Te Whiti o Rongomai III (1830 – 1907)

Māori culture and war have often been closely entwined. After the development of horticulture and farming a “Warrior Culture” developed. This went on to become a core element of their society for the majority of time they have inhabited the islands of New Zealand. Different and competing groups of Māori often killed each other as they fought over land and resources which resulted in the enslavement or death of their enemies.

In the early 1800’s the British sought out to make New Zealand part of the vast British empire, which could more accurately be described as the “Brutish Empire”. The crown murdered many Māori and put a bounty on Māori heads – five pound for a head and ten pound for that of a chief. In 1867 the situation was dire with only 40,000 Māori surviving from the population of 85,000 only half a century prior. Māori culture was set to be crushed as they suffered huge blows fighting the better equipped Europeans, who’s population on the land was now close to half a million, and many died from new diseases brought to New Zealand from Europe.

In 1869 as a response to this a visionary Māori leader known as Te Whiti announced the year of “Trampling Underfoot”. Unsurprisingly the British took this as a sign of victory but they had no understanding of what Te Whiti was saying. The year of “Trampling Underfoot” was an announcement of resistance it was the year in which the people in power were to be humbled. He planned to get a separate treaty between Māori and Pakeha (whites), a treaty between equals. He is quoted as saying

 

 "The Pakeha have some useful technology but not the kindness of heart to see that Māori also possessed much great technology which if adopted would lead to stability, peace and a great new society."

 

He was going to achieve this without using violence. As many Pakeha were welcome to come to New Zealand but Māori would remain the proprietors of the land.

 

For ten years Māori from all over the country, and a few Pakeha, travelled to Te Whiti’s settlement/sanctuary at Parihaka, the only condition for their entry was that they destroyed all of their weapons. Te Whiti, a chief in a society that had war in its very foundations saw that violence never leads to peace. He is quoted as saying

 

"No good thing has ever been wrought by violence ... there is no reason why violence should continue to have power over us... if any man molests me I will talk with my weapon- the tongue".

Many of the Māori who came to Parihaka carried ploughs with them. All the food consumed in Parihaka was grown there so that British goods could be boycotted.

 

Ten years after Te Whiti’s announcement, on the 26^th of May 1879, Te Whiti came up with a plan of how to use the many ploughs that had been gathered at Parihaka in a great act of non-violent civil disobedience. All over the district, where Pakeha occupied Māori land that had not been disputed since its rightful owners were killed or driven-out, Māori started to plough the land. They received abuse and many death-threats but always remained calm and polite and continued to plough all day and every day. Te Whiti said

 

 "Go put your hands to the plough. Look not back. If any come with guns or with swords, be not afraid. If they smite you, smite not in return. If they rend you, be not discouraged. Another will take up the good work."

 

This is exactly what happened.

 

Settlers and the government alike did not know how to combat Te Whiti’s non-violence. Some fled, some built fortresses and trenches, and some called for a “War of Extermination” – the headline chosen by the local newspaper. Unsurprisingly the government started to arrest the ploughmen and Te Whiti sent out five more each day. Every day they would get arrested without resistance and were shipped to Dunedin where they were held without trial. As the government could see that the people of Parihaha were undeterred they sent in the army who prepared for war... however when they arrived they did not know quite how to react to Māori warriors, who had fiercely fought Pakeha columns and won, giving them gifts.

 

By 1880 the government had spent over one million pounds and the prisons were full. The media reported on the event and it turned into a national scandal. All the prisoners were released. At this point hundreds of Māori were working the reclaimed fields. In response the army finally decided to attack. They were met by the entire population of Parihaka singing and praying. Te Whiti was finally arrested. Without his leadership the movement at Parihaka continued with Māori refusing to pay taxes and launching more ploughing campaigns.

 

Te Whiti died in 1907 and was buried under a cloud of white feathers. Although Māori did not regain their land and are less than 20% of New Zealand’s population, the struggle for Tino Rangatirotanga continues to this day. The people at Parihaka whom Te Whiti inspired are credited with stopping a war of genocide that would not have stopped until all Māori had died. He had a huge influence on the thoughts and actions of Mahatma Gandhi who read about him while in South Africa.

 

Te Whiti is a person to look up to and we must follow in his footsteps until all of the oppressed, all over the world are liberated.

 

J.Llewellyn