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An Epitome of Official Documents Relative to Native Affairs and Land Purchases in the North Island of New Zealand

(No. 4.) — A Brief Sketch of the Migrations of the Ngatiraukawa from Taupo to Cook Strait, and of their Wars with the Resident Tribes (Native Account)

(No. 4.)
A Brief Sketch of the Migrations of the Ngatiraukawa from Taupo to Cook Strait, and of their Wars with the Resident Tribes (Native Account).

Long anterior to the occupation of this country by the pakeha, the Ngatitoa Tribe, led by Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata, migrated down the West Coast from Kawhia to Cook Strait. After leaving Taranaki their progress was not opposed by the tribes on the coast, and the Ngatitoa journeyed in peace till they came to the mouth of the Manawatu River. Here Te Rangihiwinui, at the instigation of the Whanganui tribes, had planned a treacherous attack on Te Rauparaha, with whom he was professedly friendly. Hostilities were, however, precipitated by the aggressive and unauthorized act of a party of Te Rauparaha's men. Finding, on their arrival at the Manawatu River, that the canoes had been hidden, apparently to prevent their crossing, they retaliated on the river tribe (the Muaupoko) by killing one of their women. Fighting with the Mnaupoko immediately followed, and the neighbouring tribes were successively drawn into it. This warfare was kept up for more than two years with varying success, the Ngatiapa, Ngarauru, Whanganui, Rangitane, and Ngaitahu, who afterwards emigrated to the Middle Island, all taking part in the struggle. The Ngatitoa were eventually the victors, and located themselves at Kapiti, and on the mainland opposite.

At a later, period a party of Ngatiraukawa from Taupo, numbering about eighty men, and led by Taratoa and Hukiki te Ahukaramu, paid a ceremonial visit to the Ngatitoa at Kapiti. They came down through the gorge of the Rangitikei River, and their visit is remembered as "To Kariritahi, On their return a second party, numbering about a hundred, consisting of Ngatihuia, Ngatikauwhata, and Ngatiparewahawaha, paid a similar visit, which is distinguished as "Te Heke Whirinui." These parties came armed, but their passage was not opposed in any way by the resident tribes, who were unprovided with firearms. On their return to Taupo with a favourable account of the country they had visited, the Ngatiraukawa decided on migrating as a body to the coast. Accordingly about the year 1830 the tribe came down in large force, and entered the district by the gorge of the Turakina River. They attacked and overpowered the Ngatiapa at their settlement on that river, capturing a number of women and boys. They came out at the Turakina Heads, and proceeded down the coast, fighting the Ngatiapa along their line of march A party of 200, which had detached itself from the main body, at Kokakotahi in the Upper Turakina, took an inland route along the course of; the Oroua River, driving the Ngatiapa before them. This party consisted of the following hapus—viz., page 64Ngatikauwhata, Ngatiteihiihi, and Ngatikahou. On arriving at the mouth of the Oroua, they made a raid up the banks of the Manawatu River (of which the Oroua is a tributary), and attacked the Rangitane at Hakione, overpowering them and carrying off some of their women. Proceeding a little further they came upon another Rangitane settlement, occupied by Te Pauau and his people. This village was attacked, but its inmates all escaped. The invaders pursued the fugitives for some distance, but, failing to overtake them, they took possession of the Rangitane canoes, and descended the Manawatu River. Finding a small Rangitane settlement on the river-bank opposite Puketotara, they landed, and the villages, mistaking them for friendly visitors, welcomed them ashore. The war party killed some and took others prisoners, Rota Tarehe and Arapata Takahu (both now living) being among the latter. Peropero, a Rangitane chief of high rank, was among the killed on this occasion. The war party then proceeded down the river to its mouth, and thence spread themselves along the coast. Many Ngatiapa women were captured by this war party, all of whom were afterwards restored to their tribe.

