Tupara Rotoatara

Born 18 Feb 1889 - Died 3 Oct 1939

Service number: WWI 16/457 AWMM
Also known as: aka Tupara Kingi
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 17 March 2016 - Research
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
1st NZ Maori Contingent
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 March 2016 - Military Record
Last rank: —
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Enquire

Lay a poppy

Tupara Rotoatara — New Zealand. Army. 1st Maori Contingent. Scroll of the 1st New Zealand Maori Contingent, 1915. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-624. Cultural Permissions may apply. Cultural Permissions Apply

Show empty fields Hide sources

Biographical information

Lt TE Rodgers wrote in his memoirs:

"My salient memories are of perfect comradeship, devoid both of pettiness and self-seeking, [and] the dozen Australian and the same number of New Zealand cadets. With the latter was a Maori. I remember his name, but cannot spell it. But because I should be more than happy to know how he fares, I’ll attempt to spell it: ‘Rotrowatra’. He was awarded the Military Medal: it was presented to him by the Colonel one Sunday after church parade. He was thought much of by his white compatriots: they took great care of him. Where they went he went; they would have refused an invitation had it not included him."

Rogers was writing about his time at No 2 Officer Cadet Battalion at Cambridge, Nov 1916 - March 1917. He and Rotoatara were in 'C' Company at Emmanuel College.
Public - Charles - Researcher - 5 May 2017 - Private papers of Lt TE Rogers, Imperial War Museum Department of Documents (reference Documents.6527), see pages 54-61
His request was granted, and a few stand of arms were given to him. This was in the latter end of August. Reports were received from time to time stating that Te Kooti was building a pa at Puketapu which could be seen from near Te Waru’s place, at Whataroa, but that none of his people had been seen. About October 14, Karaitiana Rotoatara, with three other men of his tribe, left Wairoa to go to Te Waru’s settlement at Whataroa, with a view of scouting towards Puketapu, and reporting on the position. They took one ex-rebel with them from Opoiti. On their way up they met an Opoiti native coming from Whataroa. He and the other native had a conversation, and the Opoiti man said he felt ill and would return. It was afterwards found that Karaitiana Rotoatara and his three companions were welcomed by Te Waru‘s people, fed and put in the best house in the settlement, buty were treacherously murdered at night by Te Waru’s brother and others (Te Waru being at Te Kooti’s camp at the time), “We found their bodies,’’ said Captain Preece. “They had been buried after this, and were intact except for wounds, but Karaitiana’s heart had been cut out as an offering to Maori gods.” Te Waru and his whole tribe had then left their settlement and took part in the Poverty Bay massacre a few days after. Te Waru, after following the fortunes of Te Kooti in his several raids, surrendered unconditionally to Capt. Preece at Horomanga Gorge, near Fort Galatea, on the 9th of October, 1870, and his men laid down their arms. They were sent down under escort, to Tauranga, but the civil authorities interfered at Makotu, and they were handed over to the charge of the Arawa tribe. The murderers were never brought to trial, and the tribe were given a small block of land 10 settle on at Waioeka, and were never allowed to return to Wairoa as a body. Some did return singly after some years. Te Waru’s settlement at Whataroa. 1000 acres, was set apart for the families of the murdered men, but a short time ago there was a doubt whether this had been carried into effect. Sergeant Rotoatara, is a worthy descndant, of his grandfather.
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 March 2016 - PART TWO: Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10549, 30 December 1916, Page 5
A BRAVE MAORI'S ANCESTOR.
THE HISTORIC PAST. The award of the Military Cross to Sergt. Rotoatara, of the First Maori Contingent, for gallantry at the front in the present war, brings back recollection of the tragic death of his grandfather, Karaitiana Rotoatara, and three other Native Scouts at the hands of Te Waru's tribe at Whataroa, inland of Wairoa, in October, 1868. In conversation with Captain G. A. Preece, N.Z.C., a “Standard” representative, gathered some particulars of a long past age. Karaitiana Rotoatara was a young chief of the Ngatipuku tribe, of Wairoa. He was one of Kopu’s Toas (braves) in the lighting at Wairoa and Waikaremoana in 1865 and 1866 against Te Waru, who led the Upper Wairoa rebels and the Urewera in the East Coast Campaign under Major Fraser, and was a noted scout. After the fighting at Te Kopane, Waikaremoana, where the rebels suffered severe losses and escaped in canoes over the lake, Te Waru and all the Wairoa natives to the number of several hundred surrendered and took the oath of allegiance to the Queen. There was a big meeting of friendly natives, and they were addressed by Kopu and told that their lands would be confiscated, but reserves would be set apart for them, that in the meanwhile a resting place would be provided for them. Pointing to where Frasertown now stands, he said “Haeremai taku mokai ki te kapu o toku ringa noho ai,’’ meaning “Come and rest on the palm of my hand like a pet bird.” This was the origin of the name Te Kapu, or Frasertown. There are probably few natives now who know the origin of the name.
After this, when the confiscated lands were surveyed and the military settlers placed on their lands on the Wairoa and Waiau rivers, the rebels were allowed to return to their old settlements or other places which were set apart for them, and remained as friendly natives until after Te Kooti escaped from the Chatham Islands in July, 1868. Shortly after the first three fights with Te Kooti at Te Arai Valley, Whenuakura and Ruakituri, Te Waru came down to the Magistrate at Wairoa (Captain Heighten) and expressed his wish to have arms to protect himself against Te Kooti, and promised to keep up communication as to any movement of the rebel, who was then located at Puketapu on a high hill above Ruakituri river, where Captains Carr and Canning had been killed.
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 March 2016 - PART 1 - Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10549, 30 December 1916, Page 5
DEEDS OF GALLANTRY - Pioneer Battalion Sergt. R. Angel, Private H. Rawhiti, Sergt, W R Bennett, Sergt. Rotoatara, Corporal R H Flutey, Corporal T. P. Sidney, Corporal R. Otehe. - awarded the Military Medal
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 18 January 2016 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14169, 11 December 1916, Page 5

