tūrei opposed the pai mārire movement (commonly known as hauhau) when its missionaries were active on the east coast by 1865. tūrei accompanied the ngati porou warriors who defeated the hauhau forces at waerenga-ā-hika in november 1865. on 13 july 1897, tūrei together with matiaha pahewa, eruera kawhia and piripi awarau, assisted the rev. h. williams in conducting the burial service for ropata wahawaha, who had fought the hauhau.