Artwork Information

According to James Cowan, Lindauer painted this portrait of Hori Ngakapa Te Whanaunga at Thames in 1874 and exhibited the painting in a room in Butt’s Hotel in the Thames township. Legend has it that one day Te Whanaunga stood at the entrance to the room where the painting was displayed and collected a shilling from everyone who entered. At the close of the exhibition he went into the bar, placed the money down and ‘shouted’ everyone to drinks.

Te Whanaunga took part in the defence of Rangiriri pa and it is said that he carried his ammunition in belts across his shoulders and around his waist, and held a double barrelled gun in his hands.