Tohu Kakahi

Not much is known about Tohu Kakahi's early life but his descendants say he was born on January 22, 1828 in Taranaki. The family moved into the southern Taranaki area when he was younger because of the musket wars with Waikato iwi. Around 1842 the family and their hapu went to live in a place called Warea.   

Tohu was related to Te Whiti on his father's side and like Te Whiti belonged to Te Ati Awa iwi.  

Tohu went to the same mission school as Te Whiti which was run by a missionary called Johann Riemenschneider. During this time Tohu  took the names Hone (John) and Hemi (James) as his Christian names. 

However, both Tohu and Te Whiti became disillusioned and upset with Reimenschneider when he started helping settlers to purchase land. 

During the 1860's the Crown saw Tohu as a threat and he was described by them as "possessing a warlike temperament." 

In the mid 1860's Tohu and Te Whiti became followers of a chief called Te Ua Haumene who started a movement called Pai Marire or Hauhau. This movement chose to ignore Pakeha churches and interpret the Bible from a Maori perspective.  

In December 1865 Te Ua asked Tohu and Te Whiti to carry on with his work for him. They moved to live at Parihaka with Te Whiti's half brother- Taikomako.