U'uru (c. 1735 – c. 1806), also known by the names Veteara'i U'uru or Teri'inavahoroa, was a sovereign or ari'i rahi of the island of Ra'iātea. The European explorer James Cook first encountered him in 1773 during his second voyage to the Pacific. U'uru ruled over Raiatea, before the island was conquered around 1767 by Puni, a warrior from Bora Bora.
Although U'uru retained his title, his authority was confined to his ancestral district of Opoa at the southeastern point of Ra'iātea. In effect, he acted as a viceroy under Puni's suzerainty. Despite this dependency, he became the ancestor of many members of the royal lineages of the Leeward Islands. Through alliances and adoptions, his descendants eventually established themselves as rulers of these islands.
Cook's final encounter with U'uru took place in 1777 on the island of Huahine, where he was received with honors befitting a king. His son, Tamatoa III, was designated as the principal chief (ari'i rahi) of Ra'iātea by Puni before his death, with the approval of the chiefs Ma'i II and Tefa'aora I of Bora Bora. The latter, Ma'i II's nephew, was still a child and under regency. After the death of Puni, traditionally dated to 1786, succession passed to his daughter, Maevarua, who assumed authority over the islands of Bora Bora, Maupiti, and Tupai. Subsequently, leadership was transferred to Puni's great-granddaughter, Teri'imaevarua a Te'aue. Owing to her youth and the political circumstances of the period, her rule was exercised under the regency of Ma'i III and Tefa'aora I, a situation that endured until the end of 1804. During her reign, Puni's nephew, Tapoa I, successfully conquered Ra'iātea, and Taha'a in 1800, and later Bora Bora in December 1804.
In 1802, Tamatoa III resided in Ra'iātea, while the majority of his children lived in Huahine. Tapoa I had conquered Taha'a and resided in Ra'iātea, where he seemed to wield as much power as King Tamatoa himself. He had adopted Tetupai'a, later known as Teremo'emo'e or Teravahine, the second daughter of Tamatoa III, and renamed her Taitaru in memory of his own daughter, who had died young. This adoption further strengthened family ties with the Tamatoa and reinforced the military alliance between the islands of Huahine, Ra'iātea, and Taha'a.
During this period, the island of Bora Bora remained a well-guarded fortress under the rule of chiefs Ma'i III and Tefa'aora I. After an initial failed attempt to subdue Bora Bora in January 1804, Tapoa I finally conquered the island later that year in the battle of Huri'aua. His daughter, Maevarua, was subsequently recognized as a principal chief of Bora Bora and Taha'a until her death on July 14, 1809.
Tamatoa III and Tapoa I were the leading chiefs of the Leeward Islands when the English missionaries landed on Huahine in November 1808. The period between Cook's departure from the Leeward Islands in December 1777 and the year 1791 remains poorly documented, despite brief visits to Huahine by John Watts in 1788 and William Bligh in 1789. However, the writings and testimonies collected by navigators provide some insight into this tumultuous era, characterized by incessant struggles for territory among the islands of Bora Bora, Ra'iātea, Taha'a, and Huahine.
U'uru was last mentioned by the merchant and navigator John Turnbull in October 1802 in Raiatea. He likely died sometime after 1802 but before the arrival of the English missionaries in Huahine in November 1808, by which point he no longer appeared in written records.
U'uru's family
U'uru was born to father Tamatoa II and mother Maihe'a, who was also known as Tetuanui. Cook refers to U'uru as the "Principal chief" or ari'i rahi by hereditary rights of the district of Opoa situated at the Southeastern point of Ra'iātea.
U'uru had five sons, including Tamatoa III, who would later succeed him.
Between the years 1821 and 1829, missionaries Daniel Tyerman and George Bennet were deputed from the London Missionary Society to visit their various stations in the South Sea Islands, China, and India. They reported that Tamatoa III was sixty five years old in 1822 and had three brothers named Tahitoe, Faita, and Pahi. Tahitoe was also known as Hiaiai or Hihipa, and died by March 1827 during an epidemic that struck the Society Islands. He left behind a son, also named Tahitoe who was twelve years old in 1822. Faita, also known as Pehupehu or Tepoanu'u, was a reputed former sorcerer. He was the last of the family and is said to have died in 1866, leaving descendants. Pahi also called Tiatia, served as a chief judge. His name was mentioned in the first code of law of Tamatoa in 1820. He died without issue. Tamatoa III, whose lineage is well known, died in June 1831. U'uru had a fifth son, Mateha. He married Maheanu'u, the daughter of the late chief Maheanu'u of Tahiti, on March 7, 1799. He died without issue on June 7, 1802, at Tautira, alongside Pomare II, during a night assault by the warriors of Atehuru.
