The death of Carl Völkner - Pai Marire

The ritual killing by Pai Marire followers of missionary Carl Völkner in 1865 shocked many people. The government used the event as a reason to take harsh action against Pai Marire in general.

The death of Carl Völkner

Death of Carl Völkner

On 2 March 1865 the missionary Carl Völkner was hanged from a willow tree near his church at Opotiki. His head was then cut off and many of those present either tasted his blood or smeared it on their faces. In a final insult Kereopa Te Rau swallowed Völkner's eyes, describing one eye as 'Parliament' and the other as the 'Queen and English law'. In a battle against Ngati Manawa in May that year, three warriors were killed and decapitated and, according to one account, Kereopa repeated his eye-eating act, earning himself the name Kaiwhatu (the eye eater). Völkner's death was attributed to the followers of a new religion, Pai Marire.

German-born Carl Völkner was in charge of the Church Missionary Society mission station at Opotiki in the 1860s. He had made several visits to Auckland in 1864 and early 1865, sparking rumours among Pai Marire followers that he was spying for the government.

Locals warned him to stay away from the mission station. He returned to Opotiki with fellow missionary Thomas Grace on 1 March 1865, and both were taken prisoner. Grace witnessed the killing, describing how he 'knelt down and prayed, and, having shaken hands with his murderers said "I am ready", and, while they continued to shake hands with him, they hoisted him up.'

Government reaction

Not surprisingly, this event sparked outrage amongst the settler community and sections of Maori society. The government responded to the killing and general disturbances in the area by confiscating 144,000 acres (about 58,000 hectares) of Te Whakatohea land under the terms of the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863. In the process, it also satisfied settler demands for land.

Kereopa Te Rau

In December 1871 Kereopa stood trial in Napier for the murder of Völkner.  There was no direct proof of his responsibility for the killing, but a European witness testified that he had seen Kereopa among those who escorted Völkner to the willow tree. This evidence was sufficient for Kereopa to be convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

William Colenso argued for clemency on the grounds that the crime had already been punished by other executions and land confiscation. His calls were unsuccessful. Kereopa spent his last night in the company of Mother Mary Aubert of Father Reignier's mission. Kereopa was hanged on 5 January 1872 at Napier.