324
18 Dating the Last Migration to New Zealand
maximum age that Ruatapu could have been is 19. He may have been younger. If the
Heke took place in 1408, he may have been 24. The isolation of Ruatapu, following
his father’s public humiliation of him, acting alone in his devastating challenge to his
father (sinking a canoe and drowning the first sons of 70 families loyal to Uenuku)
suggests a dangerous teenager. The balance of evidence and surmise from a total
eclipse, El Niño proxy data and the likely birth date of Ruatapu, suggests 1403 as
the most probable date for the Heke.
References
1. Simmons D (1976) The great New Zealand myth. AH & AW Reed, Wellington
2. White J (1887–1891) The ancient history of the Maori. Vol 1–7, Government Printer,
Wellington
3. Howe K (2003) The quest for origins. Penguin, Auckland
4. Jones P, Biggs B (1995) Nga iwi o Tainui. Auckland University Press, p. 7
5. Kelly L (1940) Some problems in the study of Maori genealogies. J Polyn Soc 49: 235–242
6. Roberton J (1956) Genealogies as a basis for Maori chronology. J Polyn Soc 65: 145–54;
Roberton J (1957) The role of tribal traditions in New Zealand prehistory. J Polyn Soc 66:
249–263; Roberton J (1959) The significance of New Zealand tribal tradition. J Polyn Soc 68:
39–57; Roberton J (1962) The evaluation of Maori tribal tradition as history. J Polyn Soc 71:
293–309
7. Fletcher H (1930) Genealogies for the purpose of dating Polynesian history. J Polyn Soc 39:
188–194
8. Sharp A (1956) The prehistory of the New Zealand Maoris. J Polyn Soc 65: 155–160; Sharp
A (1958) Maori genealogies and canoe traditions. J Polyn Soc 67: 37–38; Sharp A (1959)
Maori genealogies and the “Fleet.” J Polyn Soc 68: 12–13
9. Stokes J (1934) New bases for Hawaiian chronology. J Polyn Soc 43: 30–32
10. Simmons D (1976) The great New Zealand myth. AH & AW Reed, Wellington pp. 271, 281,
286, 294
11. Mitchell J (1944) Takitimu: a history of the Ngati Kahungunu people. AH & AW Reed,
Wellington
12. Ropiha H (1862) Traditions and Poems of Ngati Kahungunu. Sir George Grey Maori Mss
9–10, Auckland Public Library
13. Mitchell J (1944) Takitimu: a history of the Ngati Kahungunu people. AH & AW Reed,
Wellington, pp. 23–24
14. Cox D (1962) Renewal theory. Methuen & Co, London
15. Evans J (1997) Nga waka o Nehera, the first voyaging canoes. Reed Books, Auckland
16. Smith S (1904) Hawaiki. 2nd edn, Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch, p. 18
17. Howe K (2003) The quest for origins. Penguin, Auckland p. 162
18. Large J (1906) Ruatapu and Cook Island descendants. J Polyn Soc 15: 209–219
19. Smith S (1904) Hawaiki. 2nd edn, Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch p. 138
20. Savage S (1962) A dictionary of the Maori language of Rarotonga. Wellington. Reprinted
University of the South Pacific, Suva, 1983, pp. 93–94
21. White J (1887–1891) The ancient history of the Maori. Vol III, pp. 12–23
22. Steel D (1999) Eclipse. Headline Book Publishers, London, p. 31
23. Lamb H (1972) Climate, present, past and future. Two volumes, Methuen & Co Ltd, London.
Vol 2, p. 436
24. Grant P (1994) Late Holocene histories of climate, geomorphology and vegetation, and their
effects on the first New Zealanders. In Sutton D (ed) The origins of the first New Zealanders.
Auckland University Press, pp. 164–194
18 Dating the Last Migration to New Zealand
maximum age that Ruatapu could have been is 19. He may have been younger. If the
Heke took place in 1408, he may have been 24. The isolation of Ruatapu, following
his father’s public humiliation of him, acting alone in his devastating challenge to his
father (sinking a canoe and drowning the first sons of 70 families loyal to Uenuku)
suggests a dangerous teenager. The balance of evidence and surmise from a total
eclipse, El Niño proxy data and the likely birth date of Ruatapu, suggests 1403 as
the most probable date for the Heke.
References
1. Simmons D (1976) The great New Zealand myth. AH & AW Reed, Wellington
2. White J (1887–1891) The ancient history of the Maori. Vol 1–7, Government Printer,
Wellington
3. Howe K (2003) The quest for origins. Penguin, Auckland
4. Jones P, Biggs B (1995) Nga iwi o Tainui. Auckland University Press, p. 7
5. Kelly L (1940) Some problems in the study of Maori genealogies. J Polyn Soc 49: 235–242
6. Roberton J (1956) Genealogies as a basis for Maori chronology. J Polyn Soc 65: 145–54;
Roberton J (1957) The role of tribal traditions in New Zealand prehistory. J Polyn Soc 66:
249–263; Roberton J (1959) The significance of New Zealand tribal tradition. J Polyn Soc 68:
39–57; Roberton J (1962) The evaluation of Maori tribal tradition as history. J Polyn Soc 71:
293–309
7. Fletcher H (1930) Genealogies for the purpose of dating Polynesian history. J Polyn Soc 39:
188–194
8. Sharp A (1956) The prehistory of the New Zealand Maoris. J Polyn Soc 65: 155–160; Sharp
A (1958) Maori genealogies and canoe traditions. J Polyn Soc 67: 37–38; Sharp A (1959)
Maori genealogies and the “Fleet.” J Polyn Soc 68: 12–13
9. Stokes J (1934) New bases for Hawaiian chronology. J Polyn Soc 43: 30–32
10. Simmons D (1976) The great New Zealand myth. AH & AW Reed, Wellington pp. 271, 281,
286, 294
11. Mitchell J (1944) Takitimu: a history of the Ngati Kahungunu people. AH & AW Reed,
Wellington
12. Ropiha H (1862) Traditions and Poems of Ngati Kahungunu. Sir George Grey Maori Mss
9–10, Auckland Public Library
13. Mitchell J (1944) Takitimu: a history of the Ngati Kahungunu people. AH & AW Reed,
Wellington, pp. 23–24
14. Cox D (1962) Renewal theory. Methuen & Co, London
15. Evans J (1997) Nga waka o Nehera, the first voyaging canoes. Reed Books, Auckland
16. Smith S (1904) Hawaiki. 2nd edn, Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch, p. 18
17. Howe K (2003) The quest for origins. Penguin, Auckland p. 162
18. Large J (1906) Ruatapu and Cook Island descendants. J Polyn Soc 15: 209–219
19. Smith S (1904) Hawaiki. 2nd edn, Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch p. 138
20. Savage S (1962) A dictionary of the Maori language of Rarotonga. Wellington. Reprinted
University of the South Pacific, Suva, 1983, pp. 93–94
21. White J (1887–1891) The ancient history of the Maori. Vol III, pp. 12–23
22. Steel D (1999) Eclipse. Headline Book Publishers, London, p. 31
23. Lamb H (1972) Climate, present, past and future. Two volumes, Methuen & Co Ltd, London.
Vol 2, p. 436
24. Grant P (1994) Late Holocene histories of climate, geomorphology and vegetation, and their
effects on the first New Zealanders. In Sutton D (ed) The origins of the first New Zealanders.
Auckland University Press, pp. 164–194