Whakaahua MāoriMāori Portraits

Kewene Te Haho

oil on canvas
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
gift of Mr H E Partridge, 1915
1915/2/17

oil on canvas Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki gift of Mr H E Partridge, 1915 1915/2/17

Kewene Te Haho

 

Ngāti Naho, Ngāti Haua, Ngāti Whawhakia

Iwi map - Kewene Te HahoIWI / HAPU AFFILIATIONS

Reputed to be nearly 90 at his death, Kewene Te Haho is reported in the West Coast Times as having died in July 1902 at his home at Te Makaka on the shores of Aotea harbour.1 Makaka was a Wesleyan outpost.2 A newspaper account estimates Kewene was born around 1813. He fought in the 1830 Taumatawiwi3 battle between Te Waharoa of Tainui and Ngāti Maru of Hauraki. Between 1835-6 Kewene Te Haho accompanied Te Waharoa on a fighting excursion to Rotorua and Maketu.4

Kewene Te Haho's son Ratapu Kewene signed the Māori Visitors' Book at the Lindauer Art Gallery on 31 January 1902 and acknowledged his father.

This portrait was exhibited at the St Louis World's Fair in 1904. A similar portrait is held in the collection of the Waikato Museum and Art Gallery.5

 

NM

  1. ‘Death of a Noted Maori Chief’, West Coast Times, issue 12264, 22 July 1902, p 3, Papers Past, accessed 25 February 2010.
  2. Ven. C. J. Abraham, Journal of a Walk with the Bishop of New Zealand, from Auckland to Taranaki in August 1855 (London: Society for the Propogation of the Gospel, 1856),http://anglicanhistory.org/nz/abraham_walk1856.html
  3. Taumatawiwi is at Maungatautari, 2km south of present-day Karapiro domain. http://www.cambridgemuseum.org.nz/Archaeological/archsites.htm
  4. 'News and Notes', Hawera & Normanby Star, Rōrahi XLII, Putanga 7523, 25 Hōngongoi 1902, p 2, Papers Past, accessed 25 February 2010
  5. ‘Louisiana Purchase Exposition’, Wikipedia – the Free Encyclopedia, accessed 28 January 2010.
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    Contributed story - Kewene Te Haho contributed by Moana Heimberg on 17 July 2012

    I am a direct descendant of Kewene Te Haho through his daughter Raihi Miraka of Aotea (Great Barrier Island).

    I noticed on the comment section that someone had purchased a copy of this portrait in a second hand shop in Zurich.  My father is Swiss and I was raised in Switzerland... and I would be very interested in meeting the person who purchased this portrait.

    I have been returning to New Zealand for the past few years to explore what our family could do with our land holdings on the Great Barrier Island.  I'm starting to get a sense of what my ancestor would have wanted his descendants in today's world.  His strength and that of his daughter Raihi Miraka continue to guide us on our path to accepting the responsibilities we carry as tribal members in today's world.  

    We are all of mixed blood but the Maori heritage compels us to return to our land and unlock the mysteries is holds.  It is my deepest desire to find solutions to the problems we face with today's political realities and I sense our ancestor's strong commitment to family is guiding us to make the right choices.

    Malibu, California

    Read full story | View
Waiho mai he paku kōrero Leave a comment

Pito korero about Latest comments about Kewene Te Haho

We welcome your comments on the portraits.

  • Anonymous

    At 10am on 27 July 2015

    Kia ora my son has moved into this Whare this potrait was left there I wondered where can this chief come from so thanks to internet have found this information which is so helpful the portrait is a copy but at the back it has the original frame seal it was made by Spooners or could be shooners of Auckland has name caligraphered writing of Kewene Te Haho than A New Zealand Maori Chief down below. It makes me more Intriged to learn more!

  • Anonymous

    At 1pm on 15 June 2015

    I have a small copy of this print that my late father had in his office and decided to do an internet search on it. Its nice to see the original which has much better colour than my dads 50yr old print!

  • Anonymous

    At 4pm on 11 March 2013

    Have noticed a print in frame being sold On trademe. Look up (swatra) under members to view. Tday date 11-03-2013

  • Corrina kavea - Nga Uri O Whawahakia

    At 11am on 3 December 2012

    I love to see portraits of my tupuna, we are so blessed that these talented artist have had the ability to capture the images of our cheifs and cheiftieness. What a lovely experience,

  • Roy / Angela McWatters - Waikato/Ngati Po

    At 8pm on 13 October 2012

    Hi there we have a oil painting of Te Haho Kewene holding a taiaha. The painting is on velvet. The artist is R Wilkinson

  • Kaz M Lord

    At 3pm on 7 October 2012

    have also got picture bought because likened to Goldies portraits of which I have framed copies. am ex pakeha kiwi - born and breed Mt Maunganui but lived in Aust since 1971. What tribe/family was he from? printing destroyed and only says "Ngati ..... Waikato" dots represent 4-5 letters Thx KAZ

  • Catherine Hammond, Auckland Art Gallery Research Library Manager

    At 1pm on 1 June 2012

    Kia ora Moana, please contact reproductions@aucklandartgallery.govt.nz to request an image of this portrait.

  • Moana Heimberg

    At 5am on 25 May 2012

    I am descendant of Kewene Te Haho through his daughter Raihi Miraka of Aotea. Is it possible to get a copy of this portrait?

  • Ngaroma Dennis

    At 8pm on 22 May 2012

    I also have a copy of this print. It was given to me by the late Ru Kewene of Mangere Bridge. I have it with me in Bahrain - it is of very very sentimnental value and no price would ever cover it.

  • Anonymous

    At 1am on 16 February 2012

    hello do you know if there were any other copies of this portrait made? and if so would they be worth anything?

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