Hemi Parai, Died 1887?
Below is an online version, from Nga Tupuna o Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Volume 1 (2001), of the biography for Hemi Parai, reproduced with the kind permission of his whānau.
Published Text
"Hemi Parai". In Nga tupuna o Te Whanganui-a-Tara, volume 1. (2001)
Hemi Parai or Parae belonged to the Ngati Haumia o Taranaki iwi which came to Port Nicholson area in the 1830s. His parents were Whanga te Ataura and Tapui a Tini. Hemi's first wife was Tawhirikura Karopihia and they had 2 children Tahana Niwa and Arapera Rongouaroa or Ranauaroa. Hori Kerei Pakuahi was Hemi’s mother's brother. Later Hemi married the widow of Wi Kingi te Awhitu called Pirihira Matangi and had two sons Te Awhi Parai and Mohi Parai born about 1859. They were half brothers to Hana te Wera (1833-1925).
As a young man Hemi Parai joined with Mohi Ngaponga in leading a group of their people to settle in the area first at Ngaraunga and then at Te Aro. Patukawenga awarded specific areas to iwi at the gathering on Matiu/Somes Island in 1835 before the departure of the Ngati Mutunga and Ngati Tama for the Chatham Islands. Mohi Ngaponga was awarded the area of Te Aro between Kumutoto and Waitangi streams, and Paekawakawa.
Hemi Parae signed the Deeds of Release at Te Aro in 1844 and in September 1847 he was appointed a native land assessor just before the first of the McLeverty awards were signed. His signature appears on a number of leases relating to Tenths land on behalf of others but on occasions he appeared to have unique rights. Sections no. 5 and no. 9 in the Te Aro Pa were Crown granted to him in the 1860s. In 1863 he was one of only 3 signatories to land granted to the Te Aro Natives (Ngati Ruanui and Taranaki) at Porirua, who were still living in Wellington. Some who had signed had died and of the 11 still living 8 now lived in Taranaki. Hemi Parai was very active in writing to either Governor Grey or his officials concerning matters relating to Maori land.
References:
- Ward A. Port Nicholson … 1820-1840. 1998.
- Maori Land Court. Wellington MB No. 1, p.16, 87.
- Alexander Turnbull Library. Manuscripts MS: Papers – 0032 – 0695B.
I Te Reo Māori -
Nō Ngati Haumia a Hemi Parai, ko Parae kē ranei, o Taranaki iwi. I haere mai a ia ki te rohe o Pōneke i ngā tau 1830. Ko Whanga Te Atarau rāua ko Tapui a Tini ōna mātua. Ko tana wahine tuatahi ko Tawhirikura Karopohia, ā, e rua ā rāua tamariki, ko Tāhana Niwa rāua ko Arapera Rongaouaroa, ko Ranauaroa rānei. Hei tuakana ki te māmā o Hemi, ki a Hori Kerei Pakuahi. Nō muri, ka moe a Hemi i a Pirihira Matangi, te pouaru o Wi Kingi Te āwhitu, ā, e rua a rāua tama, ko Te awhi Parai rāua ko Mohi Parai i whānau i te tau 1859. He tuakana rāua ki a Hana Te Wera (1833-1925).
I a ia e taipakeke haere ana, i whai a Hemi i a Mohi Ngāponga ki te ārahi i ētahi o ana uri ki te noho kainga i Ngaūranga katahi ko Te aro. I mua i te haerenga o Ngāti Mutunga rāua ko Ngāti Tama ki Wharekauri, i tukunā e Patukawenga ia wahanga, me ia wahanga o Pōneke ki ngā iwi i whakakao ki te motu o Matiu. I riro i a Mohi Ngāponga te rohe o Te Aro ki waenganui i te awa o Kumutoto me te awa o Waitangi me Paekawakawa.
Nā Hemi Parai i haina ngā 'Whakaaetanga Tuku Whenua' (Deed of Settlement) ki Te Aro i te tau 1844, ā, i te tau 1847 i whakatūria ia hei Kaiarotake Whenua Tupu (Native Land Assessor) i mua i te hainatanga o ngā whakawhiwhinga o McLeverty. He nui ngā wā i haina ia i ngā rīhi mo ētahi atu, e pā ana ki ngā whenua o te Tekau ōrau, ā, i ētahi wa, ko te āhua nei, i a ia tonu te mana. I takuhetia e te Kāwana a tekihana nama 5 me tekihana nama 9 o te pā o Te Aro ki a ia i ngā tau o 1860.
I te tau 1863 ko ia tētahi o ngā tokotoru kaihaina mō ngā whenua ki Porirua i takuhetia ki ngā tangata Māori o Te Aro (Ngāti Ruanui rāua ko Taranaki), i te wā tonu e noho ana rātou ki Pōneke. Kua mate kē ētahi i haina, ā, e waru o te tekau mā tahi o rātou e ora tonu ana, kei Taranaki e noho ana. He tangata kaha a Hemi Parai ki te tuhi ki a Kāwana Kerei, ki ngā kiriāwhina rānei e pā ana ki ngā whenua Māori.