TAEAIA NGAKUTI, THE LAST OF THE CANNIBALS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume V, Issue 1428, 25 March 1872, Page 3

TAEAIA NGAKUTI, THE LAST OF THE CANNIBALS.

This.chief, who has just died at Upper Tames, was one of the last of the old cannibals, and was the last who perpetrated cannibalism in l\''e>v Zealand, on the occasion when he led the Thames natives on to attack the Tauranga people at Ongare, near Katikati. This took place in 1842, after the colonisation of the country, and alter the founding of the city of Auckland. He completely routed the Tauranga people, and killed great numbers, "bringing away a large quantity of human flesh, which he first took to Kauwaerang, a large pa situated on the present site of Shortland. Here the war party landed, and, after relieving their feelings by indulging in a war dance, they replenished their stomachs (as soon as the hangis were ready) with a portion of their once live cargo. After sticking several heads on the highest poles of the pa fence, the) once more embarked iv their canoes and started for Te Purn, which was then a large settlement of the Ngatitamatera, Taraia's tribe. A basket of flesh was sent as a present toTe Horeta (commonly known to Europeans as Hook-nose), bub this chief declined to accept it, saying he had given up such dark practices. Taraia was from his youngest days famed as a warrior, aud was fortunate enough to maintain his reputation as such to the la§^ He was not in "Waikato during the-^uccssion of fights which took place therejbttween the Thames tribes and the Waikatos, and which terminated in the exodus of the former iribesfrom the Waikato to their own homes, after the battle of Taumntawiwi ; and he used often to taunt his people with their inability to fight their enemies in his absence, and point to the invariable success which always attended his strong arm.. Personally he was not liked, but his name- was dreaded, and continued to be so until the now state of things brought about by the introduction of Christianity, robbed him of all his followers. During the last few years his iiifluencul has entirely gone. Still no doubt'he "will be; greatly honoured now he is dead the remembrance of his former greatness, and the fact of his having boen a principal actor in (he great events in

the history of the tribe, will cause not only the Thames tribes, but others, to pay tribute to his memory.