Missionary Carl Völkner killed at Ōpotiki

The missionary Carl Völkner was hanged from a willow tree near his church at Ōpōtiki by followers of a new religion, Pai Mārire.

After his head was cut off many of those present tasted his blood or smeared it on their faces. In a final insult Kereopa Te Rau swallowed Völkner’s eyes, dubbing one ‘Parliament’ and the other the ‘Queen and English law’.

Kereopa is said to have repeated his eye-eating act after a battle against Ngāti Manawa near the Urewera ranges in June 1865, when three warriors were killed and decapitated. This earned him the name Kaiwhatu (the eye-eater).

The government responded swiftly to Völkner’s killing. Troops hunted down those responsible and took reprisals against local Māori. Much of the best land in eastern Bay of Plenty was confiscated and occupied by military settlers.

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Image: Death of Carl Völkner