Rua Kenana Hepetipa ,Tuhoe Prophet, considered himself the spiritual successor to Te Kooti, founder of the Ringatu faith. He founded a religious community at Maungapohatu the sacred mountain of the Tuhoe, where he was leader and prophet. Conflicts with the crown lead to his arrest under controversial circumstances. Rua was imprisoned for two years, then returned to his community continuing with his leadership until his death in 1937.

George Bourne was born in Whanganui. In c1902 he started working for the 'Weekly News' as one of their photographic artists and travelled throughout New Zealand for the next twenty years in that capacity. He is well known for his series portraying the Maori prophet, Rua Kenana and his newly built community at Maungapohatu in 1908. He pioneered aerial photography through his friends the Walsh brothers and is also known for his comic photo montages.