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The Ancient History of the Maori, His Mythology and Traditions. Nga-Puhi [Vol. XI]

Chapter XV

page (200A)

Chapter XV

And I alone am left,
And dropped behind,
But o me, I've shut the door
And close the hut
And wait the troop
Of Peo-kai,
Who may perhaps
Come here and rest,
But then o Tira
Take thy vengeance
In one day

Original Owners and Tribes Owning
the Hau-raki (Thames) district
(Nga-ti-maru)

page (200)

The original owners of this land in the tribes were Nga-ti-kopiri-mau and Nga-ti-hue, Nga-ti-pai-ahi, Nga-ti-tu, Nga-ti-tai-whaka-aea, and Nga-ti-kuri. Te Ruinga conquered the southern end of the district. Te Paporo and the others conquered the other portions. The original people were annihilated. A remnant escaped to Tauranga and were fetched from thence by Te Pukeko and others as slaves. Te Pukeko did not live at Te Aroha. His son Te Kawau did. Others of Te Pukeko's people lived there. The Nga-ti-pane occupied the district until the Hongi war. They were the hapu's of Te Pukeko's sister Uta-kiore. Nga-ti-tumutumu lived on the south portion of the block. I was at the Mau-inaina Pa of which Kohi-rangatira, Te-Hinaki, and others were the chiefs. My father, Te Hinaki was killed there. I was at Taumata-wiwi that is, I was at the Pa at Hao-whenua when the fight took place. I was grown up then, and my chin was tattooed. I heard Haora Tipa's account of Taumata-wiwi - that account is correct.

page (201)

I know about three women going to Nga-ti-haua's camp at the battle of Taumata-wiwi. I saw them go. One, Rangawawahia was a Nga-i-te-rangi, and two were Nga-ti-haua. I know why they went, they went to see their friends. Their going as they did was in accordance with Maori custom. Had these women been Nga-ti-maru it would not have been right for them to have gone. Had strangers gone while blood was being shed they would have been killed. I am quite sure that those women were not sent to make peace.

The Nga-ti-haua had won at Taumatawiwi and not been in fear of Marutuahu they would have taken their chiefs away. We remained some time at Hao-whenua after the battle.

The Nga-ti-haua stopped about three days engaged in burning their dead. They burned them because there were so many they could not take them away. Tira-ki-te-tonga remained with the Nga-ti-haua watching over the burning of the bodies of her relations.

I never heard of dead killed in battle being burned.

The people destroyed on the east of Te Aroha the same as those who were destroyed on the west. Nga-ti-kopiri-mau was the great name of Rangi-nui.

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I remember, after that battle at Taumata-wiwi, some eels being given to Marutuahu by Nga-ti-haua who brought the eels to the other side of the Waikato river. This took place one month after the battle. The eels were brought to the Hao-whenua Pa from the Waikato river by Maru-tuahu. I brought some, Piripi brought some. A messenger was sent by Nga-ti-haua to Maru-tuahu to let them know that the eels were there. There were 10,000 eels. Nga-ti-haua were living at Ka-wehi-tiki at the time. The eels were given as "He koha kia Nga-ti-heihei" (Gift to the Nga-ti-heihei tribe"). Hoe was a Nga-ti-haua who was killed at Taumata-wiwi. While living he said "If I die let my promise be performed in respect to these eels," that is, if he should die at Taumata-wiwi the eels should be given in accordance with a promise he had made. He wished to give the eels in consequence of the child of Hou who was murdered when Takurua was murdered. Marutuahu stayed three months at the Hao-whenua Pa, after the eels were given.

The gift of eels was an act of the tribe of "Nga-ti-haua tonu" (all the Nga-ti-haua). I know because the thought was that of Te-Heihei. It was the act of the hapu (tribes) of Te Heihei, that is, of those that survived.

I know of the fights after Taumata-wiwi. These were:

1.Matamata
2.Haua-rahi
3.Wai-harakeke
4.Te-Uira
page (203)

Wars in Hau-raki
(Nga-ti-maru)

Marutuahu (sworn): I belong to Nga-ti-maru and reside at Hauraki. I don't remember Taumatawiwi.

