Family tradition suggests that Tikao was born at Opukutahi on Banks Peninsula and was educated in Māori lore by Koroko and Tuauau who were tohunga in the old tribal school. Tikao worked on family land at Opukutahi and for other local farms. He married Hana Solomon-Score and had fourteen children of whom eight survived. Tikao became prominent in Māori politics in the 1890s through the backing of his elders. He was the first chair of Te Kotahitanga and during the late 1890s was involved in the Mahunui Māori Council. He was spokesperson for his people at that time and assisted in most of the marae around Banks Peninsula. He moved to Rapaki for his children’s education and was a leader of his people there. He was sought after by a number of prominent New Zealand historians such as Herries Beattie, James Stack, and James Cowan. He was involved in the writing of a number of books including James Cowan’s Tales of Banks Peninsula.
Biographical sources
- Phone conversation with George Waitai on 4 August 1998.
Non-fiction
- Tikao Talks: Traditions and Tales Told by Te One Taare Tikao to Herries Beattie. Herries Beattie. Dunedin, N.Z.: Reed, 1939. Rpt. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1990.
- Waitai states that this publication ‘contains a lot of information of early Māori history of Canterbury and the Peninsula. It is a valuable resource of history.
- Tikao Talks: Ka Taoka Tapu O Te Ao Kohatu: Treasures From The Ancient World Of The Māori. Told by Teone Taare Tikao to Herries Beattie. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1990. [In English with some Māori text.]
- Two sets of reprints from the earlier book. George Waitai states: ‘ten years ago we were asked to have the book reprinted because of the demand from universities. Changes are from the whanau - we didn’t alter anything with the old book. We put in added interesting articles from his whanau including photographs. We changed the word tales to taonga.’
Other
- "Mana." Journal of the Polynesian Society 30 (1921): 17-18.
- "Tikao, Hone Taare 1850?-1927." Tipene O’Regan Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Vol. 2: 1870-1900. Wellington, N.Z.: Bridget Williams; Dept. of Internal Affairs, 1993. 540-541.