Queen regnant of Huahine
Maerehia of Ra'iatea and Taha'a (1824 – 28 May 1893), was a princess of Raiatea and Tahaa from the Tamatoa dynasty family, a Polynesian royal family. She was wife of Ari'imate of Huahine, founder of the Teururai dynasty which reigned on the Tahitian island of Huahine and Maia'o during the 19th century. She was Queen of Huahine and Maia'o and later Queen regnant in her own right. Contemporary sources seems to call her Teha'apapa I instead, disregarding the ruling queen by the same name at the time Captain Cook visited the island.
She was installed as Queen of Huahine in 1868 until her death in 1893.
Background
Born in Raiatea, princess Maerehia (Mary) was the only surviving daughter of King Tamatoa of Ra'iatea (1797–1857) and his commoner wife Mahuti of Vaiari. Thus, she belongs to the Tamatoa family, the most powerful royal family of the Society Island.[citation needed]
By her father's other elder sister, Queen consort Tere-moe-moe of Tahiti, she is the first cousin to Queen Pomare of Tahiti.
Queen consort
In december 26th 1851, the chiefs, the nobility and the people of Huahine dethroned her father's elder sister, Teri'itaria II who ruled in defiance of the laws and continued year after year to pursue the path of tyranny until let the patience of the people run out.[1][2] The main dignitaries chosed chief Ari'imate also called Teururai to be king of Huahine and Maia'ao on January 5, 1852.[3][4] Princess Maerehia became queen consort.
Multiple unrest followed the election of Teururai until March 18, 1854, when the rebels supporting the fallen queen submitted to his government. Teriitaria II and her adopted son Teratane Teriitaria Pomare were banished to Tahiti on the 26 March, 1854.[5]
Queen regnant
There was an ancient tradition in Huahine which granted the right of asylum to anyone seeking refuge on this island. On July 3, 1868, Ari'imate and the chiefs had agreed to sign a treaty with the French governor of Tahiti, Mr. Émile de la Roncière, to deliver any escaped prisoners from Tahiti. The agreement also extended to 6 or 7 Chinese contract workers who had escaped from this island. A reward of $50 was offered per person delivered with the added bonus of gifts. Two Chinese were delivered by the people on July 5, 1868, and the population promised to deliver the others as soon as they were captured. Ari'imate left for Tahiti with the China men aboard the French steamship Guichen to join some members of his family who he had to bring back to Huahine. At a meeting held on the night of July 7, 1868, the chiefs decided to depose King Ari'imate for fear of war. Part of the population was unhappy with the king's decision to hand over the Chinese and accused him of having sold the government of Huahine to the French.[6]On the other hand, the chiefs had been manipulated by an opponent of the king named Vaaie.[7]On July 8, 1868, Maerehia was proclaimed queen of Huahine and Mai'ao [8][9]
On July 10, 1868, a new government was installed and new chiefs were appointed.[10] A conflict based on maintaining or breaking the agreement with the French took place on the island. On July 17, 1868, a good part of the population was in favor of handing over the Chinese. The new chiefs initially opposed to this, agreed to side with the opinion of the people, but part of the population and particularly those who held the chinese, were opposed to this measure. Many people demanded that the old government be restored. Both parties prepared to defend themselves with arms.[11]
On July 21, 1868, Ari'imate landed on the island of Huahine and was informed that he was deposed.[12]The following day, the new government changed its mind and decided to retain the Chinese and requested Ariimate to become the Prime Minister, but he refused to take the office. There was a strong feeling in favor of Ariimate among the people. On July 23, 1868, the old government rose against the new government. The latter wrote a letter to the governor of Tahiti asking him to cancel the recently signed treaty in order to avoid war, without taking into account the opinion of the population. A messenger went to each of the villages to gather the people, and early in the morning it was expected to come across Vaaie and his group, responsible for all the unrest on the island of Huahine.[13]On july 24, 1868, in order to avoid an unnecessary war for his people, Ari'imate accepted the sanction of the chiefs and a lasting peace was established on the island.[14]
Maerehia took the reign name of Teha'apapa II.
In 1890, she accepted the French protectorate on her kingdom and died among her family in 1893. Her granddaughter Teriinavahoroa succeeded her under the name of Teha'apapa III.
Marriage and issue
She married in 1838 Chief Ari'imate of Tefarerii, and had twelve children, two of whom died at a young age :
- Princess Temari'i Teururai (1838–1891), the future rebel queen Teuhe of Huahine.
- Princess Tapiria Teururai (1850–1888)
- Crown Prince Marama Teururai (1851–1909), Head of the royal family of Huahine and father of Queen Teha'apapa III of Huahine.
- Princess Vaira'atoa Teururai, she had issue three children's.
- Prince Ari'imate Teururai (1853–1905), or Tamatoa VI, last king of Ra'iatea and Taha'a.
- Prince Teri'iteporouara'i Teururai (1857–1899), His family established in Tahiti.
- Prince Fatino Maraeta'ata Teururai (1859–1904), He had issue eight children.
- Princess Turaiari'i Teururai (1862-1893), she had issue two children through an irregular union.
- Princess Teri'inavahoro'a Teururai (1863–1918), she had eleven children.
- Princess Tefa'aora Teururai (1870–1928), she had issue two daughters.
Their children remain member to the royal family of the former kingdom of Huahine-Maia'o and Ra'iatea-Taha'a since the end of the monarchy.
