Margaret Orbell writes that he was a "famous chief of Ngāti Rangiwewehi, in the Rotorua district.... Although he played an important part in Arawa politics, Te Rangikaheke is chiefly remembered today as a writer, and especially as a recorder of Māori traditions. In the late 1840s he became acquainted with the Governor, Sir George Grey, and for a time he worked in the Native Office in Auckland. During the years from 1849 to 1853, he wrote for Sir George Grey some five hundred pages of manuscript. Most of this material consists of traditional stories and songs, and of commentaries upon such material. When Grey compiled his collection of Māori myths and legends, ‘Nga Mahinga a nga Tupuna’ (also published in translation as ‘Polynesian Mythology’), about a quarter of his material was taken from the manuscripts of Te Rangikaheke. He also made extensive use of them in his collection of songs, ‘Nga Moteatea.’"
Biographical sources
- Orbell, Margaret. “Two Manuscripts of Te Rangikaheke.” Te Ao Hou 62 (1968): 8-12.
Other
- "A Dream." in ‘Two Manuscripts of Te Rangikaheke.’ Margaret Orbell. Te Ao Hou 62 (1968): 8-12. Māori text with English translation and notes by Margaret Orbell.
- Orbell provides an introduction to Te Rangikaheke and gives explanatory notes to his two manuscripts included in this article, the originals of which are housed in the Grey Collection in the Auckland Public Library. In the first manuscript Te Rangikaheke writes of a dream he had on August 27, 1850 in which he is involved in fighting and killing. He perceives that this is a vision of the future and concludes, ‘it may be that soon the Māori will be attacking the Pakeha, or else the Pakeha will be attacking the Māori; either may be considered the aggressor, according to which side is interpreting the matter.’
- "A Letter." In ‘Two Manuscripts of Te Rangikaheke.’ Margaret Orbell. Te Ao Hou 62 (1968): 8-12. Māori text with English translation and notes by Margaret Orbell.
- This is a portion of a letter written by Te Rangikaheke to the people of Hawaiki. He writes that he met Maui Tione from Hawaiki while in Auckland and Tione encouraged him to write to his people. Te Rangikaheke seeks from the people of Hawaiki clarification and correction of various aspects of Māori history.
- "Marriage." In ‘Appendix A.’ Wiremu Maihi. Māori Marriage: An Essay in Reconstruction. Bruce Biggs. Auckland, N.Z.: A H. & A. W. Reed for the Polynesian Soc., 1960. Rpt. Māori Monographs. No. 1. Polynesian Soc. 1970. 85-90.
- Te Rangi-kaheke writes of the traditional marriage customs of the Māori. Biggs adds that this article written in about 1850 is taken from a manuscript housed in the Auckland Public Library, Auckland. (Reference GNZMSS 92).
- "Moe Wahine." In ‘Appendix B.’ Māori Marriage: An Essay in Reconstruction. Bruce Biggs. Auckland, N.Z.: A. H. & A. W. Reed for the Polynesian Soc., 1960. Rpt. Māori Monographs. No. 1. Polynesian Soc., 1970. 91-97.
- Original Māori text of Māori Marriage by Wiremu Maihi.
- "Ko Nga Mahi a Tiki-Tawhito-Ariki./The Deeds of Tiki-Tawhito-Ariki." English trans. Bruce Biggs. Journal of the Polynesian Society 61 (1952): 183-187. [Māori text: 187-191. English translation: 183-187.]
- ‘The legend was written in 1849 by Te Rangikaheke...an Arawa Chief to whom we are indebted for much of ‘Nga Mahi a Nga Tupuna" Grey’s collection of legends in the Māori language." (Biggs. 183-187).
- "He Waiata Haka Oriori." Na Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikaheke I Tuhia Nga Whakamarama I Te Tau 1850 [Writ. Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikaheke in 1850]. Te Ao Hou 3 (1952/53): 56-57. In Māori only.