TE ARA O REHUA

He katorika tenei wahine no Te Awahuri i Rangitikei, i Manawatu. E noho ana i Te Awahuri ka tae te rongo o Te Kooti Rikirangi i roto o Whanganui, Katahi ka haere te wahine nei ki te whai i a Te Kooti ki Parikino, a, ka mau atu i a ia i Koriniti, ko Te Waiherehere te ingoa o te whare. Ka tu a Te Ara-o-Rehua ki te tono i a Te Kooti, a, whakamana e taua poropiti ra te tono a Te Ara-o-Rehua.

He wahine poropiti hoki a Te Ara-o-Rehua. Ki toku mohio, ko ia te mataamua o nga wahine poropiti ahakoa kaore i rangona nuitia.

Na Ruka Broughton i whakamarama.

Te Ara-o-Rehua is thought to have been the first of the Maori women prophets — a seer of Te Awahuri in Rangitikei. On learning of Te Kooti Rikirangi being in the Whanganui area preaching the Ringatu faith she went to Koroniti to the house called Te Waiherehere and asked if he would bring his teachings to the Rangitikei area. Te Kooti complied with her request and took his teachings to Rangitikei. Although not a well-known prophet she is remembered for this.