Details

Rua Kenana was an extraordinary prophetic leader from the Urewera. Resisting threats to expel the Tuhoe people from their ancestral lands, he established a remarkable community at Maungapohatu, identifying himself as the Mihaia (Messiah) for Tuhoe.

Judith Binney, Gillian Chaplin, and Craig Wallace researched the community in the 1970s, working with a collection of photographs they took to the Urewera. Sharing these images with descendants of Rua and his followers, they recorded the stories and memories of a community shaped by resilience, faith, and vision.

This biographical account focuses on a dramatic chapter in early twentieth-century New Zealand, including the police assault on Maungapohatu, while also documenting the lives of the people and Rua’s utopian leadership. First published in 1979, this book has been celebrated as ‘an unparalleled record of a community through time.’

Why Readers Will Love This Book:
• Provides a detailed biography of Rua Kenana and the Maungapohatu community
• Explores themes of prophetic leadership, resilience, and faith
• Combines historical research with photographs and oral histories
• Offers insight into Tuhoe history and early 20th-century New Zealand
• Ideal for historians, students, and readers interested in Maori leadership and communities

Product Details:
• Author: Judith Binney
• Format: Soft Cover
• ISBN: 9781927131305
• Themes: Tuhoe, Rua Kenana, prophetic leadership, Maori history, Maungapohatu, community, early 20th-century New Zealand

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