In Memory of Rewi's Last Stand

It was a cold winter day, pouring with rain when I pulled into the small South Waikato town of Kihikihi during my recent North Island travels. This is where I discovered the memorial to Rewi Manga Maniapoto (c 1815-1894) - a memorial that he in fact supervised during its construction before his death.

Rewi Maniapoto was born to the Ngati Paretekawa hapu of Ngati Maniapoto in the early 19th century. He was educated at the Wesleyan Mission Station, Te Kopua and much later, he was widely respected for his knowledge, oratory, leadership and military skills. During the British Invasion of the Waikato in 1863-64, around 1,100 British troops attacked Rewi Maniapoto's base at Orakau Pa and he and around 300 followers, resisted any form of surrender for three days. Despite being surrounded by british, manymaori escaped into the bush. This event became known as Rewi's last stand.

After the siege, Rewi's prestige rose among Pakeha and several years later (1879), he was given a hero's welcome in Auckland, followed by the construction of this public monument in Kihikihi, which he himself supervised. A plaque on the monument states that Governor George Grey proposed that "Warrior Chief Rewi Maniapoto live at Kihikihi as a gesture of Maori and Pakeha unity. "Rewi, let us plant our tree of peace at Kihikihi in the midst of our children and when this tree bears fruit our children, both Maori and Pakeha, can help themselves," Grey said at Waitara in 1878.

The monument honouring Rewi Maniapoto was unveiled at Kihikihi in April 1894 and he died two months later. After a great tangi (funeral), he was buried at the foot of the memorial.

Architectural Details

Traditional Carvings

Etched Glass

Architectural Details

Old and New

Waikato, North Island

Making an Entrance

Ngaruawahia, Waikato. April 2009. Ajr

A week or so ago, I worte a post about the spectacular Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia, near Hamilton in the Waikato. (Click on Turangawaewae in the label line below this post to read a little about the Marae's history). I was SO impressed by the marae gates that I spent some time photographing them. You'll see the main ceremonial gate in my previous post. This is another entrance further along the complex. Every one of them a work of art!

Turangawaewae - An Historic House

Ngaruawahia, Waikato. April 2009. Ajr
I was deeply surprised when I came upon Turangawaewae House in centre of the little Waikato town of Ngaruawahia last month – surprised that, as a Waikato girl myself, I had never seen it before; and surprised for the startling combination of Pakeha architecture with Maori embellishment. Listed as a Historic Places Trust Category 1 property, it sits just off the main State Highway, surrounded by residential homes. It was built over a seven year period from 1912-1919 as a kauhanganui, or parliament building for the Maori King Movement, or Kingitanga Movement as it is also known. Kingitanga was founded in the 1850s and was made up of a federation of tribes who opposed the British and the growing spread of colonial settlement in the Waikato and beyond.

April 2009 Ajr
The building itself was designed by the Hamilton architectural firm, Warren and Blechynden, combining Maori and Pakeha design elements and cultural traditions. Broadly Arts and Crafts in architectural style, it includes a stunning painted door and handsome carvings by Te Motu Heta on the porch and gables – and let’s not forget the cute little guy holding up the chimney. The inside was (apparently, for I never saw) beautifully painted and featured a throne. The building though – as beautiful as it is – was rarely used for any parliamentary gatherings and by 1920, it became the meeting place for the planning of the much bigger, more traditional and even more elaborate Turangawaewae Marae, which was built on the other side of the Waikato River and eventually took over as the focus of Maori political and social activity in the region.

Ngaruawahia, Waikato. April 2009 Ajr
Turangawaewae House has since been used as a health clinic and as home to the Maori Land Court. I couldn’t quite establish if it has a current purpose beyond being a beautiful, historical reminder an important period of Maori history in New Zealand. PS. I loved the gates too. www.historic.org.nz

Waikato Boatshed

Ngaruawahia, Waikato River. April 2009 Ajr

I had to stop and take a photograph of this cool boatshed on the banks of the moody Waikato River at Ngaruawahia on my way to Auckland a week or so ago. It's an imposing sight - although my less-than-excellent photographs tend to make it look a little like a movie set facade unfortunately.