Te Rata
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Te Rata Mahuta ( 1878 – 1 October 1933) was the fourth
Māori King Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
, reigning from 1912 to 1933.


Biography

Te Rata was the eldest son of the third king,
Mahuta Mahuta is one of 11 islands in the Rakahanga atoll of the Cook Islands. It is on the east of the atoll, between the islets of Huananui and Okakara Okakara is one of 11 islands in the Rakahanga atoll of the Cook Islands. It is on the east of t ...
, and Te Marae, daughter of the fighting chief Amukete Te Kerei, who was killed at the
Battle of Rangiriri A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
in November 1863. Te Rata was born sometime between 1877 and 1880. He had four younger brothers: Taipu (who died in March 1926), Tumate,
Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. accordin ...
and Te Rauangaanga. He married Te Uranga, daughter of Iriwhata Wharemaki and Hira Wati of Ngāti Korokī. Te Rata was invested with the kingship on 24 November 1912, about two weeks after his father's death. Three months later a coronation ceremony was held at Te Kōpua, Raglan. As was the custom for a new Māori King, he assumed the title name of
Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Pōtatau Te Wherowhero (died 25 June 1860) was a Māori people, Māori rangatira who reigned as the inaugural Māori King Movement, Māori King from 1858 until his death. A powerful nobleman and a leader of the Waikato (iwi), Waikato iwi of the ...
, beginning a kingship dogged by ill health and controversy. Te Rata Mahuta had at least five children; * Korokī Te Rata Mahuta Tāwhiao Potatau Te Wherowhero (m) (with Te Uranga), * Taipu Mahuta (m) (with Te Uranga), * Makareta Hoete Harris (Maihi-Parata) (f) (with Te Uranga), * Hori (George) Te Rata (m) (with Maata Paora) * Keti Maata Paora (f) (with Maata Paora) Korokī became Te Rata's successor upon his death. Of his other sons, Taipu had died in 1924, and Hori was not recognised at the insistence of Te Puea Herangi, Te Rata's influential cousin. As a child, Te Rata had been a chronic invalid and had suffered several illnesses including rheumatoid
arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...
and
heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina pectoris, angina, myocardial infarction, heart attack), heart failure, ...
. The former greatly affected his ability to carry out his role as King. This was particularly apparent during an expedition to
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
in 1914. This expedition had been undertaken with the aim of presenting British officials with a petition concerning breaches of the
Treaty of Waitangi The Treaty of Waitangi (), sometimes referred to as ''Te Tiriti'', is a document of central importance to the history of New Zealand, Constitution of New Zealand, its constitution, and its national mythos. It has played a major role in the tr ...
; namely, that
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
land had been unjustly confiscated following the
New Zealand wars The New Zealand Wars () took place from 1845 to 1872 between the Colony of New Zealand, New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori people, Māori on one side, and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. Though the wars were initi ...
. However, during his voyage to England, Te Rata ended up suffering repeated attacks of rheumatics. For example, during a stop-over in
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, he was unable to accept an invitation from the nation's ageing Queen
Liliʻuokalani Queen Liliʻuokalani (; Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha; September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917) was the only queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, ruling from January 29, 1891, until the overthrow of th ...
, the last ruler of her people prior to annexation. Furthermore, these attacks continued following his arrival in England on 21 May 1914. Indeed, Te Rata was so unwell that he ended up turning down a meeting with important British officials, although he eventually was able to meet with
King George King George may refer to: People Monarchs ;Bohemia *George of Bohemia (1420-1471, r. 1458-1471), king of Bohemia ;Duala people of Cameroon * George (Duala king) (late 18th century), king of the Duala people ;Georgia *George I of Georgia (998 or ...
and Queen Mary. He died at Waahi on 1 October 1933.
New Zealand Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party, also known simply as Labour (), is a Centre-left politics, centre-left political party in New Zealand. The party's platform programme describes its founding principle as democratic socialism, while observers descri ...
leader
Harry Holland Henry Edmund Holland (10 June 1868 – 8 October 1933) was an Australian-born newspaper owner, politician and unionist who relocated to New Zealand. He was the second leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. Early life Holland was born at G ...
died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his funeral.


References

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External links

Photos
The King, seated, at right side

1912 coronation ceremony

1913 at the wedding of his brother, Taipu, to Wira Te Heu Heu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Te Rata Māori monarchs 1884 births 1933 deaths Ngāti Mahuta people People from Huntly, New Zealand 20th-century monarchs in Oceania