Eruera Maihi Patuone: The Story of a Great Rangatira
by Fraser Smith
Eruera Maihi Patuone lived to be 108 (some say he was 112). Over his long life, he would witness enormous change. Patuone was a boy when Captain Cook first arrived, and he was one of the first rangatira to sign Te Tiriti o Waitangi. As a warrior, he fought with both traditional weapons and muskets. Later in life, he became a peacemaker. Like his cousin Hongi Hika, Patuone was a descendant of Rāhiri, who in turn descended from Kupe.
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