About death

Death: 3 Oct 1939 Public Source
Date of death: 3 Oct 1939
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 March 2016 - Military Record & BMD NZ (death) Records
Age at death: 50yrs
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 March 2016 - Military Record & BMD NZ (death) Records
Place of death: Rotorua, NZ
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 March 2016 - Military Record & BMD NZ (death) Records
Cause of death: —
Death notes: Tupara Kingi (aka Tupara Rotoatara) died 3 Oct 1939 in Rotorua aged 50yrs
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 March 2016 - Military Record & BMD NZ (death) Records
Cemetery: —
Cemetery name: —
Grave reference: —
Obituary: DEATH AT HOROHORO WAIROA NATIVES MOURN FIGHTER & FARMER - WAIROA, this' day. A descendant of the great chief Apatu, & one of the most popular & highly-respected Maoris in the Wairoa district, Mr. Tupara King, died at Morolioro on Tuesday, & is to be buried at Wairoa tomorrow. The remains were brought to Wairoa last evening & now lie at the Takitimu Carroll Memorial Hall at Waihirere where native mourners are paying tribute to his memory. The funeral will be attended by members of the Wairoa Returned Soldiers’ Assoc, & by representatives of the Arawa tribe at Rotorua, as well as by delegations of tribesmen from different parts of the East Coast. At the time of Ins death, Mr King was 50 yrs of age, & was' supervisor of Hie native development scheme in the Horohoro district, Rotorua. He is survived by Mrs King .there being no family. Fine War Record - He had a remarkable war record, having left NZ early in 1915 with the Maori Battalion, as a private, serving with that force throughout the war & gaining his commission in the field. Mr. King took part in the notable fighting done by the Maoris on Gallipoli, & was a leading spirit in the work which gained such credit for the native corps when it was employed in France as an advanced pioneer unit & light railway company. He returned to NZ as a lieutenant & became an efficient farmer in the Wairoa district. Mr King was selected as the leader nl' a large party of Wairoa Maoris who were sent to open up the native development work in the Horohoro block, & his work in this capacity was largely responsible for the success which attended that initial experiment in’settling Maoris on tribal lands under the Ngata policy. Wilderness Transformed The party look over an area which was almost a wilderness, & transformed.
Much sympathy is felt for the widow of the late Mr. King, and for the members of his extensive connection in the Wairoa district. He was the son of Mr. Kingi Rotoatara, an influential member of the Ngatikahungunu.
Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 16 August 2024 - RESPECTED MAORI
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20061, 6 October 1939, Page 5
Memorial name: —
Memorial reference: —

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Tupara Rotoatara

Tupara Rotoatara

Identity

About

Images and documents

Images

Documents

Civilian life

About birth

Service

Wars and conflicts

Military decorations

Training and Enlistment

Embarkations

Prisoner of war

Medical history

Last known rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

Death

About death

Memorials

Memorial

Sources

Sources