Kaihau Henare Waiuku Nz 1854 1920

edmondsallan Hello - I thought we might go for a drive today . See a bit more or learn a bit more about something ?? I worked in the
" Waikato " , Had a farm in Cambridge . Great piece of country . While I was living down there we went to the Ngawhaia Marae , The " Maori King " at times resided there . It was one of those open days , with feasting , games . etc to celebrate the aniversary of when their , king was crowned . I can remember some of the High ranking names . I was not into the ancestry work at that time . To busy trying to pay the mortgage off the farm . One of the names that always stuck in my mind , was " Henare Kaihau " Ngati Te Ata leader, politician, adviser to the Maori King. A very powerful position in the Maori world .
" Henare Kaihau " was born probably between 1854 and 1860 at Waiuku, on the southern Manukau Harbour. He was the son of Ngati Te Ata chief Aihepene (Ahipene) Kaihau, who also had tribal affiliations with Ngati Urupikia, Ngati Kahukoka and Ngati Tipa. Henare's mother's name was Rangipukoru. Aihepene Kaihau was superintendent of police for the King movement runanga in 1858, and between 1862 and 1880 was a Native Department assessor at Waiuku. Little is known of Henare's personal life except that he married at least twice, and possibly six times, and from his second marriage had six daughters and two sons. His second wife, Louisa Flavell, also known as Maewa, was a composer to whom the words of the farewell song 'Haere ra', internationally known as 'Now is the hour', have been attributed.
" Henare Kaihau " attended Robert and Beatrice Maunsell's school at Kohanga only briefly. He acquired a vast knowledge of tribal history and whakapapa, and later in Parliament he was to speak only in Maori. By his mid 20s he had become interested in Maori politics. He was associated with the Maori parliament movement, and was a staunch supporter of the King movement, becoming the principal adviser to Mahuta, the Maori King.
In 1884 and 1886 he stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in the Western Maori electorate. Success came in 1896 when, as the first candidate supported by the King movement, he was elected MHR for Western Maori. One of his first tasks in Parliament was to introduce in August 1898 the Maori Council Constitution Bill, which provided for a form of Maori self-government. A Maori council of 56 members would assume full power over Maori land and fishing grounds, supplanting the Native Land Court and settling all disputes relating to Maori land. The other Maori members of the House supported the principle of the bill but objected to the clause which stated that the mana of the council was to be vested in Mahuta for life and to descend to his lawful successors. The bill was discharged before its second reading. Throughout his 15 years in Parliament Kaihau spoke on many issues concerning Maori people, always referring to the Treaty of Waitangi as a basis for their rights. The right to fish in traditional fishing grounds and to hunt native birds without restrictions must be preserved, he argued, for these foods were the staple diet of the Maori. He believed it important that Maori have a European-style education from properly trained teachers, and argued that they should then be given equal opportunity of employment in government departments.
He gave most of his attention, however, to the issue of Maori land. Deeply concerned about the effects of land confiscation in Waikato in particular, Kaihau lamented what he saw as unkept promises made by Premier Richard Seddon and Native Minister James Carroll to deal with this issue, and repeatedly reminded the government of this obligation. He argued vehemently against a number of the Maori land bills introduced into the House between 1897 and 1910. The most controversial of these was the Maori Lands Administration Bill, which was passed in October 1900. Kaihau at first believed that the bill would benefit Maori people by giving them greater control over their land, through the institution of district land councils. However, it soon became apparent that the act further restricted Maori initiative in dealing with their land, and he argued for its repeal.
Their is quite a lot of knowledge about " Kaihau's " Personal life. When I was researching the Waikato , I was able to speak to people who knew him well and Spoke freely of their contact with him . Their are parts of his personnal life that I would never inform anyone or anything about . It is best left where it is . However I wouldn't want anyone to think it was unknown , as that would not be correct . Till we meet again - Regards -edmondsallan