Te Heuheu Tukino 1v Horonuku 1820 1866 Waikato Nz

edmondsallan - hello - Ngati Tuwharetoa leader, carver. Horonuku was born probably in the 1820s at Te Rapa, near Tokaanu, on the south-western side of Lake Taupo, the son of Mananui Te Heuheu Tukino II and his wife, Te Mare. In his youth and early manhood he was known as Patatai. His father was paramount chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa and leader of Ngati Turumakina. His mother was a grand-daughter of Te Rangitua-matotoru, who had been leader of Ngati Tuwharetoa before Herea Te Heuheu, Mananui's father. Patatai had family connections with Ngati Maniapoto and Waikato and spent much of his early life among them.
About 1845 he went to Pamotumotu, near Wharepuhunga, to the home of his grandmother, Rangiaho. While he was there his father's pa at Te Rapa was destroyed by an enormous avalanche of mud that swept down Kakaramea mountain after heavy rain on the night of 7 May 1846. His father, mother, elder half-brother Te Waaka and many other members of his family and his father's household were killed. Patatai returned to Taupo and took the name Horonuku (which means landslide) in memory of the death of his father. Iwikau, his father's brother, became the next paramount chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa.

Iwikau supported the formation of the Maori King movement in the 1850s, and in its support he and Horonuku went to the pa of Te Ati Awa leader Wi Tako Ngatata at Te Taitai (Taita) in the Hutt Valley, where Horonuku took part in the carving of the storehouse Nuku Tewhatewha, erected as one of the symbolic pillars of the King movement. Horonuku also took part in carving Hinana, Iwikau's ornamental storehouse at Pukawa, and he was involved in the carving of other storehouses built in support of the King movement. Iwikau died in October 1862 and was succeeded by Horonuku, who became Te Heuheu Tukino IV. He was by this time married to Tahuri Te Uaki; they were to have five children.

Despite his support of the King movement Iwikau had kept Ngati Tuwharetoa out of the war in Taranaki in 1860. However, he had told the missionary Thomas Grace that if Waikato Maori were attacked he would be compelled to go to their aid. When in July 1863 Governor George Grey ordered the invasion of Waikato territory on the grounds that the King movement was planning to attack Auckland, Horonuku kept his uncle's promise. About September he led some 200 warriors across Lake Taupo by canoe and down the Waikato River to join the fighting. He arrived too late for the battle of Rangiriri on 20 November, and his part in later fighting is not recorded until 31 March 1864, when he is said to have led an attempt to reinforce the besieged pa of Orakau. The attempt to break the British cordon was unsuccessful and Horonuku and his warriors returned home. In 1866 he was reported to be in favour of joining the fighting against government forces in South Taranaki. However, a large tribal meeting held at Poutu was predominantly against taking up arms unless Ngati Tuwharetoa territory was invaded. Till we meet again -Regards - edmondsallan