Tamatoa VI

Prince Ariimate Teururai, later known as King Tamatoa VI (7 June 1853 – 15 September 1905), was a member of a Tahitian royal family, the House of Teururai which reigned on the island of Huahine and Maia'o during the 19th century.

He was installed as King of Ra'iatea and Taha'a in 1884, but was deposed in 1888.

Biography Tamatoa VI was born as Ioata Ariimate Teururai a Teururai and died as Teururai Teuhe a Teururai. He was the last King of Ra'iātea and Taha'a. He was the second son of King Teurura'i, Ari'imate of Huahine. His mother, Princess Teha'apapa Maerehia of Ra'iātea, was the only living child of King Tamatoa IV of Ra'iātea. She became Queen regnant of Huahine under the regnal name of Tehaapapa II in 8 July 1868 after her husband was deposed by the chiefs on the night of 7 July 1868.

Heir to the Ra'iātea and Taha'a kingdom He was installed as king of Ra'iātea and Taha'a in 1884. He was crowned and anointed by missionary Ebenezer Vicessimus Cooper on 22 January 1885 in Ra'iātea. He took the regnal name Tamatoa VI. Throughout his reign, he bore the appellation Tautu, in commemoration of his forebear.

His reign ended when the French annexed the two islands of Ra'iatea and Taha'a on 16 March 1888.

After his abdication, he returned to his natal island where he was later proclaimed chief of the district of Tefareri'i in the name of Ioata, the same year that his niece Queen Tehaapapa III abdicated.

Marriage and children He married Tetuanuimarama a Atitioroi (daughter of Atitioroi a Ori, of the Tati family of Papara) and had three sons and three daughters:

Crown Prince Tamatoa Teururai of Raiatea and Taha'a. Prince Opuhara Pehupehu Teururai. Princess Tevahinehaamoetua Teururai. Princess Teriivanaaiterai Teururai. Prince Mahinetaaroaarii Tevaearai Teururai. Prince Tefauvero Teururai.

Their children remain the pretenders to the royal family of Ra'iātea and Taha'a since the end of the monarchy on this island.

He died at Fare, Huahine in 1905.

Teururai Teuhe a Teururai (standing left) and his family, c. 1890