AN ACCOUNT

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume I, Issue 3, 15 April 1861, Page 6

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE VARIOUS EXPEDITIONS OF THE WAIKATOS AGAINST THE NGATIAWA AND OTHER SOUTHERN TRIBES: WRITTEN BY WIREMU NERO TE AWAITAIA, OF WHAINGAROA. Pakeha gentlemen, and Maori Chiefs of Taranaki, hearken ! We cannot well delineate the character of our forefathers and fathers. Their work was continual fighting. There was no lignt period during those times, that is to say, during the evil of Waikato towards Taranaki, indeed, throughout all New Zealand. Their custom was to fight, Waikato with Taranaki and Taranaki with Waikato ; and so it continued until the war in which Hanu the father of Te Wetini Taiporutu was killed. After that there was the great expedition of Te Waharoa, Pohepohe, Tuterangipouri and all the Ngatimaniapolo. Poraaki aod party were slain at Pouiama by the Ngatiawa. After that again there was the great expedition of Waikato, Ngatihaua, Ngaiimaniapoto, Ngatipaoa, Ngatimaru, and Ngapulii. They proceeded to. Poutama. There were 1000 on one side and 1000 on the other side. A battle was fought and the Ngatihau of Whanganui were defeated. Tangi was the Chief (who was slain). The payment was Te Ahiweka who was carried alive by Te Raparapa to the pa and there killed. Aaerwards there was another expedition from Waikato, wtoich went to Turanga, and thence all round to Wairarapa, Kapiti, Wellington, Whanganui, Ngatiruanui, Taranaki, Ngamotu, and Wailara. Thev were met there (at Waitara) by the Ngatiawa, a battle ensued, and the Waikatos were defeated at Ngapuketurua. They were surrounded by the Ngatiawa at night, but Ngatirahiri came and fetched them away under cover of! the darkness, and they went to Pukerangiora. They were protected by the Ngatirahiri in their pa: hence the name •* Pigsty" [from their being enclosed in the pa

like pigs in a sty]. Great was the influence of this tribe. While they were staying in the pa two messengers were dispatched to Waikalo. One of them was captured and put to death, the other escaped. The name of the one that escaped was Rahiora. He belonged to the Ngatimahanga tribe. When he reached Waikato the Ngatihaua arose, with the Ngatimahuta and all Waikato, and went to Taranaki. When they had passed Mokau the Ngatiawa ceased to besiege the army protected by the Ngatirahiri, and fled to Okaki. Te Kauparaha was slaying there, having migrated from Kawhia. On the arrival of the Waikatos tbey were attacked, and Te Hiakai, Hore, Mama, Te Kahukahu and Korania were slain. They were killed by Te Rauparaha and the Ngatiawa. They fled to Te Kanawa, Te Wherowhero, Te Hura, and Te Toea. The battle lasted till the evening. Their payment was Takaratai of the Manukorihi. The real cause of their being saved [i.e., of any escaping] was because of Hemi Te Ringapakoko, a young Chief of Ngatimahanga. He was a son of Whakaari, and elder brother to Wiremu Nero. Waikato escaped on this occasion. Tbey remained during the night, and when it was near daylight they proceeded to Pukerangiora. A messenger was dispatched, and then it was heard that these defeated Waikatos were on their way to join the other defeated Waikatos. When they met they wept, and great indeed was their weeping. No tribe was equal to the Ngatirahiri in nobleness, or to Puketapu, Motutoheroa, Rauakitua, Tautara, and Matotoru, that is to say, to this influential tribe, in that they (generously) spared the Waikatos. Some time after this, the Waikatos again went, and also the Ngalipaoa, Ngatihaua, Ngaiimaniapoto, Ngatimahanga, Ngatihourua, Ngatiteata and Ngatimahuta: in all, one thousand six hundred. They went to Mokau, Poutama, Parininihi, Pukearuhe, Kukuriki, Te Taniwha, Waitara, Ngamotu, and reached Taranaki. They found no men there—they had all fled to the mountains. We came back without having done anything, only that some of them were slain on the mountains. They came on to Tongaporutu, and Waikato fell at Tongaporutu. The Chief that was killed was Te RaroTutabi. The payment for him was sixty of the Ngatiawa. Tuhira, a woman of high rank, was captured there. They returned and stayed again at Waikato. Their love continued firm for those Chiefs who had saved the Waikatos, and they therefore remained quiet and did not return to Tara-

