NOTED MAORI CHIEF

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 June 1939, Page 5

NOTED MAORI CHIEF

DEATH OF MR T. T. TE TALI INCIDENTS OF AN INTERESTING CAREER. FATHER'S (’ART TN HISTORICAL EVENTS. The death occurred at the Masterton Hospital yesterday morning of Mr Taiawhio Tikawenga Te Tau, a well known and highly respected chief of tl\e Ngati Kahungunu tribe (Wairarapa), and of the Tumupuhia and Hinepare subtribes. The late Mr Te Tau, who was born in the Wairarapa in 1860, was'the direct descendant of famous chiefs of these tribes. His father. Tikawenga Te Tau, in 1860, selected a number of Maoris in the Wairarapa and proceeded to Taranaki, where, at that time, the Maoris of that district were in a very troubled and warlike state with the Europeans, and with his party of chiefs he tried to bring about peace. During his visit there war broke out between the Hau Haus and the Europeans. In the same year Tikawenga Te Tau visited, besides Taranaki, the Waikato and Hawke’s Bay’ districts, and it was during these travels that Taiawhio Te Tau was born, his.name meaning a long and roundabout journey. In 1878, Taiawhio married Makere Kingi, daughter of Chief Wiremu Kingi Tutepakihirangi, of the. Ngati Moretu tribe, Lower Wairarapa, who bore him two sons (both now deceased) before she died. In 1869, when the then Duke of Edinburgh visited the Wairarapa to meet the Maori people, he presented a flag to the natives. Tikawenga Te Tau and Wi Paraone were appointed by the Maoris to receive the flag on their behalf. The flag was named by the Duke as “Wairarapa No. 1.” In making the presentation the Duke expressed the hope that the dark clouds of war would never come over the Maoris of the Wairarapa. which was the only part of the North Island that had been free of bloodshed, or, in fact, would again be seen in other parts of New Zealand. As the sun shone brightly that day. so he honed that the sun would never darken in their relations with the Europeans. Later, during the height of the trouble with the Hau Haus, Tikawenga again toured the North Island and took with him the flag that the Duke had presented and a Bible, preaching- to the people and asking them to give up fighting and to embrace Christianity. He visited Te Kooti in his retreat in the North Waikato. Te Kooti was _ still fighting, and Tikawenga asked him to lay down his sword. Strange to say, Te Kooti did so. Tikawenga walked up to him and placed on him a beautiful feather cloak and a huia feather on his head. Te Kooti said that his sword was laid down, never more to be raised against Europeans. Tikawenga died in the Wairarapa in 1885, deeply mourned by his people and beloved by all Europeans. Tn 1894 Taiawhio Te Tau was married at the Maori Anglican Church at Puketeraki, Dunedin, to Pan! Parata (fourth daughter of the late Hon. Tane Parata, M.L.C.). by whom he is survived, besides two daughters, Mesaames R. C. Parata and Q. Parata (Dunedin), one,son, Mr Richard John Seddon Te Tau (Otago), anti a grandson. Mr Leslie Taiawhio Te Tau (Hastings). Taiawhio was one of two chosen to represent the Wairarapa in a party of 25 chiefsand chiefs’ descendants which formed the Maori contingent that visited England for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. On that occasion ho was presented with a medal by the then Prince of Wales (the late King Edward VII). On behalf of the Maoris Taiawhio made several gifts to the Royal Family. He was the founder of the Wairarapa Maori Mounted Rifles, which were in charge of Captains C. J. Jury (Greytown) and Rimene (Te Orc Ore). During the visit to New Zealand of the Duke and Duchess of York (the late King George V. and Queen Mary), he was selected as a member of the party I that rode overland from lhe Wairarapa I to Rotorua to take part in the Maori I welcome there. He had a great love for horses, and at one lime owned some very fine racers and trotters. The late Mr Te Tau lived in the South Island, Ratana, Wanganui, and in the Wairarapa. He took ill recently at Ratana. and had been in the hospital in Masterton for lhe past two weeks.

The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock, leaving the Te Ore Ore Meeting House for the Te Ore Ore Native Cemetery.