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Reihana Rēweti

Nga Tohu

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.

Signing

Signature Sheet Signed as Probable name Tribe Hapū Signing Occasion
25 Sheet 8 — The Cook Strait (Henry Williams) Sheet Reihana Reweti Reihana Rēweti Te Āti Awa Port Nicholson, 29 April 1840

Reihana Rēweti (also known as Richard Davis, Te Kamo and Te Karoro) signed Te Tiriti at Port Nicholson on 29 April 1840.

In the years before the Treaty, he was taken captive by Ngāpuhi and lived with them in the north, where he became a pupil at the Anglican missions. In 1839 he travelled with Henry Williams from the Bay of Islands back to Port Nicholson, where he retained some land rights.

He went on to become a successful entrepreneur, with a house at Pipitea pā, a horse, a schooner and £300 in savings. Davis Street in Thorndon is named after him.

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