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History and traditions of the Maoris of the West Coast, North Island of New Zealand, prior to 1840

Kai-Apohia Pa.1831

Kai-Apohia Pa.1831.

Not satisfied with the vengeance already taken for Te Pehi-kupe's death, in December, 1831, Te Rau-paraha proceeded south again and laid siege to Kai-apohia—full details of which are given in Mr. Stack's work already quoted. In both his account and that of Mr. Travers, Te Rau-paraha's allies of Ati-Awa are practically ignored, but they really formed quite a large contingent, under the following well-known chiefs:—

  • Te Puoho, of Ngati-Tama
  • Huri-whenua, of Ngati-Rahiri
  • Rere-tawhangawhanga, of Manu-korihi
  • Te Manu-tohe-roa, of Puke-tapu
  • Ngatata (father of Pomare)
  • Te Poki
  • Te Arahu
  • Takaratahi
  • Te Hau-te-oro
  • Te Tupe-o-tu
  • Manu-kino
  • Kapuia-whariki Wharepo
  • Mohi-Ngawaina
  • Riwai-Taupata
  • Raharuhi-Te-Taniwha, of Ngati-Tama
  • Te Awe Te Waka-Tiwha (brother of Pomare)

They were all absent on this expedition when Puke-rangi-ora fell in December, 1831.

There was in those days a somewhat noted Matakite, or seer, named Kuku-rarangi; the following is a mata, or vision, composed by him, used as a ngeri, or war-dance, by Ngati-Toa as they left their homes for Kai-apohia:—

Aha te hau e pa mai nei?
O te waka o Maui ki raro, ha!
He uru, he para-awa!
Tuituia ha!
Ko nga hau e tu
He rere a ha!
Ki te rae i Omere ra ra! Hi! Ha!
Taku pokai tara—
Pokai tarapunga
Ka kite koe, E 'Raha!
E tu ki te muriwai
page 443 I te ahi papakura ki Kai-apohia,
O Waipara rara, Hi! Ha!
Ma te ihu waka,
Ma te kakau hoe
Ka whakapae te riri ki tua.
A, ka taupoki te riu

Transliteration.
What is the wind that hither blows?
'Tis the west, the breeze from the sea!
The wind that beats
On the point at Omere!1 Hi! Ha!
Wouldst thou behold, O 'Raha,2
The lurid flame at Kai-apohia;
Then let the bows of the canoes
Be onward forced by strength of paddle.
Thus shall overturned be
The canoe of Maui, ha!
Sew on the top-sides, ha!
Fleet be their course, ha!
And then my little flock of terns—
My flight of black-capped gulls,
Shall stand at the river's mouth,
At Waipara3 stream shall land,
Hi! Ha!
And angry war be seen beyond.

The Ngati-kuia people of Pelorus Sound, who had suffered so severely at the hands of Te Rau-paraha when Hikapu fell (see ante), were forced by Ngati-Toa to join in this expedition. They went by the old Maori trail over Manga-te-wai, or Tophouse Pass, and so through the mountains to join Ngati-Toa at Kai-apohia. They returned the same way.

1 Omere, the bold point just south of Oharin, the look-out place before crossing the Straits.

2 'Raha, short for Te Rau-paraha.

3 Waipara, the river a few miles north of the Ashley, where the party was to land prior to the attack on Kai-apohia.