I belong to Nga-ti-maru. The first fight after Taumatawiwi was Ka-wehi-tiki and the battles I remember would stand thus:

1.Ka-wehi-tiki
2.Matamata
3.Haua-rahi
4.Wai-harakeke
5.Te Uira
6.O-ngare

It was the Nga-ti-paoa and Nga-puhi who were the attacking party at Ka-wehi-tiki. The Marutuahu had the best of it. The whole Marutuahu and Nga-puhi were the attacking party at Matamata. We consider that, we had the best of it as the Nga-ti-haua did not come out of their Pa at Haua-rahi. Wai-kato and the Nga-ti-haua were the attacking party. That was a surprise by Waikato. After the attack they retreated, and were followed by Nga-ti-paoa. It was an attack on Nga-ti-paoa only. At Wai-harakeke - Marutuahu was the attacking party, and had the best of it. At Te Uira Marutuahu was the attacking party. It was a challenge to our enemies to fight. Marutuahu got the best of it. O-ngare was a fight with Nga-i-te-rangi. Marutuahu attacked and had the best of it.

page (204)

The fight came off in this order:

1.Taumata-wiwi
2.Matamata and Ka-wehi-tiki
3.Haua-rahi
4.Wai-harakeke
5.Te Uira
6.O-ngare

Marutuahu did fight with Nga-puhi before Taumata-wiwi. One fight took place at Moe-hau and one at Mata-pouri.

Order in which the fights occurred:

1. Taumata-wiwi
2. Matamata and Kawehitiki
3. Hauarahi
4. Waiharakeke
5. Te Uira
6. Ongare

The Hauraki's were the attacking party in all these fights except Haua-rahi, and that was an attack by Waikato on Nga-ti-paoa. Marutuahu were never afraid of Nga-ti-haua. They never came near our Pa's. We left the seige of the Matamata Pa of our own free will. We did not leave because we heard that Wai-kato were coming to assist Nga-ti-haua.

page (205)

Our Pa was built against the Nga-ti-awa, but they did not come. It was not a Nga-ti-maru Pa. It belonged to our "hunga" (serfs) the Whakatohea or Nga-ti-awa section of the Nga-i-te-rangi.

Was this before or after Ongare? After Ongare, shortly after? Yes.

This Pa was built from fear of Nga-i-te-rangi taking revenge for Ongare.

