Childhood and Names
Rapata Wahawaha was born about 1820 into the Te Aowera sub-tribe of the Ngati Porou, one of the major Maori tribes in the eastern regions of the North Island of New Zealand. While still a child he was captured and became the slave of Rapata Whakapuhia whose name he perforce adopted.
However, in later years when he rose to prominence he worked closely with Donald McLean who, having a broad Scottish accent, habitually pronounced his name as "Ropata" and it became the name by which he is generally known.
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