Matiaha Tiramōrehu

Matiaha Tiramōrehu (?–1881) was born at Kaiapoi pā, into the Ngāi Tūahuriri hapū (sub-tribe) of Ngāi Tahu. After Kaiapoi was captured by Te Rauparaha in 1831 he joined the taua (war party) led by his father Karaki. They carried out retaliatory raids, and Tiramōrehu is said to have been wounded.

He later settled at a southern whaling station at Moeraki. In 1843 he joined the Wesleyan faith.

In 1848 Tiramōrehu was involved in the Canterbury purchase – a vast area of about 20 million acres (8 million hectares). He later took a leading role in protests over the purchase. H. T. Kemp, the government land purchase agent, had breached promises made at the time of the sale, and the reserves (later made – by Mantell) for Māori were miserly – 10 acres (4 hectares) per person.

In 1879, because of the unceasing protests of Tiramōrehu and other Ngāi Tahu rangatira (chiefs), the Smith–Nairn Commission was set up to investigate the grievances. Tiramōrehu gave evidence to the Commission in 1879 and 1880. The government terminated the Commission before it produced a final report. Tiramōrehu died at Moeraki in 1881.

Adapted from the DNZB biography by Harry C. Evison

• Read the full biography in Te Ara Biographies

Matiaha Tiramōrehu

I whānau a Matiaha Tiramōrehu (?-1881) i te pā o Kaiapoi. Ko Ngāi Tūahuriri te hapū, ko Ngāi Tahu te iwi. I te whakaekenga o Kaiapoi e Te Rauparaha i te tau 1831, ka kuhu ia ki te taua o tōna matua a Karaki. Kawea ai e rātou te riri ki a Ngāti Toa; e ai ki te kōrero i taotū a Tiramōrehu. Whai muri iho ka noho ia ki tētahi teihana patu tohorā i Moeraki i te tonga. I te tau 1843 ka kuhu ia ki te Hāhi Wēteriana.

I te tau 1848 koia tērā ko Tiramōrehu i whai wāhi ki te hokonga o ngā whenua o Waitaha – e 20 miriona eka (e 8 miriona heketea) te rahi. Nō muri ka ārahina e ia ngā whakahē ki taua hokonga. Ko H.T. Kemp te āpiha hoko whenua a te kāwanatanga. Ka takahia e ia ētahi kī taurangi i puta i te wā o te hokonga, ka mutu, iti noa iho ngā pito whenua i rāhuitia (nā Mantell ēnei i whakarite i muri mai) ki te Māori – 10 eka (e 4 heketea) ki tēnā, ki tēnā tangata.

I te tau 1879, nā ngā tohetohe a Tiramōrehu me ētahi atu rangatira o Ngāi Tahu, ka whakatūria te Kōmihana a Smith rāua ko Nairn hei arotake i ngā nawe o Ngāi Tahu. Ka tuku kōrero a Tiramōrehu ki mua i te aroaro o te Kōmihana i ngā tau 1879, 1880. Heoi, ka kotia ngā mahi a te Kōmihana e te kāwanatanga i mua i te tāpaetanga o tana pūrongo. Ka mate a Tiramōrehu ki Moeraki i te tau 1881.