Abstract:
The dominant view of historians and ethnographers about He Whakaputanga is largely dismissive, arguing that it was a Northern programme only. Little regard has been given to close kinship and political relationships between many ariki and rangatira, throughout the North Island. Nor is there an appreciation of the relative hapū and later iwi population, political and military strengths. For instance, Te Tai Tokerau, Waikato, Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Kahungunu were known as very powerful hapū and later iwi regions. Closer scrutiny points to other hapū later adopting and associating themselves with the vision of He Whakaputanga. Te Wherowhero had made a peace pact, a tatau pounamu, with Ngāpuhi and other associated hapū like Te Rarawa in 1822 or 1823. After Ngāpuhi returned some captive women to the Waikato area, Te Wherowhero arranged the marriage of a close teina (younger sibling), Kati, to Matire Toha the daughter of Rewa. Rewa, also known as Maanu, a Ngāpuhi, was a confidante of Hongi Hika and a signatory to the 1831 letter, attended the flag selection ritual and signed He Wakaputanga o Nu Tireni 1835. Within a few years, he was in Kororareka and a close associate of Bishop Pompallier, the Catholic mission and its printery. Literacy in the form of writing is evidence of social innovation in Māori society of the early nineteenth century and was a powerful tool for social, cultural, economic and political change. From the earliest developments of Māori language in written form and the adoption of English as a second language the evidence points to Northern Māori as agents of cultural and symbolic innovation that swept through nineteenth century Māori society, which was in time to lead to an explosion of new knowledge and at the same time the enhancing of traditional knowledge.