But rua needed money to develop the area, and was willing to sell a limited amount of land to the government in order to get the capital he needed. Black says the governments announcement on teaching history as part of the school curriculum is an important one. Sep 12, 2019 mist lifts as tuhoe prophet rua kenana signed 11 sep 2017 this past weekend in maungapohatu, the mist lifted was lifted for the descendants of rua kenana after a statutory pardon was signed for the famed tuhoe prophet. In the newspapers, rua was painted as a dangerous renegade and branded the maori kaiser. The prophet rua kenana and his community at maungapohatu by judith binney gillian chaplinbuy. All the charges against rua were dismissed, partly because, in his haste to apprehend the desperado, cullen conducted his operation on a sunday, in. He was a separatist leader and tuhoe prophet some would say a cult leader preaching a variant of the ringatu faith. Rua kenana, of ngai tuhoe, was born in 1868 or 1869. Mihaia the prophet rua kenana and his community at. Rua kenanas generation of tuhoe were the first to have extensive contact with pakeha, working as labourers for european farmers. Sep 14, 2019 rua was targeted, tamakaimoana kaumatua lenny mahururangi te kaawa told the tribunal, because he challenged the mana of the crown. Rua tapunui kenana 18691937 was a maori prophet, faith healer and land rights activist.
This exposure to pakeha standards of living brought into contrast the deep poverty of maori, but it also gave the prophet a good understanding of pakeha skills and ideas, some of which he adopted. After 103 years nga toenga o nga tamariki a iharaira me nga uri o maungapohatu charitable trust have cleared the name of their tupuna rua kenana. Rua kenana, sometimes known as ruatapunui, has usually been considered to be the posthumous son of kenana tumoana of ngati kahungunu, who was killed fighting for te kooti arikirangi te turuki at makaretu sometime between november 1868 and january 1869. The author learned much about using plants and trees to make medicines from ngapuhi kaumatua many years ago. Rua kenana rua kenana was a maori prophet who led the tuhoe people at a time when their land in the urewera ranges was threatened by prospecting and milling. A new biography of rua kenana hepetipa appears in the dictionary of new zealand biography on this site. Rua was targeted, tamakaimoana kaumatua lenny mahururangi te kaawa told the tribunal, because he challenged the mana of the crown. The prophet rua kenana and his community at maungapohatu. Mihaia traces the life of rua kenanas community in te urewera through to the. In 1916 he was arrested for sedition for his opposition to maori conscription in the first world war. The great maori anarchist who looks like bob marley.
He called himself te mihaia hou, the new messiah, and claimed to be te kooti arikirangi s successor hepetipa hephzibah who would reclaim tuhoe land that had been lost to pakeha ownership. The pardoning of rua kenana pacifist and prophet rnz. Syndetics book cover the prophet and the policeman. For readers who know her most through her published monographs on figures such as rua kenana and te kooti, or her continuing dialogues about the histories of tuhoe and the urewera, these essays will be new and diverse, covering the spectrum of binneys scholarship since the mid1960s.
A history presents a rich narrative of the maori past from ancient. History made and remade, bronwyn dalley new zealand. There is no better way to learn about our ancestors and history than to go. The notoriety of ruas arrest was extended by his supreme court trial, the longest in new zealands legal history until 1977. I ruas cult had received very little scholarly attention prior to the appearance of two books, researched independently but both published in 1979. Mihaia the prophet rua kenana and his community at maungapohatu.
