agriculture and labour. Shortly after Maori sacked the mission in 1827, they relocated to Hokianga in 1828, founding a station at Mangungu.
[3] http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/missions/page-3
The Wesleyan Missionary Society was established in New Zealand in June 1823 in Whangaroa. Samuel Leigh, a Methodist minister, visited New Zealand in 1818 on a return trip to England where he proposed he should be sent to establish a missionary settlement. He returned in 1822 along with William White, Luke Wade and James Stack, who joined Leigh in 1823, and later Nathaniel Turner and John Hobbs. They established Wesleydale, a Wesleyan mission station at Kaeo, near Whangaroa Harbour. Their mission was “to propose the gospel in its simplest and most explicit truths, as an undoubted revelation from God.”[3] The men aimed to immerse themselves in traditional Maori culture, learning their language, agriculture and labour. Shortly after Maori sacked the mission in 1827, they relocated to Hokianga in 1828, founding a station at Mangungu.
[3] http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/missions/page-3