Rewi Maniapoto

Rewi Manga Maniapoto (1807–1894) was a Ngāti Maniapoto chief who led rebel Kīngitanga forces during the New Zealand government Invasion of Waikato during the New Zealand Wars.

Rewi, or Manga as he was known to his kin, was the child of Paraheke (Te Kore) and Te Ngohi. His mother Paraheke was from Ngati Raukawa with close connections to Ngati Kaputuhi. His father Te Ngohi, also known as Kawhia, was a renowned fighting chief of Ngāti Paretekawa a sub-hapu of Ngati Apakura and was a signatory to the Treaty of Waitangi, one of five chiefs from Maniapoto who signed.

As a young man he accompanied his father on attacks in Taranaki during the long running, inter tribal, musket wars. He gave protection to the missionary Morgan who moved into his rohe in 1841. He became friendly with Catholic missionaries who also settled in the area. He was educated by Wesleyan missionaries and became literate and welcomed the development of his rohe into a productive European style farming community with the planting of wheat, the establishment of several flour mills, and the mass planting of fruit trees. The missionaries, together with the government, initially financed the mills and arranged for European millers to settle and produce flour. The missionaries built a trade school in Te Awamutu to teach literacy and practical skills such as making and repairing agricultural tools.

Conflict rose between competing Waikato iwi in the Te Awamutu area over long contested land. Ngati Maniapoto were jealous of the attention given to Ngati Mahuta and Ngati Raukawa who had acquired European knowledge and goods. Initially only a few acres were sold to settlers. Later 800 acres was sold for the trade school and its food supply.Tensions simmered verging on open war. Ngati Mahuta were intimidated by Maniapoto and promised not to sell any more land.Throughout this period Rewi Maniapoto was the tribal chief.

The core of Ngati Mahuta then moved out of the area in 1849 to settle on land in Mangere provided for them by the government to guard Auckland from an attack from the south. This event demonstrates the character of the redoubtable Rewi, as Te Wherowhero was a great warrior chief not to be trifled with. During the 1850s he became influenced by Maori who wanted greater autonomy. He was one of five chiefs who signed a document banning Government magistrates from his rohe. When conflict arose over Maori land sales in Taranaki he sided with those Maori who withheld their land from sale and by 1860 was supporting the Taranaki chief Wiremu Kīngi in his struggle with the government. Rewi went to Taranaki and took part in the fighting against the government and was involved in two battles himself.

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