Te Hira Te Kawau

Te Taou, Nga Oho, Ngāti Whatua (? - 1888)

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Tracing his descent to the Mahuhu waka, Te Hira Te Kawau was a high-born chief of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), who took part in many land sales with the Crown.

Te Hira Te Kawau lived most of his life at Okahu and was a rangatira of Ngāti Whatua.

His father was Apihai Te Kawau, who signed the Treaty of Waitangi on 20 March 1840 at Orakei,¹ and his mother was Kirepiro of Te Taou.

Te Hira is known mostly for his forming part of a small group of chiefs, including his father Apihai and his cousin Paora Tuhaere, described as 'leaders of the dominant groups within Ngati Whatua … [who] had the mana to decide what happened to most of the Ngati Whatua lands during these years'.² Upon the death of his father, the mantle of paramount chief of Ngāti Whatua went to Paora Tuhaere.³

Lindauer painted both Te Hira and Tuhaere, inscribing the reverse of Te Hira's portrait, 'Chief Hira te Kawau G Lindauer pinx 1874'. Te Hira wrote his name in the artist's notebook, one of the few remaining examples of his handwriting. The page is headed up 'For Mr Partridge' and appears as number 17, 'Hiroto te Kawau'.⁴ In addition, the portrait was one of those sent to the St Louis World's Fair in St Louis, Missouri in 1904.⁵

Ruby Kerei, Steven Oliver and Ani Pihema, 'Te Kawau, Apihai ? - 1869', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007, accessed 5 March 2010.
Paul Goldsmith and Michael Bassett, Puketutu and its People, (Auckland: David Ling, 2008), p 21.
Steven Oliver, 'Tuhaere, Paora ? - 1892', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007, accessed 5 March 2010.
Notebook of Gottfried Lindauer, MS X-3092, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington.
‘Louisiana Purchase Exposition’, Wikipedia – the Free Encyclopedia, accessed 28 January 2010.

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Contributed story - Te Hira Te Kawau contributed by Stella James on 17 July 2012

I have a letter written by my aunt, my mother's eldest sister, Violet Harwood, nee Wilkins, in which she says that Te Kawau te Hira was a brother to Te Whakaawa (my great great grandmother). Sarah te Whakaawa married William Nicholls on Matakana Island. Their children included my great-grandmother, Hariate (Charlotte) Smallman who married John Guilding, Joseph Harris Smallman and Alfred Stack. My grandmother was Lilian Matilda Smallman/Stack. If any one knows more about my history I would be delighted to speak with them.

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Pito korero about Latest comments about Te Hira Te Kawau

We welcome your comments on the portraits.

Digby Crompton - Ngati Porou

At 4pm on 26 June 2015

Can any one confirm that this is Apihai te kawau AND IF SO IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A PRINT
PARAU

At 10pm on 12 June 2014

Our ancestor Paora Parau was born in Rurutu and died in New Zealand in 1892. We don't confirm if he's the same person as Tuhaere. Our great great grandfather Paora Parau received his religious education in Tahiti by British Protestant Missionaries. Paora Parau was young judge of two districts, Teue (Tiarei) and Afaahiti (French Polynesia). In 1842, the French Protectorate forces him to return to his Kingdom of Rurutu, at 20 years. Since his Kingdom, he continued to visit the Islands under British Protectorate where lived his brothers, uncles, nephews, cousins, aunts etc.., North-West (Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands etc..), Hawaii and New Zealand. He was our King, he left Rurutu for the last time in 1866, and never returned. His son became King who presided over the inauguration of the Temple of Rurutu at age 14 years, in the presence of his mother in 1872.
Anonymous

