TAPUI NIKAU PA

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1929, Page 17 (Supplement)

TAPUI NIKAU PA

SANCTUARY OF THE PAST

(By

C.M.H.)

A recent visit to Tapui Nikau Pa. the noted stronghold of the ancient Taranaki* tribe, situated on the Warea River, revealed the regrettable fact that goats and cattle have played havoc with tho old fortifications. For some time past negotiations have been in process for the vesting of Tapui Nikau in a special board of trustees. The old Rangatira .Inia te Ngongohau, of Pungarehu, who has been the. trustee of the pa for many years, decided at a meeting some months ago to give up. his trust. At that meeting of °* Maoris and .pakehss, three native members were appointed. These appointments have to be confirmed by the Native Land Court, and it is. then proposed to appoint three pakeha -members, with the Commissioner of Crown Lands as chairman. In company .with Mr.. W. Smith, of the Newall Road, a recent visit proved very interesting. • Mr. Smith has lived near the pa for the past thirty years. Up,to a few years ago Tapui Nikau was in a splendid state, of preservation. Native trees and shrubs grew in abundance and luxuriance,. covering the pa from its summit down to the level ground surrounding.the. pa. but goats and cattle have .accounted for the growth. Practically all the shrubs are eaten right out and the bark of many of the . trees stripped off. Fortunately the goats have ..been removed, and it is expected that the shrubs and undergrowth will revive and flourish if the pa can be securely fenced. Tapui.Nikau has not been occupied by the natives for about 120 years. Up to recent times the terraces, kumara pits and defence pits were, well defined. Cattle, however, have tramped around the pits and partially, and in. some cases, wholly, caved them in. There are distinct traces of at least five tiers of terraces, showing how efficiently the protective works made for easy defence. On the level ,of all the upper terraces the number of .kumara pits indicate that at times large numbers of people found sanctuary on the fortification. In the’ old days the fortification was. particularly strong, and until the advent of fire-arms it pfoved a great sanctuary for. the natives residing in the Puniho, Warea and Pungarehu districts. There are many, old fortified pas in these localities’.which were used as temporary refuges in times of trouble with marauding tribes, but it was to Tapui Nikau that the natives ictiicd when pressed by strong forces of invaders. Covering several acres in extent, and rising to a couple of hundred feet, it has perfect protection along its entire length on one side by the M area River. The cliff rises almost perpendicularly to the pa s summit. On the opposite’ side 'the number of dug-out pits for defence purposes indicate how difficult the position would be to capture when the Maori had only the spear and war clubs as weapons .of offence and defence. Many of the pits on the lower terraces were joined by underground passages, jso.'that- the defenders could move unseen to any threatened point. Tapui Nikau was never conquered, ■but in its last defence, about the year ISIO, the garrison was reduced to semistarvatioiq arid only escaped with their lives by having a friendly chief amongst the invaders. The territory around the foot of the pa, on both sides of the river, was occupied up to about twenty years ago by small families, generally old warriors, who . left the more thickly-populated kaingas to get away: from the everincreasing march of civilisation. All their lives the old toas, used to the Maori way of existence, cultivated their plots of kumara.s, kumi-kumi and taro, potatoes and corn, and collected berries in the autumn. Helped in their labours by their faithful wahines, the cvenino- of their lives could be spent in peace and quietness near the homes >ef their, forefathers. Then. the. forests wore full of pigeons, kakas, tuis, wckas and a small edible vegetarian rat, which was snared and preserved in its fat for. winter use. The river alongside also provided food in the fopm of tuna (eel), while a tramp .to the seashore in summer and autumn enabled the old natives to secure a . change: of diet in shell fish,, shark and schnapper. The old people had a great veneration for Tapui Nikau. and looked upon the stronghold as tapu. Should visitors arrive and wander over the old fortification they were warned mot to touch any of the trees or shrubs. . Clumps of flax growing- on 'the summit were especially sacred, and should anyone pull or eut’ the flax they would be destroyed with makutu (witchcraft). The tuatara lizard, that strange New Zealand reptile which is a survival of antideluvian days, were to be found on the pa. Ihp natives took particular care not to molest them, as they were- under the particular care of Tane Mahutu, the Maori god who controlled all affairs of the forest. . A Maori informant told the writer that up to recent times the bark around the foot of many sloping trees could be seen worn quite smooth and polished. This was caused by the lizards drawing their scaly bodies over the bark as they climbed the trees to bask in the warm rays of the sun. Most of the old people were well versed in the -ancient songs of their tribes, and on sunny mornings and at eventide would site for hours near the river bank at the base of Tapui Nikau, and chant the history of their forefathers. Mr. Smith informed the writer that the clearings around Tapui Nikau were famous san’eturies for pheasants and quail, and up to a dozen years ago it was easy to secure a good bag of game there. The birds found excellent feeding amongst the cultivations of the old Maoris. Nowadays it would be difficult to find a pheasant or quail in the locality. There are, however, several clumps of native bush on the riiei banks in the locality, and the note of the tui and mako mako (bell-bird) may be heard occasionally. Of fantails there are considerable numbers, and their friendliness as they pirouette out over the water in search of gnats are the only movements that disturb the quietude of this interesting old home of the departed Maori people