Wi Pere
Encyclopedia
Wi Pere born Wiremu Pere, was a Māori Member of Parliament in New Zealand
. Pere himself was an outstanding figure amongst the Poverty Bay and East Cape Māori, and one of Poverty Bay's most illustrious sons.
Wi Pere was born in Turanga-nui-a-Kiwa ("The place where 'Kiwa' - of the Tākitimu
waka
- stood"), now called Gisborne
. He gained a wide knowledge of Māori traditions and customs, and proved an able spokesman in proceedings before the Native Land Court, was an outstanding orator in the use of the Māori language
within the House of Representatives. Pere served for some years in both branches of the Legislature, fighting for the rights of his Maori people, particularly in Land legislation. Even in boyhood, he was noted for his shrewdness. As a youth Wi Pere was selected by the elders as a young man of special intelligence and was carefully taught and trained in Māori history and genealogy, which information was handed down through the generations by word of mouth. Wi Pere described the influence of his mother as follows: "My mother was a woman of great mana over the whole of the district; her name was Riria Mauaranui, a chieftainess of great influence of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki and Rongowhakaata tribe".
He was elected to Parliament in 1884 as the fourth representative for the Eastern Maori
district, and attracted considerable attention. In 1887 and again in 1890 Wi Pere was defeated by James Carroll at the polls. However in 1895 Carroll stood down in order to contest the Waipu (a European Seat) and Wi Pere regained his former place in the House of Representatives, which he retained until 1905, when he was displaced by Apirana Ngata. In 1907 Wi Pere was invited to sit on the Legislative Council until he lost it in 1912, on a technicality beyond his control.
Wi Pere lived during the 'transition period of the Māori'. He was an eye witness to the most turbulent incidents of Māori-Pakeha relationships. He had witnessed some of the worst land legislation affecting the Māori which included the land wars, the confiscation of Māori land by successive Governments, the rise of Māori Nationalism, Te Kooti conflicts, the 1867 Maori Representation Act, also the breakdown of traditional Māori institutions and customs by the Pakeha in their efforts to assimilate the Māori into the wider context of British type Society.
On the death of Wi Pere, 9 December 1915, Judge Jones of the Gisborne Native Land Court, made reference as follows; "A great Chief and one whose name was a household word among the Māori. No one loved the Māori people more than he did.
The local newspaper highlighted Wi's death with such headings as "Champion of the Māori Race", "A Link with the Past", "The Last of the Great Chiefs". Apiraana Ngata stated: "Wi Pere was one of the great chiefs of the East-Coast. No man ever did more for his people". The Native people and Government of New Zealand, as a final tribute to Wi Pere erected a fine monument along Reads Quay in Gisborne in 1919.
He won the Eastern Maori
seat in 1884
, lost it to James Carroll
in 1887
, and won it again in 1893
when Carroll transferred to the Gisborne seat
. He supported the Liberal Party
from 1893. In 1905 Pere lost the Eastern Maori seat to Apirana Ngata
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Pere himself was an outstanding figure amongst the Poverty Bay and East Cape Māori, and one of Poverty Bay's most illustrious sons.
Wi Pere was born in Turanga-nui-a-Kiwa ("The place where 'Kiwa' - of the Tākitimu
Takitimu
In several Māori traditions, the Tākitimu was one of the great Māori migration canoes that brought Polynesian migrants to New Zealand from Hawaiki. It was one of the seven canoes in the "Great Fleet hypothesis" proposed by historian Stephenson Percy Smith .-Māori Traditions:The Tākitimu appears in...
waka
Waka (canoe)
Waka are Māori watercraft, usually canoes ranging in size from small, unornamented canoes used for fishing and river travel, to large decorated war canoes up to long...
