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1916–1991Ngāti Pūkeko and Tūhoe; Ringatū minister, community leader
Te Kari Waaka was born on 6 March 1916 at Poroporo, near Whakatāne, the son of Te Wiremu Tāmati Waaka of Ngāti Pūkeko, a farmer, and his wife, Whakakī Hiki of Tūhoe. His father was the first Māori from Whakatāne to win a scholarship to St Stephen’s Native Boys’ School, Auckland. His mother died...
Story: Waaka, Te Kari
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1850–1852?–1932Presbyterian minister, social reformer, writer
Rutherford Waddell was born in Ballyroney, County Down, Ireland, probably sometime between 1850 and 1852. His father was the Reverend Hugh Waddell, a Presbyterian minister; his mother, Margaret Reid, was the sister of Thomas Mayne Reid, a famous writer of adventure stories. Rutherford's mother...
Story: Waddell, Rutherford
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?–1897Ngāti Maniapoto leader
Wahanui Huatare, also known as Reihana Te Huatare, Te Reihana Whakahoehoe and Te Wahanui, was born probably in the late 1820s. He was the son of Te Ngohiteārau, also known as Te Huatare, of Ngāti Maniapoto. His mother, Tārati, belonged to Ngāti Waiora of Mōkau and came from the Piopio area....
Story: Wahanui Huatare
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?–1897Ngāti Porou leader, soldier, farmer, politician, assessor
Rāpata Wahawaha, of Te Aowera hapū of Ngāti Porou, was born at either Te Puia or Akuaku, in the Waiapu district. His father was Hīpora Koroua and his mother Te Hapamana Te Whao. His most distinguished ancestor was Pākira, a prominent warrior in the wars that led to the emergence of Ngāti Porou...
Story: Wahawaha, Rāpata
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1848/1849?–1929Ngāti Tama woman of mana
Waitāoro of Ngāti Tama was born, according to family tradition, on the Chatham Islands, probably in 1848 or 1849. Her mother was Rongorongo of Ngāti Toa, who was a descendant of Werawera, the father of Te Rauparaha, and his first wife, Waitāoro. Her father was Rāniera of Ngāti Tama. She was...
Story: Waitāoro
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1885–1952Compositor, farmer, soldier, politician, historian
Fred Waite, the son of storekeeper George Waite and his wife, Isabella Edington Curry, was born in Dunedin on 21 August 1885. The eldest son in a family of eight, he went to work for the Otago Daily Times after his father's death. He was a compositor when he married Ada Philipson Taylor at...
Story: Waite, Fred
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1853/1854?–1931Ngāti Tarāwhai carver
Tene Waitere belonged to Ngāti Tarāwhai, who were kin to Ngāti Pikiao and Tūhourangi of Te Arawa of Rotorua. His mother was Ani Pape, the daughter of Te Rāhui, a prominent Ngāti Tarāwhai leader. As a young girl, she was captured during the Ngāpuhi attack on Rotorua in 1823 and taken as a slave...
Story: Waitere, Tene
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1926–1965Te Whānau-ā-Apanui; teacher, educationalist, community leader
Hoani Retimana Waititi, known as Johnny to his many friends, was only 39 when he died, but his short life was packed with achievement and his ideas, energy and humour were an inspiration to his people.
He was born at Whangaparāoa, near Cape Runaway, Bay of Plenty, on 12 April 1926, the...
Story: Waititi, Hoani Retimana
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?–1866Ngāti Raukawa; Anglican clergyman
Waitoa is said to have been of Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Maru and Te Arawa descent. The names of his parents are not known. He is thought to have been born at Waitoa, near present day Morrinsville, and to have gone south to Horowhenua with one of the migrations of Ngāti Raukawa in the 1820s. He was...
Story: Waitoa, Rota
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?–1839Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa leader
Waitohi was the daughter of Werawera, of Ngāti Toa, and his second wife, Parekōwhatu (Parekōhatu), of Ngāti Raukawa. She was probably born in Waikato but her date of birth is not known. She was the sister of Te Rauparaha and Nohorua. Her husband was Te Rākaherea, and their children included the...
Story: Waitohi
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1845–1924Public servant, journalist, politician
Edward Wakefield, registered as Felix Edward, was born in Launceston, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), on 22 May 1845, the son of Eliza Felicie Bailli and her husband, Felix Wakefield, a surveyor and engineer. After the family moved to New Zealand Wakefield spent his childhood in Christchurch and...
Story: Wakefield, Edward
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1796–1862Political theorist, colonial promoter, politician
Edward Gibbon Wakefield was born probably in London, England, on 20 March 1796. His father, Edward Wakefield, was a farmer and land agent, who had married Susanna Crash in London in 1791. Edward Gibbon was the oldest son and second of nine children. After the death of Susanna Wakefield, Edward...
Story: Wakefield, Edward Gibbon
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1820–1879Adventurer, writer, politician
Edward Jerningham Wakefield, known as Jerningham, the only son of Edward Gibbon Wakefield and Eliza Anne Frances Pattle, was born in London, England, probably on 25 June 1820. His mother died 10 days after his birth, leaving Jerningham and his sister, Susan Priscilla (or Nina), to be raised...
Story: Wakefield, Edward Jerningham
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1932–2016Whakatōhea; academic, activist, author
Ranginui Walker was a highly influential writer, public commentator, community leader and activist who played a significant role in the cultural and political renaissance of Māori in the 1970s and 1980s. He contributed to the renegotiation of relations between the Crown and Māori as well as...
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1869–1966University professor, philologist, poet, mountaineer, botanist, writer, radio broadcaster
Arnold Wall was born on 15 November 1869 at Nuwara Eliya in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the sixth of nine children of George Wall, a coffee planter and merchant, and his wife, Mary Ann Dixon. He had five half-sisters from his father's first marriage. With some of his brothers and sisters he was sent to...
Story: Wall, Arnold
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1929–2008Judge, lawyer
From childhood, Augusta Wallace’s life was entwined with the law. She was the daughter, wife and mother of lawyers, had her own law practice, and became New Zealand’s first female district court judge in 1975. Despite her considerable achievements, she was a reluctant role model for women,...
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1907–1991Teacher, principal, community leader, local politician
Julia Nannie Wallace was born in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, USA, on 21 December 1907, the elder of two children of Carrie Pierpoint Currens and her husband, John Napier Wallace, an electrical engineer. He headed the introduction of the automatic telephone system in Australia and New Zealand and in...
Story: Wallace, Julia Nannie
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1893–1984Cheesemaker, farmer, community leader, local politician
Markey (Mark) Wallace was born on 5 November 1893 in the Waiho Ferry House to Irish parents Catherine Markey and her husband, James Wallace, a ferryman and goldminer. The family lived in considerable hardship in an isolated home on the southern side of one of the most dangerous rivers in south...
Story: Wallace, Markey
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1878–1972Rugby player, foundryman
William (Billy) Joseph Wallace was born in Wellington on 2 August 1878, the son of Matthew Rolleston Wallace, a cook, and his wife, Louisa Stirling. He was educated at Mount Cook Boys’ School. Rugby was the only sporting interest for him and his comrades. Unable to afford a football, they made...
Story: Wallace, William Joseph
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1874–1960Farmer, carpenter, highwayman
Over the last 100 years the highwayman Robert Herman Wallath has become part of the folklore of New Plymouth and holds a unique place in the history of north Taranaki. He was born at sea, probably on 18 July 1874, on the Herschel off the Cape of Good Hope, the son of Hermann Christoph Wallath...
Story: Wallath, Robert Herman