Wiremu Kīngi Maketū (also known as Maketū Wharetotara or Waretotara) (c. 1824 – 7 March 1842) was the first person executed in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

under British rule. Maketū was also the first New Zealand

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

to be tried and punished based on British sovereignty over New Zealand.

The murders on Motuarohia Island

Maketū was the son of Ruhe of

Waimate Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main No ...

, a chief of 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, ...

. Maketū was accused of the murder of 5 people on 20 November 1841 on

Motuarohia Island Motuarohia Island (Roberton Island) is a small island in the Bay of Islands of New Zealand, located about northeast of Russell. The island stretches for east-west, with the south coast offering two bays backed by sandy beaches. The north co ...

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 its ...

. He was accused of killing Thomas Bull (referred to in the later trial as Tamati Puru) with an

adze An adze (; alternative spelling: adz) is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel. Adzes have been used since the Stone Age. They are used for smoothing ...

. The explanation for this killing was that Thomas Bull had been mistreating Maketū. Maketū was accused of then killing his employer Elizabeth Roberton (a widow), her two children and Isabella Brind, who was the granddaughter of Rewa, a chief of the Ngai Tawake

hapū In 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 and normally opera ...

of the

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 ...

Kerikeri Kerikeri () is the largest town in Northland, New Zealand. It is a tourist destination north of Auckland and north of the northern region's largest city, Whangarei. It is sometimes called the Cradle of the Nation, as it was the site of th ...

. Isabella's parents were Moewaka (Rewa's daughter) and Captain

William Darby Brind William Darby Brind (1794–1850) was a master mariner and whaler who settled in New Zealand. He was baptised on 28 July 1794 at St Philip's parish, Birmingham. He died at the Bay of Islands in 1850. Voyages in the South Pacific On 20 March ...

. He was also accused of setting Mrs Roberton's house on fire.

The arguments among the Ngāpuhi as to the surrender of Maketū to the colonial authorities

At first the Ngāpuhi refused to surrender Maketū to the colonial authorities for trial. Eventually Ruhe, the father, consented. It may be assumed that the death of Rewa's grandchild, for which ''utu''''"Traditional Maori Concepts, Utu"'' Ministry of Justice website
/ref> n act of reciprocation for the deathwas due, had much to do with this decision.

Hōne Heke Hōne Wiremu Heke Pōkai ( 1807/1808 – 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 ...

had been absent from the Bay of Islands, and on his return he advocated among the Ngāpuhi for confrontation against the Government. A meeting of the Ngāpuhi was arranged by the Rev.

Henry Williams Henry Williams may refer to: Politicians *Henry Williams (activist) (born 2000), chief of staff of the Mike Gravel 2020 presidential campaign *Henry Williams (MP for Northamptonshire) (died 1558), Member of Parliament (MP) for Northamptonshire ( ...

Paihia Paihia is the main tourist town in the Bay of Islands in the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is 60 kilometres north of Whangārei, located close to the historic towns of Russell and Kerikeri. Missionary Henry William ...

at the request of

Tāmati Wāka Nene Tāmati Wāka Nene (1780s – 4 August 1871) was a Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) who fought as an ally of the British in the Flagstaff War of 1845–46. Origin and mana Tāmati Wāka Nene from the ''Dictionary of New Zeala ...

. The meeting took place on 16 December 1841 and including Ngāpuhi from Whangaroa and Hokianga, with upwards of a thousand being present. The meeting was turbulent with Heke expressing his opposition to the surrender of Maketū. When he rose to speak, he interrupted Paerau who was speaking and flourishing his hatchet at him. Upon this Whiria (

Pōmare II Pōmare II (c. 1782 – December 7, 1821) (fully Tu Tunuieaiteatua Pōmare II or in modern orthography Tū Tū-nui-ʻēʻa-i-te-atua Pōmare II; historically misspelled as Tu Tunuiea'aite-a-tua), was the second king of Tahiti between 1782 and 182 ...

) left the meeting as he did not want to be involved in fighting between the different

of the Ngāpuhi, which had occurred in 1830 in the so-called

Girls' War The Girls’ War is the name given to fighting on the beach at Russell, New Zealand, then known as Kororāreka in March, 1830 between the northern and southern hapū (subtribe) within the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe). The cause The Girls' War is so named ...

