Tuhawaiki

Who was Tuhawaiki?

Tuhawaiki — often known as Hone Tuhawaiki, John Tuhawaiki or Jack Tuhawaiki, or by his nickname of "Bloody Jack" — became a paramount chief of the Ngāi Tahu Māori iwi in the southern part of the South Island of New Zealand, and was based predominantly on Ruapuke Island. He gained his nickname from early interactions with Foveaux Strait whalers on account of his colourful and expletive-laden speech, and it embarrassed him in later years after his conversion to Christianity.

Born at Inch Clutha in South Otago in the early years of the 19th century, he gained prominence in about 1833 when a war-party led by him defeated the Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha at Lake Grassmere. The Ngāti Toa leader escaped with his life only through luck. Four years later, a war-party led by Tuhawaiki and Taiaroa inflicted severe damage on Ngāti Toa troops in a number of raids. Around the same time, Tuhawaiki became Ngāi Tahu chief upon the death of his uncle, Te Whakataupuka. He gained a reputation as a bold and intelligent military leader, as well as shrewd and insightful in his non-military dealings with pākehā settlers.

On 10 June 1840, Tuhawaiki signed a copy of the Treaty of Waitangi aboard the HMS Herald at Ruapuke.