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Tales of Banks Peninsula

Parakakariki

Parakakariki.

Not far from the pa of Nga-toko ono may be seen the outlines of the protective works of another ancient pa known as Parakakariki, It was situated at the end of one of the spurs on the south side of Long Bay, and was an important stronghold of the Ngatimamoe. It was captured and destroyed by Moki, who, in the celebrated war canoe Makawhiu, coasted round the Peninsula, and completely subdued all the Ngatimamoe inhabitants.

This chief, who resided, after the Ngai Tahu migration, at Ote Kaue, near the mouth of the Wairau River, was induced to undertake the expedition against the Peninsula by the report brought to him by his wife's two brothers, Kaiapu and Te Makino, which had accompanied Waitai on his voyage from Wairau to Otago, when that chief, offended by Maru's determination to spare the Ngatimamoe, seceded from the Ngai Tahu confederacy. These two young men had noticed, while coasting southwards, the vast extent of the plains stretching from the sea shore to the snowy ranges, and had also been particular to mark the position of the numerous Ngatimamoe pas passed during the voyage. When their canoe touched at Hikurangi, they had learnt that their old tribal enemy Tu te kawa was living not far off at Waikakahi, a piece of information which afterwards led to important results.

After accompanying Waitai to Murihiku, and taking part in various encounters between his forces and the hostile tribes by which he was surrounded, Kaiapu and Te Makino were seized with a long desire to avenge the death page 5of a near female relative, and, in order to accomplish their purpose, (they resolved to risk the journey overland to Wairau As they travelled over the plains between the Waitangi and Waipara rivers, they remarked with covetous eyes the luxuriant growth of the cabbage palms, so highly valued for the favourite kauru food prepared from the stems. They were astonished at the immense number of wekas and rats which they came across in the long tussock grass, and were equally astonished to find all the streams and lakes throughout the country swarming with eels and lampreys and silveries, and the great Waihora Lake full of flat fish.

They passed safely through the hostile country, and reached the outskirts of Ote Kaue, when they made enquiries for Moki's house. They were told that they could not mistake it. as it was the loftiest building in the pah, with the [unclear: white] barge boards to the porch. They did not enter the pah until everyone had retired to rest, when they made their way to the house indicated, and sat down close to the breakwind near the porch, where they waited till someone appeared to whom they could make themselves known. About midnight their sister came out, and after sitting a few minutes in the yard, rose to return to the house. Hoping to attract her notice without making any noise, one of them opened a parcel of tara mea scent, which he had concealed about him She no sooner perceived the delicious fragrance than she approached the spot where her brothers were crouching, feeling her way towards them along the breakwind. As soon as she reached them they caught hold of her, when she gave a sharp cry, but they at once silenced her fears by telling her who they were. She was overjoyed by the discovery, and quickly re-entered the house to inform her husband. "Rise up, rise up, O Moki!" she cried, "here are your brothers-in-law, the sons of Pokai whao; they have returned, and are awaiting your pleasure outside." Moki told her to bring the travellers in, and to prepare some food at once for them, but not to make their arrival known to the pah till the morning. Marewa knew how important page 6it was for her brothers' safety that they should take food under Moki's roof, because it would ensure his protection in the event of their meeting with persons inclined to kill them; for in these stormy times it was the common practice for individuals to avenge their private wrongs, and in doing so it was quite immaterial whether they killed the person who had done them the injury, so long as they killed someone connected with him; unprotected people were therefore always in great danger of losing their lives. It was not surprising, therefore, that under the circumstances Moki's wife displayed the greatest alacrity in providing refreshments for her husband's guests, selecting the materials from her choieest stores. She listened till dawn to the story of their adventures by sea and land, and then she went to carry the news of their arrival to the other great chiefs of the place.

Te Rangi Whakaputa was the first to come and welcome them. He asked whether they had seen any good country towards the south. They replied that they had. "What food," he asked, "is procurable there?" "Fern root," they replied, "is one food, kauru is another, and there are wekas and rats and eels in abundance." He then retired, and Mango took his place and asked, "Did you see any good country in your travels?" "Yes," they replied, [unclear: "Ohuiri] (Little River), that is a stream we saw, and Wairewa is the lake." "And what food can be got there?" he asked. "Fern root," they said, "is one food, but there are many kinds; there are wekas and kaka and kereru and eels." Mango replied, "Inland is a pillow for my head, on the coast a rest for my feet." Te Rua hiki hiki, son of Manawa, was the next to enter and interrogate them. He, too, asked, "Have you seen any land?" They replied, "We saw Kaitorete, a plain, and Waihora, a lake." "What food can be got there?" "Eels," they said, "abound there, and patiki and ducks and putangitamgi are food to be got there." "That shall be my possession," said Te Rua hiki hiki

But there was another and still more powerful incentive than ths acquisition of a rich food producing district to in-page 7duce Ngai Tahu to undertake an expedition to the south, and that was the desire to vindicate the tribal honour. No sooner did Moki and the rest of the leading chiefs learn from the two travellers that Tu te kawa was still living at Waikakahi, than orders were immediately issued to prepare the great war canoe, Te Maka whiu, for sea. This canoe was made out of an enormous totara tree which grew in the Wairarapa Valley, the stump of which was shown until quite lately by the old Maoris there. On the completion of the conquest of Ngatimamoe, the canoe was drawn up at Omihi, where it was subsequently buried by a landslip, the projecting bow only being left exposed. It was regarded as a sacred treasure under the immediate guardianship of atuas, and one man, who presumed to chip a piece off as a memento, paid the penalty of his sacreligious rashness by dying immediately afterwards.