Te Kotahitanga


The Kotahitanga movement was an autonomous Māori parliament convened annually in New Zealand from 1892 until 1902. Though not recognised by the New Zealand Government, the Māori Parliament was an influential body while it lasted. By 1902 its role was largely superseded by the Māori councils established by James Carroll and Hōne Heke Ngāpua through the Māori Councils Act 1900. As a result, Kotahitanga members unanimously voted for its dissolution at the 10th Parliament at Waiōmatatini in 1902.
Te Kotahitanga was distinct from Te Kauhanganui, the Māori parliament established by the Kingitanga movement in the late 1880s, because it called for the union of all Māori tribes, whereas Te Kauhanganui was convened by and for the hapū of the Waikato-Tainui region. In 1895 the two movements considered merging, but this ultimately failed.

Sessions

Waipatu 1892

The first formal session of Te Kotahitanga was held in June 1892 at Waipatu in Heretaunga. It was hosted by the former Member of Parliament for the Eastern Maori electorate, Henare Tomoana. 96 representatives sat in the Whare o Raro and 44 chiefs sat in the Whare Ariki. Tomoana was elected Speaker of the House because his tenure in parliament gave him the experience necessary to guide debates and maintain order. Hoani Te Whatahoro Jury was elected chairman, the formal head of the Whare o Raro, and Hamiora Mangakahia was elected premier, a position that made him the chief spokesperson for the movement.

Waipatu 1893

In 1893 the second session of Te Kotahitanga was also convened at Waipatu, though this session was poorly attended. Only 58 representatives sat in the Whare o Raro. At that time, Mangakahia had fallen out of favour with many of the movement's representatives and was not returned as premier. Hoani Te Whatahoro Jury was elected in his place.

Pakirikiri 1894

The 1894 session took place at Pakirikiri, near Gisborne. The session, hosted by local chief Otene Pitau, was well attended and lasted for over a month.

Rotorua 1895

The 1895 session of Te Kotahitanga was convened at Ohinemutu in Rotorua. Hamiora Mangakahia was re-elected for a second term as premier, and the role of speaker was given to Mohi Te Ātahīkoia of Ngāti Kahungunu. In the course of this session, Henare Tomoana accused Mangakahia of financial mismanagement of Te Kotahitanga during his first term as premier, and attempted to force his resignation. But Mangakahia was able to demonstrate in rebuttal that the mismanagement of Kotahitanga funds had actually developed during the term of his successor, Hoani Te Whatahoro Jury. The session is also notable as the setting for a potential merger of Te Kotahitanga with the Kingitanga movement. Mahuta Tāwhiao, the new King of the Waikato-Tainui tribes, was visited by representatives from the 1895 sitting of Te Kotahitanga, who invited him to sign the Kotahitanga deed of union, calling for the political union of all Māori tribes. Mahuta appointed a committee to consider the proposal, but was undermined by Waikato chief Tupu Atanatiu Taingakawa Te Waharoa, who circulated a rival deed of union calling for all Māori tribes to unite under the Kingitanga.

Membership

The lower house, or Whare o Raro, had 96 members, elected at large from electorates defined according to tribal affiliation. The upper house, or Whare Ariki, was composed of 44 paramount chiefs elected by the members of the Whare o Raro. 127 representatives filled the 140 positions in both houses at the parliament's first sitting at Waipatu Marae in 1892, as 13 chiefs were elected to both houses.

