IWI / HAPU AFFILIATIONS
Topeora was a chiefly woman of the Ngāti Toa Rangitira iwi and was born in
Kawhia. She joined the southern migration by Ngāti Toa and
other iwi to Kapiti Island and the nearby Cook Strait coast.
Her uncle, the chief, Te Rauparaha, led this migration in about
1820. She was a direct descendant of Hoturoa, rangatira of the Tainui waka, which came
from Hawaiki during the great migration. Her mother was
Waitohi, Te Rauparaha's sister and her father, Te Rakaherea.
Known to have had four marriages and many other relationships,
she had one son, Matene Te Whiwhi, who became chief of both the
Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa iwi. She also had a daughter,
Rakapa Kahoki, who was a 'notable composer' taking after her
mother, whose waiata are still sung today. 1 As well as love songs and those
with historical references, Topeora composed 'perfectly diabolical
cursing songs' directed at her enemies.2 She fought in many battles and
was a noted orator who sought and was given the right to speak at
meetings.
Topeora called herself Kuini Wikitoria (Queen Victoria) and her
husband, Arapeta (Albert) when she was christened by Bishop Selwyn
in the 1840s.3 Topeora was one
of only five women to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, which she did at
Kapiti on 14 May 1840.4
In Lindauer's portrait, Topeora wears multiple
pounamu heitiki denoting the
high regard with which she was held by her people. The
portrait is taken from a photograph by Edward Smallwood Richards
(1834-1917) and shows the sitter wearing feathers from the
now-extinct huia bird in her hair and a kaitaka
korowai
(flax cloak).
CM
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