Today in History

1916 Arrest of Rua Kenana

On the morning of Sunday 2 April 1916, 57 armed police invaded the remote Tuhoe settlement of Maungapohatu in Urewera. They had come to arrest the prophet Rua Kenana. A gunfight broke out and two Maori were killed, including Rua's son Toko. Rua was sentenced to one year of hard labour followed by 18 months’ imprisonment. The trial judge, F. R. Chapman, reminded Rua that as a member of a race 'still in tutelage’ he needed to learn that the arm of the law reached 'every corner'. Rua and others were arrested on charges ranging from resisting arrest to treason and transported to Auckland for trial.

Rua called himself the Mihaia or Messiah and claimed to be the successor whose coming was predicted by Te Kooti a generation before. By 1907 around 600 followers had joined him at Maungapohatu, the community he had founded on non-violent principles. He aimed to blend the best of Pakeha practices with Maori customs to create a model community. He established a farming co-operative and a savings bank while promising his people that both their land and mana would be returned.

Many Pakeha saw Maungapohatu as subversive and Rua as a disruptive influence. Maori politicians like Maui Pomare and Apirana Ngata believed that traditional spiritual leaders or tohunga like Rua held back Maori progress. 

In 1915 Rua was arrested on charges of illicitly selling alcohol at Maungapohatu. The government was also concerned about Rua’s opposition to Tuhoe participation in the First World War. There were rumours that he openly supported Germany. The issue of selling alcohol gave the government the opportunity to bring Rua into line.

Rua was summonsed to appear before the local magistrate on 19 January 1916. He excused himself on the grounds that it was harvest time and stated that he would attend the session scheduled for February. This was viewed as contempt and a new warrant was issued for his arrest. John Cullen, the Commissioner of Police began preparations for an armed police expedition to Maungapohatu.

On 2 April 1916 Rua stood unarmed on the marae waiting to greet the approaching police when a shot was fired. In a short exchange of gunfire two Maori were killed, including Toko. Senior police officers claimed they had walked into a planned ambush. But the weight of evidence suggests it was the police who fired first. 

Rua was taken to Auckland and charged with treason. A jury found him not guilty but Judge Chapman found Rua guilty of 'morally' resisting arrest. Eight of the jury petitioned Parliament to have Rua’s sentence reduced. 

Rua was released from jail in April 1918. Maungapohatu as a community had fallen on hard times and by the early 1930s many were forced to leave in search of work. Rua went to live at Matahi, a community he had founded in 1910 on the Waimana River in eastern Bay of Plenty. He died there on 20 February 1937.

Image: Rua Kenana (DNZB)