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Te whakatuwheratanga o Te Tumu Herenga Waka : 6 Tihema 1986, Poneke, Te Whare Wananga o Wikitoria

11b. TE UA HAUMENE

11b. TE UA HAUMENE

11b TE UA; MATENE/HEPANAIA

11b TE UA; MATENE/HEPANAIA

Te Ua Horopapera Haumene, the top figure on this poupou, was the founder of the Hauhau or Pai-marire religion. This religion was formed in the early 1860's after Te Ua was "visited" by a series of atua including the angel Gabriel. The lower figures are Matene Rangitauira and Hepanaia Kapewhiti, Te Ua's two disciples.

The events concerning the formation of the Pai-marire religion are well documented. Apparently Te Ua was a peaceful man who was first noticed when he tried to convince members of his tribe not to loot the wreck of a steamer, the Lord Worsley, off the Taranaki coast. This advice went unheeded. Shortly after this, Te Ua was accused of assaulting another man's wife. He was bound hand and foot by the husband of the offended woman and as Te Ua was lying in this state, he was visited by the angels Gabriel and Michael, who it was said, had come from the Lord Worsley wreck. At Gabriel's instructions, Te Ua burst free of his bonds. Te Ua's captor bound him again, but again Te Ua burst free.

This story was widely spread amongst the Maori people of Taranaki and Te Ua gained fame as a prophet.

The early 1860's in Taranaki had been particularly turbulent for Maori people. There had been sporadic but intense fighting with the European militia and constabulary which resulted in the confiscation of 1,275,000,000 acres of Maori land. Many Maori people responded by turning to the Pai-Marire religion.

The centre of worship was the "niu pole" which was a flag pole rigged up like a ship's mast. The faithful gathered around this to chant karakia. At these meetings, the sign of the up-raised hand or "ringa-tu" was adopted. When Pai-marire warriors went to battle, they used this sign and shouted — "Hapa! Pai-marire, hau!" Thus they were referred to as "Hauhau warriors". The sign of the up-raised hand was later used by Te Kooti Rikirangi when he formed the Ringa-tu church, (see 10b).