IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH ISLAND

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 100, 1 May 1935, Page 12

IN SEARCH OF THE NORTH ISLAND

the shadowy past of HOROWHENUA. (XIII.) It is difficult to appreciate the vast changes that have indelibly stamped themselves upon tho landscape of Horowlienua within the comparatively short interval of time since tho Takcha invaded this rich country and paved the tvay for tho material progress 'which has registered much prosperity. The coming of tho white man and the application of his practical knowledge to the utilisation of tho soil might be said to be third invasion of this territory for away back in tho shadowy past tho original settlers whom Kupe met along this coast wero destined to give way to the redoubtable warriois the first Maoris—who camo to these shores in the canoes forming the migration of 1350. Tradition speaks of tho country as being more than a favoured land, the lakes, streams and swamps providing an abundance of cel to say nothing of the fish to bo obtained bi the adjacent waters of Eaukawa, while the dense bush was always tho resort of thousands of pigeons. In addition there was the Tick soil which was eve; favourable for the production of tho taro.

Although to-day properly belonging .to the area known as the Manawafu, the Eangitn.no people wero the first invaders of the Horowlienua. They came to settle about the Manawatu Tiver and claim descent from the Ivurahaupo canoe which sailed from Hawai iki under Euatca and Whatonga and their success in wanning possession of such desirable country brought to this district the Muaupoko and tho Aged Apa, who came to these shores with Turi in the famous Aotea canoe. The Ngati Apa settled between tho Eangitikei river south and tho settlement of the Eangitane proper, while the Muaupoko proceeded south to claim j.or themselves tho lake country about Horowhenua. Being more or less related the tribes lived together on friendly terms and enjoyed tho fruits of the hunt without fear of disturbance. One can imagino the undisturbed peace that must have existed over a vast area of this territory when it lay in its natural state. Native settlements were few and far between, possessing connecting links in the way of narrow bush tracks along which runners, always tried warriors, mado their way to and fro conveying the tidings from hapu to liapu.- If tho bush track failed owing to floods thero was always tho highway along the beach and jutting off from this were well defined tracks to the settlements standing in

the clearings which had been mado by almost super-human effort with tools and implements closely related to those of the stone age. Here, under tho spell of Tanc, the associated tribes must have enjoyed an existence equal to, if not better than, that experienced in the mvstic Hawai iki.

These, then wero the first invaders and they prospered until the early days of the nineteenth century when To Bauparaha decided to look over the country south from Kawhia. * A ext to tho coming of the Eangitane people, no event in Maori history lias been fraught with such epoch-making issues to this coast as the invasion by the A'gati Toa, and it is from this period that we begin to get the authentic historical data of "the district,” wrote Lindsay Buick in his “Old Manawatu.” The ousting of the original inhabitants, tho Moriori, was as nothing compared with the. devastation caused by the victorious Ngati Toa under Te Bauparaha. Truly ho came, he saw and he conquered. He scattered every tribe before hint and pursued his way through tho Ngati Apa, the Eangitane and the Muaupoko country on to Kapiti, where ho may have been content to Temain in peace but for the decision of the Muaupoko people to seek Tcvcnge for the destruction ho and his Ngata Toa had caused among the owners of Horowheuua. Jt is difficult to say what might have happened had the Muaupoko people resolved to accept their fate and live on peacefully on the ground which was left them, or which they returned to occupy after To Bauparaha had passed through and was known to have made his home on Ifapiti. Ho was very anxious that the Ngati Eaukawa people of Kawhia should join him mainly to strengthen his forces against any possible effort by tho disoccupied tribes to TCgain their status of ownership and ho was not long in inducing a sufficient number to come to Kapiti and participate in the fruits of the occupation of a veiy licli land. The Eangitane, Ngati Apa and the Muaupoko wished to secure their heritage and were naturally wrathful of the Ngati Toa. Particularly wa3 this the case with the Muaupoko who, residing nearer to Tc Bauparaha, suffered the The country assumed by tho Ngati Toa chieftain bordered on that which was for the time being, at least, left to the Muaupoko and with a full knowledge of the mana exercised by this warrior from Kawhia, they wero not without very considerable fears as to wnat would happen next. There was only one thing to do to maintain their greatness as a tribe and that was to prepare to withstand whatever Te BaupaTaha had in view. To this end they decided that their pas were insecure against likely raids for, situated as they wero about the shores of Lakes Horowhenua and Papaitanga, they were ever open to assault and altogether minus auy secured retreat. It •was then that the decision was made to build artificial islands in tho lakes and erect on these fortified pas. These islands remain to-day and are visible evidence of the vigour and industry of a once powerful tribe. Tho Bcv. Kichard Taylor has left behind a record of the method used iu tho construction of these pas. Their sites are still to be seen, as so many islets, covered with luxuriant vegetation. An old chief told him that the islands were formed first by driving strong stakes into the lake to enclose the required space. Then large stones wero placed inside the enclosure and all kinds of rubbish thrown in to fill up the space, upon which an alternate stratum of clay and gravel was laid until it was raised to the required height. After consolidation the houses were erected and the pa surrounded by the usual stake fence. Sinco the only approach to these islands was by way of canoe the occupants were secure against sudden attack. There were six such pas erected on the Horowhenua Lake and two on Papaitanga. To these island homes tho Muaupoko Tesorted fully believing that they were secure against the redoubtable Te Bauparaha. They had been shorn of most of their possessions and had become n hunted tribe mainly through an act of calculated revenge which failed and aroused the Ngati Toa to a, determination to destroy for all time the Muaupoko. It is no distance dov»n to Lake Horowhenua and a visit to this charming spot will repay all who wish to know more of their country. To see the lake and to note the islets will enable a better understanding of our short note of the attack which Te Bnunaraha launched on tho Muauuoko.

(To bo continued.')