Resistance in New Zealand: Parihaka - an Introduction.

“Though some, in darkness of heart, seeing their land ravished, might wish to take arms and kill the aggressors, I say it must not be. Let not the Pākehā think to succeed by reason of their guns. . . . I want not war, but they do...The government come not hither to reason, but go to out-of-the-way places.  They work secretly, but I speak in public so that all may hear.”

- Te Whiti o Rongomai

What was Parihaka?

• Parihaka is a place, a village.
    
• Teachings from Old Testament, and the principle of non-violence.
    
• Many threatened hapu (sub-tribes) from North Island were attracted to the settlement and its two leaders, Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi.
    
• South Taranaki 1860-1890.
    
• Resisted invasion of estate.
    
• Used non-violent resistance.

  

Taranaki as seen from Google Earth.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

New Zealand Background

Pākehā Settlement

• The private NZ Company settlement in 1841 of New Plymouth, Taranaki.
    
• Resistance from local Māori, the British Crown and English settlers (land hadn’t been surveyed – problems?)
    
• Treaty of Waitangi, 1840
• Ideas of partnerships, sovereignty and rangatiratanga.

Conflict

• Musket Wars – marauding tribes from Ngati Maniapoto (Waikato) forced Taranaki from their land.
    
• Led to (and fuelled by) a musket “arms” race.
    
• Taranaki Wars in the early 1860s fought over land and control (mana).
• First war – 3,500 Brits Vs 1000 Māori. Stalemate.
• Second war – Seen as a defensive war for Māori

  FURTHER READING: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/taranaki-wars
  

Parihaka Before 1881

Before 1881

• Founded in 1867 by Te Whiti O Rongomai.
    
• Intended to help prevent further bloodshed by being open rather than a fortress.
    
• Māori were attracted to it as a site of Māori autonomy, away from colonial settlements.
    
• By 1870s Parihaka was one of the most prosperous and populous Māori settlement in the country.
    
• Parihaka became a model of hard work, enterprise and communal responsibility.
• slaughterhouse, bakery, bank and generated its own electricity.

  

Threats to Parihaka

• Te Whiti refused to accept illegal confiscation.
    
• Monthly meetings warned against increasing bribery and corruption from Colonials for land.
    
• European visitors were still welcomed with hospitality, dignity and courtesy.
    
• BUT they were living illegally on confiscated land – calls to thwart a rebellious enemy were made.
    
• Surveying of the land for roads, telegraph and settlement using land at Parihaka started July 1878

Parihaka Personalities

Te Whiti o Rongomai

? - 1907
  

Held monthly meetings which attracted many followers, held on the 18th signifying the 18th of March 1860, the attack on Waitara, the start of the Taranaki Wars.
  

Te Whiti was an orator who recited passages from the bible.
  

He demanded non-violence and community.

   
"No good thing has ever been wrought by force ... there is no reason why force should continue to have power over us."

- Te Whiti o Rongomai

“Land he wants, but a recognition of his independence he wants more”

-Reverend T.G Hammond, 1880

Tohu Kākahi

• c.1828 – 1907
    
• A relative of Te Whiti (Te Ati Awa).
    
• A fanatic member of the Pai Mārire faith. He was described early on as a spiritual leader.
    
• Fought in the Taranaki Wars but like Te Whiti he would later focus on fierce but non-violent resistance.
    
• He moved to Parihaka after the wars.

John Bryce

• 1833 – 1913
    
• Minister of Native Affairs 1879 – 1884.
    
• Was known by many Taranaki Māori as Bryce Kohuru (Bryce the Murderer).
    
• Fought Titokowaru in 1868.
    
• This was in reference to his alleged involvement with the killing and wounding of several young Māori boys some years earlier.

Another important figure who pops up now and again is Titokowaru, click on his name to be taken to a Biography on him.

FURTHER READING:

Te Whiti: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2t34/1
Tohu: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2t44/1
Bryce: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2b44/1

Role of Government

Colonial Government

• Sir George Grey – Governor General 1861-68.
    
• Sought “substantive sovereignty.”
    
• Julius Vogel – Premier 1873- 76.
    
• Assisted passage, confiscation of land to pay debt and provide settlers with land.
    
• Possible Māori Reserves
    
• NZ Government borrowed money to pay for new migrants who wanted land.
    
• Land was to be confiscated from ‘rebellious’ Māori rather than ‘loyal’ Māori.
    
• In practise, little distinction was shown.
    
• Increasing pressure to confiscate land from Maori who had fought (or not) in order to sell farmland to new migrants.
    
• 1.19 million acres in Taranaki.
    
• Māori reserves were promised but not delivered.
    
• By doing this government could pay back debts and prevent financial crisis.

Government Role

• Government bribed Māori to leave confiscated land.
    
• Te Whiti suggested the bribes meant that confiscation were a sham and by working “occupied” land Māori could reassert their right to it.
    
• John Bryce, Native Minister was adamant Parihaka must be removed.
    
• Under Bryce, Māori were to be given 'the greatest facilities for…placing their land before the public for sale'

FURTHER READING: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/the-new-zealand-settlements-act-passed

Ploughing Campaign

Intrusions

• There was little evidence that promised reserves were going to be delivered.
    
• Surveying of confiscated land began in 1878.
    
• Surveyors cut lines through cultivations, fences and trample cash-crops.
    
• Māori retaliated by uprooting survey pegs.
    
• Then Native Minister John Sheehan rode to Parihaka to force Te Whiti to comply – He did not.
    
• Sheehan reported Parihaka could only be taken by force. So Tohu evicted the surveyors.

First Resistance

• Māori began to plough farmers’ fields in Taranaki.
    
• Farmers angry – Governor (Hercules Robinson) made a special visit and “exploded with indignation.”
    
• Te Whiti asserted ploughing was directed at government – not at farmers.
    
• 100 armed men confronted Ploughers at Hawera – intending to shoot them. They were talked out of violence by those they had come to shoot.

The Empire Strikes Back

• June 29 1879 Armed Constabulary start arresting ploughmen.
    
• Te Whiti said that those with greatest mana should be the first to plough.
    
• This led to the arrest of many prominent Māori.
    
• By August 200 people had been arrested.
    
• British were facing prospect that there wouldn’t be enough room to hold them all.
    
• On August 10th Te Whiti agreed to a truce.

  

Fencing Campaign

West Coast Commission

• Late 1879 – 1880.
   
• Chairman, William Fox insisted no land surveys around Parihaka be carried out until report was completed.
   
• Bryce agreed unless necessary road repairs were required.
   
• In April 1880 he sent in 550 armed soldiers to “repair” a new road leading directly to Parihaka.

Fencing

• Te Whiti responded with hospitality – giving the soldiers food.
   
• The soldiers intentionally tore up fences around Parihaka crops – leaving them to the mercy of wandering stock.
   
• Soldiers marked out road lines across crops and cultivations.
   
• Every night the Māori would come out and rebuild the fences.

British Response

• The Constabulary began arresting the Māori.
    
• As arrests grew Māori came from around the country to take part.
    
• Eventually there were so few men left at Parihaka they were arresting boys and old men.
    
• About 400 ploughers and fencers were imprisoned in poor conditions. Many died in their cells.