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Biography: Tūhawaiki, Hone

Moko of Hone Tūhawaiki

Leader of Ngāi Tahu in Murihiku (the southern part of the South Island) for a decade from the mid-1830s, Hone Tūhawaiki was highly influential in the early period of European contact. He used an image of his elaborate moko (facial tattoo) in place of a signature on legal documents.

Using this item

Hocken Collections, University of Otago

Reference: SO6-165L/MS-0808/B

Permission of the Hocken Collections Uare Taoka o Hakena, University of Otago, must be obtained before any re-use of this image. Further information may be obtained from the Library through its website.

How to cite this page

Atholl Anderson. 'Tūhawaiki, Hone', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1990. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/39823/moko-of-hone-tuhawaiki (accessed 4 June 2026).