STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 678, 12 January 1883, Page 2

STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

No. 33.—-Maori History of Banks Peninsula. (Contributed by the Rev. J. W. Stack.)

TAMAI-HARA-NUI. The Ngai Tahu chiefs who exercised the greatest influence over the fortunes of their people in modern times were Tamai-hara-nui, Taiaroa, and Tuhawaiki, better known by the whalers soubriquet " Bloody Jack." All three took a prominent part in the later history of the Peninsula. Tamai-hara-nui was the highest in rank, while his cousin Tuhawaiki emtio next, but though slightly superior by birth, both were inferior in mental and moral qualities to Taiaroa, a noble man, whose conduct btands out in pleasing contrast to that of the two cousins. For while they will only be remembered by the story of their cruel and evil deeds, he will always be esteemed for his brave and generous actions in war, and his wise and kindly counsels in peace. Tamaiharanui was the Upoko Ariki or heir to tho ancestral honors of Ngai Te Rangiamoa, the noblest family of Ngai Tahu, but he gained still further distinction from the fact that several other noble lines met in his person. As tho hereditary spiritual head of the tribe, he was regarded with peculiar reverence and respect; tho common people did not dare to look upon his face, and his equals felt his sacred and oppresive restriction upon their lihorty of action, for even an accidental breach of etiquette while holding intercourse with him might involve them in serious loss of property, if not of life. His visits were always dreaded, and his movements when - ever he entered a pa were watched with great anxiety by the inhabitants, for if his shadow happened to fall upon a whata or rua (the stcrehouse for food) while he was passii-g through the crowded lanes of the town, it was immediately destroyed, with all its contents, because the sacred shadow of the Ariki having fallen upon it, the food became tapu, and fatal to those who partook of it. There was little in Tainaiharanui'a personal appearance to mark his aristocratic lineage, his figure being short and thickset, his complexion dark, and his features rather forbidding. Unlike mo.t Maori chiefs of exalted rank, he was cowardly, cruel, and capricious, an object ot dread to friends and foes alike. At the Bam 6 time he was a man of great energy and considerable for-, eof character, He was distinguished during his early years as a traveller, being continually on the move up or down the east coast of this island, engaged in visiting his numerous connections. He was amongst the first to discern the advisability of encouragiDg trade with Europeans, and entered keenly himself into business transactions with the traders who came from Sydney to procure flax fibre. To facilitate his intercourse with them he took up his permanent residence at Takapuneke (Red House) in Akaroa Harbor. He married Te Whe, a descendant of Manaia, and the eldest sister of Mrs Tikao's mother. By her he had three children, two sons, Te Wera and Tutehounuku, and a daughter Ngaroimata. His eldest son died when a child. The next son on attaining manhood, went off in a whaling ship and was absent for many years, during which he was mourned for as dead, and did not return till after his father was carried off and put to death at Kapiti by Rauparaha, The peaceful course of Tamaiharanui's life at Takapuneke was interrupted by the outbreak of a terrible blood feud amongst his near relations, a feud distinguished not by the incident that caused it, but by the fearful atrocities that were perpetrated during the course of it, deeds that shocked even the hardened hearts of those who committed them. KAI-HUANGA (EAT RELATION). The Kaihuanga feud was tho first serious outbreak amongst the Maoris of the Peninsula since their conquest of Nga- I timamoe. For nearly one hundred and j fifty years they had been increasing in numbers and wealth. Tutekawa's son had revealed to them the secret pass he had found to the West Coast, and expeditions were annually sent across the mountains to procure greenstone, which, when manufactured, attracted purchasers from North and South, who exchanged mats and potted mutton birds, and other things for the coveted greenstone. The development of trade with Europeans promised a continuance of prosperity and peaceful enterprise. This promise was destined to be rudely broken by a feud that not only disorganised the entire social system of the various Maori communities here, but nearly annihilated the population of the district. The immediate cause that roused all this animosity, and provoked so much bloodshed, must seem to Europeans'

