Papers Past | Letters and Diaries | The Papers of Sir Donald McLean | Series 2 Inward letters (Maori) | 2 pages written 14 Dec 1844 by Wiremu Poharama, Hoani Ropiha 1850, Wiremu Kawaho, Eruera Te Puke,...

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English

Maori

heart, they were angry, because some of the cows and guns were not given to them. We considered that the land was not theirs, it was our own land, and so the cows and guns were for us, because it was our very own land. That is why we said to them that the cows and guns were for us, and the blankets were for them. But, inwardly they continued angry, though that was the end of it. On the 11th of December the announcement came that the people of Puketapu had been killed by the people of Taranaki. And so the Ngamotu people went off to see those at Puketapu. When they reached Omata, they saw the gathering at Puketapu, and the Ngamotu people found that the guns of the Puketapu people were stopped. The Ngamotu people thought[?] that the [Puketapu] appeared friendly and did not show anger as they conversed. But when the food was cooked, the Puketapu people showed their anger, taking up their guns to fight and killing a few the Ngamotu people. Listen, Governor, to our last word to you. Earlier this tribe was fighting with the Pakeha, now they are fighting us. So this is why we thought to request some soldiers to protect us, and the Pakeha also. That is all from your affectionate people, from Poharama, Wiremu Kawaho, Eruera Te Puke, Hoani Ropiha, Piripi Hapimana, Wiremu Tana, Wiremu Kingi

o ratou ngakau, i riri ratou no te mea kahore i hoatu etahi o nga kau, o nga tupara ma ratou. I whakaaro hoki matou ehara i a ratou te whenua, no matou ake ano to matou whenua, ki a matou ano nga kau, nga tupara, no te mea no matou ake ano to matou whenua. Koia matou i mea ai ki a matou nga kau, nga pu, ko nga paraikete ki a ratou, a, e riri ana ratou i roto i ratou ngakau, a, mutu ake. I te 11 o nga ra o Tihema, ka pa mai te karanga e ka mate nga tangata o Puketapu i nga tangata o Taranaki. Heoi haere atu ana nga tangata o Ngamotu kia kite i nga tangata o Puketapu. Tae atu ana ki Omata, ka kite i taua whakaminenga o Puketapu, rokohina ana e nga tangata o Ngamotu kua purua nga pu a nga tangata o Puketapu. Hua noa[?] nga tangata o Ngamotu, tera ratou te noho aroha mai ana, kaore e noho riri ana ratou korero ana i nga korero. A, ka maoa te kai, ka riri a Puketapu, ka mau ki te pu whawhai ana, a, wahi nohinohi nga tangata o Ngamotu kua mate i nga tangata o Puketapu. Whakarongo mai, e te Kawana, ki ta matou kupu whakamutunga ki a koe. I mua e whawhai ana tenei iwi ki nga Pakeha, inaianei e whawhai ki a matou. Koia matou i whakaaro ai tonoa mai he hoia, hei tiaki i a matou, i nga Pakeha hoki. Heoi ano. Na ou tangata aroha, na Poharama, Wiremu Kawaho, Eruera Te Puke, Hoani Ropiha, Piripi Hapimana, Wiremu Tana, Wiremu Kingi

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