Kupapa

Kūpapa (also called Queenites, from Queen Victoria,loyalists and the friendly natives) were Māori who fought on the British side in the New Zealand Wars of the 19th century.

The motives of the kūpapa varied greatly, as did their degree of commitment to the British cause. Historian James Belich identified three categories of groups within their ranks.

At one end of the scale were kūpapa groups who had whole-hearted support for the British. These included the largest tribe in New Zealand Nga puhi, (estimated by demographer Ian Pool to have 40% of all Maori people in 1840) who held a meeting under their chief Waka Nene, in the Hokianga in 1863 to back the government in the war against the Waikato "rebels". Waka Nene, who was a close supporter of governor Grey, offered the services of Ngapuhi warriors, which Grey declined. It also included the bulk of the Arawa, from Rotorua and Bay of Plenty, who had become estranged from their Māori neighbours and sought an alliance with the government to survive in isolation. Others who were deeply committed were bands of warriors affiliated with chiefs such as Ropata Wahawaha of Ngāti Porou and Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui of Wanganui whose power in the tribe had grown because of their kūpapa activities.

A second category included groups who supported the British cause for a limited reason of their own—either to protect their economic activities with British settlers or to gain an advantage over local rivals. Belich suggests kūpapa involvement in the Battle of Moutoa on May 14, 1864, thwarting a Pai Mārire raid on Wanganui, was motivated by their desire to protect their valuable commercial dealings at the settlement.

A third category of kūpapa gave superficial support to the British, accompanying colonial expeditions but declining to do much fighting. Some in this category joined simply for the pay—Wanganui warriors who joined the British to battle Titokowaru during hostilities in 1868-9 received four shillings a day.

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