Carte de Visite of the Māori Rangatira (chief) Hōri Ngākapa te Whanaunga by Elizabeth Pulman

Carte de Visite of the Māori Rangatira (chief) Hōri Ngākapa te Whanaunga by Elizabeth Pulman

-Original Carte de Visite taken in Auckland by Elizabeth Pulman (1836 - 1900)

-Hōri Ngākapa Te Whanaunga depicted with his moko kanohi (facial tattoo) in European dress

Hōri Ngākapa Te Whanaunga (b. c.1826) was a prominent nineteenth-century Māori chief (rangatira) of the Hauraki region, associated with Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Pāoa. 

During the New Zealand Wars Hōri supported the Kīngitanga, or Māori King movement, fighting against British and colonial forces. He took part in the Māori defence of Rangiriri, escaping capture by swimming across the neighbouring lake Waikare. His wife, Hera Puna, also accompanied him during the fighting and was remembered for saving his life during a skirmish by shielding him while he reloaded his gun.

After the wars, Ngākapa returned to Hauraki and became an important intermediary during a period of reconciliation between Māori and the colonial government. In particular, he was active in negotiations surrounding the opening of the region’s rich goldfields. In 1865 he publicly demonstrated his desire for peace by presenting government agent James Mackay with a historically significant cloak associated with Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the first Māori King.

His contemporary importance is demonstrated in him being painted in 1878 by Gottfried Lindauer, while his wife was painted by Charles Frederick Goldie.

The photograph was taken by Elizabeth Pulman (1836–1900), one of Auckland’s earliest professional female photographers. Pulman operated the well-known Pulman photographic studio, which produced an important series of portraits of Māori rangatira during the nineteenth century.

Reference: an example is held by Te Papa - registration O.039538

£750