Okuratope Pa

Of a pa seen at Wai-mate, in the north, Nicholas writes:—"The first objects that attracted our notice, as being the most prominent, were the fortifications; and these might well deserve the term, for they displayed in their construction a skill and ingenuity most surprising, for persons so totally ignorant of all principles of science. The fortifications we had hitherto seen round the towns we had visited, compared with these, evinced neither design nor execution, appearing only as the clumsy devices of wild barbarians, while by a parity of contrast, the others would seem finished specimens of civilised workmanship. A strong palisading of heavy posts placed quite close to each other, and rising above twenty feet in height, page 60formed the first bulwark that encompassed the town; the entrance was by a postern five feet in height and two in breadth, on the outside of which were some carvings of human heads, cut out with all the semblance of stern vengeance, and seeming to grin defiance at the rude invaders. Within the palisading, and attached to it all round, was a strong back of wicker-work, which the inhabitants had constructed for the purpose of obstructing the lances of their enemies; but at convenient intervals they had made port-holes, through which they could keep up a fire of musketry upon the besiegers. At a short distance from this strong rampart, on the inner side, was a space of about thirty feet, where they had dug a moat, which being filled with water, defended that part of the hill that was most accessible to external assault; and behind this moat they had thrown up a steep mound, on which was constructed another line of palisades, of the same height and strength as the former. The moat, which was at least nine feet in breadth, defended an entrance formed by another postern; and between this and the last approach to the town, there was an intermediate space of eighty feet, at the extremity of which the hill was cut down perpendicularly about fifteen feet; and on its summit rose another row of palisading that encircled the pa and completed the works.

"Thus strongly fortified, the inhabitants, if well supplied with provisions, would be enabled to hold out against any attacks of their enemies, however violent; what they would have most to apprehend, would be the setting fire to the palisades; but even should this event happen, they could retire to the summit of the hill, where the advantage of situation would give them a decided superiority; and should the invaders gain that, they might still defend themselves, at least for some time, within the enclosures round the houses, each of which was encompassed by a strong barrier of stakes. … On entering the town, we found it to extend over the whole summit of the hill; and the number of houses, including the stores for their kumara and potatoes, were more than one hundred, the population being from two to three hundred souls."

This was the Okuratope pa at Waimate, Bay of Islands district, to which place Nicholas accompanied the Rev. S. Marsden. Here again, apparently, stockades were seen in both positions, as separate defences, and also situated on ramparts. The wicker-work mentioned as lining the stockade is quite unknown to us and cannot have been a common usage. The water moat is also an otherwise unknown item, and highly remarkable in a hill fort. The steep mound was evidently a maioro or rampart, with a stockade on it. The scarped hillside surmounted by a stockade is worthy of note.

At this date, 1814, the northern tribes had acquired some firearms and the transition stage of Maori fortification was at hand, though perhaps the only changes made at first would be the abandonment of fighting stages and exposure on ramparts, and the seeking of better cover against bullets in stockaded lines; the traverse and casemate phase came later.

The following is the Rev. S. Marsden's account of the Okuratope pa, as taken from his Journal and published in McNab's Historical Records of New Zealand, vol. 1, p. 368. This visit was in December, 1814, and at that date but little change could have been made in native methods of fortification in order to meet changed conditions, for the northern tribes were only just obtaining firearms:—

"This village contains about two hundred houses, and is situated on the summit of an almost inaccessible hill, and strongly fortified both by nature and art. Three very deep trenches have been cut round the sides of the hill, one above another, and each trench fenced round with whole and split trees from 12 ft. to 20 ft. high. We entered this extraordinary fortification through a narrow gateway, when Shungee [Hongi] showed us how he defended his place in time of war. He had one small secret corner where he could be concealed and fire upon the enemy. Every little hut in this enclosure is fenced round. Some of the storehouses for the reception of their spears and provisions are about 30 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. They are also well built; the roofs page 62are thatched. Some of the eaves extend three feet over the sides in order to carry off the water and keep the building dry. In the centre of the fort, on the very summit of the hill, a stage is erected upon a single pillar, about 20 ft. long and 3 ft. broad, hewn out of a solid log, and elevated about six feet from the ground. Upon this the chief sits, either for pleasure or business, just as occasions require him, to consult with his people. It commands a most extensive view of the surrounding country in all directions. Near this stage is a little hut about four feet from the ground, three feet long and two feet wide, with a little image placed upon the side of the door (which does not exceed one foot); a seat also is placed in front, upon which the chief's lady sits when she eats her provisions, which are deposited in this little building."

Herein we note that stockades were erected between the fosses, though this writer does not mention ramparts. There is an irritating lack of detail in the descriptions of many of the early writers.

