Te Wherowhero, Pōtatau (1800-1860) was the first king of New Zealand’s Māori people. He was a chief of the Waikato iwi (tribe) and played a prominent role in the great wars among Māori during the 1820’s and 1830’s. In 1840, he refused to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, in which Māori gave sovereignty (control and authority) over their lands to the United Kingdom. In return, the British government promised to protect Māori, give them the rights of British subjects, and recognize Māori’s ownership of their lands. Te Wherowhero was prepared to live on friendly terms with the Europeans. Supporters of the Kīngitanga (king movement) installed him as king in 1858 at a meeting in Ngaruawahia. He chose the name Pōtatau I.
Te Wherowhero was born in Waikato. He died in Ngaruawahia on June 25, 1860.
See also King movement ; Waitangi, Treaty of
