Te Iho-0-te-Rei and Kakoa-nui, 1820?

The three takes which Ngati-Kahu-ngunu had against them, were not long in bringing about the usual result of such indulgencies. Each of the tribes of Waikato, Ngati-Raukawa, and the fighting mountaineers of the Ure-wera Country, were in duty bound to take up the cause of their fellow tribesmen.

Waikato, on learning of the kai-pirau, or eating of the dead woman, assembled and started for the purpose of obtaining a full revenge. They were joined en route by Te Whata-nui with the Ngati-Raukawa tribe of Maunga-tautari, and proceeded to Taupo. Here Te Heuheu, the head chief of that lake, and some of the Ngati-Tu-wharetoa allied themselves with the force, for although they were not immediately interested in punishing this particular branch of Ngati-Kahu-ngunu against whom the allies were marching, they had a take against some of their relatives for people killed by the southern Ngati-Kahungunu on the Rua-taniwha Plains, as will be page 288 shown later on. This force of warriors marched by way of the Wai-punga river and Tarawera, on the present Napier-Taupo road, and then fell suddenly on the Ngati-Kahu-ngunu pa of Te Iho-o-te-Rei, the little island in Ahuriri harbour between the modern village of Petane and Napier. This was taken by storm and many people killed, amongst them Kumara and Te Ito-o-te-rangi, of Ngati-Kahu-ngunu.

In the meantime the Ure-wera, not to be outdone by the other tribes, arose, and passing out of their wooded mountains came upon Te Putere district, where the kai-pirau took place, and there took Hakoa-nui, a pa belonging to Ngati-Kahu-ngunu, killing Maturi and Haua, chiefs of that tribe.

After these events, and a meeting between the Ure-wera and Waikato tauas, each tribe returned to their homes. These events occurred, says my informant, before the taking of Te Roto-o-Tara by Te Heuheu, Te Whatanui, and others.

We must again shift the scene from Hawke’s Bay itself to Te-Roto-a-Tara, the lake near the present Native College of Te Aute, for, according to my informants, the second siege of that place falls in here, and that occurrence is connected with our story.