A movement to establish a Māori king, instigated by Tamihana Te Rauparaha (son of Te Rauparaha) after having met Queen Victoria in England in 1852, has developed in response to the rapid loss of Māori land to the British government and colonists.
The movement’s proponents believe that by having a monarch who could claim status similar to that of Queen Victoria, Māori would be able to deal with Pākehā (Europeans) on equal footing.
The establishment of the monarchy is also designed to achieve unity among iwi of all regions of the islands and thus weaken the potential on the part of the British to “divide and rule”; and, in addition, it is seen as a step towards establishing law and order.
Te Rauparaha's cousin, Matene Te Whiwhi of the Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Toa iwi, had attempted unsuccessfully to persuade many chiefs from various iwi to put themselves forward for the position.
The elderly chief Pōtatau Te Wherowhero also expressed his reluctance, but was persuaded to accept the mantle of king at the wish of his own tribe Ngati Maniapoto.
Te Wherowhero was formally selected as king by a meeting of chiefs of the Māori tribes held at Pūkawa, Lake Taupo, in April 1857 and is crowned during elaborate ceremonies held at his marae in Ngāruawāhia in 1858.
He becomes known as Pōtatau te Wherowhero or simply Pōtatau.
The King Movement has influence over large parts of New Zealand’s North Island – in particular, the lands of the Ngati Tuwharetoa, Taranaki, Whanganui and Tainui iwi that have been involved in the movement’s establishment.