The late Archdeacon Walsh wrote of Okuratope:—"It is situated on Mr. Simon Clarke's land at Waimate, and is a good specimen of the pa maori. The line of the pekerangi (outer stockade) can be plainly traced. It was occupied by Hongi and is described by Nicholas. The pa is now entirely covered with a second growth of bush, and near by is an extensive wahi tapu where the bones of the dead were placed."

Stockades were constructed by setting heavy posts firmly in the ground as representing the main strength of the fabric. On the inner sides of these posts were lashed two or three rails horizontally and at different heights. To these again, on the inner side were lashed the palisades, rough lengths of split timber set firmly in the earth in a vertical position.

In all lines of stockade except the main one the posts were of about the same size, and, though not of the same height above ground, yet the difference was not great. In the main stockade however, two types of posts were employed, one much taller than the other, and each having its own peculiar style of embellishment. The shorter posts were the more numerous, and were placed about 6 ft. apart, or from 5 ft. to 8 ft. They were generally higher than the palisades, but much shorter than the superior posts, say from 10 ft. to 15 ft. in height. The upper end of each one was hewn into the form of a round or rounded knob, said to represent the head of an enemy as it would appear when stuck on the top of a palisade, an old custom in war. These posts were from 10 to 18 inches in diameter. A traditionary account says that they were three fathoms in length and embedded half a fathom in the earth. In Fig. 17, p. 61, are seen some of these page 63heavy stockade posts of the pa maori. They were known in different districts as tumu, whakaporo, pou tokotu, tamarua, etc. That would mean that they would stand 15 ft. above ground, but I would here especially warn readers that the most persistent feature in the pa maori was irregularity. In the form, extent and plan of defensive lines, in height of palisades and posts, in the sub-division of the interior and its passages and hut location, the native fort was ever irregular in detail. Much labour was expended on fosse and rampart, scarp and stockade, in delving, excavating, hewing, carving; but no attempt was ever made, apparently, to produce regularity in such structures. Hence posts and palisades were of different heights, the summits of the latter being the acme of irregularity. See Fig. 18, p. 64. This effect seems to have pleased the Maori, however much he admired regularity and harmonious lines in other channels of industry. A comparison of the Maori fort with the Maori canoe or house would tend to interest an observer in the laws and ideas governing Maori technology.

The semi-detached tops of these posts might be of rounded form, of ovoid longitudinal section, or cut square at top and bottom. The latter form has probably been more common since the introduction of steel tools than it was in olden times. They emblemised the spirit of revenge and derision which prompted the Maori to impale the heads of slain enemies on palisade tops.

In addition to these posts there were, in the main stockade of a superior fort, others that were considerably taller and often of greater girth, though fewer in number. See Figs. 18 and 19 p. 64-65. The superior posts were known as pou matua, pou toko, himu, pou take and pou turangi. They were not placed at regular intervals, but on level ground it might be said that about every fifth post was a pou turangi, to strike an average. There were, in many cases, two at the main entrance, one on either side of the gateway. There would be one at any angle in the stockade, and at any prominent part thereof. Some of these posts were as much as thirty feet high above ground, and were sunk one whanganga, or fathom (double arm span; say 6 ft.) in the earth. Their upper ends were often carved into grotesque human figures of large size, often in attitudes of defiance, with distorted features. See Figs. 20 and 21, pp. 66 to 71. They invariably faced outwards and natives state that they were meant to terrify enemies; perhaps as a token of defiance would be more correct. The eyes of these wooden warriors were often represented by countersunk pieces of gleaming shell (Haliotis iris). Such figures were usually named after male ancestors of the clan folk residing in the fort. These posts pertained to the principal page 64 page 65

A.Carved post from Otakanini Pa. (See p. 63.)

B.Carved post at Waitahanui. Set up to mark a line of tapu across Lake Taupo to Pukawa shortly after the death of Te Heuheu Tukino I. in the landslip at Te Rapa in 1846.

page 66 page 67 page 68 page 69 page 70 page 71 page 72 page 73 stockade only, though inferior fences had the shorter posts. They were of a durable timber and often hewn into a flatted form approximately rectangular. The great desideratum was firmness and durability.

There is undoubtedly some confusion as to the application of certain terms employed to denote the various defences of a fortified village. Thus, in some districts, the taller carved posts are known as tukuwaru and the shorter ones as himu, while in other places the application of these terms is reversed. This kind of confusion is noted in two districts adjacent to each other, as Te Wairoa and Rua-tahuna. In some parts a stake or palisade is called a wana, in others a tuwatawata.

