Wiremu Kingi Maketu

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Wiremu Kingi Maketu

Wiremu Kingi Maketu , also called Maketu Wharetotara or Waretotara , (* around 1824 - 7 March 1842 ) was the first person in New Zealand to be executed by the Europeans under British rule. Maketu was also the first Māori to be judged and punished on the basis of British sovereignty over New Zealand.

Murders on Motuarohia Island

Maketu was the son of the chief rest of Waimate from the Iwi of the Ngāpuhi . Maketu was charged with the murder of five people on November 20, 1841 on Moturohia Island in the Bay of Islands . He was charged with initially beating Thomas Bull (later referred to as Tamati Puru at the trial ) with an ax. The reason is said to have been that Thomas Bull mistreated Maketu .

Maketu is said to have killed his employer, the widow Elizabeth Roberton , her two children and Isabella Brind , a daughter of Rewa , a chief of the Hapū Ngai Tawake of the Ngāpuhi in Kerikeri . Isabella's parents were Moewaka ( Rewa's daughter) and Captain William Darby Brind . He was also accused of setting fire to Mrs. Roberton's house. Maketu was around 16 years old at the time of the murders.

Discussion among the Ngāpuhi about the extradition of Maketu

First, the refused NGAPUHI , Maketu to pass the colonial administration for a process. Ultimately, his father agreed to be quiet . It can be assumed that the fact that Rewa's grandson died, for whom Utu required compensation for death, had much to do with this decision. Hone Heke was absent from the Bay of Islands during these events and spoke out in favor of a confrontation with the government on his return.

At the request of Tāmati Wāka Nene, the Reverend Henry Williams organized a meeting of the Ngāpuhi in Paihia . The meeting took place on December 16, 1841, and over a thousand Ngāpuhi from Whangaroa and Hokianga attended. The meeting was turbulent. Heke expressed his refusal to extradite Maketu . When he got up to speak, he interrupted Paerau , who was speaking, and threatened him with his hatchet. Thereupon Whiria ( Pomare II) left the meeting because he did not want to be drawn into fights between different Hapū of the Ngāpuhi . Such was the case in the so-called Girls' War in 1830 . Heke could not convince the Ngāpuhi to accept his position. The meeting ended with Heke and his supporters performing a haka on the beach at Paihia and firing their bullet-loaded muskets.

Henry Williams prepared a statement that the Ngāpuhi distanced themselves from Maketu's actions. It was signed on December 16, 1841 by a total of 20 chiefs, including Tāmati Wāka Nene , Pomare II, Waikato , Rewa and Ruhe ( Maketu's father). This message was sent to George Clarke , who had been named ' Protector of Aborigines ' by William Hobson . The message was published in the New Zealand Herald and the Auckland Gazette . Quiet seemed to have been urged by the Ngāpuhi chiefs, who advocated extradition. Later, Ruhe seemed to have regretted his decision and threatened to shoot George Clarke's cattle for taking his son to Auckland as a prisoner .

Murder trial

From March 1, 1842, the trial of Maketu took place before the High Court of New Zealand in Auckland under the Chief Justice of New Zealand, William Martin . It was the first time that a Māori was brought before colonial jurisdiction. Defense attorney CB Brewer was called on to represent Maketu an hour before the trial . He didn't have a chance to speak to Maketu or see the records before the trial began . Brewer argued that the court had no jurisdiction over Maketu because he was unaware of the crime of "murder" in the colony's criminal law and had no means or means of understanding the colony's criminal law. William Swainson , as the prosecutor, argued that one law should apply to everyone, regardless of whether they are Māori or Pākehā . Judge Martin ruled that the court could hear Maketu .

Maketu pleaded "not guilty". The jury heard evidence of Maketu's confessions regarding the murders and found him guilty of the murder, sentenced to death and hanged on March 7, 1842 on the corner of Queen Street and Victoria Street in Auckland . On the morning of his execution , he requested to be baptized according to the Anglican rite and was baptized in the name of " Wiremu Kingi ". Shortly before the execution, Maketu dictated a statement saying that his execution was righteous as it was his act and that he would pray to God to wash away his sins.

aftermath

Later in 1842, the Advocate General wrote William Swainson to the Colonial Office , and shared his legal assessment of that transaction a usurpation of the sovereignty of Māori had and the Treaty of Waitangi hurt. J. Stephen's response from the Colonial Office stated, " Mr. Swainson may think that it is unjust or politically awkward or inconsistent with previous legislation, yet it is done." Moon commented in 2013 that ultimately only the signing of the resolution of the 20 chiefs of December 1841 made the extension of British law to the Māori communities possible.

The events contributed to Hone Heke becoming an opponent of the colonial administration and beginning to gather support for a rebellion among the Ngāpuhi . This culminated in the Flagstaff War in 1845 .

literature

  • Huge Carleton : The Life of Henry Williams, Archdeacon of Waimate . Wilsons & Horton Printers , Auckland 1877, p. 35–100 (English, online [accessed March 27, 2018]).
  • Steven Oliver : Maketu, Wiremu Kingi . In: Dictionary of New Zealand Biography . Volume II . Bridget Williams Books , Wellington 1990 (English, online [accessed March 27, 2018]).
  • Paul Moon : New Zealand Birth Certificates . 50 of New Zealand's Founding Documents . AUT Media , Auckland 2010, ISBN 978-0-9582997-1-8 , pp. 68-69 (English).
  • Paul Moon : Maketu ’s Execution and the Extension of British Sovereignty in New Zealand . In: Te Kaharoa . Volume 6 , 2013, pp. 36–49 (English, online [PDF; 267 kB ; accessed on March 27, 2018]).

Web links

  • Maketū Wharetōtara . In: New Zealand History . Ministry for Culture & Heritage, February 5, 2016,accessed March 27, 2018(English, photo byMaketū Wharetōtara).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Carleton : The Life of Henry Williams, Archdeacon of Waimate . 1877, p.  35-43 .
  2. ^ A b c d e Moon : Maketu ’s Execution and the Extension of British Sovereignty in New Zealand . In: Te Kaharoa . 2013, p.  36-49 .
  3. ↑ a b c d Oliver : Maketu, Wiremu Kingi . In: Dictionary of New Zealand Biography . 1990.
  4. ↑ Utu . Ministry of Justice June 16, 2009, archived from original May 22, 2010 ; accessed on March 27, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).
  5. ↑ Angela Ballara : Pomare II . In: Dictionary of New Zealand Biography . Volume II . Bridget Williams Books , Wellington 1990 (English, online [accessed March 27, 2018]).
  6. ↑ a b c R v Maketu [1842] NZLostC 3 (March 1, 1842). New Zealand Lost Cases , accessed October 19, 2013 .
personal data
SURNAME Maketu, Wiremu Kingi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Maketū Wharetōtara
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Murderer, first Māori convicted under British law
DATE OF BIRTH around 1824
DATE OF DEATH March 7, 1842