TALE OF OLD WARS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18266, 8 December 1933, Page 6

TALE OF OLD WARS

MANUTUKE’S TWIN PAS DIP IXTO MAORI. HISTORY TAJ RAWHITrS FIELD DAY Tales ol old buttles, fought in the davs when the Maori warriors trusted to their skill with the spear, taiaha, and mere, were re-told in vivid fashion for the. benefit of pakelta members of the fiairawhiti .Maori Association’s research branch, in the course of an extremely interesting field day in the neighborhood of Manutiike yesterday. the events ot the afternoon included visits to the old pas, Tapulii and Orakaiapu, and to the ancient ineeliiur-house in the Manutiike settlement, and with Mr. Kongo Halbert as their guide and mentor, the research members of the association covered fairly thoroughly the ground on which much of the history of Poverty Ray in pre-pakeha days was written. I’p to a stage, the development of the twin fortifications at Manutiike, Tapulii, and Orakaiapu went hand in hand, and their early records, though lost in the mist, of time, must have been ol considerable consequence in the history ol Poverty Ray. The principal link between them of which the story'has been Landed down from generation to generation actually dates back to the early part of the seventeenth century, roughly 1625. when there flourished at tig* head of their respective sections of the Ron-io-whakantu tribe two brothers. AlokaioIttuigi and Te Aweawe. the latter being the lirst of his name, which was identified with stirring events in subsequent generations of tHi* tribe. RONCOWHAKAATA MAN A Makaiolmngi, occupied the Tapulii pa. close under' Die hills behind Maiintuke, and his brother the Orakaiapu fort, at a bend in the Te Arni stream near the site of the Manutiike Post Office, and both nourished in the full mnna of the Rongowhakaata, which tribe held territories stretching from the neighborhood of the abattoirs to the Hangaroa and Mangatoetoe streams, and from the Waipaoa River to a point near Muriwai. the whole comin isiug a rough oblong, in which were included fat cultivations and well-stocked swamps and streams.

The brothers were valiant, and their followers industrious, as is shown by the earthworks which to-day mark the sites of their respective pas. At Tapuhi there are to be seen to-day most of the details of fortifications which in themselves must have been formidable harriers to invaders, and also the deep depressions which mark the sites of pit-dwellings within the earthworks. T( JUG 11 PROPOSITION S

Bearing in mind that the weapons of the ancient Maori were designed for close-quarters fighting, in the main, the existence of a trench fully 15ft. wide and 10ft- in depth, backed by a. steep wall of earth topped by a. double-stock-ade of iieavy timbers, makes it impossible not to yield admiratiun for the warriors, who, in pro-pakeha days succeeded in breaking into these fortiiications.

Tapuhi was a- fairly typical sample of tho river-side pa, its one flank guarded by water and its others by deep trenches and steep escarpments. It lacked the natural advantages for defence presented by such fighting pas as Popoia, examined on a previous outing of the Tairawliiti association, but nevertheless must have been a hard proposition to reduce, when field in force by its owners.

Tho other pa to which attention was given yesterday, Orakaiapu, was more naturally situated for defence, having water on two sides, and steep banks on another, while in its heyday the more vulnerable side was strongly palisaded and manned by a large force of warriors. Yet it did not prove an impregnable fortress, as was shown by the narrative unfolded by Mr. Halbert in the course of yesterday’s examination of the sites. THE WAIROA TAUA If was in pursuit of vengeance for an old defeat that a tana or fighting corps from 1 lie Wairon district, comprising Ngatikalnmgunu and Ngatiruapani. journeyed overland and attacked the twin 'pas at Manutukc. The loaders of the taua were Tapuae and Whakahu, whose alliance seems 1o have (been subject to friction, even in the face of battle. From one of tlu disagreements of the leaders the invasion took the name “Upoko-kino,” which translated liberally mean; '‘dunderhead.”

As tho story has come down by the word of mouth, through 300 years Tapuae and Whakahu conferred before the attack on the best method of reducing the forts, and Whakahu’? maintenance of his own views led tc Tapuae remarking that lie had a dunderhead to help him. Nevertheless, Wliakahu’s plan was carried into effect, each section of the invading force attacking one of the pas, and Whakahu being successful- in quickly gaining mastery of Tapuhi, many oi the inhabitants of which were wiped out. Tapuae was not as successful in his assault, on Orakaiapu, and suffered an initial re’pulse. A CRISP REJOINDER.

Seeing smoke rising from Tapuhi, he realised that his ally had been successful there, and lie waited for his assistance in reducing the stronger pa. Whakahu was dilatory, however, and on being remonstrated with by the impatient Tapuae, neatly scored off him with the remark: “ Wisehcad forward, dunderhead rearward!” Much chag lined, no doubt, Tapuae went on with the attack, and finally received timely assistance from Whakahu, who incidentally saved many of the Orakaiapu people from slaughter. Tho Cpokokitio invasion had diverse effects upon the future of the respective pas, for after the reduction of Tapuhi by Whakahu, this fort was never again occupied permanently. It served various transient occupants from time to time, but did not figure us a fortified and regular residence of any chieftain of note. At Orakaiapu, on the other band, the fortifications were restored, and to this pa attaches a long history of important events, coming right down to pakelia days. The first missionary of the Williams’ line, whose research into Maori ethnology was a notable feature of his work in the East Coast field, loft records of the Orakaiapu settlement as it stood in his day, and in the oral records of the Maori people it figures as one of the major centres of tribal activity. - TO-DAY’S CONTRAST A curious contrast between the two fortifications as they were found yesterday was noted by the majority of the inspecting party. ' This lay in the state of preservation of the earthworks, those in the Tapuhi pa being exceedingly well preserved, considering that it is approximately 300 years since the fortifications were maintained by regular working parties of tribesmen. On the other hand, at Orakaiapu the old earthworks have almost disappeared, owing to the land having been occupied right up to modern times and cultivated over the sites of the old fighting-platforms, and on the inclines of tho ancient parapets and escarpments. Here is an instance of the preserving effect of isolation upon aged institutions, which survived as material entities until tlieir protection became a moral obligation upon later generations. Tapuhi pa has been protected against the hand of man in the last 60 years 'by the pakeha’s respect for old ' Maori monuments; Orakaiapu lost its most significant reminders of olden days when its occupants turned their attention to the arts and crafts of peace, and no longer ’regarded tlieir fortifications as the only insurance against aggression.