Taurekareka Hēnare
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Taurekareka "Tau" Henare (1878 – 12 January 1940) was a Māori member of the
New Zealand Parliament The New Zealand Parliament () is the unicameral legislature of New Zealand, consisting of the Monarchy of New Zealand, Sovereign and the New Zealand House of Representatives. The King is usually represented by his Governor-General of New Zeal ...
from 1914 to 1938, sitting for the Reform Party for most of that time, until it merged with the United Party to form the
National Party National Party or Nationalist Party may refer to: Active parties * National Party of Australia, commonly known as ''The Nationals'' * Bangladesh: ** Bangladesh Nationalist Party ** Jatiya Party (Ershad) a.k.a. ''National Party (Ershad)'' * Californ ...
in 1936.


Background and early life

Henare was born at Pipiwai in the
Bay of Islands The Bay of Islands is an area on the east coast of the Far North District of the North Island of New Zealand. It is one of the most popular fishing, sailing and tourist destinations in the country, and has been renowned internationally for ...
, in 1878 (probably) or 1877. His father, Henare Wynyard, was said to be the son of
Robert Wynyard Major General Robert Henry Wynyard (24 December 1802 – 6 January 1864) was a British Army officer and New Zealand colonial administrator, serving at various times as Lieutenant Governor of New Ulster Province, Administrator of the Go ...
, acting governor of New Zealand. Henare was initially given the name Taurekareka Wynyard, but later adopted his father's first name as his own surname — this was likely because Robert Wynyard had been active in fighting against Māori, and his grandson, raised as Māori, did not wish to bear his name. Henare was also closely related to a number of prominent figures of Māori history, including
Hōne Heke Hōne Wiremu Heke Pōkai ( 1807 – 7 August 1850), born Heke Pōkai and later often referred to as Hōne Heke, was a highly influential Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) and a war leader in northern New Zealand; he was ...
. He was a member of the
Ngāpuhi Ngāpuhi (also known as Ngāpuhi-Nui-Tonu or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland regions of New Zealand centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2023 New Zealand census, the estimate ...
iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...
, and his strongest affinity was with the
Ngāti Hine Ngāti Hine is an Māori iwi (tribe) with a rohe (tribal area) in Northland, New Zealand. It is part of the wider Ngāpuhi iwi. Its rohe (tribal area) covers the areas of Waiomio, Kawakawa, Taumarere, Moerewa, Motatau, Waimahae, Pakara ...
hapū In Māori language, Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief ...
. Henare had no formal education in the Western sense, but was taught Māori lore and traditions. He was raised for a time by
Wi Pere Wiremu "Wi" Pere (7 March 1837 – 9 December 1915), was a Māori people, Māori Member of Parliament in New Zealand. He represented Eastern Māori in the New Zealand House of Representatives, House of Representatives from 1884 to 1887, and ag ...
(later to serve in Parliament) on the East Coast, but later returned north, possibly to avoid an arranged marriage. In 1903, Henare married Hera Paerata, whose mother was Māori and father was a member of the Subritzky family from
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
.


Political life

In the 1914 election, Henare stood for the conservative Reform Party in 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, a ...
electorate of the
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
, and won. He did not often participate in parliamentary debates, but was heavily involved in policy related to Māori interests. He worked closely with
Āpirana Ngata Sir Āpirana Turupa Ngata (3 July 1874 – 14 July 1950) was a prominent New Zealand statesman. He has often been described as the foremost Māori politician to have served in parliament in the mid-20th century, and is also known for his work in ...
, a member of the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
, on a number of important issues, and took part in the consolidation of Māori lands in the North Auckland area. In
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Henare argued against
conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
of Māori, and suggested that the return of confiscated lands might persuade Māori to volunteer. He also helped Māori soldiers re-establish themselves upon their return from the war. In the influenza epidemic of 1918 he assisted the delivery of healthcare to Māori. Henare's wife was among the casualties of the epidemic. Henare also played a role in shaping Reform Party policy on Māori issues. He supported the efforts of
Gordon Coates Joseph Gordon Coates (3 February 1878 – 27 May 1943) served as the 21st prime minister of New Zealand from 1925 to 1928. He was the third successive Reform prime minister since 1912. Born in rural Northland, Coates grew up on a farm, which ...
, then Minister of Native Affairs, to expand the role of his department, and promoted reforms of the Māori school system. Henare remained in Parliament until the 1938 election, when he was defeated by Paraire Karaka Paikea of the Labour Party who was affiliated with the Labour-aligned
Rātana Rātana () is a Māori Christian church and movement, headquartered at Rātana Pā near Whanganui, New Zealand. The Rātana movement began in 1918, when Tahupōtiki Wiremu (T. W.) Ratana claimed to experience visions, and began a mission o ...
movement, whose rise Henare had opposed.


Legacy

Henare died in 1940 at his farm near Kawakawa. He was survived by six sons and two daughters. His son, Sir James Henare, was a prominent military officer, and his daughter, Ihapera Taua, was an important figure in the
Māori Women's Welfare League The Māori Women’s Welfare League or Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko I te Ora is a New Zealand welfare organisation focusing on Māori people, Māori women and children. It held its first conference in Wellington, New Zealand, Wellington in Sept ...
. Two of this great-grandsons later served as members of the
New Zealand Parliament The New Zealand Parliament () is the unicameral legislature of New Zealand, consisting of the Monarchy of New Zealand, Sovereign and the New Zealand House of Representatives. The King is usually represented by his Governor-General of New Zeal ...
:
Tau Henare Raymond Tau Henare (born 29 September 1960) is a former New Zealand Māori people, Māori parliamentarian. In representing three different political parties in parliament—New Zealand First, Mauri Pacific and the New Zealand National Party, Na ...
(as an MP for
New Zealand First New Zealand First (), commonly abbreviated to NZ First or NZF, is a political party in New Zealand, founded and led by Winston Peters, who has served three times as Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, deputy prime minister. The party has form ...
, then
Mauri Pacific Mauri Pacific () was a short-lived political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1998 by five former members of the New Zealand First party. It has often been described as a Māori people, Māori party. Officially, Mauri Pacific was a multicu ...
and later the
National Party National Party or Nationalist Party may refer to: Active parties * National Party of Australia, commonly known as ''The Nationals'' * Bangladesh: ** Bangladesh Nationalist Party ** Jatiya Party (Ershad) a.k.a. ''National Party (Ershad)'' * Californ ...
) and Peeni Henare (as an MP for the Labour Party).


References

*''The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party'' by Barry Gustafson (1986, Reed Methuen, Auckland; biographical appendix of National MPs, page 320) {{DEFAULTSORT:Henare, Taurekareka 1870s births 1940 deaths 20th-century New Zealand farmers Reform Party (New Zealand) MPs New Zealand MPs for Māori electorates New Zealand people of World War I Ngāpuhi people Ngāti Hine people Māori politicians People from Kawakawa, New Zealand Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Unsuccessful candidates in the 1938 New Zealand general election