Wahawha Rapata 1878 1897

edmondsallan -Hello - their was more to this maori chief than I thought ,and when I left " old faithful " searching while continuing on with the " Young One " she found more . OK Lets push the pedal to the metal -
Rapata encouraged education and in 1871 a permanent school was established at Waiomatatini. James Booth, the resident magistrate, noted that there was no absenteeism at the Waiomatatini school, as the school committee, with Rapata as chairman, fined parents heavily if their children stayed away without cause. Rapata encouraged young Maori to learn English, which he regretted never having learnt.
Rapata had a meeting house built at Waiomatatini and called it Porourangi. Carvings were made for it by Tamati Ngakaho; it was completed and dedicated in 1888. Later it was re-sited on higher ground to protect it from floods. The house still stands and some of the original carving has survived. Rapata was also a sheepfarmer and co-operated with the government in the eradication of animal diseases. A campaign against eczema had wiped out his flocks in 1879, but the government paid compensation, and by 1894 he had 2,400 sheep. He was also active as a seller and lessor of land, and as a government land purchase officer. In 1876 he addressed a meeting of 2,000 Maori at Waiomatatini, advising them to put their land through the Native Land Court and make it available for sale or lease. Land was let extensively by Ngati Porou to satisfy settler demand while retaining ownership for the future; some major leases ran out as early as 1911 and were not renewed. In 1880 a dispute over a block of land developed between Te Aitanga-a-Mate and Te Whanau-a-Ruataupare hapu of Ngati Porou. The disagreement almost resulted in a gun battle, but Rapata persuaded the disputants to take the case to the Native Land Court. Native Land Court sittings in Waiapu were noted for their good order and for the presentation to the court of decisions arrived at by earlier tribal discussion. Te Kooti, who was formally pardoned in 1883, attempted to visit Poverty Bay in 1889. There was considerable opposition from both settlers and East Coast Maori, many of whom were related to victims of the raids by Te Kooti. On 21 February Rapata arrived at Gisborne with a contingent of Ngati Porou. He and Thomas Porter (now a colonel) were appointed by the premier, Harry Atkinson, to lead an expedition to Opotiki to stop Te Kooti from entering the East Coast or the Urewera. Te Kooti was confronted at Waiotahi by Inspector Joseph Goodall and was disputing his arrest when Ngati Porou arrived. He then submitted to arrest and told his people to be quiet. Rapata was not present at the arrest; it seems that he was unwell, and had remained at Opotiki.
Rapata died at Gisborne on 1 July 1897. He was buried with military honours on the rock fortress of Pupaka in the Waiomatatini Valley. His last words to his people were to be loyal to the Queen, steadfast to the church and friendly to Europeans, and to maintain their unity as a tribe. I also have his whakapapa . I'll do that next . Till we meet again - Regards - edmonds