Clip of the week...... Haunted history of Napier Prison Built in 1862 and used until 1990, Napier prison has quite a reputation. Over the years it was used as a prison, an orphanage and a phychatric unit. In its history it housed many notorious prisoners. Most famous would probably be Kereopa Te Rau also known as the *eye-eater. For his part in the murder of Missionary Karl Volkner, Kereopa Te Rau was hanged in 1872. He was initally burried in the unconsecrated grounds of the prison but was at a later date dis-enturred and re-burried in a Maori cemetery. During the period 1862 to 1900 there were 5 hangings at the prison. Over the years people have reported ghostly sitings at the gaol, unexplained footsteps, disembodied faces hovering in the cells. Doors opening and closing all by them selves, and the ghost of murderer Roland Edwards is said to appear on the anniversary of his execution. *Kereopa Te Rau was notorious as a ‘Hau Hau’. He seemed to be high priest of the bloodbath proceedings, following Volkner’s hanging. He swallowed Volkner’s eyes, one for the Queen and one for the State. He choked on the second eye and he believed this was an omen leading to his downfall. The entire killing of Volkner was drenched in hysteria, omens and rituals. Historian Judith Binney, in her customary role of Savanorola, always talks of Volkner’s death as an ‘execution’. Volkner was a ‘spy’ giving information to the government on hostile Maori forces. He was also a pious and somewhat naive German who thought he needed to get back to his flock, to help them through their latest bout of sickness. So it was slightly more mixed up - more human - than Binney makes out. Also I kind of doubt that an ‘execution’ incorporated beheading, drinking of the blood of the dead man, the swallowing of his eyes and the contemptuous throwing of his corpse into a latrine to be eaten by dogs.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:18:32 +0000
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