Police lies were compounded by maori perjury, directed by the defence counsel, jerry lundon, in a misguided attempt to name mounted constable arthur skinner guilty of firing the first shot. Death of rua kenana anarchist history of new zealand. Tuhoe prophet rua kenana pardoned by the crown nz herald. Mar 01, 2011 for readers who know her most through her published monographs on figures such as rua kenana and te kooti, or her continuing dialogues about the histories of tuhoe and the urewera, these essays will be new and diverse, covering the spectrum of binneys scholarship since the mid1960s. Sep 30, 2019 the charges could not be sustained, and rua was imprisoned for 18 months with hard labour at mount eden prison, for resisting arrest. Mihaia the prophet rua kenana and his community at maungapohatu, a book written by judith binney, gillian chaplin and craig wallace with blessing of tuhoe elders. This year, for the first time in the 150year saga of parihaka, the government is preparing to apologise for one of new zealand historys most deplorable acts. Maungapohatu is a settlement in the bay of plenty region of new zealands north island.
Rua kenana hepetipa or rua kenana hepetipa 18691937 was a maori prophet, faith healer. He called himself te mihaia hou, the new messiah, and claimed to be te kooti arikirangis successor hepetipa hephzibah who would reclaim tuhoe land that had been lost to pakeha ownership. Ruas paternity has been questioned within his family, as has his statement that he was born at maungapohatu. This was 100% of all the recorded kenanas in the usa. The prophet rua kenana and his community at maungagobatu 9781869401481. Rua was born in 1869 at maungapohatu in the urewera country. As a unique part of new zealands social history the millennial movements of the maori make up a fascinating story, none more so that the story of rua kenana and his isolated community at maungapohatu. Historical records and family trees related to rua kenana. Hohepa keropa, rua kenana and maungapohatu authors. She was the author of numerous books of new zealand history, many with a focus on maori individuals and communities. The prophet rua kenana and his community at maungapohatu wellington. New zealand historian, writer and emeritus professor of history at the university of auckland. He was the posthumous son of kenana tumoana, who was killed at makaretu in november 1868 while fighting for te kooti, and of ngahiwi te rihi.
He established a community in the heart of the ureweras at maungapohatu, the sacred mountain of ngai tuhoe, as a response to ongoing land confiscations and. After 103 years nga toenga o nga tamariki a iharaira me nga uri o maungapohatu charitable trust have cleared the name of their tupuna rua kenana of a criminal conviction in 1916. Rua kenana was one of many maori prophetic leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries. There is no better way to learn about our ancestors and history than to go back to our marae and family to ask the questions. His trial was one of the longest in new zealands legal history. He called himself te mihaia hou, the new messiah, and was the leader of a section of the tuhoe at a time when their land, the urewera country was threatened by possible prospecting and milling. Rua kenana was an extraordinary prophetic leader from the urewera. Our koro rua kenana was one of many maori prophetic leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1880 there was 1 kenana family living in pennsylvania. Apr 18, 2020 rua kenana claimed to be the successor that te kooti had much earlier prophesied. Mihaia, judith binney gillian chaplin shop online for books in. Resisting threats to expel the tuhoe people from their ancestral lands, he established a remarkable community at maungapohatu, identifying himself as the mihaia or messiah for tuhoe.
Legislation to pardon tuhoe prophet rua kenana in parliament. By 1907 around 600 followers were living there with. Mihaia, judith binney gillian chaplin shop online for books. Ruas trial took 47 days, the longest in new zealand legal history a record it held until 1977. On that day, 70 armed police went to maungapohatu a sacred mountain in the ureweras to arrest kenana and in a gun battle killed his son, toko rua, and te maipi te whiu. As a multiauthored work it varies greatly in the scope and quality of the chapters. The charges could not be sustained, and rua was imprisoned for 18 months with hard labour at mount eden prison, for resisting arrest. Despite the fact that rua s community had called itself te maungarongo, the people of lasting peace, rua and his followers were suspected of treasonous intent. An official pardon for tuhoe prophet and leader rua kenana is one step closer after the te pire kia unuhia te hara kai runga i a rua kenana. It looks at both rua and his people, in the community at maungapohatu in the urewera. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Crown rights historic wrong in urewera arrest of rua kenana.
