Wi Tako Ngatata

 

Ngati Ruanui, Te Ati Awa

Iwi map - Wi Tako NgatataIWI / HAPU AFFILIATIONS

Wiremu Tako Ngatata was born around 1815 at Pukeariki pa in Taranaki. His father was Ngatata-i-te-rangi of Te Ati Awa and his mother Whetowheto of Ngati Ruanui. Wi Tako Ngatata left Taranaki in 1832, moving permanently to the Wellington region with a grouping of his people. The transition was not smooth and his people came into conflict with iwi already established in the area. By 1840, Pakeha settlement disrupted and complicated occupational arrangements in the Wellington region.

In colonial terms, Wi Tako provided considerable assistance to the Crown in purchasing land for early settlers. By the 1860s the greater part of Wellington passed into the hands of settlers and the Colonial Government. In Māori terms land sales of Māori land were manipulated by the Crown with little understanding by Māori of the agreements being brokered by agents of the Crown.

In 1848, writing from his Ngauranga property, Wi Ngatata wrote to Donald McLean after hearing of hostility and prejudice by Pakeha toward Māori, he stated:

E kore au e pai kia utu, toku toto ki te paraikete ki te hoiho

Engari pea he toto mana waku toto

I will not agree to give my blood for a blanket or a horse

Except perhaps blood for blood [1]

Ngatata became one of the first Māori members of the Legislative Council in 1872. He died in 1887 aged over eighty years old. He had a 17-room home near Park Avenue in Lower Hutt and the homestead was named Te Mako for Te Mako pa at Te Taitai (Taita). Wiremu Tako Ngatata is buried in the Pito-one (Petone) cemetery, near Wellington.

NM

 

 


[1] MS Papers - 0032-0672c-08. Object #1031679 Letter from Witako to McLean (with translation), 1 Sept 1848

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Pito korero about Latest comments about Wi Tako Ngatata

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  • Jasmine Crawford - Te Ati Awa/Ngai Tahu

    At 9am on 15 August 2015

    This is my great grandfather x4. Wow, amazing to show my children this.

  • brad

    At 11am on 29 April 2014

    MY friends parents own a painting of this man. I have a copy..It is similar to the portrait above but he has a tie on and lindaur signed it on the bottom right.

  • The Loves - Te Atiawa, Ngati Te Whiti

    At 12pm on 18 April 2013

    This handsome Rangatira has many descendants and i am so very proud to be one of them. My greatgrandfather x3 Tena koe toku tupuna

  • kylei love - Te ati awa

    At 2pm on 25 May 2012

    this is my great koro 2.kylei love otaki

  • Miss Love - Ngati Te Whiti

    At 9pm on 29 November 2011

    This is my great great great grandfather.

  • shilo - AtiAwa

    At 5pm on 29 October 2011

    This is my great grandfather x five. I am so proud

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