Name Gilbert Mair Role Soldier | Died November 29, 1923 | |
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Books The Story of Gate Pa, April 29th, 1864, Reminiscences and Maori Stories | ||
Colonel Gilbert Mair NZC (10 January 1843–29 November 1923) was a New Zealand surveyor, interpreter, soldier and public servant. He was born in Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand on 10 January 1843, the son of an early trader, also named Gilbert Mair.
Life
Raised amongst Maori, he was a fluent Maori speaker. During the attack on Auckland by the Ngāti Maniapoto and the Ngāti Hauā in 1863, Gilbert joined the Forest Rangers under William Jackson, as an ensign or trainee officer. He took part in the Invasion of Waikato against the Kingitanga forces, and became famous in late 1863 for entering into discussions with the rebels during the Battle of Orakau under a flag of truce. The government forces were aware that a number of women and children were in the stronghold and Mair pleaded with the rebels to let them out but they refused and one shot Mair in the shoulder.
Mair later became an officer and lead the hunt for Te Kooti between 1868 and 1872 which led to the defeat of Te Kooti's guerillas. Mair was able to convince Ngāi Tūhoe Ringatū, who had been part of Te Kooti's band, to lead the government forces to Te Kooti's secret camp in the Ureweras.
In the 1880s Mair was the government officer trusted with establishing friendly relationships with Rewi Maniapoto in the 1880s to facilitate the main trunk railway to enter the King Country On 19 September 1888, Mair married the artist, Kate Sperrey, in Wellington. The couple would have two children, John Gilbert and Kathleen Irene, who would become a noted artist under her married name as Airini Vane. Gilbert had previously had three children with the Ngāti Tūwharetoa woman, Keita Kupa.
Gilbert Mair contributed to the Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand an Abstract of a Moriori Narrative in 1904., The discussion paper presented the names of all Moriori of the Chathams Islands who were either alive or dead at the time. The document has asterisks beside the names of those who were presumed dead, enslaved or eaten. The paper also has notes on Moriori origins, language, seasons and ritual.
Ken Mair is a direct descendant of Col. Mair.