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Home , Janet Frame, Parihaka

parihaka Parihaka remembered Te Whiti and Tohu - Prophets of Non-violence

imagination not just of the nation but 1870s, the government set its sights becoming widely known throughout on acquiring further large land blocks the British Empire. including Parihaka. Te Whiti had observed at close quarters the land wars Along with the creation of our welfare in the 1860s in Waitara and elsewhere, state and nuclear free laws, knowledge where Maori had taken up arms to of these remarkable men and their defend their land and lost both their leadership at Parihaka should form part lives and the land. He saw violence as of the spiritual DNA of every person counterproductive. Jim Consedine recounts born in this country. Their movement of the story of Parihaka – a non-violent resistance to state tyranny The campaign deserves to be placed alongside the By early 1879, it was clear that govern- black stain on British movements a century later in India and ment greed for land knew no bounds. A colonial history, yet a the US led by Mohandas Gandhi and new strategy was required by Maori. On Martin Luther King Jnr. Indeed, there 26 May 1879 a campaign led by Te Whiti wonderful story of a is evidence Gandhi knew of and was and Tohu was launched whereby across inspired by the resistance at Parihaka. Maori campaign for a disciplined corps of plough- peace and justice The context men started to plough settler’s land using In the 1860s, Te Whiti and Tohu had either horse or oxen-drawn ploughs. Te emerged as natural leaders of their Whiti’s instructions were clear: Though the lions rage, still I am for people, grounded in the spiritual Go, put your hands to the plough. Look peace…Though I be killed, I yet shall live; traditions of Maori as well as the not back. If any come with guns and though dead, I shall live in peace which Christian Scriptures. “Te Whiti and swords, be not afraid. If they smite you, will be the accomplishment of my aim. Tohu... were Christian pacifists and smite not in return. If they rend you, be Te Whiti o Rongomai (5 November 1881) promoters of spiritual and economic not discouraged. Another will take up growth.” the good work. f one were to ask any group of to name iconic By 1860, the number of European If evil thoughts fill the minds of the figures in their history, certain settlers matched the number of Maori settlers and they flee from their farms namesI might readily spring to mind: and the government felt obliged to to the town, as in the war of old, enter , Janet Frame, Ernest supply land to new settlers. They made not… into their houses, touch not Rutherford, Michael Joseph Savage, it clear they were willing to use force to their goods nor their cattle. My eye is . Perhaps also James colonise the North Island if other means over all. I will detect the thief, and the K. Baxter, Colin Meads, Jean Batten. failed. The Settlers Act punishment will be like that which fell Peter Snell, or . How (1863) made it possible to confiscate upon Ananias. many, I wonder, would name Te Whiti land if Maori refused to co-operate in he first modern planned o Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi? its purchase. They were deemed to be in rebellion. Although warned by the campaign of non-violent Yet at one time, the names of Te judiciary that such confiscations were Tresistance to state tyranny Whiti and his compatriot Tohu were illegal, the government confiscated was under way. As the inevitable as well known in New Zealand as are three million acres (1.2 million arrests occurred and ploughmen were the names of Jonah Lomu and Helen hectares), much of it in Taranaki where imprisoned, others took their place. Clark today. For in the late 1800s, Te Te Whiti and Tohu lived with their The plough protests started at Oakura, Whiti and Tohu co-ordinated a series people at Parihaka. spread to Pukearehu and then to Hawera. of daring non-violent campaigns to It was a province-wide campaign. Te halt land confiscation, catching the With a further inflow of settlers in the Whiti maintained that that he was not

