Tītokowaru, 1823?-1888.

Titokowaru (d. 1888) emerged as a leader in the Maori struggle of the 1860s against British colonial interests in the Taranaki region. Prior to becoming a war leader, however, Titokowaru sought to advance peace between the Maori and British settlers. In 1867 he initiated a campaign of peace that involved, among other proceedings, a series of peace meetings that were attended by all parties and held between January 1867 and 25 March 1868. These meetings took place at Titokowaru's base at Te Ngutu-o-te-manu, Okaiawa. It was from this base that he went onto lead the Maori campaign against the continuing government land confiscation occuring in South Taranaki. Hostilities broke out in June 1868 when Titokowaru refused to hand over to the authorities the Maori who had been involved in the killing of three military settlers. In the conflict that followed Titiokowaru and his followers used sound military tactics to inflict defeat upon colonist forces. The Maori successes also included reclaiming confiscated land but despite victory Titokowaru fled inland on 2 February, 1869. His followers fell away, and the campaign in South Taranaki was concluded that same year.