James Cook first voyage 1769
During his first stay in Ra'iātea in 1769, Cook visited the Taputapuatea marae in the district of Opoa. He was accompanied by Joseph Banks, Daniel Solander and Tupai'a. They observed a model of a canoe about three feet long, adorned with eight human lower jawbones. Tupai'a, who often expressed great fear of the men of Bora Bora, explained that these warriors had conquered Raiatea and customarily cut off the jawbones of those killed in war. He further clarified that these displayed jawbones belonged to the people of Ra'iātea and were exhibited as war trophies by the Bora Bora warriors. Cook concluded that hostilities had taken place a few years before his arrival and that the people of Bora Bora now owned most of the lands on Ra'iātea. Puni, the ari'i rahi (principal chief) of Bora Bora and conqueror of Ra'iātea and Taha'a, was passing through these islands. After receiving supplies through Puni's men, Cook met him in person on August 6, 1769, according to the civil calendar. Puni accepted Cook's proposal to accompany him to Taha'a the next day to visit the island and gather provisions.
James Cook second voyage 1773-1774
During Cook's first two voyages, Huahine was ruled by an elderly chief named Ori, who served as regent for the young Teri'itaria I, who was around eight years old in 1773. The naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster and his son Georg Forster met the young ruler, referring to him as "T’aree-tarea." They noted that Chief Ori, although about fifty to sixty years old, was Teri'itaria I's uncle. His father had been killed in one of the battles against Puni.
On September 9, 1773, during his first stopover at Ra'iātea, Cook visited Chief Orio, whom he had first met in 1769. Two days later, on September 11, 1773, he received a visit from U'uru, the ari'i rahi (principal chief) of the district of Opoa. U'uru was said to be Orio's brother. On June 4, 1774, during Cook's second stopover in Ra'iātea, Orio and his entire family, came on board, to say their last farewell, accompanied by U'uru and Boba, the ari'i rahi of Taha'a, along with several friends.
At the conclusion of his second voyage to the Leeward Islands, James Cook shared observations about the political structure of Ra'iātea and Taha'a. Orio, a native of Bora Bora, held lands at Ra'iātea, likely obtained through conquest. He acted as Puni's lieutenant and appeared to exercise regal authority, functioning as the island's supreme magistrate despite not being its hereditary ruler. Cook noted that Orio showed respect to U'uru, the rightful ari'i rahi by birth. However, U'uru's influence was limited to his own district of Opoa and his titular role.
The government of Taha'a appeared similar to that of Ra'iātea. Two chiefs, Boba and Ota, held power, although Cook only met Boba. He was informed that Boba was expected to marry Puni's daughter Maevarua after Puni's death. This union would grant Boba the same regal authority Puni held. Maevarua was twelve years old in 1774. Other figures, including Ma'i and Tupai'a, lost their lands and retreated to Huahine and Tahiti, respectively, preferring voluntary exile over submission to the conqueror. The warriors who had accompanied Puni on these expeditions were generously rewarded with extensive possessions, and many of his subjects received grants in the conquered islands.
James Cook third voyage 1777
In 1777, Chief Ori was no longer serving as the regent of Teri'itaria I, the ari'i rahi of Huahine, and was now residing in Ra'iātea. U'uru had moved to the island of Huahine, where he resided as a king, according to Cook. He had strong ancestral ties to Mato, himself a descendant of the Tamatoa line, whose brother Rohianu'u was the father of Teri'itaria I and the first husband of Teha'apapa I.
During his long stay on Huahine in October 1777, Cook made efforts to gather detailed information about the conquest of the islands of Ra'iātea and Taha'a by Puni. He learned that, prior to his arrival, Ra'iātea maintained strong alliances with Taha'a and Huahine. However, its decline began when Taha'a withdrew from the league. The combined fleets of Ra'iātea and Huahine faced an assault from Bora Bora Initially victorious, their forces were eventually overwhelmed when Taha'a allied with Bora Bora, turning the tide in favor of the attackers. Following their victory, the men from Bora Bora invaded and briefly occupied Huahine, but the island's inhabitants secured reinforcements from Tahiti and regained control, maintaining their independence under their own chiefs. However, they failed to recover Ra'iātea. Discord soon erupted among the victors, as Taha'a's people demanded an equal share of the spoils. Bora Bora refused to yield, and with Ra'iātea already conquered, Taha'a also fell under the domination of its sovereign, Puni. During the conquest of the two islands, five battles were fought in various locations, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. Since Teri'itari'a I's father was killed by Puni during one of these battles, and considering he was about twelve years old in 1777, it appears that the final phase of the conquest of Ra'iātea and Taha'a occurred around 1765.
Omai confirmed in 1773 that Huahine had briefly fallen under Puni's control, with numerous Bora Bora inhabitants occupying the island. However, through the intervention of Tereroa, Ori's brother, and the support of warriors from Taha'a, the island was successfully reclaimed. In the aftermath, Puni killed Tereroa and confronted Ori, who ultimately succeeded in driving him back.
Tamatoa III Principal chief of Ra'iātea
Tamatoa III succeeded his father, U'uru, as ari'i rahi of the district Opoa upon reaching his majority in 1777, according to tradition. He was later appointed as principal chief of Ra'iātea by Puni and Ma'i II (born c. 1760), as well as his nephew, Tefa'aora I (born c.1780), who was still a child and under regency, according to testimonies from the descendants of the latter two. This appointment likely occurred before 1786, the year of Puni's death. While Tamatoa authority extended beyond the district of Opoa, he remained under the suzerainty of Puni.
Conflict between Huahine and the combined forces of Ra'iātea and Bora-Bora, 1778