THE PA OF MANUKORIHI

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1930, Page 9

THE PA OF MANUKORIHI

CONNECTION WITH TRIBES ACTIVITY OF TEN GENERATIONS. OLD FIGHTING DAYS RECALLED. Manu-Korihi Pa, which lias been a scene of deep mourning and a centre of ceaseless activity over the last few days, has an interesting history which can be traced back for ten generations. Manu-Korihi is the name of a hapu of the Ati-Awa tribe. The hapu, or some of them, according to Colonel Gudgeon, originally came from AVhakatane, m the Bay of Plenty, whence they migrated in consequence of a quarrel. That would be about ten generations ago. Mr. Percy Smith, however, in his “History and Traditions of the Taranaki Coast, says that he never heard any local confirmation of Die story. The people of the hapu—many of whom still Live at Manu-Korihi Pa—always say their hapu name was derived from that of the pa. Tho hapu has, however, Mr. Smith goes on to say, a connection ■with the Ngati-Whatua tribe of Kaipara, through Te Raraku, a famous ancestor of that tribe, who was a kind of free lance and wanderer, who found his way to Manu-Korihi Pa and there married an Ati-Awa woman, from which Wircmu Kingi Te Rangi-tako claimed relationship with Ngati-Whatua. This .marriage had important consequences in the wars of the eaily lUth century, for it often saved the ManuKorihi hapu from destruction. There is a place near Manu-Korihi Pa called Te Kapa-a-Te Raraku, used as burial ground. z The chief Tu-whare, of the NgatiWliatua tribe of Kaipara, who was associated with Te Rau-paraha in the latter’s first expedition into Taranaki in 1819-20, was buried near Tau-Kawa at the Rohutu burial' ground, near ManuKorihi. Tu-whare and Te Rau-paraha, with their tana, reached Manu-Korihi Pa without any fighting, and dwelt there for a time, discussing future plans. It appears that at this period there was a feud in existence between the Manukorihi and the Puke-rangiora people, of which the taua was not slow to take advantage. Mt. W. H. Skinner in a letter to Mr. Percy Smith wrote that great excitement prevailed among the Waitara and surrounding hapus over the arrival •of this northern expedition, for they possessed the new weapon, the dreaded pi;, or musket. Its wonderful powers, no doubt, were dwelt on and exaggerated by the fortunate owners until the excitement and desire to witness their deadly effects led them to seek a way to satisfy the dangerous inquisitiveness of the local people without much danger ip. themselves.

They had not far to seek for a scapegoat—the bad terms existing between Manu-K'orihi and Puke-rangiora _ offered the opportunity. The Nga-Puhi party were only- too glad of the chance to prove their muskets. At the last moment, however, their plans were changed. Arrived before Puke-rangiora, its inmates presented such a "bold face and the defences were so strong and well constructed that the allies thought better of the project and decided to pass that pa and attack' the unsuspecting people of Ngati-Maru, living in the neighbourhood of what is now Te Tarata village.” The expedition proceeded southwards, and during a fight with the Whanganui tribues Tu-whare was badly wounded. The expedition turned homewards, Tuwhare being carried on a kauhoa, or stretcher, as 1 far as Kete-marae, near Normanby, where he expired of his wounds. His body was carried on to Manu-Korihi and buried near* TauKawau at the Rohutu burial ground, it being felt that as. the Manu-Korihi people wero connected with Tu-whare, his bones would be safe from desecration, a point of great moment to the Maori.