Te Maiharoa and the Promised Land

In 1848, eight million hectares of land in Te Waipounamu — the South Island — was purportedly sold for just GBP2000. Hipa Te Maiharoa was a charismatic prophet who in the 1870s led his people in the fight against the injustice of this land deal by occupying the land they believed had not been sold.

He led a heke of his people from Arowhenua on the coast to the upper Waitaki — the promised land. This ongoing battle against the Crown was waged with words - but eventually lead to an armed confrontation in 1879.

Based on interviews with kaumatua and extensive research, renowned Maori historian Buddy Mikaere tells the moving story of Te Maiharoa.

Black and white images throughout the book. Revised and updated reprint with a new cover of an out-of-print book, first published in 1988. The new cover is of Te Kamaka o Arowhenua, near Temuka on SH1 — dedicated to Te Maiharoa and on the New Zealand Heritage list.