Tohitapu also known as Tohi or Toi-Tapu (died 14 July 1833) was a rangatira (chief) of the Te Roroa iwi (tribe) of Northland, New Zealand, and a tohunga and Māori warrior.
[1] As a Tohunga o Tumatauenga (expert in weapons or war party chaplain) he was acknowledged by the Ngāpuhi of the Bay of Islands as a spiritual leader who possessed the ability of communicating between the spiritual and temporal realms through karakia (prayers), pātere (chants) or performing waiata (songs).
[11] Te Koki was the principal chief of the Ngāpuhi at Paihia, uncle of Hongi Hika, brother to Tuhikura, of Ngāti Rehua, and husband of Ana Hamu.
In March 1828, Tohitapu, Henry Williams and George Clarke were present at fighting occurring between the Ngāpuhi and Te Mahurehure hapu (subtribe).
[12] The Revd A. N. Brown reported in his journal of August 1831 that Tohitapu choose to apply a less severe punishment to a slave, when the penalty under Māori custom was usually death.
[17] During the Girls' War in March 1830, Tohitapu sought the assistance of the CMS missionaries to mediated between the combatants.
[18] In December 1831, Tohitapu requested that the CMS missionaries intervene to stop the fighting at Kororāreka between the warriors of Tītore and Tareha.
[22] In February 1833, Tohitapu joined the second muru led by Tītore with Te Rarawa warriors, allies of the Ngāpuhi, from the North Cape back to Tauranga to continue the war expedition.