14 Tui Motu InterIslands Parihaka remembered Te Whiti and Tohu - Prophets of Non-violence

targeting the settlers “but ploughing Commission, a pro-government tribunal the belly of the government”. set up to investigate ways of dealing with the land issue, the government The government’s response was drastic. decided to take all the remaining land By August 1879, about 200 had been it wanted including the Parihaka block Tohu Kakahi taken into custody. In all, about 420 which the Commission had set aside were to be imprisoned. Of these, only as a reserve. New legislation pushed 40 were ever sent for trial. These were through in parliament allowed for Prison in the where they eventually held for 12 months in prison imprisonment without trial with up to in . The remaining served 16 months. Upon release, both two years hard labour. The scene was returned to Parihaka, which in the ploughmen were imprisoned without set for the final confrontation. trial and sent to prisons in , mid-1880s rejuvenated but to nothing , Lyttelton and Ripapa Island. On 5 November 1881, an armed military like its previous status. Te Whiti In effect, the rule of law had been force of 1589 armed constabulary and continued to preach non-violence and suspended. volunteer militia invaded and occupied promote harmony with the settlers and the unprotected Parihaka. Native was imprisoned twice more over land The government then expanded its Affairs Minister himself, issues. Both Te Whiti and Tohu died push for land. A force of 600 armed mounted on a white charger, with sabre in 1907. Remarkably, only two weeks constabulary started to build roads right and in military uniform, led the assault. separated their deaths. through some of the most fertile land On the , 2500 unarmed adults sat in Taranaki. Without consultation, the waiting with Te Whiti and Tohu in their Conclusion constabulary pulled down cultivation midst. The soldiers were made to walk The ongoing spiritual legacy of Parihaka fences around gardens to allow for past rows of children playing with tops is one of living in harmony with the roadways. Properly fenced gardens and dancing and singing, past rows of land and humanity. It is also a legacy were essential to Maori health and women to where the men waited. The of non-violent resistance and a belief in economic well-being. They had huge two leaders along with several others the peaceful and respectful coexistence acreage planted and stock to feed the were arrested and led away. They did of Maori and Pakeha. Given the impact several thousand who lived there. By not resist. of these two men on historic events June 1880, the new roads had reached and given the almost universal disquiet the outskirts of Parihaka. In the days that followed, 1600 people at levels of violence in contemporary were forcibly dispersed, while 600 were society, one wonders why neither Te The resisters changed tack. As soon allowed to remain. Houses and crops Whiti nor Tohu have gained the status as the fences were pulled down, were destroyed, animals slaughtered. of iconic New Zealanders along with Maori rebuilt them. Inevitably the After Parihaka was destroyed, the Ed Hillary and the rest. Surely they are surveyors’ pegs were removed. Again constabulary fanned out over the role models for what most want our the government moved to arrest the countryside to wreak more extensive society to become – just, fair, peace- ‘fencers’ as they came to be called. In damage. Still there was no violent loving, non-violent. all, 216 were taken into custody. None resistance. Not one shot was fired, not ever appeared in court. They were one life lost. The spirit of non-violence Why isn’t their story and the story of simply shipped to prisons in the South prevailed. Parihaka as well known as the Gallipoli Island. This was illegal. story? Why isn’t the Christian-led Te Whiti and Tohu were charged with non-violent Parihaka resistance News of these imprisonments was sedition. Te Whiti told the judge: “It is a compulsory part of Religious widely reported in England, and not my wish that evil should come to Education programmes in our schools? pressure was brought to bear on the the two races, My wish is for the whole And finally, why is 5th November still government to act more justly. Ignoring of us to live peaceably and happily on known as Guy Fawkes Day when it recommendations from the West Coast the land.” Both were sent to Addington could be Parihaka Day? n

Tui Motu InterIslands 15 In a gesture of solidarity and peace, students from the four Christian secondary schools of Dunedin gathered around the World Youth Day Cross to commemorate and acknowledge the suffering of the people of Parihaka. On the initiative of Parihaka celebrated DRS Colin McLeod and chaplain Fr Gerard Aynsley, students ...by students from Christian schools in Dunedin from Kavanagh College invited their fellow students to a joint procession and ceremony based on the Emmaus story and the Feeding of the 5000. The invitation was enthusiastically accepted by the other three schools.

n an historic occasion on 11 June, The World Youth Day cross has been the four Christian schools of carried by young people around the Dunedin came together around the world including Ground Zero in New WorldI Youth Day Cross to remember York, Rwanda, Kosovo, the border the atrocity wrought upon the between North and South Korea, and people of Parihaka, and the Parihaka many other places of human suffering prisoners brought to Dunedin. St including Aramoana, near Dunedin, Hilda’s Collegiate School, Kavanagh site of NZ’s worst mass murder which College, John McGlashan College took place in 1990. and Columba College gathered at the Andersons Bay inlet to learn The cross is a reminder to us of the more about the cross. From here the call to peace and that Christ chose to group processed across to Rongo, the stand with those who were outcast, monument dedicated to those who thought less of, and had no rights in lost their lives imprisoned in Dunedin their society. between 1881 and 1898, and those Many students reported a sense of who supported them. peace and a sense of purpose in the After a mihi to acknowledge the people public acknowledgment of both the and the events, the students sung Purea service and the procession of the Nei a Waiata to clear and free those cross. It was particularly powerful to things that bind and restrict us. This was witness the young people sharing the followed by prayers read by students of carrying of the cross and sharing food each of the four schools. After a final together. waiata we returned to the inlet to read Fr Gerard Aynsley, Katrina Kerr-Bell the Gospel and to share food before and Colin MacLeod played significant returning to our respective schools. Photos: Marelda Gallaher

16 Tui Motu InterIslands Parihaka celebrated ...by students from Christian schools in Dunedin

roles in making this possible, with teaching. They would have supported Colin enabling a powerful yet simple the symbol of hope and the unity of statement of faith and unity to different faiths acknowledging their happen. The Chaplains of St Hilda’s, sacrifice and the love that motivated John McGlashan, and Columba all them. It was a contrast perhaps to appreciated the invitation shown their experience of some who claimed by the young people of the schools, to be Christians and instead caused participating enthusiastically to this them to suffer. very different call. In many ways it symbolised that as Christians we have Te Whiti O Rongomai and Tohu more in common than we might Kakahi built the Pa at Parihaka as a appreciate. place to support those forced from their homes and land. The Pa gathered In the mihi we heard the words the dispossessed from all areas of imprinted on Te Whiti’s tomb: Aotearoa-New Zealand creating a He honore he kororia ki te Atua, community of peace, to resist more he maungarongo ki te whenua, he loss of ancestral land, and to maintain whakaaro pai ki nga tangata katoa their identity. Many of the non- – that is, “Honour and glory to God, violent methods used by Te Whiti and peace upon the land, and good will Tohu were known and used by both to all people”. Those who perished Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther unjustly rose to the challenge of their King. leaders by acting in peace and in a spirit of love. Te Whiti and Tohu taught The Parihaka leaders died in 1907. from the wisdom of their ancestors, and their understanding of Christian Richard Kerr-Bell

Tui Motu InterIslands 17