Hōne Heke

Hōne Wiremu Heke Pōkai (c. 1807/1808 – 7 August 1850), born Heke Pōkai and later often referred to as Hōne Heke, was a highly influential Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) and a war leader in Northern New Zealand; he was also affiliated with the Ngati Rahiri, Ngai Tawake, Ngati Tautahi, Te Matarahurahu and Te Uri-o-Hua hapu (subtribe) of the Ngāpuhi. Hōne Heke was a nephew of Hongi Hika, an earlier war leader of the Ngāpuhi, and fought with Hongi Hika in the Musket Wars. Hōne Heke is considered the principal instigator of the Flagstaff War in 1845–46.

He was born at Pakaraka, south of Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands, in 1807 or 1808. His father was Tupanapana and his mother Te Kona. He was named Heke Pōkai, after his mother's brother Pokaia. He grew up in the Kaikohe area. As a youth, he attended the Church Missionary Society school at Kerikeri in 1824 and 1825 and came under the influence of the missionary Henry Williams. Subsequently he, his first wife Ono (daughter of Te Pahi) and their two infant children were converted to Christianity. He and his wife were baptised on 9 August 1835, Heke Pōkai taking the Christian names Hoani or Hōne and Wiremu, and Ono taking the name Riria (Lydia). Hōne Heke became a lay preacher in the Anglican church. Riria and the children died soon after and Heke married Hariata (Harriet) Rongo, daughter of Hongi Hika, in the Kerikeri chapel on 30 March 1837.

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