Te Tirarau Kukupa

Also known asTirarau Last edited by: Jennifer Gow

BiographyTe Tirarau Kūkupa was born around the late 1790s. He became the leader of Te Parawhau hapū of Whangarei after the death of his father Kukupa. He had affiliations with Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Ruangaio, Ngāi Tāhuhu and Te Uriroroi and had marriage alliances to Te Uri-o-Hau.
From 1829, Tirarau was the paramount chief of the area south and west of Whangārei Harbour. His authority later included the Kaipara Harbour and surrounding areas gained by conquest.
Tirarau participated in a raid of the Waikato in 1832.
He signed the He Whakaputanga (the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand) in February 1836 and Te Tiriti o Waitangi in May 1840.
His main place of residence was Tangiterōria, a location central to his territory.
Described as possessing a full facial moko and having a tall, commanding figure, Tirarau was a formidable man and forbidding enemy.
A passionate, proud and persistant man, Tirarau led his people through difficult periods of inter-tribal warfare.
He negotiated land sales with early settlers and expected that they would trade with local Māori and offer employment to them.
While observing the old ways and declining to convert to Christianity, he protected Catholic missionaries and supported their work of teaching literacy to his people. He led the way by learning to read and write at the Tangiteroria Mission School.
It is believed that Tirarau had 12 wives and many children. None of his children were alive to succeed him after his death in his 80s or 90s and this honour went to Taurau, his younger half-brother.
A proud defender of his people's rights, Tirarau recognised the significance of the newly introduced European court system and used the land courts to assert land claims.
Tirarau was a key figure in the early days of European contact, playing a major role in the settlement of the Whangarei and Kaipara areas. Last edited by: Jennifer Gow

Date of Birth1780s or 1790s Last edited by: Jennifer Gow

Date of Death19 December 1882 Last edited by: Jennifer Gow

Place of DeathWharekohe, Northland Last edited by: Jennifer Gow

OccupationMāori Leader Last edited by: Jennifer Gow

Warrior