. Heke did not persuade the Ngāpuhi to accept his position. The meeting ended with Heke and his supporters conducting a

Haka Haka (; plural ''haka'', in both Māori and English) are a variety of ceremonial performance art in Māori culture. It is often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted or chanted accompani ...

on the beach at Paihia, firing their muskets, which were loaded with ball. Henry Williams prepared a statement of resolutions made by the Ngāpuhi who dissociated themselves from Maketū's action, which was signed by

, Pomare II, Waikato, Rewa, and Ruhe (Maketū's father). This message was sent to George Clarke, who had been appointed by

Lieutenant-Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

William Hobson Captain William Hobson (26 September 1792 – 10 September 1842) was a British Royal Navy officer who served as the first Governor of New Zealand. He was a co-author of the Treaty of Waitangi. Hobson was dispatched from London in July 1 ...

as the 'Protector of Aborigines'. The message was published in ''The New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette''. Ruhe seems to have been over-borne by the Ngāpuhi chiefs that supported the surrender of Maketū, as afterwards Ruhe appeared to regret his decision as he threatened to shoot George Clarke's cattle because he had taken his son prisoner to

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

The trial of Maketū for murder

Beginning on 1 March 1842, Maketū was tried in the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

in Auckland with Chief Justice William Martin presiding. It was a first time that a Māori had been brought before the colonial courts. C.B. Brewer was only retained to appear as Maketū's legal counsel about an hour before the trial came on; he had no opportunity of communicating with Maketū, nor did he see the depositions before he came into court that morning. Brewer argued that the court did not have jurisdiction over Maketū, on the ground of the prisoner's ignorance of the crime of murder that was in the penal law of the colony, and of his having no possible means or opportunity of understanding the penal law of the colony. William Swainson, the prosecuting counsel, argued that there should be one rule for all people, whether

Pākehā Pākehā (or Pakeha; ; ) is a Māori term for New Zealanders primarily of European descent. Pākehā is not a legal concept and has no definition under New Zealand law. The term can apply to fair-skinned persons, or to any non-Māori New Ze ...

. Martin CJ ruled that Maketū could be tried and punished by the court. Maketū pleaded not guilty. The jury heard evidence of Maketū's confessions to the killings and he was convicted of murder by a jury and was sentenced to death. He was hanged at the corner of

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

and Victoria Streets in Auckland. On the morning of his execution, he requested to be baptised in the Anglican rite and took the Christian names "Wiremu Kīngi". Just prior to his execution, Maketū dictated a statement whereby he said it his execution was just because "it is my own doing" and that he had prayed to God to "wash my sins away". Maketū was approximately 16 when the crimes were committed. He was executed in Auckland on 7 March 1842.

The aftermath of the trial

Later in 1842, Swainson, who was the attorney general, wrote to the Colonial Office, giving his legal opinion that the proceedings was usurpation of Māori sovereignty and went beyond the provisions of the

Treaty of Waitangi The Treaty of Waitangi ( mi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi) is a document of central importance to the history, to the political constitution of the state, and to the national mythos of New Zealand. It has played a major role in the treatment of the M ...

. The response by James Stephen of the Colonial Office concluded "Mr Swainson may think this is unjust or impolitic or inconsistent with former Acts, but still it is done". Moon (2013) comments that "what made this extension of British law into Maori communities possible in the manner in which it happened was the 16 December 1841 resolution which the twenty chiefs signed." These events were considered a turning point in the history of the Colony, as

became an antagonist to the colonial administration and began gathering support among the Ngāpuhi for a rebellion against the colonial administration, which occurred in 1845 with the

Flagstaff War The Flagstaff War, also known as Heke's War, Hōne Heke's Rebellion and the Northern War, was fought between 11 March 1845 and 11 January 1846 in and around the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The conflict is best remembered for the actions of Hō ...

References

Additional information

*Paul Moon (2010). ''New Zealand Birth Certificates: 50 of New Zealand's Founding Documents'' (Auckland, AUT Media: ) pp 68–69.

External links

"Maketū Wharetotara"
NZ History online, nzhistory.net.nz {{DEFAULTSORT:Maketu, Wiremy Kingi 1820s births 1842 deaths 1842 in British law 1842 in case law 1842 crimes 1842 in New Zealand Executed children Executed juvenile offenders New Zealand Anglicans New Zealand children New Zealand murderers of children New Zealand people convicted of murder Executed New Zealand people Ngāpuhi people People convicted of murder by New Zealand People executed by New Zealand by hanging People from the Bay of Islands 19th-century executions by New Zealand 1842 murders in New Zealand Mass murder in New Zealand Executed mass murderers