Papers Past | Letters and Diaries | The Papers of Sir Donald McLean | Series 2 Inward letters (Maori) | 4 pages written 1850 by Rakorako in Whareroa to Sir Donald McLean, related to Whareroa, Ngati Toa

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English

Maori

Whareroa [1850] Young man, Te Makarini, Greetings. This is my word to you. You should know the reason for the discussion that led to this land being given over to you. It is not without cause, the land was not given to me for no reason, no, it was payment to me for the canoes, that's the reason this land was given over to me. How many canoes? One was Te Rongo-o-te-whera and the other was Moungakawha. I found the trees, brought them down, felled them to the earth, adzed them, and when the adzing was finished, I fetched people to drag them out. So Ngati Awha and Ngati Toa all met at Tipapa to drag out that canoe. Now, the canoe was dragged and when out [of the forest], food was cooked. Ngati Toa looked at the birds that were being cooked with the food. Then Te Rangihiroa stood up and he called out loudly within our hundred, 'Now, listen, Ngati Maru, that is your land, Tipapa.' When Te Rangihiroa finished speaking, Te Hiko stood up, and he also called out, 'Now, Ngati Maru, that is your land, Tipapa.' When Te Hiko's speech ended, Te Tike[?] got up, 'Now, listen, Ngati Maru, that is your land there, Tipapa.' When all that had been said, another of those canoes, Moungakawha, was dragged out. Now Te Pera also stood up, and he also called out there, 'Listen, my friend, Rakorako, that is your land there, Tipapa, going along that mountain to Moungakawha.' That was the end of Te Pera's speech. Now then I set to work on

Whareroa [1850] E tama, e Te Makarini, Tena koe. He kupu taku ki a koe. Kia rongo koe ki te tikanga i korerotia ai tenei whenua kia tukua atu ki a koe. Ehara i te noa, he whenua tuku noa mai ki au, kaore, he utu mahinga naku i nga whaka, no konei ka tukua ki au tenei whenua. E hia nga whaka? Ko Te Rongo-o-te-whera tetehi, ko Moungakawha tetehi. Ka kite au, ka turakina nga whaka, ka hinga ki te whenua, ka taraia, ka oti te tarai, katahi ka tikina he tangata hei to. Na, ka huihui katoa mai a Ngati Awha, a Ngati Toa ki Tipapa, ki te to mai i taua whaka. Na, ka toia mai te whaka, ka tae mai ki whaho, ka maoa te kai. Ka titiro a Ngati Toa ki te manu i te maoatanga o te kai. Na, katahi ka tu a Te Rangihiroa ki runga, katahi ka karangatia nuitia e ia i roto i to maua rau kotahi, 'Na, whakarongo mai, ko Ngati Maru, na, to kainga na ko Tipapa.' Ka mutu ta Te Rangihiroa korero. Ka tu ko Te Hiko ki runga, ka karangatia ano hoki e ia, 'Na, whakarongo mai, e Ngati Maru, na to kainga na, ko Tipapa.' Ka mutu ta Te Hiko korerotanga. Na, ka tu ko Te Tike[?] ki runga, 'Na, whakarongo mai, e Ngati Maru, na, to kainga na, ko Tipapa.' Ka mutu tera karangatanga, ka toia ano tetehi o aua whaka a Moungakawha. Na, ka tu ano ko Te Pera ki runga, ka karangatia ano e ia i reira, 'Na, whakarongo mai, e taku hoa, e Rakorako, na, ko kainga na, ko Tipapa, haere ki runga ki te maunga ra ki Moungakawha.' Ka mutu ta Te Pera korerotanga. Na, katahi ka mahi e au

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