We know Heke exists from her death certificate and her husband's death certificate that she was married to David CLARK approx. 1844, buried in Pauatahanui was 73 in early 1885 and according to her death certificate, was born in Kairoura (approx 1811). On her death certificate the informant never recorded her parents. She is named as Aheke on David CLARK's death cert. of 1900.
The family story is that she is one of the kidnapped by Te Rauparaha from Kaikoura in 1828 and kept as a slave at Kapiti Island. This is where she met David Clark, who was whaling at the time and would also have been on Kapiti Island.
She is also in the 'Ngaitahu Kaumatua Alive in 1848 as established by the Maori Land Court in 1925 and the Ngaitahu Census committee in 1929'.
In this book Heke CLARK is under the names of the 1848 Kaumatua admitted in 1929: (See pages 111 to 131, Ngaitahu Census Committee Minute Book). She is entry number 1011, Heke CLARK, In the West Coast area. She is Ngaitahu File No. New App. 40 (Kai) (Kai means Kaiapoi - see below). Number 1019 is her daughter Jessie CLARK.
Discovered in the Maori Land Court in ChCh is the typewritten Ngaitahu Census Committee Minute Book under section New APPLN 40. (Kaiapoi) New Names - Where Heke CLARK's entry has written underneath 'daughter of Riria PARATA'.
Area of affiliation is West Coast.
Also on this page is Raria PARATA with note 'Young's report gives her address as Kaiapoi' and she is the only person in the 26 applicants under file 40 to be from Canterbury.
Also in the Minutes under this file for the West Coast is;
Taare PARATA (noted to be son of Wiremu and Kuini grantees in West Coast Lands)
Rena PARATA
Wiremu PARATA (noted that There appears sufficient reason to believe that
Wiremu PARATA was alive in 1848)
Kuini ATAPO (noted to be mother of Ripeka te Naihi (Te Owai))
Ngai Tahu research names Kuini Te Mateaurere as Wiremu's partner.
In subsequent Legislative Council publications HARRIS descendents are grouped under the West Coast Maori.
BUT WHO IS THIS RARIA PARATA? AND IS IT CORRECT THAT SHE IS THE MOTHER OF HEKE??
LYDIA CANNON There is a theory from Terry RYAN and the Ngaitahu Trust Board the Riria was kidnapped by Te Rauparaha and became Lydia CANNON who died 19th April, 1891. She has a son by the name of James PARKER on her death cert. (a europeanised PARATA?). She dies in 1891 aged 65 which makes her born approx. 1826. The similarity is that they are both from Kaikoura. Lydia would have been very young at the time of Te Rauparaha's kidnapping from Kaikoura (1829). Her parents are stated as Rangi Newanewa and Ine Pikitea and father a native chief. The PARKER family say this couple was really her grandparents with whom she lived with in Kaiapoi.
From Beatson's Whakapapa Book;
Rangi Papa - Hinemaramatia
have three children - Niwa, Te Pani and Te Ikamutu.
Niwa partners Hinepikitia.
They have one son Parata Tiraahiahi and one daughter Riria Taihakihaki
Parata Tiraahiahi is possibly Wiremu PARATA
(BEATSON, Mrs J also known as Hariata Pitini, grand daughter of Wakatau. About
50 in 1925)
Whakapapa by James PARKER
Rangi Papa partners Nga Te Hinekura
Rangi Newanewa partners Hineipaketia
daughter - Riria Tai Hekeheke
Timi Paaka (James PARKER) - 3 daughters Edith(dec), ? (dec), Ethel
(dec), two sons Stanley (dec), Hilton (dec).
If Riria is Lydia born c. 1826 and James is born 1853 - maybe Heke born c. 1811 is possibly the link in between.
AND RIRIA PARATA
From the ChCh library is a publication which in 1995 was incomplete on proceeding of the Land Courts? (I did not copy down title).
Under Native Reserve No. 37; 50 acres
"Rev G P Mutu sworn - This land was set apart for Kuini, the wife of PARATA, and she is dead; but their children are living, Riria Parata and Rena Parata.
There is also a boy, but it is desired that these girls should have their mother's land in equal shares.
Objectors challenged......" Outcome - equal shares to Raria and Rena
Under Native Reserve No. 39; 100 acres
"Rev G P Mutu sworn - This land was set apart for PARATA. His is dead. His children are Tare Parata, by his first wife; and Riria and Rena PARATA by his second wife. I ask that they may succeed in equal shares.
Conclusion
Comparing Lydia’s death certificate, Mrs J BEATSONS’s and James PARKER’s genealogy , I think Rangi Newanewa and Ine Pikitea, Niwa partners Hinepikitia and Rangi Newanewa partners Hineipaketia are one and the same couple.
I think that their daughter Riria Taihakihaki or Riria Tai Hekeheke is actually Heke PARATA – born about 1911
I think the son, Parata Tiraahiahi, is Wiremu PARATA – who goes on to marry twice and have Tare, Riria and Rena (I have a photo of Rena’s son Parata Pita KERE, I think, from a family album)
I think Lydia/Riria CANNON/PARKER/PARATA born abt 1826, is bought up by Niwa and Hinepikitia as their daughter, but in fact was their granddaughter, either by Wiremu or Aheke.
And why the connection of my family between the Mahitahi and Paringa (also known as Maori or Bruce Bay) area in the West Coast of the South Island and Kaikoura? I think they were Pounamu (Greenstone) traders.
Te Tauraka Waka a Maui is the name of the Marae in Mahitahi
Aheke had only one daughter with David CLARK, Jessie (abt 1845 – 1912). She married William HARRIS (1839 – 1928), lived in the Pauatahanui area (Horokiwi Valley) and had ten HARRIS children.
Link for Pounamu: http://www.dwc.org.nz/index.cfm/3,214,351/pounamuandmaori.pdf
Link for Nga Tahu: http://www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz/Home
Link for Mahitahi: http://www.makaawhio.maori.nz/history.html
contact Cheryl at ceduggan@bigpond.com