Tāmati Wāka Nene (1780s – 4 August 1871) was a Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) who fought as an ally of the British in the Flagstaff War of 1845–1846.

Nene took an active part in the Musket Wars of 1818 to 1820, leading his warriors on a rampage the whole length of the North Island, killing and plundering as he went until he reached Cook Strait.

Then his older brother moved south to what is now the Auckland region, Hauraki, and soon after the paramount chief of the area died of wounds received in battle.

Early on Nene had recognised the value of trade with Pākehā and used his position as chief to protect and encourage both the traders and the Methodist missionaries.

On 8 July 1844 the flagstaff on Maiki Hill at the north end of Kororāreka was cut down for the first time, by the Pakaraka chief Te Haratua.

Tāmati Wāka Nene requested the Governor to remove the troops and redress the grievances in respect of the Customs duties that were put in place in 1841, that Heke and Pōmare II viewed as damaging the maritime trade from which they benefited.

[7] Tāmati Wāka Nene and the other Ngāpuhi chiefs undertook to keep Heke in check and to protect the Europeans in Bay of Islands.

[8] When Hōne Heke cut down the flag pole for the fourth time on 11 March 1845 and attacked Kororāreka, Nene was offended, feeling that his mana had been trampled on.

[13] In April 1845, during the time that the colonial forces were gathering in the Bay of Islands, the warriors of Heke and Nene fought many skirmishes on the small hill named Taumata-Karamu that was between the two pās and on open country between Ōkaihau and Te Ahuahu.

Opposing Heke and Kawiti were about four hundred warriors that supported Tāmati Wāka Nene including his brother Eruera Maihi Patuone and the chiefs, Makoare Te Taonui and his brother Aperahama Taonui, Mohi Tawhai, Arama Karaka Pi and Nōpera Panakareao.

Lieutenant Colonel Hulme and his second in command Major Cyprian Bridge made an inspection of Heke's Pā and found it to be quite formidable.

The ensuing battle was a traditional formal Māori conflict, taking place in the open with the preliminary challenges and responses.

[21] Hugh Carleton (1874) provides a brief description of the battle: Heke committed the error (against the advice of Pene Taui) of attacking Walker [Tāmati Wāka Nene], who had advanced to Pukenui.

The disaffected, although consisting of 500 men, were kept at bay all day, and ultimately driven off the field by the loyalists, although their force did not exceed 100.

When the bodies were brought home, as one of them was a principal chief of great note and bravery, he was laid in state, about a hundred yards from our fence, before he was buried.

The troops were in the Bay at the time, and were sent for by Walker, the conquering chief; but they were so tardy in their movements that they did not arrive at the seat of war to commence operations until the 24th inst.!

[25] Tāmati Wāka Nene and his warriors supported troops led by Lieutenant Colonel Despard in an attack on Pene Taui's pā at Ōhaeawai.

[28] The British persisted in their attempts to storm the unbreached palisades and five to seven minutes later 33 were dead and 66 injured, approximately one-third of the soldiers and Royal Marines.

[29] Tāmati Wāka Nene and his warriors supported troops led by Lieutenant Colonel Despard in an attack on the pā at Ruapekapeka.

Kawiti's tactics was to attempt to repeat the success of the Battle of Ōhaeawai and draw the colonial forces into an attack on heavily fortified pā.

The Governor at the time, Sir George Bowen, said that Nene did more than any other Māori to promote colonisation and to establish the Queen's authority.