THE HAU HAU FAITH

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE HAU HAU FAITH

THRALL OF NEW PROPHET

(By

C.M.H.)

In the year 1564 Taranaki became more or less an armed camp because of a fresh outbreak on the part of the Maoris. Great dissasisfaction existed amongst the natives respecting land deals with the whites, the Maoris contending that territory had been purchased from chiefs who had no right to sell, or that the purchase price paid was inadequate and quite .unfair. Amongst the tribes themselves there was disagreement and even hostility. ■ At this period there arose from amongst tlie natives of Taranaki a socalled prophet named T.e Ua Horopapera Haumene who founded a new faith or religion called Pai-marire. The followers of this new cult bepame knownas Hau-Haus and the resultant uprising became known as -the Hau Hau rebellion.

Te Ua was an eccentric character and had imbibed some of the teachings of” the white missionaries, who at that time taught the Christian teachings, to the Maoris at mission stations, situated in several portions of the Taranaki province. To Ua’s home was, situated near Cape Egmont and he became a particularly close student of toe Look of Revelations. ; ■

Combining his learnings with certain portions of the ancient Maori religious observances he began to preach amongst his followers his new faith. He told how the angel Gabriel had appeared to him in a vision and had given to him a new religion which he was coniniaiumd to teach to the Maori people; At first little notice was paid to the new prophet but gradually he drew around him a band of believers and the new cult began to spread from village to village. The new religion promised its adherents strange and wonderful powers. By the reciting of incantations £nd the observance of- correct ceremonial in absolute faith the detested pakehas would eventually all be destroyed or driven out or the land and all territories would revert back to the original Maori owners.

■ The particular, deity who guided the prophet and hjs adherents was the Atua Pai-marire, meaning “good and peaceful God,” as it. was a main factor in the teachings that hostilities were not to be .indulged in against the white settlers and soldiers. The followers, if they had sufficient faith, -would accomplish all their desires’ without resorting to arms or general hostilities. i In order-to give his followers greater faith, Te Ua taught them a jumble of new words- which he stated had been revealed to him.. These were nothing more or less thaq Maorified words of the English'language. He was sufficiently astute to make rhymes embracing portions of services he had learnt "in the missions and also commands given by officers to ;white soldiers when troops were at drill. . For instance his new services coni* menced with the command, iPorini, hoia! (fall'in soldiers). Teihana! (attention). These words in Maori were simply “pidgin” English, imitating the sounds of the English words spoken. Another example Of jumbled words will show, how the ne-w language of chants originated. Rewa, piki rewa, rongo rewa; tone, piki tone; teihana! were nothing more or less than “pidgin” English for river, -big river, long river; stone, big stone; attention! !■ ’

But all this mummery would most probably have fallen on very dull ears had not Te Va given to' the recitation thereof some inspired action. He /erected a pble 60 ( to 80 feet high like the mast of a 1 ship and equipped .it with , yardarms/ from which flags could be flown. This pole was surrounded -by a kind of altar raiF painted red with kokowai (oxide of iron). Headed by Te .Ua the followers marched .round and round the pole, giving voice to the new incantations, which the prophet claiiried had been taught to him direct by the angel Gabriel. Daily the exercises were indulged in with increasing excitement as fresh recruits joined. The yard-arms were bright with fluttering flags specially designed. Very sopn most ,of the surrounding villages erected their “niu” poles and priests of the new ciilt .were sent out to teach the chants.

In practically all the tribal settlements'were old war leaders and priests who, took up the new faith with amazing interest. It was a new fuel to a smouldering fire of unrest which characterised the ' natives throughout the North Island at that period. The movement ; grew with extraordinary' swiftness and from Taranaki to Wanganui Pai-marire poles were erected ,in all districts occupied ~by the\natives. Amongst the . priests and leaders who embraced the new faith was the renowned fighter, Titokowaru. Swiftly he realisedthat his warriors would be keener than ever to go on the war trail if they could.be worked up with a new fanatical belief. In place of a peaceful nation, Titokowaru and his priests saw , that they could 'with great advantage arouse through the new religion a.greater hatred thAn ever against the detested white people who were encroaching , further and further into territories that the Maoris considered -belonged to them exclusively.

In those days the districts occupied by the white settlers were spread over different parts of the province. Numerically the whites were weak compared with the native population. Titokowaru took the war trail and soon his fighting force was vastly increased. The districts between dpttpia'ke and Wanganui were practically abandoned for the time being to the natives. 'Several settlers were killed and their homesteads burned to the ground. White fugitives/including women and children, fled to . the redoubts and block houses in various parts of the province. For the time being there were not many armed troops in Taranaki and Titokowaru was successful in taking his followers to within striking distance of the town of Wanganui. By this time, however, troops and volunteers were hurried to the threatened districts and Titokowaru had to beat a hasty retreat, fighting actions in the dense bush until he was driven back to take refuge in the Ngaere swamp. From here he and a small party of followers retreated to the forest regions on the upper Waitara, where they remained for several years and a pardon was eventually granted to the noted Maori War leader. The iPukearuhe massacre, in which the Rev. John Whiteley, the Gascoign family and some soldiers were brutally murdered was th© work of natives who had become followers of the Pai-marire religion. At that period the natives were in a highly excited condition and were fanatical in their hatred of the white settlers.