MOUNT EGMONT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 1 (Supplement)

MOUNT EGMONT

BY HARE 130 NCI

MONARCH OF NEW ZEALAND

How many generations of men have looked upon and admired the quiet sublimity of that masterpiece of Nature's work, 'Tara-naki (Energy Peak), Mount Egmont! The first human ancestor that we traditionally wot of was Tama-rereti, he who sailed away from here poleward in order to more closely investigate the phenomena of the South Polar lights (Nga Kurakura of Hine-nui-te-Po). His period can safely be fixed at 3000 years ago, a period which represents some one hundred and more generations. It is recorded that on one occasion Tara-naki entrusted to its eastern subsidiary cone Rangi-toto (Blood - Bed Sky), now Fantliam's Peak, the duty of overwhelming and obliterating a wellappointed Maori village, together with all its inhabitants, not one of whom escaped. Of that ancient village, which stood on the eastern flank, history has preserved the names of its council hall, Kai-Mirumiru; its courtyard, Tarawa-i----nuku; its raised foodstore, Pae-ahua; and its graveyard, Ara-kari. Unfortunately, the names of a few then living chiefs cannot now be given. If we had such we could approximate the period, by the test of genealogy, as being so many generations ago. What appears to be certain is that it was many hundreds of years ago, for many particulars appear to have been totally lost by effluxion of time; more than 840 years. A few years ago a Maori stone cooking-oven was unearthed some distance up the eastern slope of the mountain. The remains were lying beneath a deposit of volcanic ashes. That affords conclusive proof of the existence of the oven prior to a volcanic eruption. And it may well be that that oven was directly connected with the overwhelmed village referred to. And doubtless in those days some puny Maori would exclaim: "Tara-naki, thou art a scourge! "

Maori Combats

And lordly Tara-naki has witnessed some tragic events among the warrior clans which have inhabited its vicinity. As old Maori custom would have it, an infringement of the law of tapu, or a breach of honour and good faith, demanded blood reparation. And, as fate itself willed it, it was a belief of the Maori that the bone of a hero used as spear barbs brought both good luck and efficacy to the user. The following is a notable instance of that in the case of one Noke.

Now, Noke was the high chief of a pa which stood well up on the southern slope of Taranaki, near Kaponga. Noke was united to the sister of a hero named Puroku, who also was a high chief. But Puroku had been slain in battle attacked by two warriors (i huia ruatia-). On a day Noke took up his weapon and bird-spear and with his young son entered the forest near bv in the fascinating pursuit of the wild birds which at that time abounded there. To Noke's surprise his first two birds escaped from his thrusts. In a moment of vexation he gave to the unguarded exclamation, " Barb of Puroku, but yesterday thou_ wert very keen." Glancing hastily at his son Noke saw that his face was quite placid. He then wrongly concluded that liis son had not understood the inner meaning of his words. But the boy had dissembled. He .had understood that the barb had been made of bone of his uncle, Puroku. Tt meant sacrilege, an infringement of tapu, and it was being used for an ignoble purpose. Upon inspecting his spear Noke saw that its pointed barb had been broken off. So the pair returned home. Vengeance On reaching home the boy lost, no time in repeating to his mother the dire words that his father had used. Carefully keeping the , information to herself and having received permission from her husband, she took the boy on one of her usual visits to her distant relatives. There she lost no time in conveying the outrageous words to her brother, Kuku. A blood feud was instantly to the fore. Messengers were despatched to call the leaders together for the purpose of discussing the matter. Then arose the question that the Noke pa was impregnable because of its steep cliff sides and also because the Noke people were numerous and brave. The problem called for the most skilful solution. During the conference a strategic plan was adopted, the carrying out of which devolved upon Kuku, the brother. Five hundred braves were selected and those were to be near the Noke pa on a certain morning at dawn. On the day before that morning, and

leaving his boy nephew, Kuku departed for the Noke pa, ostensibly to conduct his sister back to her home. He was fittingly received by the Nokc people and, during the customary welcome speeches, was invited to remain for a few days. That invitation Kuku very courteously accepted. He was not long in selecting two, that is to say a pair, of strong and very important pa posts. He also noted where stood the shed in which digging and other implements were stored. After the usual afternoon and evening speeches Kuku retired, hut not to sleep. At about midnight he arose and, cleverly eluding the attentions of the vigilant sentinel, he secured a good digging spade. With that he approached the two posts and quickly and quietly removed sufficient soil from their bases to loosen them. That done, he retired and laid himself down to await the approaching dawn.

At early dawn Noke stationed himself near tlie prepared posts. There he gave the customary Maori dawn call, " 'Tis dawn, 'tis dawn; the sun has atmosphered." That call directed the awaiting warriors to the very spot at which the loosened posts stood. Those were rushed and ere the alarm was given a dozen of the brawny invaders, with stout flaxropes and Kuku assisting, uprooted the posts, tore down the parapet and with the battle cry " For Puroku " engaged the pa. The alarm having been given, the defenders sprang to their feet, grasped their always handy weapons and closed with the attackers. The surprise had been complete, but the defenders were soon returning blow for blow in those old-time hand-to-hand encounters. Dawson's Falls At the height of the conflict it was discovered that the criminal, Noke, was absent. The battle cry " For Purolcu " had evidently unnerved him and he had fled. When that was established, Kuku commanded that all fighting should cease. He also ordered two small parties to pursue and capture Noke, dead or alive. Noke had fled to avoid falling into the hands of those whom ho had so foully dishonoured. Hotly pursued, ho climbed the mountainside and cunningly took refuge immediately behind the waterfall near Kaponga. It is now known as Dawson's Falls, but to the Maoris its name is Te Here a Noke (The Fall of Noke). His pursuers did not for a moment imagine that he would seek refuge in that peculiar spot; so, when the hue and cry was over, Noke made his way inland to the Nguti-Maru country; there he lived and died. Yes, Taranaki saw all that and very much more of the same kind of tribal warfare.