naki. They longed, however, in their hearts to seek satisfaction for Te Hiakai and party, whose deaths had not yet been avenged. After a considerable interval, Rauakilua, Tautara, and Te Wharepouri, sent Ngatata lo fetch the Waikatos. The cause of this was' that Te Kara wo, a son of Rauakilua, had: been killed at Tangahoe by Te Hanataua of Ngaiiruanui. Whereupon Waikato con-j sented. Not a hapu remained behind. They ! went to the Ngatitaraa, and lo the Ngaiimu-j tunga. (Their place is Urenui.) They pro-' ceeded to Te Taniwha and Manukorihi. at Wailara. That war party sojourned there, and Wiremu Te Awailaia and all his tribe dug a pit in the earlb, and then a canister of powder and one hundred bullets were thrown into it, thus taking possession of Wailara. They then went to Puketapu ; Te Motutoheroa was therep.e., joined them]. They went lo Ngamotu; Rauakilua was there, and Tautara, Maiotoru, Te Wharepouri, and Titoko. Matters ended well in I that quarter, and they went on to Tarakihi, to Okoniakokahu, and to Taranaki itself. The Taranakis were defeated there. They fell at Maru, at the very base of the Taranaki Mountain. They fled from thence, and went to Orangiluapeka and to Waimate. Both these pas were taken, and Ihey (i. e., the attacking parly) went in pursuit of Te Hanataua, but did not succeed in taking him.* They then went on to Waitotara, and there they (the Taranakis) fell, Tupuna, Te Urukorari, and Te Ahiahi were killed on the side of the Waikatos. This avenged the death of Te Rarawa, son of Rauakilua, We now turned back, and arrived again at our homes in Waikalo. Waikato continued to bear in mind the death of Hiakai, which was still unavenged. When Te Ao-o-te-rangi and party—sixty of them—went to Taranaki, they (i. e., many of them) were murdered. It was Te Wharepouri who saved the lifeof Te Ao and others. The Waikalo had thus two causes. The Waikatos were continually talking about that death, and tbematlfir was at length referred to Potatau. The Waikatos assembled togelher, bin nothing was done. This was continually repeated, but it never resulted in anything. Te Hiakai was uncle to Potatau and also to Wiremu Nero, or, in other words, he was/a father to them. When the counsel of Te Ao-o-te-rangi and Muriwhenua was not heeded, Muriwhenua applied to his relative, Wiremu Te Awaitaia. (He said) "Son, are you not willing that the death of Te Hiakai should be avenged?" (The reply was) "I am willing." In consequence of

tliis consent, the Ngatilipa arose, together ■with the Ngatitahinga, Ngatihourua, Ngatimahanga, Ngalihaua, and Ngatiwehi, numbering in all 540 men. They went to Aotea, and were joined there by Te Hiuu; to Kawhia, where they were joined by Te Kanaka and Tukorehu; and thence they went straight on. When they reached Mokau they heard that other Waikatos had joined them in the rear, and were coming on. Our party started from Mokau, and killed of the enemy) a little way beyond. They advanced as far as Parininibi, that is, to the Waipingao stream; others were killed there, and Ngarape, Chief of Ngatilama, taken prisoner. The attacking force still advanced, one parly proceeding inland, and the others by the great coast road. Those pursued by the inland party were overthrown with a very great slaughter. Te Ao-o-te-rangi, Chief of Ngatilama, was killed. He was shot by Wiremu Te Awaitaia. Those pursued by the Coast party were overthrown, and the slaughter did not end until they had reached Urenui. Tulawharangi was taken prisoner, but Manukawehiwas allowed toescape. We then relumed, and stayed at Arapawa. The Waikatos now came up* for the first time, aud found that we had routed the enemy. The party now urged an attack upon Pukerangiora. The cause of this was, what they had heard from slaves in that pa, who belonged to Rangiwahia and Hautehoro. Hautehoro had said "This * * * shall be the weapon to destroy Waikaio." The good conduct of the Ngatirahiri was, in consequence thereof, trampled upon by the Waikatos. Had they been permitted to go by the outer side, they would not have gone to Pukerangiora. the pa was assaulted and taken, and with the fall of the pa great indeed was the slaughter. Soms of the Waikatos also were killed. When the Ngatfmaniapoto saw that Pukerangiora had fallen, they adopted Tukorehu's proposal, and proceeded to attack the oiher pa at Ngamotu. As soon as they arrived they attacked the pa. This was done by those tribes who had gone before, namely, Muriwhenua, and Te Ao-o-te-rangi. Wiremu Awaitaia stayed and did not fight. The number of those who stayed behind was 5-40. The fighting was left to the party that came last. They numbered 1,200. The attack was made, but ihe pa was not i taken. Some of the attacking party fell! there, and the expedition returned home to ! Waikaio. '

