Pomare, Sir Maui (1876?-1930), was a Maori leader and physician. Pomare was born at Pahau Pa, near New Plymouth. According to some sources, he was born on Aug. 24, 1875, but his death certificate says he was born on Jan. 13, 1876. He studied in the United States, earning an M.D. degree from American Medical Missionary College in Chicago in 1899. In 1900, Pomare became the first native New Zealand health officer. In 1912, he became independent member for the Western Maori electorate in the New Zealand Parliament. He was knighted in 1922. He was minister of health, but declined to become a candidate for prime minister in 1925. He worked with the New Zealand historian James Cowan on a volume of The Legends of the Maori (1930-1934). Sir Maui died on June 27, 1930, in Los Angeles.