The Beginning of Rua Kenana
Rua Kenana first caught the attention of New Zealand newspapers in early 1906. New Zealand began to notice a new Maori prophet and his claims to strange mystic origins attracted the attention of media and government personalities. Rua claimed that he was Christ’s brother and the son of guerilla leader, Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki. Kenana prophesized that Maori would be reunited with land wrongfully taken from them by European settlers. Aside from this, Rua also believed that King Edward VII would meet Rua in Gisborne and hand over New Zealand to him in exchange for diamonds. Therefore, Pakeha rule would be abolished and New Zealand would once again be in the hands of Rua and his Maori.
In the nineteenth century, land wars had ravished Maori land. Many Maori leaders, began to turn to the story of the Israelites. Maori identified themselves with the Israelites because of the pain and exile of which they shared. "O God, if our hearts arise from the land in which we now dwell as slaves...Do not Thou, O God, cause us to be wholly destroyed". As had the Israelites in Egypt, Maori people had been in New Zealand for generations, and to have land taken off them by European settlers made them extremely hostile as well as a sense of high morality being restored amongst them. Because of this new found link, Maori prophets such as Aperahama Taonui of Hokianga and Titokowaru of Taranaki began adopting these scriptural promises for their own people. Much of the scripture focussed on the protection and recovery of Maori land as well as they restoration of unity amongst the people. Maori people referred to their followers as the 'chosen' in relation to the children of Israel.
Born in 1869 in Maungapohatu, Rua referred to his childhood as a time of exile "My people rejected me and I was homeless". He was sent away by to live with his father's people in Napier and when returning to Maungapohatu at nine years old was "again rejected and despised by my people, so that the Bible words were fulfilled". Rua began working as a shearer and ditch digger for European farmers in the Gisborne and Waimana districts and remained there for 18 years. The land on which he worked on was confiscated land and this angered Rua as well as his fellow Maori co workers. As an adult, Rua lived as an outcast from the rest of the Tuhoe people and saw this as a sign of God's purpose for his future. According to one of his followers, during one of Rua's first visions: 'The spirit of God came to him and said, "If it is the sick I will not do it do it. If it is the land, I will". This was the beginning many visions of which Christ appeared to Rua confirming his chosen path of leadership and teaching. During this first vision, Rua had heard someone calling his name and thought it was his wife Pinepine. He went outside and saw that it was an angel, who told him to go up the mountain. Pinepine and Rua trekked up the mountain until they saw Whaititi, ancestress of Rua's Tuhoe people. Then Christ appeared beside her and took Rua to a swamp where the diamond lay. Rua acquired the ability to see what was beyond the swamp which was a diamond which "looks after the mountain". Rua and Pinepine spent three days isolated on the mountain, and when returning, many people believed that Rua was the One who had been foretold. Apparently, Rua came down the mountain "sliding down a rainbow", which is a sign of God's promise to man and Rua's everlasting covenant with Israel. Following this revelation, Rua began visiting Maori elders and leaders. In 1905, a powerful Maori elder, Eria Ruakura of Ngatapa acknowledged Rua as the man who had been foretold and baptised him as the Messiah. Reluctant, Ruakura accepted Rua because of the strange shower of shooting stars which were seen as a sign of the rise of the new prophet. The fact that Rua had an extraordinary gift for oratory as well as the fact that he had changed his life since the times of his rebellious, riotous childhood also convinced the elders that Rua was indeed the start of a hopeful future for Tuhoe people. From here on in, Rua began his life of leadership and went from strength to strength inspiring and motivating his people to live through God and live peaceful simplistic lives.
In the nineteenth century, land wars had ravished Maori land. Many Maori leaders, began to turn to the story of the Israelites. Maori identified themselves with the Israelites because of the pain and exile of which they shared. "O God, if our hearts arise from the land in which we now dwell as slaves...Do not Thou, O God, cause us to be wholly destroyed". As had the Israelites in Egypt, Maori people had been in New Zealand for generations, and to have land taken off them by European settlers made them extremely hostile as well as a sense of high morality being restored amongst them. Because of this new found link, Maori prophets such as Aperahama Taonui of Hokianga and Titokowaru of Taranaki began adopting these scriptural promises for their own people. Much of the scripture focussed on the protection and recovery of Maori land as well as they restoration of unity amongst the people. Maori people referred to their followers as the 'chosen' in relation to the children of Israel.
Born in 1869 in Maungapohatu, Rua referred to his childhood as a time of exile "My people rejected me and I was homeless". He was sent away by to live with his father's people in Napier and when returning to Maungapohatu at nine years old was "again rejected and despised by my people, so that the Bible words were fulfilled". Rua began working as a shearer and ditch digger for European farmers in the Gisborne and Waimana districts and remained there for 18 years. The land on which he worked on was confiscated land and this angered Rua as well as his fellow Maori co workers. As an adult, Rua lived as an outcast from the rest of the Tuhoe people and saw this as a sign of God's purpose for his future. According to one of his followers, during one of Rua's first visions: 'The spirit of God came to him and said, "If it is the sick I will not do it do it. If it is the land, I will". This was the beginning many visions of which Christ appeared to Rua confirming his chosen path of leadership and teaching. During this first vision, Rua had heard someone calling his name and thought it was his wife Pinepine. He went outside and saw that it was an angel, who told him to go up the mountain. Pinepine and Rua trekked up the mountain until they saw Whaititi, ancestress of Rua's Tuhoe people. Then Christ appeared beside her and took Rua to a swamp where the diamond lay. Rua acquired the ability to see what was beyond the swamp which was a diamond which "looks after the mountain". Rua and Pinepine spent three days isolated on the mountain, and when returning, many people believed that Rua was the One who had been foretold. Apparently, Rua came down the mountain "sliding down a rainbow", which is a sign of God's promise to man and Rua's everlasting covenant with Israel. Following this revelation, Rua began visiting Maori elders and leaders. In 1905, a powerful Maori elder, Eria Ruakura of Ngatapa acknowledged Rua as the man who had been foretold and baptised him as the Messiah. Reluctant, Ruakura accepted Rua because of the strange shower of shooting stars which were seen as a sign of the rise of the new prophet. The fact that Rua had an extraordinary gift for oratory as well as the fact that he had changed his life since the times of his rebellious, riotous childhood also convinced the elders that Rua was indeed the start of a hopeful future for Tuhoe people. From here on in, Rua began his life of leadership and went from strength to strength inspiring and motivating his people to live through God and live peaceful simplistic lives.