''Whare o Raro'' members (1892)

ConstituencyMemberIwi affiliationMember's originPosition
NgāpuhiWikiriwhi HemanaNgāti WhatuaKaipara
NgāpuhiMuriwai HepehiNgāpuhi, Te RarawaWhangaroa
NgāpuhiKaipo HotereniNgāpuhi, Te RarawaWaihou ki te Kauru
NgāpuhiMiti KakauTe RarawaHokianga
NgāpuhiWi KateneNgāpuhiŌhaeawai, Tautoro
NgāpuhiMaihi KawitiNgāpuhiWaiomio, Taumarere
NgāpuhiPomare KingiNgāpuhiWhatitiri
NgāpuhiKarena KiwaNgāpuhiWhangaroa
NgāpuhiTaniora MotoTe RarawaMangamuka
NgāpuhiEramiha PaikeaNgāti WhatuaKaipara
NgāpuhiNgakuru PanaNgāpuhi, Te RarawaWaimamaku
NgāpuhiKereama PapakaNgāpuhiWaikara
NgāpuhiPeri ParaiheTe RarawaHokianga
NgāpuhiHemi ParataNgāti WhatuaTe Awaroa, Kaipara
NgāpuhiNetana PatuawaNgāti WhatuaOpanaki, Maunganui
NgāpuhiTe Kaka PorowiniNgāpuhiTe Karetu, Pewhairangi
NgāpuhiTimoti PuhipiTe RarawaAhipara, Kaitara, Te Awanui
NgāpuhiPere RiwhiNgāpuhiWhirinaki
NgāpuhiRiwi TaikawaNgāpuhiWhangārei, Kaihou
NgāpuhiPene TauiNgāpuhiOromahoe, Waimate
NgāpuhiHeremia Te WakeTe RarawaHokianga
NgāpuhiRe Te Tai MaungaTe RarawaHokianga
NgāpuhiWiki Te PirihiNgāpuhiWhangārei, Kaihou
NgāpuhiMitai TitoreNgāpuhiMangakāhia, Ahuahu
NgāpuhiHemi TupeNgāpuhiWhangaroa
NgāpuhiRaniera WharerauNgāpuhiWaima
NgāpuhiTe Paki WihongiNgāpuhiKaikohe
NgāpuhiMohi WikitahiNgāpuhiWaima
Te Tai HauāuruHoani AmorangiNgāti Raukawa, Muaupoko
Te Tai HauāuruReha AperahamaNgāti MaruTe Aroha
Te Tai HauāuruHoani Wiremu HipangoNgāti HauWhanganui
Te Tai HauāuruHamiora MangakahiaNgāti Whanaua, Ngāti PareWhitiangaPremier
Te Tai HauāuruWiremu NgapakiNgāti RuanuiHāwera, Patea
Te Tai HauāuruNgarangikatitia-TutaeNgāti Ruanui
Te Tai HauāuruManahi PaewaiRangitaneManawatu
Te Tai HauāuruTe Aohau PungarehuNgāti RaukawaWaikato
Te Tai HauāuruRopiha RangihaukoriŌpunake
Te Tai HauāuruHamapiri Te ArahoriNgāti ManiapotoŌtorohanga, Te Kūiti
Te Tai HauāuruWi Te KākākuraNgāti AwaWaitotara, Mokau
Te Tai HauāuruWiari Te KuriNgāti ManiapotoŌtorohanga, Te Kūiti
Te Tai HauāuruTe ManaotawhakiNgāti ApaManawatu
Te Tai HauāuruRore Te RangiheueaRangitaneWarupere
Te Tai HauāuruTe Keepa Te RangihiwinuiNgāti AwaHāwera, Taranaki
Te Tai HauāuruE.H. Te TaiteaNgāti AwaTe Whanganui-a-Tara
Te Tai HauāuruE.H. Te TaiteaNgāti ToaPorirua, Waikanae
Te Tai HauāuruKipa Te WhatanuiNgāti Raukawa, MuaupokoOtaki
Te Tai HauāuruHamiora TupaeaNgai Te RangiTauranga
Te Tai RawhitiKipa AnaruNgāti KahungunuMohaka
Te Tai RawhitiTe Makiri HonaTe Urewera KatoaTe Waimana
Te Tai RawhitiHoani KehuaNgāti KahungunuWairoa
Te Tai RawhitiHoani KereiTe Whanau-a-ApanuiWhangaparaoa
