Te Pahi

Bay of Islands Ngāpuhi chief Te Pahi (? -1810) was the first influential Māori leader to have significant contact with British colonial officials.

In 1805 Te Pahi and four of his sons spent three months at Government House in Sydney as guests of Governor Philip King. Both were keen on establishing good relations: King because he wanted protection for British whaling crews and Te Pahi because he wanted access to trade and technology. He also met and impressed Samuel Marsden and returned home with gifts, including potato seeds and a small prefabricated house.

Four years later, a whaling ship, the Boyd, visiting Whangaroa was plundered and its crew massacred. Te Pahi was blamed, though his responsibility was disputed. He was injured in a revenge attack and killed in a subsequent battle between his people and those of Whangaroa. Despite arguments over his role, the positive impression he left on colonial officials helped to shape their belief that increased contact with Māori would benefit both sides.

Adapted from the DNZB biography by Angela Ballara

• Read full biography in Te Ara Biographies

Te Pahi

Ko Te Pahi (? -1810), nō Ngāpuhi, tētahi rangatira o Pēwhairangi. Koia te rangatira whai mana tuatahi i kōrero auau tonu ki ngā āpiha Ingarihi o ngā koroni. I te tau 1805, ka noho a Te Pahi me ana tama tokowhā i te Whare o te Kāwana i Poihākena, arā, hei manuhiri mā Kāwana Philip King. I te hiahia ngā taha e rua ki te whakawhanaunga tētahi ki tētahi: I te hiahia a Kīngi kia tiakina ngā rōpū whaiwhai tohorā o Ingarangi, ko te hiahia o Te Pahi kia tae wawe mai ki a Ngā Puhi ngā mahi hokohoko me ngā taputapu hou. I tūtaki hoki ia ki a Te Mātenga ā, ka hoki mai ki te kāinga me ētahi koha, tae noa ki ētahi kōpura taewa, me tētahi whare pakupaku kua oti kē ōna wāhanga te tūhonohono.

E whā tau i muri mai ka huakina te Boyd, he kaipuke whaiwhai tohorā, i Whangaroa, ka patua ōna heremana. Ka whakapaetia a Te Pahi mō tēnei parekura, engari tērā anō ētahi i kī i te hē ngā whakapae mōna. I taotū ia i te pakanga takitaki mate o te taha Ingarihi, ā, ka hinga ia i tētahi pakanga i muri iho, i waenganui i tōna iwi me te iwi o Whangaroa. Ahakoa ngā tautohetohe mō tāna mahi i ēnei pakanga, nā tana mahi nui ki te whakawhanaunga ki ngā āpiha koroni i piki ake ai tō rātou whakaaro he mea pai te toro mai o te ringa whakawhanaunga ki te ao Māori, hei painga mō ngā taha e rua.