Marist brother, (Antoine) Br Euloge Chabany, is the only European commemorated along side 15 kūpapa (Māori fighting on the government side) on New Zealand’s first war memorial.
They died during a skirmish that took place on Moutua Island in the Whanganui river.
The Society of Mary’s archivist, Elizabeth Charlton visited the memorial this month and noted that as a result of a recent refurbishment Br Euloge’s name can now be clearly seen.
“Older mentions of the memorial noted that Br Euloge’s name could only just been seen,” she said.
The white marble statue of a weeping woman, a personification of grief, stands in Moutoa Gardens/Pakaitore in the city of Whanganui.
The memorial was erected by the European citizens to commemorate the kūpapa who fell in the engagement on Moutoa Island. About 50 Pai Mārire also perished.
It is unclear how Br Euloge met his death.
In May 1864, a party of Pai Mārire supporters from the upper Whanganui River were heading down the river to attack Whanganui town.
Their path was blocked at Moutoa, by the party of kūpapa led by two chiefs from Pūtiki, near the river mouth. The encounter lasted not much more than 30 minutes.
An account of the engagement, a 100th-anniversary publication, relates that Br Euloge was wounded in the head by a member of the Pai Mārire party and died some hours later.
This account was said to be an eyewitness account was told by Arana Tinirau, chief of the Ngatiruaka. and written down by his son Paamu Tinirau.
Other accounts which say Br Euloge was shot whilst standing on the river bank, or tomahawked.
Source
- Supplied: Society of Mary Archives
- Voxy
- NZ History
- Image: Supplied Gerald Charlton