When a so-called model pa was erected at Papawai by local natives, the principal chief decided to face the carved post figures inwards-explaining that, in these peaceful days of British occupation, there is no longer any necessity to guard against attack from without a village, but that, so far as he could see, present enemies and dangerous folk are all internal ones.

A small sized post of this type from the Otakanini pa, Kaipara district, is in the Auckland Museum. See Fig. 19, p. 65. It is about 10 inches square and has its longitudinal edges chamfered. The upper part is carved into the semblance of a human figure about five and a half feet high. The post has evidently been hewn with metal tools and is a modern item, not pre-European.

Shortland speaks of—"…the practice, when a new pa is erected in time of war, of naming some of the larger posts of the stockade after the chiefs of the hostile tribe, and then firing at them, by way of expressing the deadly nature of the feud." This was a modern custom and by no means a widespread one.

The girth of these taller posts is said to have been about 4 to 6 ft. or say 15 to 24 inches in diameter, where timber was plentiful and fairly easily obtained. Some old ones seen by the writer at Okarea, a pa on the Wai-a-tiu tributary of the Whirinaki river, were 1½ to 2 ft. wide and perhaps 10 inches thick, hewn balks of heart of totara. They were also very tall. This timber was much used for stockades on account of its durability; it is also very easily worked, as in splitting, hewing and carving, also is it light when seasoned. Such hardwoods, however, as puriri (Vitex lucens), maire, and heart of kowhai (Sophora tetraptera) were considered more suitable, being even more durable and not so readily destroyed by fire. They were much more difficult to work, especially with stone tools, and were often left unhewn, being erected in the round. The puriri lends itself especially to such usage, as it carries very little sapwood. page 74The posts of the Waerenga-a-hika pa at Poverty Bay, taken from the hostile natives in 1865 by the Colonial troops, were lengths of puriri in the round and very massive. In squaring some of them in later years the axe of the writer cut through innumerable bullets that had just penetrated the thin sapwood and flattened on the hard heartwood. Many of the timbers of old pre-European forts were destroyed by fire, but the butts of posts are often found in the old earthworks. A post butt of the old Maupuia pa at Miramar, Wellington, was found to be 16 inches in diameter.

It is said that the timber of the rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) was used for stockades in the Whanganui district, on account of its not burning readily. It may have been used for palisades but it is improbable that natives would use it for posts; they would decay at the ground line in a short time.

Concerning the pa at Ohinemutu, Rotorua, Dieffenbach wrote:— "The structures in this pa, the houses, doors and palisades, displayed the most ingenious pieces of native workmanship. I have nowhere else seen carvings in such profusion, and some of them were apparently very old. Many of the figures are representations of the progenitors of the tribe, and the collection of figures in and around each house may be considered as serving as the genealogical tree of its owner."

The old pa at Ohinemutu that occupied the small peninsula where the church now stands was occupied long prior to the coming of Europeans. Some of the massive posts of the old stockade still stand however, though now they are standing in the waters of the lake, showing how the land has sunk, owing to volcanic disturbances. Fig. 22, p. 72, shows some of these massive posts.

In Fig. 23, p. 75, we see two lofty stockade posts of an old village at Gwavas, Hawke's Bay district. The village and stockade have long disappeared.

The rails to which the intermediate palisades were lashed might be round saplings, split timber or aka, the latter term denoting stems of certain climbing plants, some of which attain a great size. The more durable species were so used, such as aka tokai and aka tea. These, when dry, become exceedingly hard and tough, so much so that a stone tool would make but scant impression thereon, hence they were desirable as rails, more especially for the outer stockade. Rails of split heartwood of a durable species were much used in the best built forts. As a rule outer stockades were provided with three rails lashed to the posts at different heights, while inner stockades sometimes had but two. These rails are termed roau, huahua, paehua and kawiti. The term kawiti is said to have page 75

Fig. 23—Two lofty stockade posts standing on the site of an old village at Gwavas, Hawkes Bay District. (See p. 74.)

been applied to the uppermost rail only, which was the strongest. The principal stockade would have three rails, which would be in long lengths as it was possible to procure. Rails were lashed on to the posts with a strong crossed lashing, the binding material being strong, tough stems of several species of aka or climbing plants (aka-tea, aka-tokai, aka-torotoro). Natives differ in their statements as to whether the rails were placed inside or outside the posts. We have seen that some of the best authorities state that they were lashed against the inner side of the posts, and this is the more page 76credible of the two statements, because a favourite device of warfare was to pull a stockade down. A hundred or two hundred men hauling in unison on a long stout rope can do a lot of pulling. As will be explained later on, the primary strain of the pull came on the palisades, hence they were placed inside the rail; secondarily it came on the rails, which would almost certainly be put inside the posts so that they could not be separated from it. Finally the heavy posts were firmly set fairly close together to stand such a great strain. These posts were the true strength of the stockade, the last word in massive solidity and resistance. In the case of a well constructed stockade to pull it down meant overthrowing huge posts set five or six feet in the ground by a horizontal or downward pull, which, as Euclid would say, is absurd. The Imperial troops tried it in the north, but had to resort to digging. In the case of a stockade of a lighter nature, the plan has frequently succeeded.

