IN ANCIENT MAORI LAND.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 3, Issue 158, 11 December 1895, Page 3

IN ANCIENT MAORI LAND.

Votes collected from the descendants OF THE ARORIOINAL PEOPLE OF i in: Raxgitaiki Valley and tiieUkeWERA AXD FROM THE MATAatva Tribes. By ELSDON BEST, . Given by members of the Ngati-Hana-wn, Xgati-Whare, Tuhoe, JTgati-Apa, V«-atirAwa, Ngati-Hamua aiid Patuneuhcu Tribes. • KOHIKOHIA xga maramara p MataATUA." CHAPTER V. (Continued.) The Aboriginal People of tiießamhtaiki Valley, How Tangihururu and Wharc-pnkau destroyed Te Tini-o-Tc Marangamnga. Whare-pnkau attacked the aborigines at To Whaiti-nui-a-Toi. Their uljiof was Te Eae-kahu and the remains of his fortress, Te Pa-o-Eae-Italuii may still be seen at that place. The Marangaranga under Bae kahu succeeded in rcpulsiug the f-rce of Wharepakau and tliey fled, but their t ,]iief stood his ground and culled on his men to turn and reform, which they did and then AVhnrepakau again attacked the men of the land and assisted by his two otua, heko and Kuka (he riiru tetehi, hongarara tetehi*) ho defeated them and killed the chief l<aekaliu whose body was prepared and eaten at a stream since known aB Te Awa-kai-kinuki- tangata-a- Wharepakau, even as a spring at To Whaiti is known as Te l'aepae kinaki-tangatn. a-Wliarepakau. and a tree standing at that place is called Te Euku-o-Whare-pakau. Wliare-pakau then lived at K itane, where bis son Te Manako and his trrandson, Taketake were born. While he lived there the chief Ihurakau came from the east with a warparty to attack him at Te Whaiti. The strength of the war-party was .Mil men. At the time that this party inrae toTe Whaiii, Wharepakau was away bird-catching in the forest, catching the tike, the tieko and other birds. The pa w fts attacked by Ihurakau and Te M anoko, son of Whnrepakau was slain, but lho pa was not taken. Wharepakau was discovered in the forest by a party of Ngati-Ka-Jiungunii whotookhmi prisoner among his bird-snaring apparatus, and they said to themselves—" Ibis is Wharepakau. Let us kill .him." But the captive said," I am not Wharepakau." hut the sons c-f Kahunguru persisted that they would kill him. Then he slid: " Do not kill me until I have guided you to the hill which stands before us and from whence I will point out to you the pa of Wharepakau " The reason that he made tins remark was that bis ninn-destnru'ntT hoeroa was concealed in that- hill in a ' jmch of tunringi. His captor 6 consented and were taken by Wbarepnknu to the hill where his weapon was hidden. On arriving there he called them to come together, which they did, enquiring :—r "-Where is the pa of Wharo-pakau ? " "Upon this he lluust his hand into the clump of tumingi and grasped his hoeroa. Turning upon his enemies he attacked them with such desperate valour that they fled in dismay from a single man-; (at least so sny thoTCgatiuijare. the descendants of Whnrcpnkau,) and as he raised bis weapon to attack the foe ho cried : " Kaore ]ien koutou e moliio—ka tini. ka mano ki ruto i a Whare nei," which remains as a pepeha even unto this day. So he returned to his pa and found the taua still camped there and his son dead, and he asked : " Where is Tbu- I rakau?" His tribe 'replied: "Heis at Baro-ti," 'Te Whaiti). And Wharepakau uttered this saying: Mine wna the evening tide. For you shall be the morning tide ; I Rhall bo with you in the morning." The old warrior determined to attack bis enemy, and he asked his people : " "What is the token of lhu*rakau ?" And they said : " Ihurakau oarnot be mistaken ; he bears three plumes upon his head, his garment is a mahiti, his weapon is a taiaha." And Wharepakau went forth in search of his enemy whom he attacked and defeated. Ihu-rakau fled ami was pursued by Wharepakau who lost sight of him, hut Ihu-rnknu tin ried and made a sudden attack on "Wharepakau who caught him and destroyed bis people, So the warrior Wharepakau returned to his pa in triumph, having defeated his enemies. And in after years it happened that »? lie lay asleep one day on the top of the cliff, a hawk flying: over him caused him to wake suddenly, and, mistaking the cry of the kahu for the voices of men, he fled, and falling over the cliff he was most grievously hurt. And even unto this day is that 'lift known as Te Eerenga o-Wharo-pakau. And in after years Taketake, the descendant of Wharepakau dwelt at Te Whaiti-nui-a-Toi and the nar/io of his pa was Te Pa'o-Taketakc. And it happened that Ngai-Tnngnroa. a hapu of the Ngati-Kahnngunu tribe, heard (bat the descendants of Wharo-pakau-kai-tangata were still living at To Whaiti. So a great war-party of came and found Taketake and his people dwelling in their pa. The war-party surrounded the pa, and in (he night Taketake came forth and standing on (lie maioro of his pa hung the following Whaka< araara :- - "Ka moo te ma(a hi tuna, Ka ara to innta hi taua " The eyes of <ho fishermen are closed. I'Uttheeyee of the fighter are open.) The one was mi owl the other a lizard.

And in the morning Taketake adorned himself, and us he did Su he heard the people cal ing : " O Take ! The enemy are advancing; they are on the takitahi of the pa." Taketake replied : " Let them come closer." "When the enemy arrived at the kiri'tangata then Tnketako came forth and stood oa the niaioro of his pa. Behold! So well Jiad he ornamented himself, so fine a man did he look, that the advancing enemy halted to admire him. This gave the men of the pa time to get outside and surround the enemy. Ah, ha! Then was heard the sound of clashing weapons, and hlows, and the death cries of brave men. The sons of Tangaroa were defeated and the remnants of the tauafled to the great forest of Tane which extends far away to the Land of the Eis ng Sun. ] will now give you the genealogy of Wharepakau and his descendants who have held the lands of To Whaiti for so many years : Wharepakau, Te Manako, Taketake, Te Enngi tuahiwi, flika-paratai, Te Eingaringa, Te Au, Turere-au, Eangiamio, Eewi Eangiamio, Huare, Te Haupa (about 14 years old in 1895.) Tangihnruru married Kura-nui and had descendants—Mahanga, Te Aroakapa, To Ukuhanga, Te Kiri-kainga-hau, Te Eangihi-rawa, Whata, TeUru, Eangiamio (an old man in 1895. Aiso see preceding genealogy.) Enough ! This is all the information I have for my pakeha friends. [To HE COXTIWUFD. ]