Te Rangitopeora of Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa
On 14 May 1840, Henry Williams, who was travelling aboard the Ariel, held a Tiriti hui at Kāpiti Island (www.flickr.com/photos/archivesnz/16291709859). His main task was to secure the signature of paramount Ngāti Toa rangatira, Te Rauparaha. William Hobson believed his signature and mana would help gather further signatures in the region.
When Williams arrived at Kāpiti Island he was already familiar with the local tangata whenua, as a few months earlier Williams had helped set up the Mission Station at Ōtaki. Four rangatira representing Kāpiti whanau signed the Cook Strait sheet during the hui: Te Rauparaha, his son Tamihana Te Rauparaha, Matene Te Whiwhi, and a woman of considerable mana, Te Rangitopeora. You can see their signatures here: www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/interactive/henry-williams-tre...
Te Rangitopeora of Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa, was the niece of Te Rauparaha, sister of Te Rangihaeta, aunt of Tamihana, and the mother of Matene. As a young woman she was a famous composer of waiata, and many of her songs are still sung today. In the early 1820s she migrated south to Kāpiti Island and adjacent mainland districts with her people, to escape the growing conflict with other Waikato tribes. Her actions during this turbulent migration, and once her people arrived in the south, marked her as a leader and a woman of great strength. Her mana was such that she became known as the Queen of the South.
A full biography of Te Rangitopeora can be found at www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1t103/topeora-rangi-te-k...
This photograph is of a painting of Te Rangitopeora, as depicted by the artist Gottfried Lindauer. It comes from a collection of his work in the Patent and Copyright records. More on Lindauer’s work can be found at www.lindaueronline.co.nz/
Archives Reference: AEGA 18982 PC4 Box 38/ 1913/18.
This record is part of #Waitangi175, celebrating 175 years since the signing of of te Tiriti o Waitangi. You can see other real time tweets on Twitter (twitter.com/ArchivesNZ), or explore the Waitangi 175 album here on Flickr.
Caption information from www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/rangi-kuini-wikitoria-topeora
Material supplied by Archives New Zealand
Te Rangitopeora of Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa
On 14 May 1840, Henry Williams, who was travelling aboard the Ariel, held a Tiriti hui at Kāpiti Island (www.flickr.com/photos/archivesnz/16291709859). His main task was to secure the signature of paramount Ngāti Toa rangatira, Te Rauparaha. William Hobson believed his signature and mana would help gather further signatures in the region.
When Williams arrived at Kāpiti Island he was already familiar with the local tangata whenua, as a few months earlier Williams had helped set up the Mission Station at Ōtaki. Four rangatira representing Kāpiti whanau signed the Cook Strait sheet during the hui: Te Rauparaha, his son Tamihana Te Rauparaha, Matene Te Whiwhi, and a woman of considerable mana, Te Rangitopeora. You can see their signatures here: www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/interactive/henry-williams-tre...
Te Rangitopeora of Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa, was the niece of Te Rauparaha, sister of Te Rangihaeta, aunt of Tamihana, and the mother of Matene. As a young woman she was a famous composer of waiata, and many of her songs are still sung today. In the early 1820s she migrated south to Kāpiti Island and adjacent mainland districts with her people, to escape the growing conflict with other Waikato tribes. Her actions during this turbulent migration, and once her people arrived in the south, marked her as a leader and a woman of great strength. Her mana was such that she became known as the Queen of the South.
A full biography of Te Rangitopeora can be found at www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1t103/topeora-rangi-te-k...
This photograph is of a painting of Te Rangitopeora, as depicted by the artist Gottfried Lindauer. It comes from a collection of his work in the Patent and Copyright records. More on Lindauer’s work can be found at www.lindaueronline.co.nz/
Archives Reference: AEGA 18982 PC4 Box 38/ 1913/18.
This record is part of #Waitangi175, celebrating 175 years since the signing of of te Tiriti o Waitangi. You can see other real time tweets on Twitter (twitter.com/ArchivesNZ), or explore the Waitangi 175 album here on Flickr.
Caption information from www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/rangi-kuini-wikitoria-topeora
Material supplied by Archives New Zealand