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Story: Kīngitanga – the Māori King movement

Pōtatau Te Wherowhero

This 1847 painting by George French Angas shows Pōtatau Te Wherowhero about 10 years before he became the first Māori king. He sits at left, wrapped in a flax cloak. The two other rangatira of Waikato are Te Waru (Ngāti Apakura) and Te Pakaru (Ngāti Maniapoto). All three wear full-face moko.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: PUBL-0014-44

by George French Angas

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.

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How to cite this page

Rahui Papa and Paul Meredith, Kīngitanga – the Māori King movement – Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, 1858–1860, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/37860/potatau-te-wherowhero (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Rahui Papa and Paul Meredith, published 18 June 2012, updated 1 September 2024.