Tapuwae o Rukupō: Footsteps of a Cultural Guardian and Leader in a Time of Change.

This biography, Tapuwae o Rukupō: Footsteps of a Cultural Guardian and Leader in a Time of Change, examines the life and legacy of Raharuhi Rukupō, a prominent 19th-century leader, artist, and master carver of Rongowhakaata. Rukupō played a significant role in resisting land confiscation and maintaining cultural and spiritual leadership amidst the rapidly changing colonial landscape in Aotearoa. The biography seeks to correct colonial misrepresentations of Rukupō's life by drawing on original sources in Te Reo Māori, contextualising his contributions to carving, governance, and the preservation of tikanga Māori. This biography seeks to answer three key questions: Who was he? What qualities set him apart as a leader, and how did his actions and decisions shape the lives of those around him?