Te Heuheu Tukino 111 1850 1862 Waikato Nz

edmondsallan - During the 1850s Iwikau sought both to restrain Maori protest and to support the growing grievances over the loss of land. Late in 1856 he convened at Pukawa a meeting opposed to further land sales; an ardent proponent of Maori nationalism, he also encouraged the movement to set up a Maori king. He did not seek the position for himself and supported the installation of Potatau Te Wherowhero at Ngaruawahia in 1858. However, when the Taranaki war broke out in 1860, he tried to prevent Ngati Tuwharetoa from joining, fearing that the tribe's lands would be threatened.

Iwikau, towards the end of his life, was described by Hochstetter as 'of middle size, delicately rather than robustly built, wearing his black hair in long locks.' He had a 'beardless face,…imperfectly tattooed upon the right cheek, with…small sparkling eyes'. He died in October 1862, and is buried close to the meeting house, Tapeka, at Waihi. He was survived by Ruingarangi, with whom he had had a daughter, Whenerata, and a son, Iwikau. He is remembered for his laments, especially the one that some say he composed on the death of his brother, Mananui, in a landslide. Till we meet again - Regards -edmondsallan