THE SOUTHERN MAORI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21242, 24 January 1931, Page 21

THE SOUTHERN MAORI.

STRAY, PAPERS. Written for the Otago Daily Times. By H. Beattie. XXXIT—KAITAHU INVADERS ADVANCE. _ After Rakitauneke, the celebrated Katimamoe chief, had made common cause with his Kaitahu ally, Waitai, against the unfortunate Waitaha tribespeople living in the Clutha district (as recorded in a previous, paper) he returned to his old haunts in Canterbury to find that the Kaitahu advance down the South Island had made perceptible progress. By, an exercise of diplomacy, shown principally by shrewd intermarriages with the leading Katimamoe families, and by a show of armed force they had left the old frontier far behind, and were now in Mid-Canterbury, although ostensibly peace still prevailed. It is recorded that Rakitauneke paid a friendly visit to the Kaitahu and engaged in a spear-throwing contest against Maru, but was defeated. He was then living at Ohou (not the lake of that name, but a place near Opihi), and later at the Upoko-pipi pa near the Arowhenua Bush at Temuka. Spasmodic fighting broke, out at intervals between representatives of the two, tribes, and Rakitauneke had so many narrow escapes of death that he has since acquired quite a miraculous reputation. On one occasion his enemies surprised him and killed him (to their temporary belief and satisfaction at least) near his pa, ■ which they then proceeded to take and occupy. Rakitauneke, however, survived his apparently fatal wounds, and, re-entering the pa, encouraged hie men so much that they ousted the invaders and dispersed them. It is said that, before .retiring further south, he burnt the Upoko-pipi pa, so that it would be useless to his foes. He next built a pa at Taki-harakeke, on the north bank of the Waitaki River, and here the Kaitahu, under a chief named Huruhuru, came to attack him. Rakitauneke was out reconnoitring one night and was captured and “ slain ” a second time. That night his familiar spirit, Matamata, came and brought him to life again. ' Next morning the Kaitahu attacked the pa with confidence, but the unexpected appearance of Raki, whom they took for an apparition, so upset them that they were easily repulsed. Huruhuru was chased to the river near Warokuri, and threw himself flat just in time to escape a spear hurled at him. He gained the south bank, but recrossed lower down, and, eluding his pursuers, reached Temuka.

Rakitauneke afterwards built a pa on O-te-popp Hill, near Waianakarua, and later still he dwelt on the heights of Whaka-ari behind what is now Dunedin. Tradition says-that he was now nn old man, and, not sleeping well at nights, was disturbed by the noise of the sea in the distance. Accordingly he took a tour inland, and e.ventually arrived in Southland. It is stated definitely that to the bush round Invercargill he gave the name Arowhenua, after . the Arowhenua bush in Canterbury, and, as the bush at Makarewa is called O-te-popo, it is suggested that he also named it after his old pa in North Otago. Be that as it may, he died_ about Waihopai, and his body was carried to Omaui (New River Heads) and buried there.

Somewhere about the year 1675, according to genealogical data, the births occurred of two chiefs, Weka and Kaweriri, and both these names figure prominently in events soon to be related.

. The Kaitahu tribe had now spread well down through Canterbury, and we hear of them sending expeditions of warriors to various outlying parts. Weka was a grandson of Tu-te-kawa, and, strange to say, led a war-party against some Wai-taha-Katimamoe kinsfolk of his mother, who were living at Lake Wanaka. I have never heard a reason given for this fight, but it practically wiped out the Lake Wanaka inhabitants of that period, their leading chief, Potiki-tautahi, who was Weka’s uncle, being killed with most of the other residents. Two young Waitaha ladies of rank. Kanekane and her sister, were reloted to Weka, and were both saved and were taken to North Canterbury with the other prisoners. Kanekane afterwards returned to the Lake Takapo district, where she lived with Tukete, her husband.