At 10pm on 12 June 2014

Our ancestor Paora Parau was born in Rurutu and died in New Zealand in 1892. We don't confirm if he's the same person as Tuhaere. Our great great grandfather Paora Parau received his religious education in Tahiti by British Protestant Missionaries. Paora Parau was young judge of two districts, Teue (Tiarei) and Afaahiti (French Polynesia). In 1842, the French Protectorate forces him to return to his Kingdom of Rurutu, at 20 years. Since his Kingdom, he continued to visit the Islands under British Protectorate where lived his brothers, uncles, nephews, cousins, aunts etc.., North-West (Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands etc..), Hawaii and New Zealand. He was our King, he left Rurutu for the last time in 1866, and never returned. His son became King who presided over the inauguration of the Temple of Rurutu at 14 years, in the presence of his mother in 1872.
PARAU Tarita

At 11am on 2 June 2014

(I'm sorry, I made ??a mistake sending, here the good) Hi Titia Vaerua, I am a descendant of Paora Tu'are Parau. In response to your request Paora Parau and Paora Tuhaere is the same person. Compare his pictures when he was young and when he became old. It has the same tattoo. Do you have a family relationship with Paora Parau to the point of interested his story? We could discuss later. I know all my genealogy and my story. Best regards
PARAU Tarita

At 11am on 2 June 2014

Hi my name is Titia Vaerua. Im doing a research on Paora Tuhaere. Is he the same person as Paora Parau? I heard that he had issues who are in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. According to the informations that I have he had three wifes. The first one was Tara Paea and thay had four children. The second one was Mere Moroki Hine Hawe. They had one child by the name of Apia Epiha and the third marriage was to Tarepeta Ioane and they had fouf children. Hi Titia Vaerua, I am a descendant of Paora Tu'are Parau. In response to your request Paora Parau and Paora Tuhaere is the same person. Compare his pictures when he was young and when he became old. It has the same tattoo. Do you have a family relationship with Paora Parau to the point of interested in his story? We could discuss later. I know all my genealogy and my story.
Tiriwa watene - Te Taou

At 7pm on 4 May 2014

Tuperiri's 1st wife Hine te Wairoa begat Whakaariki.Whakaariki moe Kuraroa and begat Whatarangi.ok whanau,Tuperiri took Kuraroa,Whakaariki's 1st wife,his eldest and only son wife,for his 2nd wife and begat Tomoure,Paewhenua and Tarahawaiki.Back to Whatarangi who'm moe Waikohu and begat Tautari.Tautari moe Paea and begat Wiremu Watene.Wiremu Watene moe Kirihipini Ptaeoro and begat Taoho Watene.Taoho Watene moe Nga Hinehohua moki and begat Kiwara Taoho Watene.Kiwara Taoho Watene moe Iritana irimana Edmonds and begat Haki Taoho Watene.Haki Taoho Watene moe poutokomanawa Florence Waima Campell and begat Tiriwa Watene.ok whanau! back to Tarahawaiki moe Mokoroa and begat Herawhakamana and Apihai TeKauwau brother to Herawhakamana,she moe Hamiora Pateoro and begat Kirihipini Pateoro and Te Hira Pateoro.Kirihipni Pateoro moe Wiremu Watene. ok,Apihai Tekauwau moe Kiripiro and begat TeHira TeKauwau
Mereana - ngati korokoro

At 8pm on 24 November 2013

contact any time and this is also to shirlee simmons
Kathleen - Ngapuhi.

At 8am on 16 August 2013

I went to a salvation army store and saw this portrait of this Maori chief in the store and I thought to myself I am taking you home and I will find your family I live in Australia now and hav brought the portrait with me
Mereana - ngati korokoro

At 8pm on 20 June 2013

kia ora in regards to Mere Te Hira - you will find a picture of here at Pakanae Marae - Opononi - Pakanae Marae has a facebook
Titia Vaerua - Rarotonga

At 2pm on 3 April 2013

Hi my name is Titia Vaerua. Im doing a research on Paora Tuhaere. Is he the same person as Paora Parau? I heard that he had issues who are in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. According to the informations that I have he had three wifes. The first one was Tara Paea and thay had four children. The second one was Mere Moroki Hine Hawe. They had one child by the name of Apia Epiha and the third marriage was to Tarepeta Ioane and they had fouf children. The names could be mispelt but please if someone can correct me Ill be more than happy.
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