After the hui at Mangungu, William Hobson and co. returned to the Bay of Islands. On 17 February 1840, Pōmare signed the Waitangi Sheet of te Tiriti o Waitangi. This was an important development because, as William Colenso noted, Pōmare was one of the several Bay of Islands chiefs of the highest rank who did not sign on 6 February. His name is third from the top (you can see a detailed view here: www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/interactive/waitangi-treaty-copy).

Pōmare was born in the latter part of the eighteenth century and was of Ngāpuhi, Te Uri Karaka and Ngāti Manu descent. His father was Te Tautoro and his mother was Haki, sister of Pōmare-nui. On the occasion of his uncle Pōmare's death, he took the name Whetoi. He became known as Pōmare II, and was an important rangatria and war leader during the 1820s and 1830s conflicts.

As Te Ara notes, after signing te Tiriti in February he later promised to induce prominent chiefs Tirarau and Kawiti to sign, a promise he carried out. “Nevertheless, aspects of British sovereignty offended him. The tolls he had levied for years on British shipping had to end and he shared the concerns of other Māori leaders over the effects of British administration on their mana.”

Pōmare remained neutral when Hōne Heke and Kawiti challenged British sovereignty in 1844–46. But the government claimed to have intercepted treasonous letters from Pōmare to Pōtatau Te Wherowhero. “As a precautionary measure Pōmare was arrested in his pa on 30 April 1845, his people were scattered and his pa raised, despite his flying a flag of truce.” He was taken to Auckland on the North Star, but was released after the intervention of Tāmati Wāka Nene (www.flickr.com/photos/archivesnz/15858918990). According to Te Ara, Pōmare spent his last few years in relative peace. He died in July or August 1850.

This photograph is of a painting of Pōmare, as depicted by the artist Gottfried Lindauer. It comes from a collection of his work in the Patent and Copyright records. More on Lindauer’s work can be found at www.lindaueronline.co.nz/

Archives Reference: PC4 Box 14/ 1898/28

This record is part of #Waitangi175, celebrating 175 years since the signing of of te Tiriti o Waitangi. You can see other real time tweets on Twitter (twitter.com/ArchivesNZ), or explore the Waitangi 175 album here on Flickr.

Material supplied by Archives New Zealand