Afterwards a taua (war party) went to Ka-wehi-tiki and Matamata. Te-Horeta who was killed at Waipawa was killed after Taumata-wiwi and before Matamata. I know of the fight at Haua-rahi. I know of the peacemaking before Haua-rahi. Tihi-rahi and Te-Karawa came to make it. They belonged to Wai-kato, a good many came with them. I was at Whakatiwai at the time. They did not send a message from their own place, but sent one when on the road to announce their approach. Peace was made with Te-Rau-roha after which Tihi-rahi and the others returned. I heard of the death of Te-Kapa and Matakara - the latter was killed at Puwhenua, near Whakatiwai. I was at Whakatiwai at the time. He was killed after the peace. Horeta's son, Tuna-kere killed him. Keha, the uncle of Tuna-kere and brother of Te Horeta joining in killing him. Haora-Tipa killed Kapa at Hau-raki. I did not see that. I know why he was killed. It was because of Te-Horeta - who was a Nga-ti-paoa. Haora-Tipa did not take part at the peacemaking of Tihi-rahi. The Haua-rahi fight followed the death of Kapa. That "huaki" (sudden attack) took place at Haua-rahi just before daylight. My elder brother page (206)was killed there. When I came to the Pa at Whakatiwai, I found some of the people had gone to Mahurangi to Brown - some were absent getting timber. One end of the Pa was unfinished. When it was light at dawn of day the fighting party came to our Pa and did not discover the end that was open. There were 60 in the Pa. Te Kahu-kati, Te Hira and others Nga-tara-nga-kete, called out, "The Pa will be taken." "Kokiritia." ("Charge.") We sallied forth, fired and Paora Kina of Wai-kato was wounded. Toka-where fired and hit Te-Are, of Wai-kato. We charged and they fled. We chased them. As we were chasing them we saw the Hau-raki people coming across by sea to help us. The Nga-ti-tama-te-ra canoe was the first that landed, and at that time the pursuers had reached Opito. On our return from the pursuit we found the people from Hau-raki had arrived. Haora arrived shortly after we got back. Some of Hau-raki arrived on the day of the fight, some next day, some the day after. This was an attack by Wai-kato and Nga-ti-haua. The only persons whose names were heard were Te-Iro-nui, and Te Kauwae. After this Kati-Te-Wherowhero came from Nga-puhi. He was taken to Whakatiwai, where it was proposed that he should be killed, as there was no-one of greater rank than he. Haora and others were for killing him but Te-Rau-roha said "No, plunder him and take his goods." He was plundered of gun, powder and everything and left with only his clothes. We had a fight in payment for Haua-rahi. A party of 140 in number went to Tiri-kohua and made an attack on it and killed one called Tiori and captured seven, all Waikato people. The "taua" (war party) page (207)brought them to Whakatiwai where six were killed and one, a woman, spared. I did not go with the "taua", but I saw the prisoners brought in. I saw them killed - it was done in the morning at Puke-whare near Whakatiwai. They were killed so as to take off the tapu from the "taua" (war party). After this, a war party composed of Nga-ti-tama-te-ra, Nga-ti-whanaunga went to O-tahuhu and Te-Whau, found no-one but killed some pigs and returned. There were other fights afterwards, namely Wai-harakeke which I know came after Haua-rahi and Te-Uira, after Te Uira, came O-ngare. I only heard of the peacemakings. One took place at Kopu. Another at Otahuhu. After the Otahuhu one Whata-rangi and others of the Tao-a came to O-rere. I was not at the fight of Wai-harakeke, Uira or Ongare.

page (208)

Origin of the Taumata-wiwi
and Subsequent Battles in which
Nga-ti-whatua Engaged
(Nga-ti-haua)

