Birth Name: Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu
Place of Birth: Lower Hutt, North Island, New Zealand
Date of Birth: 7 September, 1983
Ethnicity: Māori, 1/8 Welsh, some French, English, Scottish, Irish
Piri Weepu is a New Zealand rugby union player. He was a key figure of the All Blacks team which won the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Piri has led the Haka, the traditional Māori war dance performed by the All Blacks before any match, for a record 51 times.
Piri is the son of Ihaia (Oxx/Bill) Weepu II and Candice Turner.
Piri is said to have Niuean ancestry. Niue is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is not clear if it is accurate.
Piri’s paternal grandfather is named Ihaia “Eli” Weepu. Ihaia was born in Hokitika, Westland District, West Coast, New Zealand.
Piri’s paternal grandmother is Henrietta Tewhe “Heni” Robinson (the daughter Teoti “George” Robinson-Clough and Mākareta Beaton “Goldie” Morrell). Henrietta was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Teoti was the son of George “Teoti” Robinson-Clough, who was half English (from Blackburn), half Māori, and of Hēni I “Jane” Morrell. 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 Irihapeti Tamahenua, who was Māori. Teoti and Mākareta were related.
Piri’s maternal grandfather was John Turner (the son of John Turner and Rihera Alice Pomare). John was born in South Island, New Zealand. Piri’s great-grandfather John was born in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales, U.K.. Rihera was the daughter of Sir Māui Wiremu Pita Naera Pōmare, a doctor and politician who served as Minister of Health in New Zealand government, among other duties, and of Elizabeth Harriet Irihapeti Flutely, who was half Māori and half European (French and English). Some of her ancestors were convicts in Norfork Island, Australia.
Piri’s maternal grandmother was the daughter of James Morehu Hudson and Pareaute Tutuu Henare. James was born in Opotiki, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand, and was the son of Mane James Hudson, who was half British (with roots Yorkshire, England, and Scotland) and half Māori, and of Miria Minarapa Waata, who was Māori. Pareaute was born in Waima, Auckland, New Zealand, and was the daughter of Rewi Henare Erueram, who was Māori, and of Ihipera (Isabella) Welsh, who was half Irish and half Māori descent.
Sources: Genealogy of Piri Weepu – https://www.geni.com
Informationa about Piri’s great-grandfather, Sir Māui Wiremu Pita Naera Pōmare – https://teara.govt.nz