most trivial and inadequate,- but there is little doubt that mutual jealousies and old grudges were working below the surface in men's minds, and forcing on hostilities » which, when once begun, led to further reprisals, and so the quarrel deepened and widened after every encounter. The immediate cause of the quarrel was owing to Murihaka, the wife of Potahi, putting on a dogskin mat belonging to Tamaiharanui, which he had left in charge of some one at Waikakahi. This act was regarded as an insult by the immediate relations of the chief, since everything in the shape of apparel belonging to him was held to be exceedingly sacred. The greatest consternation prevailed throughouf the pa as soon as it became known what had happened. At length some of the men grew so exasp rated at the thought of Murihaka's sacrilegious act, that they i?ll. f not upon the perpetrator of the deed, brit upon a poor servant woman belonging toTf a relative of hers, named Kerewaka, aniTl put her to death. When her masters, Hape and Rangi Whakapaku, saw her dead body lying on the ground, they were much enraged, but instead of wreaking their vengeance on those who committed tbe murder, they went off to a village of Ngati Koreha, at Tai Tapu, in search of some member of the murderer's family. They succeeded in finding Hape, whom they Killed. This man was married to Hinehorahina, of Ngatihurihia, sister of I Tawhakiterangi, one of the principal chiefs of Taumutu. His widow took refuge with her brothers, who were greatly pained at witnessing her grief for the loss of her husband, of whom she was very fond. As they watched the tears streaming down her cheeks, day after day, while she sat pounding fern root for their food, they meditated over some scheme for avenging her loss. At last they decided what to do. They collected a small war party together, and then made a sudden attack upon Waikakahi, where they killed Puiaiti, and To Moroiti, the latter being a chief of m Ngatiwakehu. His death brought the Taumutu people into collision with the greater part of the inhabitants of the Peninsula, and involved them in what proved to be a ruinous struggle with superior forces. They followed up their first attack on Waikakahi by a second, a few weeks afterwards, when they killed Te Rangi c pu, another Irakehu chief. Tamai-hara-nm* was absent from the district at the commencement of the feud, having gone to Kaikoura to fetch a large war canoe which his relatives there had presented to him. He first heard of the outbreak on landing at Te Aka Aka (Saltwater Creek), where some persons met him, and told him tbat some of his family had been attacked, and several of them killed. He made no remark to his informants, but when he reached Kaiapoi, a few hours after, he said to his uncles, who resided there, "It is my turn now; Ngati hui kai is there, Ngati hoi kai is here, Ngaiti mango ia there, Ngati mango is hero ; Ngai tua huriri, do not move." This was an intimation that he would avenge his relatives' death, and that it was his wish that the Kaiapoi people should not interfere. There was some probability of their doing so, as many Kaiapoi families were connected by marriage with the Taumutu people. • Having given expression to his determination, he . proceeded on his journey towards Akaroa, followed by about twenty Kaiapoi men.. On reaching Wairewa ** steps were immediately taken to raise a war party, which was subsequently led by Tain li-h.irA-iiui against Taumutu. A battle was tony-lit at Hakitai, which resulted in _, the iletcat of the residents and the death of many persons, amongst whom was the chief Te Pori and several Kiiapoi women. More of the latter would huve fallen victims but for tho presence in the attacking force of the Kaiapoi contingent, who made it their business to protect, as far as they could, tbe lives of their kinswomen. It was in this way that Te Parure, sister of the chief Taiaroa, escaped death or dishonor. She had taken refuge with her children in a whata, but hiving been seen by Taunuuu, was pursued, and would have been captured btu for Te Whakatuke, who came up just as Taununu was mounting the narrow ladder leading to her retreat, clasped his arms round him, and held tightly on to the ladder, squeezing him with sucit violence -gainst it tbat Taununu was glad to desist from his purpose. Te Whakatuke, fearing tbe consequences of deserting his post, continued to keep guard till the engagement was over. So ended the first attack on Taumutu. Tamai-hara-nui withdrew his forces, and dismissed them to their several homes. (To he continued.)