Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki (c. 1832–1893) was a Māori leader, the founder of the Ringatū religion and guerrilla fighter.
While fighting alongside government forces against the Hauhau in 1865, he was accused of spying. Exiled to the Chatham Islands without trial along with captured Hauhau, he experienced visions and became a religious leader. In 1868 he led the escape of 168 prisoners, seizing the schooner Rifleman and sailing back to the North Island where he began a series of raids. A resultant military reprisal campaign became known as Te Kooti's War. He was pardoned in 1883 but continued to be active in spreading the Ringatū message of peace and reclaiming land from Pakeha.
Early life
Te Kooti's early years are obscure. He was born at Te Pā-o-Kahu in the Gisborne region as a son of Hōne Rangipātahi (father) and Hine Turākau (mother), of the Rongowhakaata tribe (iwi). Their sub-tribe (hapū) was Ngāti Maru, whose villages were situated near the Awapuni lagoon, where the Waipaoa River runs into the ocean. Arikirangi is thought to be the original name of Te Kooti. His birth date is thought to be approximately 1832.
Toiroa Ikariki (Ikarihi), a matakite (visionary) of Nukutaurua on Māhia Peninsula, prophesied the birth of Te Kooti (as well as the coming of white people, the Pākehā):
The song is dated 1766. The Pakerewhā were strangers with red or white skin and Arikirangi was a grandchild of Toiroa, still to be born.
Te Kooti is understood to be his Christian baptismal name.
Te Kooti was apparently a very troublesome boy to his father, who tried to kill him. In 1852, he became notorious as one of a group of young Māori causing trouble in the Gisborne district. He took on the role of a "social bandit", breaking into settlers' homes and stealing goods as part of a plunder party. He was sent to the Mission School at Whakatō, near Manutūkē. In 1846–1847 he was taught by Samuel Williams. Samuel and his uncle, William Williams "helped the boy to find a new world in the Bible".
But his reputation was still suffering, also after contacts with the Reverend Thomas Samuel Grace, who was to replace William Williams for a few years (1850–1853). Local chiefs were asked by settlers to work with the local runanga (Māori council) to solve problems with Te Kooti but Te Kooti's men persisted in taking pigs, horses, cattle and alcohol, angering the runanga run by senior chiefs. As a result, Te Kooti's pā was attacked by Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki. Many prisoners were taken but Te Kooti escaped.
He had to leave home and went to sea on different ships that traded along the coasts of the North Island.
Exile
In 1865 while fighting with government forces to suppress the Pai Marire (or Hauhau cult), he was arrested as a spy while trying to contact his brother who was fighting with the Hauhau, and exiled to the Chatham Islands, together with the rebels he had been fighting against. He was never tried and took every opportunity to demand a trial. Some say he got his name from this, "Kooti" pronounced "Courty", others that it was a Māori version of the last name "Coates". If he did supply the Pai Marire with guns as is alleged, he also took part in a battle against them. There are allegations he fired blanks on this occasion.
While on the Chatham Islands Te Kooti experienced visions and became a religious leader. Te Kooti was referred to by other prisoners as Tawhaki, the twice born, after his unexpected survival from tuberculosis. He also performed some sleight of hand, such as using matchheads to set his hand on fire above the altar during a church service. These tricks swayed the Māori prisoners on Chatham Islands, and when some of the chiefs present on the island were sent back to the mainland, Te Kooti took advantage of the situation to become the local leader. Only Te Kooti's uncle was not impressed by these tricks, which he saw right through. Nevertheless, Te Kooti established a faith named Ringatū ("upraised hand") which gained many followers, and is still present in New Zealand society today.
During this time on the Chatham Islands, Te Kooti (or Te Koti as he signed in the documents) was married in a civil marriage to Maata Te Owai on 27 July 1867. The marriage documents reveal that he was born in 1832.