Hirini Rawiri Taiwhanga ( 1832 – 27 November 1890), known as Sydney Taiwhanga, was a 19th-century Māori member of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

. Taiwhanga identified with the

Ngāpuhi Ngāpuhi (or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland region of New Zealand and centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2018 New Zealand census, the estimated population of Ngāpuhi is 165, ...

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, an ...

. He was born in

Kaikohe Kaikohe is the seat of the Far North District of New Zealand, situated on State Highway 12 about 260 km from Auckland. It is the largest inland town and highest community above sea level in the Northland Region. With a population of over ...

, Northland, New Zealand in about 1832; his father was

Rawiri Taiwhanga Rawiri Taiwhanga (fl. 1818–1874) was a notable New Zealand tribal leader, farmer, Anglican missionary and teacher; of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngāpuhi iwi. He was the father of Sydney Taiwhanga. Before his baptism he was know ...

. He unsuccessfully contested the

Western Maori Western Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Northern Maori, Eastern Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, ...

electorate in the . Of eight candidates, he came last with 5.5% of the vote. In the Western Maori , he came fourth out of five candidates. He represented the

Northern Maori Northern Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Eastern Maori, Western Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, an ...

electorate from

1887 Events January–March * January 11 – Louis Pasteur's anti-rabies treatment is defended in the Académie Nationale de Médecine, by Dr. Joseph Grancher. * January 20 ** The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Har ...

to 1890 when he died, aged about 55. He was re-elected in

1890 Events January–March * January 1 ** The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony, in the Horn of Africa. ** In Michigan, the wooden steamer ''Mackinaw'' burns in a fire on the Black River. * January 2 ** The steamship ...

for

, but died on election day. He also stood in

Eastern Maori Eastern Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Northern Maori, Western Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, an ...

, and came second. A by-election was held in the

electorate on 7 February 1891 to replace him.

References

1830s births 1890 deaths New Zealand MPs for Māori electorates Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Ngāpuhi people Unsuccessful candidates in the 1884 New Zealand general election 19th-century New Zealand politicians {{Māori-bio-stub