Te Morenga

Te Morenga ( – December 1834) was a Māori rangatira (chief) of Ngāpuhi. Both an ally and a rival of Hongi Hika, he was a distinguished military leader and led several taua during the Musket Wars.

Te Morenga developed strong relationships with early missionaries in New Zealand, and most notably, Samuel Marsden. He lived at Taiāmai, near Waimate North.

Early life Little is known of his early life. Te Morenga was born circa 1760, the son of Whāingaroa, and was of the Ngāpuhi iwi, of the hapū Te Uri Kāpana. He had two known brothers, Te Koperu, and an elder brother named Iwi. He succeeded Perahiko as rangatira at Okura, Taiāmai.

The Venus Incident In 1806, the brig Venus, of which Charlotte Badger was a passenger, was involved in a mutiny. For several months after the mutiny, the mutineers sailed along the coast of New Zealand and eventually arrived at the Bay of Islands. There, they encountered Te Morenga's niece, a Ngāpuhi woman named Tawaputa, and lured her away from her friends and relatives. The mutineers sold her into slavery to Hukere, a chief from Tauranga, in exchange for pigs and provisions, Hukere had a rivalry with a neighbour, a Ngāi Te Rangi Later that year, Te Morenga and his men landed at Whakatāne and attacked Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Pūkeko to avenge Te Morenga's sister, who had suffered a similar fate to Tawaputa at the East Cape at the hands of Ngāti Porou. The two tribes made a final stand at Otahakura pā, which was a few miles inland and situated on a spur. During the battle, Tama-arangi, a priest or matakite, and Te Huna-o-terangi of Ngāti Pūkeko were killed. Ngāpuhi was soon forced to retreat, due to help arriving to aid the defenders from the chief Kihi. In this retreat, Ngāpuhi suffered heavy losses, with Te Morenga and Korokoro forced to retire their waka at Whakatāne. It is believed only 50 of the Ngāpuhi escaped, if so, then only part of Te Morenga's total force could have engaged at Otahakura.

Arrival of missionaries Te Morenga first met Samuel Marsden when he first arrived in New Zealand in 1814 and developed a close relationship with him that lasted until Te Morenga's death in 1834. Marsden described Te Morenga as a man of "very sound and deep reflection," Also in 1820, Te Morenga passed through Whangaruru with Marsden and John Butler, bringing the area to their attention. his brother, Te Koperu, was killed by Te Paraoa-rahi of Ngāti Pāoa. Seeking utu, and now with Hongi Hika's assistance, he attacked the pā again and reduced it in November 1821. Included in these invading forces was the Pākehā Māori Jacky Marmon, who had married into the family of Eruera Maihi Patuone.

Turning inshore, Ngāpuhi hid at Tararu and prepared for a surprise attack. At the break of the following day, they attacked the pā again. It was a considerable Ngāpuhi victory, with little casualties for the attackers. On the other hand, for the pā's occupants, hundreds of men were killed, with the women and children being taken prisoner.

Following this, Te Morenga supported Hongi on his Rotorua expedition. In the following year, he joined Pōmare I in his invasion of Te Urewera and Ngāti Awa. This event soon became known as the Girls' War. Te Morenga was one of the 13 rangatira that signed the 1831 letter to King William IV, which he signed under the name 'Tamoranga.' He is believed to have joined Tītore's taua to Tauranga in 1833. Another source notes that he had died in early 1834. he died at Whangaruru. Ethnologist Percy Smith considered him as probably the greatest Māori chief in the early part of the nineteenth century.

Confusion with Haare Nepia Te Morenga Whilst Te Morenga is believed to have died in 1834, a Te Morenga signed He Whakaputanga on 12 July 1837, under the iwi Te Rarawa. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage state that perhaps the son of Te Morenga of Ngāpuhi, Kihiringi Te Morenga signed on behalf of his father.

There is a lack of information to properly distinguish between the two, with the National Library of New Zealand and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage stating that Te Morenga was also of Te Rarawa.