Pai Mārire

The Pai Mārire movement (commonly known as Hauhau) was a syncretic Māori religion or cult that flourished on the North Island, New Zealand, from about 1863 to 1874. Founded in Taranaki by the prophet Te Ua Haumēne, it incorporated Biblical and Māori spiritual elements and promised its followers deliverance from Pākehā domination, providing a religious aspect to the issue of Māori independence, which had until then been a purely political movement. The embracing of the religion by some Māori 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 Māori and became closely associated with the Māori 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.