A muru (theft) committed by Nga-ti-maru of clothing broke the peace. After this muru and quarrels continued. We fought. The first fighting between us and Nga-ti-maru was at Horo-tiu and Tama-here. There were many men engaged. Two of theirs were killed and one of ours. This was the first fight. Maru-tuahu were living then at Horo-tiu with Nga-ti-whatua. After this fight Nga-ti-haua left and went to Maunga-kawa and built a Pa called Ka-wehi-tiki of Maru-tuahu. Some remained at Horo-tiu, others went to Matamata to set plunder. There were people of Nga-ti-rangi living there then, also Nga-ti-tawhaki and Nga-ti-haua (hapu (sub-tribes) of Nga-ti-haua. The chief of Maru-tuahu who went to Matamata was Taka-riro. They were the Nga-ti-tama-te-ra. On their arrival at Matamata they took away the eel pots. They found these and brought them to Ka-wehi-tiki as payment for the children of Pohepohe. They then said to Wai-kato "Here are your eel-baskets, give us Te-Kanawa and Tamana and you may have your eel baskets." Kanawa and Tamana were girls. Nga-ti-haua did not give the girls, and a battle was fought between them about this matter and was a pitched battle. We lost one, they lost two. After the fight Nga-ti-tama-te-ra fled to Horo-tiu and left their dead on the battle field. Their Pa at Horo-tiu was the Manga-piharau - they had other Pa's there also. The murder of Whakaehe was the next. I don't know what led to it. I was not there. I remember what page (209)took place after the death of Te Whakaehe. We went to Kari-aruhe to seek revenge for the death of Te Whakaehe. I went with the force. We fought Maru-tuahu and were beaten - five of us were killed - all the hapu's (sub-tribes) of Hauraki were engaged in it. They lost one. They dried the heads of the Nga-ti-haua. We returned to Ka-wehi-tiki. They brought the heads to our place at Ka-wehi-tiki. After the fight at Kari-aruhe, Ta-kauere came to Maunga-kawa and built a Pa called Kai-paka. The Marutuahu put the heads they had kept into the water which we used - it was near the Pa. Nga-ti-haua to avenge this curse and insult attacked Takurua and killed 200. We surprised him in his Pa, Kai-paka, which was near ours. They had been warned by Te-Waha-roa when they put the heads they had in our water. Te-Waha-roa was at Tauranga at the time of the massacre. Te-Waha-roa's warning was "Ka hiahia, haere koe haere, kahakino o tamariki ki te kainga." ("If you wish to depart, go and take your children home.") Te-Waha-roa knew that Te-Tiwha and others would be angry at the matter of the heads. The attack on Takurua was made in the morning after daylight. Some were killed, some taken prisoner, some escaped. I know Maraea - She was taken prisoner. Those that escaped went to Horo-tiu and on to Maunga-tautari. Marutuahu after this came in force to Ka-wehi-tiki. There was not a great fight there. There was a party of Nga-ti-haua going to Wai-toa to catch eels. Marutuahu took Kupai, Pehi-oneone, and another prisoner. This was outside Ka-wehi-tiki. When we went out to meet Marutuahu, they had returned to Maunga-tautari. There was page (210)another fight after this - at Ka-wehi-tiki. They came from Maunga-tautari to us. We attacked them outside the Pa, and took their dead. We hung them up on a hinau (elaeocarpus dentatus) tree, since which that tree has been called "Moehinau" (sleep in the hinau). This was the last fight at Ka-wehi-tiki. Afterwards Maru-tuahu went past the bush at Matamata and caught two of Nga-ti-haua - Tiki and Mahu-roa. After this Marutuahu made an attack at Huka-nui. They found an old man there - Te Whare-koata, whom they killed. One escaped and came to Ka-wehi-tiki, and told us what had taken place. We went to attack Marutuahu. We fought them - a great many of the Nga-ti-paoa and Hau-raki were killed. It took place near where the old man was killed. We commenced to fight in the morning and chased them until dark as far as the bush. The chiefs of Maru-tuahu killed were Tikaokao, Tapa-ura, Te Mi-roa, Te-Whare-uruurua, and Te Mai-oha and Patene Puhata were taken prisoners. Many of Marutuahu were killed - and six of Nga-ti-haua. Marutuahu fled to Maunga-tautari, and some perhaps to Piako. Huka-nui was fought in wheat planting time. Taumata-wiwi was fought when the potatoes were large. After Huka-nui the Marutuahu gathered their forces at Hao-whenua. They did so because they were afraid of Nga-ti-haua. Te-Waha-roa was at Tauranga when the battle of Huka-nui was fought. After that Marutuahu assembled at Hao-whenua. There was a fight at Taumata-wiwi, a force of Nga-ti-haua, Nga-i-te-rangi and Wai-kato assembled to attack Maru-tuahu.

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Te-Waha-roa and Nga-i-te-rangi and some of Nga-ti-haua came from Tauranga. Wai-kato came from Wai-kato. We had assembled at Ka-wehi-tiki. Some of the Wai-kato joined us at Te-Kohu. We assembled together to fight Marutuahu. A greater number assembled on this occasion than on former ones, for the purpose of exterminating Marutuahu at Maunga-tautari. After Huka-nui and before Taumata-wiwi there had been a meeting of Wai-kato tribes to propose to attack Marutuahu, and to exterminate them and take the land at Maunga-tautari which they had settled on and which belonged to the Nga-ti-rau-kawa. Waikato assembled for that object. I know the number that fought at Taumata-wiwi. I don't know the number of Waikato's that remained at Te-Kohu. The largest number remained at Te-Kohu (opposite Cambridge). We asssembled at Te Kohu, slept there, next day Marutuahu came to Te-Tiki, fired a gun and we, the Nga-ti-haua advanced to meet them. When we left the Waikato were coming up in their canoes. They remained at Te-Kohu to wait for others who were coming up. 400 Wai-kato joined us.