Pai Marire

The Pai Marire movement (commonly known as Hauhau) was a syncretic Maori religion or cult that flourished on the North Island, New Zealand, from about 1863 to 1874. Founded in Taranaki by the prophet Te Ua Haumene, it incorporated Biblical and Maori spiritual elements and promised its followers deliverance from Pakeha domination, providing a religious aspect to the issue of Maori independence, which had until then been a purely political movement. The embracing of the religion by some Maori also signalled a rejection of Christianity and a distrust of missionaries over their involvement in land purchases. The religion gained widespread support among North Island Maori and became closely associated with the Maori King Movement, but also became the cause of deep concern among European settlers due to the random violence of the followers on isolated settler communities.