Pinepine Te Rika was the first wife of the Tūhoe prophet Rua Kēnana, and she shared the religious visions he experienced on the sacred Tūhoe mountain Maungapōhatu. Rua was to have a further six wives, but Pinepine always had special status and a role as spiritual leader. Pinepine Te Rika was born probably in 1857 or 1858 at Rahitiroa, an old settlement of Ngati Kuri just east of Te Waiiti, in the Bay of Plenty. Her son Whatu died in 1936 as a result of an accident while shearing in Gisborne. Rua died a year later, and was buried in a tomb by his house at Tuapou, Matahi. Pinepine continued to live there until she died on 9 August 1954 aged 96. She was buried at Matahi on 12 August.

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