This monument, situated in Moutoa Gardens, in Wanganui, commemorates the Muaupoko leader Te Rangihiwinui, also known as Taitako and later as Te Keepa, or Major Kemp. It was erected after his death by his sister Rora Hakaraia, and the New Zealand Government in 1911.
Te Keepa rose to prominence through his support of the Crown in the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, leading a troop of Wanganui Maori. For his service to the Crown Te Keepa was presented with the Queen's Sword of Honour in June 1869, and was awarded the New Zealand Cross in 1874 and the New Zealand War Medal in 1876. His military skill and ability to lead was also well respected in Maoridom, and he was acknowledged as a person with high mana. In later life he served as an Assessor for the Maori Land Court, and land purchase officer. He died on 15 April 1898.
The plinth of the Te Keepa monument is of Aberdeen granite and is surmounted by a life-sized figure of Te Keepa sculptured in Italian marble by the Frank Harris Granite Co. in Auckland. The four panels around the base depict the four major engagements Major Kemp took part in during the wars of 1866 to 1870: the battle of Moturoa on 7 November 1866; the surprise at Pungarehu on 6 October 1866; Storming of Te Kooti's pa, Te Porere on 3 October 1869; and the battle at Mapa Marae with Major Poatu on 13 March 1870. There is also a tribute from Major George Whitmore, who as Commander of the New Zealand Constabulary Force (1868-1869) led the campaign against Te Kooti and Titokowaru, and an extract from Colonel Gudgeon's book, Defenders of New Zealand. Constructed at the cost of £1150, the poor quality of the work caused the Court of Appeal to rule Hakarai exmpt from payment for the 'absolutely inartistic' statue that bore so little resemblance to the brother she wished to commemorate.
The significance of the monument rests partly on its association with a key figure in the New Zealand Wars. Te Keepa was arguably the most important of the Maori soldiers who supported the Government. It also has symbolic significance for the location - Moutoa Gardens is the site of many New Zealand Wars memorials and a place of great cultural significance to Maori and Pakeha.
Te Keepa rose to prominence through his support of the Crown in the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, leading a troop of Wanganui Maori. For his service to the Crown Te Keepa was presented with the Queen's Sword of Honour in June 1869, and was awarded the New Zealand Cross in 1874 and the New Zealand War Medal in 1876. His military skill and ability to lead was also well respected in Maoridom, and he was acknowledged as a person with high mana. In later life he served as an Assessor for the Maori Land Court, and land purchase officer. He died on 15 April 1898.
The plinth of the Te Keepa monument is of Aberdeen granite and is surmounted by a life-sized figure of Te Keepa sculptured in Italian marble by the Frank Harris Granite Co. in Auckland. The four panels around the base depict the four major engagements Major Kemp took part in during the wars of 1866 to 1870: the battle of Moturoa on 7 November 1866; the surprise at Pungarehu on 6 October 1866; Storming of Te Kooti's pa, Te Porere on 3 October 1869; and the battle at Mapa Marae with Major Poatu on 13 March 1870. There is also a tribute from Major George Whitmore, who as Commander of the New Zealand Constabulary Force (1868-1869) led the campaign against Te Kooti and Titokowaru, and an extract from Colonel Gudgeon's book, Defenders of New Zealand. Constructed at the cost of £1150, the poor quality of the work caused the Court of Appeal to rule Hakarai exmpt from payment for the 'absolutely inartistic' statue that bore so little resemblance to the brother she wished to commemorate.
The significance of the monument rests partly on its association with a key figure in the New Zealand Wars. Te Keepa was arguably the most important of the Maori soldiers who supported the Government. It also has symbolic significance for the location - Moutoa Gardens is the site of many New Zealand Wars memorials and a place of great cultural significance to Maori and Pakeha.
Kemp Monument, Moutoa Gardens, Whanganui | B Wagstaff | 15/05/2023 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Kemp Monument, Moutoa Gardens, Whanganui. CC BY-SA 4.0 Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org | Schwede66 | 15/11/2018 | Schwede66 - Wikimedia Commons
Kemp Monument, Moutoa Gardens, Whanganui. c.1876 'Portrait of Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui also known as Major Kemp, in military uniform' Ref no. PA2-2562 Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, NZ must be obtained before any re-use of this image | Alexander Turnbull Library
Kemp Monument, Moutoa Gardens, Whanganui | B Wagstaff | 15/05/2023 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Kemp Monument, Moutoa Gardens, Whanganui. CC BY-SA 4.0 Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org | Schwede66 | 15/11/2018 | Schwede66 - Wikimedia Commons
Kemp Monument, Moutoa Gardens, Whanganui. c.1876 'Portrait of Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui also known as Major Kemp, in military uniform' Ref no. PA2-2562 Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, NZ must be obtained before any re-use of this image | Alexander Turnbull Library
