Editing Te Kooti (section)

==Exile==
In 1865 while fighting with government forces to suppress the [[Pai Marire]] (or Hauhau cult), he was arrested as a spy while trying to contact his brother who was fighting with the Hauhau, and exiled to the [[Chatham Islands]], together with the rebels he had been fighting against. He was never tried and took every opportunity to demand a trial. Some say he got his name from this, "Kooti" (pronounced [<nowiki/>[[Help:IPA/Māori|kɔːti]]] like "Courty"), others that it was a Māori version of the last name "Coates". If he did supply the Pai Marire with guns as is alleged, he also took part in a battle against them. There are allegations he fired blanks on this occasion.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

While on the Chatham Islands Te Kooti experienced visions and became a religious leader. Te Kooti was referred to by other prisoners as Tawhaki, the twice born, after his unexpected survival from tuberculosis.<ref>Binney, ''Stories Without End'', p 188</ref> He also performed some [[sleight of hand]], such as using matchheads to set his hand on fire above the altar during a church service. These tricks swayed the Māori prisoners on Chatham Islands, and when some of the chiefs present on the island were sent back to the mainland, Te Kooti took advantage of the situation to become the local leader. Only Te Kooti's uncle was not impressed by these tricks, which he saw right through. Nevertheless, Te Kooti established a faith named [[Ringatū]] ("upraised hand") which gained many followers, and is still present in New Zealand society today.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

During this time on the Chatham Islands, Te Kooti (or Te Koti as he signed in the documents) was married in a civil marriage to Maata Te Owai on 27 July 1867. The marriage documents reveal that he was born in 1832.<ref>King, ''Being Pakeha Now'', p 202</ref>