Rangi Kuīni Wikitōria Topeora (?–1865-1873?) was a notable New Zealand tribal leader or chief, peacemaker and composer of waiata. Of Māori descent, she identified with the Ngāti Toa iwi.[1]
Rangi Topeora | |
|---|---|
 Rangi Topeora by Gottfried Lindauer circa 1863 | |
| Born | 1790? Kawhia, Waikato |
| Died | 1873? |
| Allegiance | Ngāti Toa |
| Battles / wars | Waiorua on Kāpiti Island |
| Relations | Te Rauparaha, Te Rangihaeata |
Biography
editTopeora was born in Kawhia, King Country, New Zealand, perhaps in 1790.[1][2] Topeara was a niece of significant chief Te Rauparaha, her brother was chief Te Rangihaeta. Her mother name was Waitohi and Te Rauparaha's sister. Her father's name was Te Rakiherea.[2] She was a descendant of Hoturoa of the Tainui canoe. In the 1820s Topeora was part of the group that migrated south with Te Rauparaha from Kawhia ending firstly on Kāpiti Island.[2]
Topeora was a female chief of Ngāti Toa and spoke for her people,[3] in 1836 she helped broker peace between Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Tama over a land dispute including getting her son Matene involved.[2] Probably in her early 50s she signed the Treaty of Waitangi in Kāpiti on 14 May 1840.[4] Topeora was known to speak formally on the marae which was mostly a role men undertook during this time.[2] In 1861 she made a denunciation of the Kingitanga due to its distribution of the 'status quo' including writing to politician Donald McLean.[3]
She was baptised at Ōtaki on 2 May 1847, no name would satisfy her but Te Kuini (the Queen); one of her husbands was given the name Arapeta (Albert), after Queen Victoria's consort. Later she was commonly known as the 'Queen of the South'.[1]
Topeora composed a song called He Kai-oraora na Tope-ora which was a 'kaioraora', a cursing song to vent hatred at enemies. This song was because of deaths of some Ngāti Toa women by the iwi Ngāti Pou.[3] Another song she created was about a triumphant moment at the battle of Waiorua on Kāpiti Island where she forced the enemy to degradate themselves.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c Sparks, Teremoana and Oliver, W. H. "Topeora, Rangi Te Kuini". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e f Meha, Raina (1991). The Book of New Zealand women = Ko kui ma te kaupapa. Charlotte Macdonald, Merimeri Penfold, B. R. Williams. Wellington, N.Z.: Bridget Williams Books. ISBN 0-908912-04-8. OCLC 28180678.
- ^ a b c Paterson, Lachy (2017). He Reo Wahine : Maori women's voices from the nineteenth century. Angela Wanhalla. La Vergne: Auckland University Press. ISBN 978-1-77558-928-0. OCLC 1000453795.
- ^ "Treaty of Waitangi - Māori women signatories". Auckland Council. Retrieved 7 May 2016.