- stood"), now called Gisborne
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
. He gained a wide knowledge of Māori traditions and customs, and proved an able spokesman in proceedings before the Native Land Court, was an outstanding orator in the use of the Māori language
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
within the House of Representatives. Pere served for some years in both branches of the Legislature, fighting for the rights of his Maori people, particularly in Land legislation. Even in boyhood, he was noted for his shrewdness. As a youth Wi Pere was selected by the elders as a young man of special intelligence and was carefully taught and trained in Māori history and genealogy, which information was handed down through the generations by word of mouth. Wi Pere described the influence of his mother as follows: "My mother was a woman of great mana over the whole of the district; her name was Riria Mauaranui, a chieftainess of great influence of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki and Rongowhakaata tribe".
He was elected to Parliament in 1884 as the fourth representative for the Eastern Maori
Eastern Maori
Eastern Maori was one of the four original New Zealand parliamentary Māori electorates, from 1868 to 1996.-Population centres:The electorate includes the following population centres:* -Tribal areas:...
district, and attracted considerable attention. In 1887 and again in 1890 Wi Pere was defeated by James Carroll at the polls. However in 1895 Carroll stood down in order to contest the Waipu (a European Seat) and Wi Pere regained his former place in the House of Representatives, which he retained until 1905, when he was displaced by Apirana Ngata. In 1907 Wi Pere was invited to sit on the Legislative Council until he lost it in 1912, on a technicality beyond his control.
Wi Pere lived during the 'transition period of the Māori'. He was an eye witness to the most turbulent incidents of Māori-Pakeha relationships. He had witnessed some of the worst land legislation affecting the Māori which included the land wars, the confiscation of Māori land by successive Governments, the rise of Māori Nationalism, Te Kooti conflicts, the 1867 Maori Representation Act, also the breakdown of traditional Māori institutions and customs by the Pakeha in their efforts to assimilate the Māori into the wider context of British type Society.
On the death of Wi Pere, 9 December 1915, Judge Jones of the Gisborne Native Land Court, made reference as follows; "A great Chief and one whose name was a household word among the Māori. No one loved the Māori people more than he did.
The local newspaper highlighted Wi's death with such headings as "Champion of the Māori Race", "A Link with the Past", "The Last of the Great Chiefs". Apiraana Ngata stated: "Wi Pere was one of the great chiefs of the East-Coast. No man ever did more for his people". The Native people and Government of New Zealand, as a final tribute to Wi Pere erected a fine monument along Reads Quay in Gisborne in 1919.
He won the Eastern Maori
Eastern Maori
Eastern Maori was one of the four original New Zealand parliamentary Māori electorates, from 1868 to 1996.-Population centres:The electorate includes the following population centres:* -Tribal areas:...
seat in 1884
New Zealand general election, 1884
The New Zealand general election of 1884 was held on 22 July to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 9th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 21 July. A total number of 137,686 voters turned out to vote.-References:...
, lost it to James Carroll
James Carroll (New Zealand politician)
Sir James Carroll, KCMG , known to Māori as Timi Kara, was a New Zealand politician of Irish and Ngati Kahungunu descent. Beginning his career as an interpreter and land agent, Carroll was elected to the Eastern Maori seat in 1887. He was Colonial Secretary from 1895...
in 1887
New Zealand general election, 1887
The New Zealand general election of 1887 was held on 26 September to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes were cast....
, and won it again in 1893
New Zealand general election, 1893
The New Zealand general election of 1893 was held on Tuesday, 28 November in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 20 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 12th session of the New Zealand Parliament...
when Carroll transferred to the Gisborne seat
Gisborne (New Zealand electorate)
-Population Centres:The electorate is based on the city of Gisborne.-History:The electorate existed from 1908 to 1996, when it was replaced by the Mahia electorate, which was renamed East Coast from 2002.-Election results:Key -External links:...
. He supported the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
from 1893. In 1905 Pere lost the Eastern Maori seat to Apirana Ngata
Apirana Ngata
Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata was a prominent New Zealand politician and lawyer. He has often been described as the foremost Māori politician to have ever served in Parliament, and is also known for his work in promoting and protecting Māori culture and language.-Early life:One of 15 children, Ngata...
.