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Richard ‘Dicky’ Barrett was one of those rare men who was loved by white man and native alike on the New Zealand frontier. His engaging, genial nature made him a vital link between the two very different worlds of the European and the Maori in the 1830’s and ‘40s. Born in 1807 at Durham, England he grew up around seamen. At the age of 16, he was himself employed as a seaman by an English whaling and trading company in the Pacific Islands and in Australia. After a few years, however, he found the scene in Australia to be too overcrowded and, so, moved further south.
In January, 1827 Barrett threw in with three other men, all from his home town of Durham, and purchased the 60 ton schooner Tohoroa. They sailed east from Sydney. They soon reached the bustling gateway to New Zealand, known as Kororareka, in the Bay of Islands. Leaving one man there to set up a trading base for flax and potatoes, the other three sailed south to Cook Strait, between New Zealand’s North and South Islands. A second man was left at the port of Te Awaiti before 20 year old Barrett and his remaining partner, John Love, returned to Kororareka for their cargo of flax and potatoes. They then returned to Sydney’s Port Jackson.
Towards the end of 1827, Barrett and Love again returned to New Zealand. This time they carried with them guns, ammunition and heavy cannon. They traveled down the coast to Taranaki and were soon met by local Maori, who had come to meet them in two large war canoes. The chiefs and people went aboard and the white men were relieved to discover that they meant them no harm. In fact, fighting chief Wharepouri said to Love, “You must take your ship to Ngamotu where there is plenty of muka(prepared flax) and numerous pigs.”
The two sailors took this advice and set anchor at an area that has become known as The Sugar Loaves. As offerings of friendships, the Maori gave wives to the two white men. A beautiful girl by the name of Rawinia was given to Barrett. Love was given a similarly attractive wife by the name of Hikanui. Both were high-born women of the Ngati-te-Whiti hapu or tribe. Rawainia was, in fact, the most prominent female in the land, she being the only grand-daughter of famed rangitira (elder) Tautara, who was supreme head of the huge Ngatiawa confederation of tribes. Because of his good fortune in marrying Rawinia, Barrett became the Big White Chief of the coast.
The Maori soon came to appreciate Barrett for his quick wittedness and humor. They endearingly came to refer to him as Tiki. The whites, too, admired him for his honesty, his shrewdness, his hard-headed business sense and, above all, his simple goodness as a human being.
Barret and Love decided to set up their homes at Ngamotu, thus becoming the first permanent traders on the Taranaki coast. They settled on the beach at Wharepouri pa. There they built a storehouse which was 100 feet long. For several years they successfully traded with the Tohoroa sitting happily at anchor in the bay. One day, however, a big pork barrel fell out of the sling and stove in the ship’s lower quarters and she was wrecked.
By 1829, however, they had built a new boat from the wreckage. During this time Barrett also instructed the Maori in the planting of crops and flax. He did, in fact, tie up the flax trade for himself for many years to come.
In December, 1831 the peaceful existence that Barrett and Love had created for themselves was shattered when a massive war party from the upper North Island moved in on the Taranaki tribes. Quickly the coastal tribes uprooted themselves and fled. Thousands fled to the great Pa(fort) at Pukerangiora on the Waitara River. By January, 1832, however, the pa had been captured and hundreds massacred. The northern victors now moved in on Ngamotu, the home of Barrett and Love.
The white men set up their defenses. They positioned three cannon on a hilltop and built ramparts from where they could fire their guns. The ensuing siege lasted many weeks but finally the Northern Maori were driven off.
A year later the white men led a mass migration south to the bottom of the North Island. Many of them, including Barrett and his family, settled at Port Nicholson. Barrett had soon set himself up as the mediator between new immigrants and the Maori. On February 27th, 1840 Colonel WillaiamWakefield wrote of Barrett’services:
“Of Mr Barrett’s services to the company I cannot speak in too high terms. I have appointed him agent for the natives, which office will make him the medium between the settlers and their dark neighbors. This office is absolutely essential to a good understanding between us.”
On October 22, 1840, Barrett opened a hotel. For the next 15 years it was the most important building in the entire settlement of Port Nicholson. Barrett lived on peacefully, relishing in his role as a publican and expert in native ways. In 1846, he was injured while working with a group of whalers. A harpooned whale struck his boat with it’s tail. The crew got safely to shore and Barrett was carried to a nearby house. Although he did not appear to be badly injured, he never recovered. He died on February 23, 1847, aged 40. He was much grieved by all the people of the Taranaki.
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