In 1840 more than 500 chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document. Ngā Tohu, when complete, will contain a biographical sketch of each signatory.
| Signature | Sheet | Signed as | Probable name | Tribe | Hapū | Signing Occasion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Sheet 2 — The Manukau-Kāwhia Sheet | Rawiri | Rāwiri | Waikato | Ngāti Māhanga | Kāwhia, 28 April 1840 |
Rāwiri was the only person to sign the Manukau-Kāwhia sheet of the Treaty of Waitangi on 28 April 1840 at Kāwhia. He was the first to sign this sheet after it had been sent by Captain William Symonds to the Wesleyan (Methodist) missionaries James Wallis and John Whiteley.
Rāwiri's name, a transliteration of David, suggests he had regular contact with missionaries and had been baptised.
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