Karaitiana Takamoana

Karaitiana Takamoana (?–1879), of the Ngati Hawea hapu (sub-tribe) of Ngati Kahungunu, is said to have been born in Wairarapa. As a young warrior he was involved in the "musket wars" of the 1820s. He later learned to read and write at William Colenso's mission school, and became an influential chief.

In 1851 he was involved in selling the Waipukurau and Ahuriri blocks (totaling about 600,000 acres (242,000 hectares), including the site of Napier) to government land purchase agent Donald McLean. Takamoana and his fellow chiefs anticipated the establishment of towns and trading opportunities. He remained an enthusiastic land-seller during the 1850s and much of the 1860s. When war came to the East Coast he supported the government, and fought against the Hauhau and Te Kooti.

By the late 1860s Takamoana became less willing to sell land. He began to question the methods of both government and private land purchasers, particularly the pressure they placed on those, like him, who were heavily in debt to local storekeepers.

In 1871 he entered Parliament as member for Eastern Maori, an office he held until his death. At the same time the Repudiation movement was growing in Hawke’s Bay, aiming to overturn alleged fraudulent land transactions. Takamoana at first did not support this movement, believing that redress could be achieved through Parliament.

In 1872 Takamoana was involved in setting up a commission to inquire into Hawke’s Bay land loss. When it became clear that the land would not be returned, he became a committed "repudiationist" and contributed significant time and financial resources to the cause. He died in 1879.

• See also: biography of Karaitiana Takamoana on the DNZB website