Rangi Topeora

Rangi Topeora
Rangi Topeora by Gottfried Lindauer circa 1863
Born	1790? Kawhia, Waikato
Died	1873?
Allegiance	Ngāti Toa
Battles / wars	Waiorua on Kāpiti Island
Relations	Te Rauparaha, Te Rangihaeata

Rangi Kuīni Wikitōria Topeora (?–1865-1873?) was a notable New Zealand tribal leader or chief, peacemaker and composer of waiata. Of Māori descent, she identified with the Ngāti Toa iwi.[1]

Biography

Topeora was born in Kawhia, King Country, New Zealand, perhaps in 1790.[1][2] Topeara was a niece of significant chief Te Rauparaha, her brother was chief Te Rangihaeta. Her mother name was Waitohi and Te Rauparaha's sister. Her father's name was Te Rakiherea.[2] She was a descendant of Hoturoa of the Tainui canoe. In the 1820s Topeora was part of the group that migrated south with Te Rauparaha from Kawhia ending firstly on Kāpiti Island.[2]

Topeora was a female chief of Ngāti Toa and spoke for her people,[3] in 1836 she helped broker peace between Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Tama over a land dispute including getting her son Matene involved.[2] Probably in her early 50s she signed the Treaty of Waitangi in Kāpiti on 14 May 1840.[4] Topeora was known to speak formally on the marae which was mostly a role men undertook during this time.[2] In 1861 she made a denunciation of the Kingitanga due to its distribution of the 'status quo' including writing to politician Donald McLean.[3]

She was baptised at Ōtaki on 2 May 1847, no name would satisfy her but Te Kuini (the Queen); one of her husbands was given the name Arapeta (Albert), after Queen Victoria's consort. Later she was commonly known as the 'Queen of the South'.[1]

Topeora composed a song called He Kai-oraora na Tope-ora which was a 'kaioraora', a cursing song to vent hatred at enemies. This song was because of deaths of some Ngāti Toa women by the iwi Ngāti Pou.[3] Another song she created was about a triumphant moment at the battle of Waiorua on Kāpiti Island where she forced the enemy to degradate themselves.[2]

References

1. Sparks, Teremoana and Oliver, W. H. "Topeora, Rangi Te Kuini". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
2. Meha, Raina (1991). The Book of New Zealand women = Ko kui ma te kaupapa. Charlotte Macdonald, Merimeri Penfold, B. R. Williams. Wellington, N.Z.: Bridget Williams Books. ISBN 0-908912-04-8. OCLC 28180678.
3. Paterson, Lachy (2017). He Reo Wahine : Maori women's voices from the nineteenth century. Angela Wanhalla. La Vergne: Auckland University Press. ISBN 978-1-77558-928-0. OCLC 1000453795.
4. "Treaty of Waitangi - Māori women signatories". Auckland Council. Retrieved 7 May 2016.