Peace was at length established between the invaders and the Ngatiapa; and the Ngatikauwhata, a section of the Ngatiraukawa, with the concurrence of Te Kokiri Hamuera (Hamuera te Raikokiritia's father), located themselves on the banks of the Oroua. When, at a later date, Te Rauparaha arranged a division of the lands claimed by conquest, the Ngatikauwhata chief Te Whata (father of the present chief Tapa te Whatu), claimed to be the possessor of all the Oroua Plains, and that claim was tacitly recognized by all the other sections of the tribe. Te Rauparaha allotted Waikawa to the Ngatiteihiihi, Ohau to the Ngatipare, and Horowhenua to Te Whatanui, who allowed the conquered Muaupoko* to remain in joint possession. The Manawatu-Rangitikei country was not allotted, Manawatu River being the limit of Te Rauparaha's tribal partition of the land. The territory north of that boundary was left to the occupation of any sections of the Ngatiraukawa who might choose to locate themselves there as joint occupants with the Ngatiapa.

After peace had been established with the Ngatiapa, Te Rauparaha made war on the Rangitane, and defeated them signally at Hotuiti, their strongest pa. At a later period again the Ngatiraukawa sent a war party to Whanganui to avenge the death of Ruamaioro, one of their chiefs, who with his whole party had been treacherously murdered when on their way to visit their friends at Kapiti. The Ngatitoa and Ngatiawa warriors joined the expedition, and the Ngatiapa, headed by Te Hakeke (father of the present Kawana Hunia), made common cause with the Ngatiraukawa in this invasion of the Whanganui country. The expedition is said to have numbered 1,200 men. The Whanganui tribes accepted a challenge at Putikiwharanui (opposite the site of the present Town of Whanganui), and were defeated with great loss. On the evening of the day of battle the pa surrendered. They received little or no quarter. A large number of them were killed and eaten, and others were taken captive to Kapiti. The Ngatiapa returned in company with the Ngatiraukawa, and reoccupied the coast. Te Hakeke, and a few of his immediate followers, accompanied the force to Otaki, where they located themselves for a short time, ultimately returning to Rangitikei. Prior to the Ngatiraukawa invasion the Rangitane and the Ngatiapa were alternately friendly and at war with each other.

When the Ngatiawa and Ngatiruanui, in 1839, made war on the Ngatitoa and Ngatiraukawa, the latter sought the aid of the neighbouring tribes with whom they had then established friendly relations. Besides the Ngatiapa allies, the Whanganui sent a contingent of 200 men, under Pehi Turoa; the Ngatituwharetoa (Taupo) sent 140 men, under Te Heuheu; the Ngatimaniapoto sent 200 men, under Taonui and Tariki; the Ngatiteupokoiri (a section of the Ngatikahungunu) sent 100 men, under Te Whaiukau; and a few Rangitane chiefs joined the expedition. A section of the Ngatitoa, under Te Hiko-o-te-rangi, made common cause with the enemy. Before the arrival of reinforcements the Ngatiraukawa and the Ngatitoa had defeated the invaders in four successive fights, known respectively as "Maringi-a-Wai," "Haowhenua," "Te Rereamanuka," and "Te Pa-a-te-Hauataua." Three more battles were afterwards fought, the combined forces acting under Te Rauparaha and Rangihaeata, and the result was the utter defeat and rout of the enemy. After this permanent peace was established among the Coast tribes.

The following hapus of the Ngatiraukawa located themselves on the Rangitikei-Manawatu Block: The Ngatiparewahawaha, under Nepia Taratoa and Taiaho; the Ngatikauwhata, under Te Whata; the Ngatiteihiihi, under Te Whetu and Te Kohu; and Ngatipare, under Te Matenga and Te Kiharoa; the Patukohuru, under Taikapureia; and the Ngatirakau, under Ngaturia. The Ngatiwhakatere, a section of the Ngatiraukawa, assert claims to the Rangitikei-Manawatu Block, although they have never actually resided upon it. During the early tribal wars, the Ngatiwhakatere, acting in concert with the Ngatitarua (who afterwards migrated across the Strait), sent a large war party, under the chiefs Te Puoho, Te Mahuebue, Te Purangi, and To Momona, to avenge the death of Te Rauhiti, a Ngatiraukawa chief, who had been treacherously killed when on a visit to Taranaki. They defeated the Ngatiapa on frequent occasions, and took many prisoners, among whom were Wi Mokomoko and Kaewha (the mother of Kawana Hunia). On the re-establishment of peace the prisoners were liberated.

Walter Buller.

Wellington, 26th July, 1867.

* At a very remote period the Muaupoko were occupants of a part of the Rangitikei-Manawatu Block, and they still assert claims there.