TE KAHA

Kaea, Issue 4, 1 September 1980, Page 28

TE KAHA

In A.W. Reed’s Place Names of New Zealand we learn that the name Te Kaha is a shortened form of Te Kahanui a Tikirakau, and that “the name may refer to the rope of Tikirakau’s fishing net”. And maybe it does, but here a member of Te Whanau a Apanui gets to the bottom of the story and offers their version.

There are various explanations for the name of what is now the central settlement of Te Whanau a Apanui, Te Kaha. The two most widely known are that Te Kaha is a shortened version of Te Kaha-makau-rau or of Te Kahanui-a-Tiki. It is the second version which is explained in this story.

Te Kaha is the seat of Te Whanau a te Ehetu, a hapu of Te Whanau a Apanui, and the settlement is one of the most important east of Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty. It has always been a desirable area from the Maori point of view, and in pre-European days supported a large population. At the time of this story, the most important pa was called Otuwharekura, which was situated on the small peninsula that separates Maraetai Bay from Oneroa.

The people of the area were descended from a number of sources, thus bringing about a situation where there was no dominant lineage and no single ariki. Each chief could claim to be the ariki by right of senior descent from a particular ancestor. As a result there was political disunity among them with drastic consequences in times of war.

Finally it was realised that the situation could not continue, and a meeting of the people was convened to find an equitable solution to the problem.

Fighting was not the answer because of the close relationship between the contending parties. It was decided to hold a more amicable kind of competition where all parties would be evenly matched, and the people came to the conclusion that the fairest method would be a tutae competition.

As this decision was made, the number of rivals had been pared down until only two remained, Tiki and another whose name has been lost to us. They were each assigned a latrine, and one night in which to use it. Whoever had put his latrine to the most use by the next morning would be acclaimed the new ariki.

That evening all seemed to be going to plan. Each side was cheering its champion with the appropriate karakia, whaikorero and, of course, kai. But events progressed at an even pace, and it looked as though no clear victor would emerge. Drastic measures were necessary, even cheating: there was more at stake than just chieftainship.

When darkness had really set in, Tiki’s supporters decided that only by cheating could they win. They all took turns to use his wharepaku, and indeed to raid his rival’s latrine to add to the contents of his own.

In the morning the whole community gathered to see the outcome of the contest. The judges examined each wharepaku first Tiki’s opponent’s, then Tiki’s. There was no doubt about it, the pile in Tiki’s was of grand proportions. All they could do was gasp and say with obvious admiration: “Hika ma! Te kahanui a Tiki!”