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Chapter XIV.
The Conquests of Karewa.

WHEN the warrior chief Maki was so treacherously slain by the Ngati-Tuirirangi tribe, those of his men who escaped went straight on to Kawharu at Kawhia, and to the old chief Toa-Rangatira at Marokopa. They found Toa-Rangatira exceedingly ill. That chief wept for his elder brother Maki.

When Karewa heard of Maki’s death, and of Toa-Rangatira’s illness, and his grief for Maki, the thought came to him that, if Maki’s death were long in being avenged, Toa-Rangatira would grieve even unto death. So he went to Taranaki, to his relatives Tukutahi, Reketaia, and the rest of the Ngati-Mutunga; and when they came to Marokopa, Karewa sent a man to get Tupahau’s taiaha, which was in Toa-Rangatira’s possession; it was a weapon of fame and great mana. Having obtained it, he and his Taranaki force marched upon Ngati-Tuirirangi and put them to rout. Only two of the principal men escaped; their names were Honohono-iho and Honohonoake. Karewa went in pursuit of these men from place to place; and they escaped from each pa he took. From one place to another he pursued them, even to the north, in the Ngapuhi territory. When they reached Ngapuhi, the tribal leaders there asked them about the prowess of Karewa. They replied, “E puta ana a Karewa, huna ki Tangihua; he anga kainga e hokia” (Should Karewa appear and show fight, hide in the Tangihua mountains. An empty home can always be occupied). They meant that Ngapuhi should lie in ambush there, and when an opportunity came they should fall on Karewa and slaughter him and his men.

To this the chiefs of Ngapuhi replied, saying, “E puta mai ia nga toretore o Waihi raua ko Kaitarau.”

Karewa appeared in that country and the men again urged Ngapuhi to attack him at Tangihua. But Ngapuhi would not listen to their proposal to lie in ambush, or to retreat to the forests; they were anxious to try conclusions with Karewa in the open, seeing that he had only a small war-party of one hundred and forty. While Ngapuhi were getting into battle array, Karewa, with great expedition, fell upon them. And so fierce was the onslaught that Ngapuhi were demoralised, and their army utterly routed. The morehu (remnants) escaped to the mountains with Honohonoiho and Honohonoake. And then, having vanquished all in their path, page 65 Karewa thought that it was time that he returned to his home. So he ceased his warlike advance in the land of the north, and marched back to Kawhia.

The Story of a Fictitious Curse.

In the days when the young chief Karewa lived at Rangiahua there were two men named Taongaiwi and Mirakorehe, who dwelt at Taungatara. One of the occupations of these men was to make nets for fishing. Taongaiwi and Mirakorehe were making their net on a sacred day—at least it was sacred to those who lived in those times—because it was appointed for stretching the nets. Two men, Iroiro and Kakawera, journeyed from Te Kaharoa to Taungatara, and they were not invited to the village. This slight made them very angry, and they went on and complained of it to Karewa at Rangahua pa. To Karewa they said, in malice, “We went to Taungatara, and there we heard something derogatory to yourself uttered by Mirakorehe. He said, in effect, that the ropes of the seine of his net were the hairs of the head of Karewa, and the floats of his nets were the top-knot of Karewa’s head, and the fat of the moki fish was the fat of your inside.” This was a falsehood. The utterances which they put into the man’s mouth were a serious kanga, a curse, and Karewa was grievously offended thereat. So angry was he that he gathered an army and marched against Haumia and Taongaiwi, whose five fenced pas were taken. Taongaiwi fled and lived at Te Karu-o-te-whenua (upper Mokau country), where he remained for many years. This was the first great war expedition in Kawhia.

Afterwards Taongaiwi went to the tribe of his mother, in Taranaki, where he got together a large war-party, and came back and conquered those who had vanquished his people; and so he regained his ancestral home.