The same lashing material was used in the binding of the palisades to the inner side of the rails. Such palisades were rough split timber of unequal heights four to eight inches wide, and set firmly in the ground, besides being lashed to each of the two or three rails. The space between two palisades would be from three to four inches, giving space in which to work the long spears used in defending such places. The palisading would be from eight to twelve feet high but no attempt was made to have the tops of an even height. Some sketches of early travellers showing nice even topped rows of palisades, posts of the same height at regular intervals, and rails outside posts, must be looked upon with suspicion. We know in some other instances how successful some of those sketchers were in depicting what did not exist.

Palisades were known as wana or wanawana, while a stockade as a whole was tuwatawata, or wawa, though these terms were also used specifically for the main line and the one inside it; in fact each and every stockade had its specific name, whatever its situation might be, hence a generic term for stockades was seldom employed. In lashing on the palisades two persons worked together, one on either side of the stockade, to facilitate the operation, and passing the binding material from one to the other. Two forms of lashing were employed, a single running lashing and a crossed lashing. The former method is known as apatahi and tapena tahi; the latter as kauaerua (or kauwaerua) and tapena rua, occasionally as tamanga. See Fig. 24, p. 77. The aka used in lashing were green, tough and pliable; they were sometimes placed in water to keep them soft, and taken out as required. The illustrations given show the two methods. The apatahi or single method should show the lashings passed three ply round page 77

A. The kauwaerua or double crossed lashing. H. Hamilton Photo

B. The single running lashing termed apatahi. Drawing by Ethel Rochardson

page 78rail and palisade, but not in our left to right mode of passing; it is passed from right to left, which to us looks as if it was done backwards. Having been passed over a palisade three times, the tie is then carried on to the next palisade and over it on the other diagonal, as shown. It is a free running lashing without any reeving, with ends clamped under the lashing turns, a common Maori device.

The double or crossed lashing (kauwaerua) shows two or three turns round palisade and rail, then a reverse and two or three turns on the other diagonal so as to cross the lashing, after which the tie is carried on to the next palisade. Neither illustration shows any passing of the tie down between the three ply lashing and the intersection of rail and palisade, so as to cinch the lashing, as was sometimes done, and the advantages of which are manifest, for this process practically rendered each lashing of a palisade an independent one. The aka employed as a lashing material, though pliable when green, is very hard and rigid when dry, and when so reeved through a small aperture in the former state, would be scarcely moveable when dry. Should the attacking force succeed in cutting the lashing of a palisade, it would obviously be a great advantage if other palisades were not loosened thereby. Such reeved lashings were certainly sometimes employed. The cross lashing, as implying additional strength, would be of special service, especially in the construction of the outermost stockade.

Te Heuheu, of Taupo, states that in his district, when men were searching for the aka-tea in the forest, to serve as a lashing material, it was deemed an unlucky occurrence if found in abundance, a somewhat singular conclusion to come to. Among the Tuhoe tribe, a scout would endeavour to obtain, under cover of darkness, a small part of the lashing material of the stockades of an enemy fort, the smallest fragment, such as one of the minute aerial rootlets, was quite sufficient. Over this medium certain ritual was performed that was believed to be most efficacious in weakening the power of the garrison of the fort, or affecting the rnana of the pa.

If the rails were of dressed timber, a rare occurrence, hewn into regular and shapely form, their width would be five to seven inches, thickness four or five inches. In building a superior fort, much care was exercised in order to make a good job of it and render the defences sightly to the Maori eye, notwithstanding their apparent aversion to uniformity in height in regard to palisades. On the East Coast the term Kahukura-tiwhana was applied to a well constructed pa, that being the name of a famous war god, whose aid was always invoked, and whose visible form is the rainbow. Such a pa, remarked an old native to the writer, inspires a feeling of dread in the beholder.

The following chant is an old watch song sung by sentinels in a fortified village, but also chanted by those engaged in lashing stockades:—

• "Tenei te tuwatawata
• Tenei te aka te houhia nei
• Tenei te mounu ko au kai roto
• E..e..e..i..a..e!"
• (Here is the stockade; here the lashing being bound. Here am I, the bait, within.)