Afterwards, those tribes residing at Taranaki removed, and went southward. The Pnketapu stayed. The names of the men were Kapuiawariki, Waiaua, Te Huia, and Poharama. The pa they occupied was railed Mikotahi. Beyond them were the Ngaiiruanui; they also did not go. Not a man remained in Waitara, throughout all lis boundaries. When the Waikatos heard that people were slaying again at Mikotahi, they started out again to slay them, They attacked Namu, but it was not taken; and"then they came back to invest Mikotahi. They succeeded in taking them (of Mikotahi) prisoners, and brought them alive to Waikato. This was the conquest of Taranaki by Waikato, for the inhabitants had all fled. There were no men left to retain possession (of the land). The strength was on the side of Waikato; there was no strength with Te Rangituke. After a while, the Ngalimahanga, Ngaiilahinga, Ngatitewehi, and Ngatimaniapoto, numbering in all 540, rose again, and went to Taranaki. This party searched in vain for men; they could not find any. It was a mere remnant of a tribe that worked at (catching) the lampreys of Waitara. Ihaia was present on this occasion, He went with us. He accomponied us in order to look at his place at Waitara. Waikato was again " marked" by Wircnui Awaitaia and his people. The "mark" was a gun used for shooting men. This was the second " marking " The party then returned to their owti homes. Then the Gospel was introduced. After the arrival of the Gospel I always restrained the people (from going to war). I, Wiremu Nero Awaitaia, and all my tribe, have accepted the Word of God. After the introduction of Christianity, the Waikatos carried the war further on, namely, to the Ngaliruanuis, because there were no men whatever at Taranaki. Many other fights took place. Subsequently, a Waikato war party went against the Ngatiruanui. Te lluaki was the pa invested. When I heard of that pa being besieged, I took the Word of God to the Waikato party and also to the Ngaiiruanui. The work of the Gospel could not well be carried on. Eighty of us went. We spoke to the Waikatos, and said that this should be the last war of the Waikatos. Enough. That pa was taken - by the Waikatos; they came back, remained, and believed in God. On our return, we came by Rangituapeka and Tumaiua. There were no inhabitants beyond that. We passed through the desert-

Ed district of Taranaki, and came to Ngamotu. We found a remnant living on the island of Moturoa. We passed through the inhabited district of Waitara, and came to Mokau. There we saw the face of man. The people residing there were the Ngatimaniapoto. When we arrived at Waikato, Christianity had greatly spread. After a time, Muriwhenui's party again rose and went to Taranaki and slew the remnant. The cause was Ngaro-ki-le-uru. They came back and remained. Thus at length the evil with Taranaki came to an end, and religion became the sole concern (of the people). Under the teaching of Christianity, the prisoners captured by Waikato were liberated and sent back to Taranaki. It was Christianity that induced Wiremu Te Awaitaia and Paratene Te Maiaha to carry peace to the Ngatiloa at Karape. Word was sent to the Ngatiloa to come back to Kawhia. Their reply was, " The thought is with your ancestors." We came back and then went to Wellington, to the Ngatiawa and Rauakitua. We said, "Come, return to Taranaki". Rauakitua consented and said, " Yes, sons, return to the place—to Taranaki." We said, " Return with your women." They reached the place, and that matter was ended. We then went to Kapili—to Te Rauparaha, Topeora, and Te Rangihaeala—and stayed there. Te Wiremu (Williams) and Te Rangitake came, and we crossed the Waikanae (river). Ihaia Kirikumara was one of the parly. I said, ** Return to Taranaki." They consented. I said, " Return with your women, not with men." They consented, and Reretawhangawhanga gave us his dog-skin mat. Te Rauparaha did not agree to go back to Kawhia. We came back to Waikato, and when Muriwhenua, Te Kanawa, and Pohepohe, heard that the Ngatiawa had returned to Taranaki, they assented to it. Afterwards the Ngatiraahanga, Ngatihourua, Ngatinabo, Ngatimahuta, of Kawhia, and Ngatimaniapoto, went to Ngamolu to confirm the peace. The basis of that peace was that the Ngatiawa should reside at Taranaki. I shall not relate here the return of the Ngatimaniapoto, or Potatau's bringing back the Ngatiawa, and his selling Taranaki to Governor Hobson. Peace was now quite established, and Ihaia Kirikumara was sent back to Waitara, to the land of his people, and afterwards Wiremu Te Rangitake. Both of them resided at Waitara. Now, let not Te Rangitake, or all New Zealand say—let nsi the

Ngaliawa say,—ihat Ihaia went back to Taranaki, from Waikato, as a slave. Let us remember that Joseph was sold by his brethren to the Ishmaelites and carried as a slave to Egypt, but eventually became Governor over Egypt. 0 Pakehas and Maori Chiefs residing in New Zealand I It is well. It was the land holding system of Te Waitere and Wiremu Kingi that caused the death of Rawiri Waiaua. That was the commencement of the murders at Taranaki. After that there was the murder of Te Waitere. That was well, as it was in retaliation for his crime. The only fault was the selling of the land. Was it Te Teira's or Te Rangitake's? According to law, a great man should not take the piece of land belonging to an inferior man, neither should he lake the piece of land belonging to his equal. There are two wrong things in this Island of New Zealand ! One is, the war caused by Te Rangiiake, and the other is the selling up or a King. Attempting to put down the authority of the Government is a third. Sufficient are those our thoughts as to whether the Governor is in the wrong, or whether the Governor and Te Teira are in the right, hut prije takes its own course. It is ended.