Reko

Reko (reh-kawe) was the son of Puhirake, his name meaning white dogskin cape. His brother was Whakapa, chief of Mauao, who was killed when Mauao was attacked in 1820. Reko was taken prisoner during the massacre at Otamataha Pā at Te Papa in 1828. He converted to Christianity and was part of Alfred Brown’s congregation at Tauranga. On 22 May 1842 Tāraia Ngākuti Te Tumuhuia from Thames led a tauā that attacked Ōngare Pā in Katikati. Reko was one of those killed and eaten. Later his head, along with Te Whanake’s, was rolled into the middle of a Māori church service at Te Puru (about 12km north of presentday Thames). Reko’s nephew was Rāwiri Puhirake Tuaia who led Tauranga iwi during the Battle of Gate Pā, but was killed during the Battle of Te Ranga on 21 June 1864. Source: ‘The Treaty of Waitangi in Tauranga: Te Tiriti o Waitangi ki Tauranga Moana’ by Debbie McCauley (2018).