A powerful new book is shedding light on one of Aotearoa’s most misunderstood rangatira – Te Pahi – and the injustice that followed his death.
Award-winning journalist Eugene Bingham’s latest work, The Chief and the Empire, revisits the story of the Te Tai Tokerau leader who crossed the Tasman in 1805, forging early relationships with colonial authorities in New South Wales.
Te Pahi was welcomed as a respected figure in Sydney, forming close ties with Governor Philip Gidley King and missionary Samuel Marsden. During his visit, he observed the harsh realities of the penal colony – even challenging death sentences handed down to men accused of stealing food, helping spare some from execution.
But despite his leadership and diplomacy, Te Pahi’s legacy was later overshadowed by tragedy.
After returning home, he was wrongly blamed for the 1809 attack on the British ship Boyd. In retaliation, he was killed – and his name unfairly tarnished for generations.
Bingham says the story is one of injustice, but also connection.
“In my journalistic career, I’ve often pursued stories about injustice – and that’s definitely one of the themes of Te Pahi’s story.”
The book explores early Māori-Crown relationships before Te Tiriti o Waitangi, offering insight into a time when two worlds were first coming into contact – often with profound consequences.
Bingham says he hopes readers come away with a deeper understanding of the past.
“Te Pahi reminds us of the relationship between Māori and the Crown before the Treaty.”
During his research, Bingham also witnessed a rare full-circle moment – helping reconnect descendants of Te Pahi with those linked to events in Sydney more than 200 years ago.
“It felt like a sequel to events that unfolded in 1806… you never truly know how the things we do now will ripple into the future.”
The book blends history, true crime, and storytelling – bringing a complex chapter of Aotearoa’s past to life in a way that is both accessible and deeply human.
For Radio Waatea, it’s a reminder that history is not fixed – and that reclaiming these stories is key to understanding who we are today.
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