Rua tapunui kenana 18691937 maori prophet, faith healer and land rights activist. He called himself te mihaia hou, the new messiah, and was the leader of a section of the tuhoe at a time when their land, the urewera country, was threatened by possible prospecting and milling. Rua had named his community te maungarongo, the people of lasting peace, but the community never recovered from his incarceration and the crippling costs associated with the trial. Rua kenana claimed to be the successor that te kooti had much earlier prophesied. This huge book some 900 pages was commissioned by the kenana sugar company and includes chapters on the land, people, history and economy of the sudan. Rua kenana historical records and family trees myheritage. As a unique part of new zealands social history the millennial movements of the maori make up a. Judith binney is associate professor of history at auckland university. In his twenties rua worked as a laborer around gisborne.
Judith binney, dcnzm, frsnz, fnzah, was born in australia in 1940 and educated at auckland university, where she became emeritus professor of history. These maoris really showed the world and they were on their way to having their own nation. You can see how kenana families moved over time by selecting different census years. Judith binney, gillian chaplin and craig wallace researched the history of the. Mist lifts as tuhoe prophet rua kenana signed 11 sep 2017 this past weekend in maungapohatu, the mist lifted was lifted for the descendants of rua kenana after a statutory pardon was signed for the famed tuhoe prophet. Mihaia traces the life of rua kenanas community in te urewera through to the police assault of 1916, and then onwards to the 1930s. This book is a history of rua and his people, of the destruction of their community by the government during the first world war, and of the struggle to start all over again. Records may include photos, original documents, family history, relatives, specific dates, locations and full names. Rua kenana hepetipa or rua kenana hepetipa 18691937 was a maori prophet, faith healer and land rights activist. It was great to revisit this book which i had originally read as part of my university studies in social anthropology in the 1980s.
Pennsylvania had the highest population of kenana families in 1880. Early in the 20th century, rua kenana founded a religious community at the foot of maungapohatu, a mountain sacred to tuhoe in the heart of the urewera region. He set about building a thriving community at maungapohatu. The arrest of prophet and leader rua kenana at his community in maungapohatu in 1916 festers in tuhoes historical memory. Mihaia is an historical study with over 200 pages of photographs, facts and whakapapa. Hohepa keropa, rua kenana and maungapohatu this is the final work in the trilogy dealing with the great tuhoe tohunga hohepa kereopa. Highly recommended mihaia the book a maori television news clip detailing the centenary commemoration of the police invasion of maungapohatu and ruas arrest in 1916. Oxford university press, 1979, tell the story of the move. The kenana family name was found in the usa in 1880. Rua served 18 months imprisonment in mt eden prison. Rua kenana is a fascinating character in new zealand history.
Located in a remote area of the urewera bush country about 20 kilometres 12 mi north of lake waikaremoana, it was founded by rua tapunui kenana in 1907 and was substantially rebuilt twice during the next two decades. All the charges against rua were dismissed, partly because, in his haste to apprehend the desperado, cullen conducted his operation on a sunday, in breach of the lords day observance act. Rua kenana was a tuhoe prophet who set up a community at maungapohatu in the urewera mountains. Her work focussed primarily on religion in new zealand, especially the maori ringatu religion founded by te kooti arikirangi te turuki and continued by rua kenana. The prophet rua kenana and his community at maungagobatu. History rectified rua kenana to be pardoned scoop news. In 1916 he was arrested for sedition for his opposition. This is the final work in the trilogy dealing with the great tuhoe tohunga hohepa kereopa. She also wrote extensively on the history of ngai tuhoe. By his charisma and bible wielding, kenana created a settlement called new jerusalem in the urewera ranges. In the rua kenana pardon bill, the crown acknowledges that it broke the law trampled on it and seeks to reinstate ruas mana, and that of his descendants. When te kooti died in 1893 he claimed to be the successor named hepetipa hephzibah whom te kooti had prophesied would complete his work by regaining the land. The prophet rua kenana and his community at maungapohatu, 2020.
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