Te Tai RawhitiAkuhata KiharoaTe ArawaWairakei, Rotorua
Te Tai RawhitiWiremu KupaNgāti KahungunuMohaka
Te Tai RawhitiNepia MahuikaNgāti PorouWaiapu
Te Tai RawhitiHori ManiaNgāti KahungunuWairoa
Te Tai RawhitiTuta NihonihoNgāti PorouWaiapu
Te Tai RawhitiWi PakaiNgāti Hineuru
Te Tai RawhitiEruini ParanihiNgāti TuwharetoaTaupō-nui-a-tia
Te Tai RawhitiWiremu PotaeTe Aitanga-a-HauitiTolaga Bay
Te Tai RawhitiTimi RimeneTe Arawa, Ngāti PikiaoMaketu
Te Tai RawhitiH. RopihaNgāti KahungunuAhuriri, Heretaunga
Te Tai RawhitiHoani RuruNgāti KahungunuGisborne ki Paritu
Te Tai RawhitiH. M. TamahauNgāti KahungunuWairarapa
Te Tai RawhitiKaraitiana Te AmaruTe Aitanga-a-HauitiTolaga Bay
Te Tai RawhitiMohi Te AtahikoiaNgāti KahungunuWairarapa
Te Tai RawhitiH. Te AweaweNgāti KahungunuAhuriri, Heretaunga
Te Tai RawhitiApiata Te HameTe Aitanga-a-HauitiTolaga Bay
Te Tai RawhitiHami Te HeruNgāti KahungunuTe Paritu ki te Kaha-a-Tureia
Te Tai RawhitiTureiti Te Heuheu Tukino VNgāti TuwharetoaTaupō-nui-a-tia
Te Tai RawhitiWi Te HoukamauNgāti PorouWhangaparaoa
Te Tai RawhitiAnaru Te KakahiNgāti PorouWaiapu
Te Tai RawhitiAperahama Te KumeNgāti TuwharetoaTaupō-nui-a-tia
Te Tai RawhitiMaraku Te RangihiraweaNgāti TuwharetoaTaupō-nui-a-tia
Te Tai RawhitiH. Te RangoNgāti KahungunuAhuriri, Heretaunga
Te Tai RawhitiHoani Te RohurohuNgāti KahungunuGisborne ki Paritu
Te Tai RawhitiNikora Te WakaunuaManawaTarawera, Rangitaiki
Te Tai RawhitiHoani Te Whatahoro JuryNgāti KahungunuAhuriri, HeretaungaChairman
Te Tai RawhitiRewi ToheririNgāti KahungunuTe Paritu ki te Kaha-a-Tureia
Te Tai RawhitiHenare TomoanaNgāti KahungunuAhuriri, HeretaungaSpeaker of the House
Te Tai RawhitiHoani Paraone TunuiarangiNgāti KahungunuWairarapa
Te Tai RawhitiHapimana TunupauraNgāti KahungunuWairoa
Te Tai RawhitiRaniera TuroaNgāti KahungunuGisborne ki Paritu
Te Tai RawhitiHemi WaekaNgāti KahungunuGisborne ki Paritu
Te Tai RawhitiTuparaTe ArawaWairakei, Rotorua
Te Tai RawhitiTohaNgāti KahungunuWairoa
Te Tai RawhitiRahurahuNgāti KahungunuWairoa
Te Tai RawhitiNetaneTe Urewera KatoaRuatoki
Te WaipounamuRaniera ErihanaNgāi TahuWaikouaiti
Te WaipounamuTaituha HapeNgāi TahuKaiapoi
Te WaipounamuHoani MaakaNgāi TahuKaiapoi
Te WaipounamuWiwi TairoaNgāi TahuArahura, Hauauru
Te WaipounamuTimoti Te WhiuNgāi TahuWairewa
Te WaipounamuHone Taare TikaoNgāi TahuWairewa
Te WaipounamuPita TipaNgāi TahuMoerangi
Te WaipounamuParatenei TunuiarangiNgāi TahuKaiapoi
Te WaipounamuTaniora RauRangitane, Ngāti ToaArapawa