Piri Weepu

Birth Name: Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu

Place of Birth: Lower Hutt, North Island, New Zealand

Date of Birth: 7 September, 1983

Ethnicity: Māori, one quarter Niuean, one eighth Welsh, some French, English, Scottish, and Irish

Piri Weepu is a New Zealand rugby union player. He played mostly at half-back, and occasionally at first five-eighth. He was a key figure of the All Blacks team, which won the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Piri led the Haka, the traditional Māori war dance performed by the All Blacks before any match, for a record 51 times. He has also played for Wellington, Hurricanes, Blues, Auckland, London Welsh, Wasps, Oyonnax, Narbonne, and Wairarapa Bush.

Piri is the son of Kura Turner and Ihaia (Oxx/Bill) Weepu II. He is married to Candace. Piri is a cousin of television and radio host Stacey Morrison.

Piri’s paternal grandfather is named John “Johnny” Patali Tione Lui. Johnny was Niuean. Niue is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. Piri’s step-grandfather was Ihaia (Eli) Weepu. Piri wrote about Johnny in his autobiography, Piri – Straight Up: Cups, Downs & Keeping Calm (2012).

Piri’s paternal grandmother is Henrietta Tewhe “Heni” Robinson (the daughter of Teoti “George” Robinson-Clough and Mākareta Beaton “Goldie” Morrell). Henrietta was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Her brother, Theodore Percival Wharaki “Tom” Robinson, was a player for the New Zealand Māori rugby team in the 1920s. Teoti was the son of James/Jimmy Robinson Clough, who was of English descent, and of Puai Tuhaewa, who was Māori. Mākareta was the daughter of John/Jean Morrell, a French whaler from Bordeaux, who was also known as Johnny Wiwy or Johnny The Frenchman among the Māoris, and of Irihapeti Tamahenua, who was Māori.

Piri’s maternal grandfather was John Turner (the son of John Turner and Rihera Alice Pomare). Piri’s grandfather John was born on South Island, New Zealand. Piri’s great-grandfather John was born in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. Rihera was the daughter of Sir Māui Wiremu Pita Naera Pōmare, a doctor and politician, who served as Minister of Health in the New Zealand government, among other duties; and of Elizabeth Harriet Irihapeti Flutely, who was of half Māori and half European, French and English, descent. Some of her ancestors were convicts on Norfork Island, Australia.

Piri’s maternal grandmother was Ihapera Isobel Hudson (the daughter of James Morehu Hudson and Pareaute Tutuu Henare). Ihapera was born in Okaiawa, Taranaki, New Zealand. James was born in Opotiki, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand. James’s father, Mane James Hudson, was of half British Isles, with roots in Yorkshire, England, and Scotland, and half Māori, descent. James’s mother, Miria Minarapa Waata, was Māori. Piri’s great-grandmother Pareaute was born in Waima, Auckland, New Zealand, and was the daughter of Rewi Henare Eruera, who had Māori, and one eighth Scottish, ancestry, and of Ihipera/Isabella “Materoto” Welsh, who was of half Irish, with roots in County Offaly, and half Māori, descent.

Sources: Genealogy of Piri Weepu – https://www.geni.com

Information about Piri’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Sir Māui Wiremu Pita Naera Pōmare – https://teara.govt.nz

11 Responses

  1. comrade says:

    Ihaia (Eli) Weepu isn’t Ihaia (Oxx) Weepu’s biological dad. His biological dad is Johnny Lui. Johnny is Niuean.

    Rewi Henare Erueram should be Rewi Henare Eruera without the m.

    I think Piri might be related to the former Premier of Niue: Frank Lui. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lui

    Source : Piri’s autobiography ‘Piri – Straight Up: Cups, Downs & Keeping Calm’

  2. andrew says:

    Stephen Colbert learning rugby with Piri Weepu and DJ Forbes (NZ Rugby 7s team captain). Check out:
    https://youtu.be/F9hStjBT-U8

  3. andrew says:

    *Piri’s maternal grandmother was Ihapera Isobel Hudson (the daughter of James Morehu Hudson and Pareaute Tutuu Henare). Ihapera was born in Okaiawa, Taranaki, New Zealand. James was the son of Mane James Hudson, who had an English father, from Yorkshire, and a Māori mother, and of Miria Minarapa Waata, who was Māori. Piri’s great-grandmother Pareaute was the daughter of Rewi Henare Erueram, who had Māori and 1/8 Scottish ancestry, from Aberdeen, and of Ihipera/Isabella “Materoto” Welsh, who was of half Irish, with roots in County Offaly, and half Māori descent.

    https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/LFNJ-T73

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