Marked; Published by J.H.Bethune and co. Wellington 1965
Te Rauparaha 1839 by Charles Heaphy, VC, Draughtsman to the New Zealand Company.
Original in possession of W.F. Airey, Esq, Lower Hutt. Printed by C.M. Banks Ltd
No. 449 of prints limited to 500.
Height 390mm
Width 280mm
Te Rauparaha (1760s – 27 November 1849) was a Maori rangatria (chief) and war leader of the Ngati Toa tribe who took a leading part in the Muscat Wars He was influential in the original sale of land to the New Zealand Company and was a participant in the Wairau Affray in Marlborough. Over the next few years the intertribal fighting intensified, and by 1822 Ngāti Toa and related tribes were being forced out of their land around Kawhia after years of fighting with various Waikato tribes often led by Te Wherowhero. Led by Te Rauparaha they began a fighting retreat or migration southwards (this migration was called Te-Heke-Tahu-Tahu-ahi), conquering hapa and iwi as they went south. This campaign ended with Ngāti Toa controlling the southern part of the North Island and particularly the strategically placed Kapiti Island which became the tribal stronghold for a period.