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Tales of Banks Peninsula

Pa of Nga Toko Ono — (The pa. of the six)

Pa of Nga Toko Ono
(The pa. of the six).

Between Fisherman's and Paua Bays, on the edge of a bold cliff, may still be seen the remains of the most ancient Maori pa in this locality. The date of its occupation can only be a matter of conjecture, but if it belonged to the Ngatimamoe, as generally reported, it must be from three to four hundred years old. [gap — reason: deletion]hen Ngai Tahu first arrived the pa was in much the same condition that it is now: nothing but the earthworks remained to mark where it once stood. In answer to their inquiries respecting its origin, they were told that it was the pa of Ngatoko-ono, and that the tradition about it was that six chiefs once dwelt there, who went out one day in their canoes to fish, about a mile from the coast, when they were caught by a violent north-west wind, and were blown out to sea and never heard of again.

Some light has lately been thrown upon the fate of these men by the Chatham Islanders, who say that their ancestors arrived at Wharekauri after being blown off the coast of their own land. They also speak of some of their ancestors coming from the foot of Te ahu patiki (Mount Herbert), and that the reason for their leaving was owing to the defeat and death of their chief Tira, who was killed while endeavouring to punish his daughter's husband, who had been guilty of adultery. On reaching Wharekauri, they were kindly received by Marupo, the chief of a Maori-speaking race. By the advice of their hosts, the new arrivals resolved to give up fighting and cannibalism. The Maori refugees carried kumara seeds with them, but on planting them they died, so they returned to New Zealand page 4for a further supply. The question naturally arises, how did Tira's people know of the existance of Wharekauri? It seems highly probable that, after discovering the islands, Nga tok o-ono or some of them returned to inform their friends, who gladly availed themselves of a safe refuge from the ralentless Ngai Tahu, whose successes in the northern parts of the island were beginning to cause them anxiety regarding their future safety.