Two Kaitahu chiefs, Te Kaimutu and Tawhiri-ruru, killed a Katimamoe chief named Poho-wera,, and in revenge the latter’s son, Te Eakitauhopo, killed his : father’s slayers. The matter was not allowed to stop here, "for a Kaitahu force took the warpath up to Lake Ohou, where Eakitauhopo lived.; A torb (scout) was sent our to .reconnoitre and to advise the, mate a (main body of warriors). The ; Katimamoe camp was surprised and overwhelmed. and Eakitauhopo fled for his life. A boy named Kaunia, who had been following up the war part}', had a sharp-, ened manuka stick, arid just as Eakitauhopo _ leaped into the river he flung. it at him, killing him—an unexpected deed for which he received great praise. After Eekitauhapa was killed, two; Kaitahu chiefs, Parakiore and Mu, left the coast, and followed up the Waitaki to its headwaters to see if any more fighting was going on. They left Parekura, and went past Omarama to Ahuriri, where they separated, the former making for Ohou, the latter for Paritea (Benmore) , where he found no one, and pressed on for Ohou, Although he had gone 10 miles further, he arrived at the scene just on the heels of his companion. A fight was commencing, and Parakiore con-. tinued his impetuous rush onward into the ranks of the foe. Laying one low he shouted: “I have killed the first man” (always held to be a great honour in a fight). Mu kept on hie headlong charge also, and laid prostrate in the dust the first foeman he met, and had enough breath left to shout: “I have killed the second man ” (also an honour). Under 1 such a display of fiery vehemence it is no wonder the Katimamoe gave way, and were vanquished. ■ While the Kaitahu were establishing themselves in Canterbury, murder stark and grim was being enacted on the Taieri, now so peacefully rural. Tu-wiri-roa, living at Motu-para, near Taieri Mouth, brought up the two boys whose lives he had saved at the only fight that took : place on Stewart Island, and when they: were old enough he sent them to‘ Tukiauau’s kinsman in Hawke’s Bay to obtain , assistance in seeking revenge for Tukiauau’s death. They obtained the help of Tnpari-taniwha, who came south with 240 Kati-kahununu warriors to aid them. There is a creek in North Otago called Tapari-tani wha, and my informant considered it was named after a chief in Waitaba times, and not after any North Island chief, but Mr W. H. S. Roberts definitely states it was named in honour of the chief we are now considering. m .... , _ The two young men, Tu-okioki and Kape-taua-ki-whiti, led their North Island friends down to Henley where, finding the pa on Moua Hill too formidable to attack, they resorted to deceit to gain their ends. They retired up the river to the mound alongside the Taieri ‘ River, that is plainly discernible to travellers by rail or road between; Allanton and Otokia. Its name is Te-amoka, and here they built the fort known as Pa-a-tupan-taniwba. By guile and false professions of friendship they enticed the warriors of O-moua to feast with them, and amid a scene of apparent goodwill they suddenly fell on their guests and foully slew them. Leaving this ghoulish scene of massacre they hastened to the O-moua pa. A chief named Tu-hokai-raki, being sick, had not gone to the feast, and with the very old men, the boys, the women and babes, was in the pa when a cry arose that men were charging it. Tu-hokai-raki rushed out and, seeing the ferocious foe so near, fled as fast as he was able towards tbe river, but was headed off and forced clown the spur now called the Maori Leap. At its end he jumped, trusting to swim the river, but was transfixed by a spear and killed. A horrible orgy of cannibalism followed the taking of the pa, and- then the two young men, feeling they had successfully accomplished their mission, returned to the North Island for a time, but my principal informant .thought subsequently lived in Canterbury. When the Katimamoe took the pa of Waitai at Mokanjoka near the Bluff their leaders were Wahahauka, Tu-te-makohu, and Marakai. After the pa was taken the victors returned to their homes, the two latter chiefs accompanying each other up the Oreti River to about O-kai-to-rua, where they parted. Marakai and his contingent continued northward to their village at Kingston, while Tn-to-makohu and his party turned eastward to Otaupiri (now called Glenure). Arrived there, Tu-te-makohu found to hia dismay that his two wives had been abducted by

Tu-takahi-kura, a Kaitahu chief peacefully travelling through the country. He set out in pursuit and overtook the guilty chief with his retAuie and captives at Packohu, a hill between the extreme north of the Taieri Plain and Blueskin Bay. Pae-kohu means “ a perch for fogs,” and the hill was noted as a weather-glass, fog on it being a sign of rain. The party was encamped by the Waitete stream (now called Waitati), and Tu-to-inakqhu challenged the abductor to a duel, stipulating that if he killed his antagonist, the latter’s men should let him and his wives and children go free. Tu-takahi-kura, who was much the bigger man, agreed to the terms and the combat was fought with maipi (also called taiaha), something like a bout at the old English pastime of quarterstaff. The doughty Tu-te-makohu proved the better gladiator of the two, and killed his big opponent and took his wives and children back to Otaupiri while the people of the slain > chief went on to their home at Kaiapoi. j It will thus be seen that Tu-te-makohu was laying up a number of fine excuses for the Kaitahu to attack him. Kaweriri, a son of Turakautahi, the founder of Kaiapoi, was annoyed when some of his friends or relatives were among those killed by the Katimamoe at Lake Ohou, and determined to lead an expedition against that tribe. As the slaying of. the Ohou people prevented him attacking that place, he went south to attack Tu-te-makohu, who, through the intermarriages that had already taken place between the leading families of both sides, was a distant relative of his. One account given me said the expedition came through the Mackenzie Country, while another said it came down the coast to the Waitaki River and then up this river and across to Lake Wanaka and from there via Cardrona, Crown Range, Nevis, and .Nokomai to the Waimea Plains. Here the war party surprised a fishing party and captured them all but one, Te-kiri-matua by name. This chief raced to Otaupiri and warned the inmates. He had only seen the scouts, who surprised the eelers and considered it was just a small raid, but the experienced Tu-te-makohu doubted this, and, as the pa was untenable with his small force, he determined to try and reach Kingston, where Marakai lived.

Tu-te-makohu and his _ people had reached the Five Rivera Plain, when they were overtaken by the war party. The fugitives were hindered by the presence of women and children and some • aged people, and camped at Waitaramea (Oswald Stream). When morning broke they saw the approaching foe, and, to their grief, saw they. were outnumbered by about four to one, but determined to sell their lives dearly, killing as many important men as they could. As the story of the fight has been told in print, it will not be repeated here except to say that Kaweriri was killed by Tu-te-makohu, who was then chased up the side of Tarahau-kapiti (West Dome). but escaped in the fog that came down. That night ho returned to the camp of his sleeping foe in search of Marakai’s small son, and, finding the little dead body, cut off the head and took it away with him. Another chief named Waimatuku and several other of the leading men of the invaders were slain during the desperate stand made by the doomed Katimamoe, and the Kaitahu force, now disorganised by the death of Kaweriri and these others, returned to Canterbury without more fighting.