Story: Cultural go-betweens

Taupiri Mission School, 1865

Pupils and teachers assemble outside their boarding school at the Waikato mission station headed by Benjamin Ashwell. He was known to his Māori followers as Te Ahiwera ('the warm fire'), which is also a transliteration of his surname. Ashwell was one of the first Europeans in the Taupiri area when he set up this school in 1843. He mediated in tribal disputes and taught both academic and practical subjects until the Waikato war of 1863 forced him to leave. This engraving is based on the 1859 photograph, but was produced some years later for a book.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: PUBL-0153-1865-189
Engraving after a photograph by Bruno L. Hamel

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Photograph reference: PA1-o-207-06

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Cultural go-betweens - Missionaries', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/26793/taupiri-mission-school-1865 (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 22 May 2018