A Chapter From the Early Maori History of the Waikatos.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 June 1901, Page 715

A Chapter From the Early Maori History of the Waikatos.

By John St. Clair

fOAANGrINA was a tyrant who held supreme (sway amongst Nga-iwi, te Waiohua, te Uri-o-Po, and other — £.j of the tribes who held the land from the south shore of Hauraki Gulf to Port Waikato in olden times. So great a despot, and so powerful was this chief that to this day a proverb exists amongst the remnants of te Uri-o-l J o to the effect that Toaangina owned the land, the produce of it, the sky, the water, and the people, and everything else. He had killed Korongooi, of Waikato, a chief, who had dared to question his authority, and the only daughter of the murcered man determined to avenge the death of her father. Her name was Huiawarua, and she was the wife of the brave chief, Te Horeta. Toaangina at this time lived at Tauranganui below Kohanga, on the Waikato River. Huiawarua long bemoaned the death of her father, and frequently reproached Te Horeta for not seeking utv, (revenge). She used to chide him that it was a pity he married her, seeing he could not avenge the death of Korongooi. This at last made Te Horeta very sad. He did not eat or speak for several days. The Matuas (elders) of Te Horeta heard he was ill, and came from all parts of Waikato. They found him very dejected at his pa, Te Au Aunga, in Waikato. The Kaumatua (aged chief), Papaka, greeted Te Horeta, but the latter was silent. He asked the reason of his illness, but got no reply. Finally Te Horeta replied : — " It is owing to the words of my wife, and her reproaches that it was a pity she married Te Horeta, seeing he was not man enough to avenge the death of her father."

Papaka then desired Te lloreia not to be pourl (sad) any longer, us he would go buck to Taiuaki and see if he could not (imi a way out of the dilliculty. So the old man went to Tiinmki (Week's Island in the Manukau behind Mangere), then he went to Matukurua Pa, near Otahuhu and Papatoetoe, and saw llangihahautu, a powerful chief of Nga-iwi, but thin chief told him there was no person of rank ablo to attack Toaangina. He compared him to a wandering hawk who could tower out of range, and was not vulnerable like chiefs of their own rank. Papaka went to many others pas, only to be told that it was but to court disaster if they attacked Toaangina. At last ho went to Rangilcaimata's pa at Tamaki, and told him that none were brave enough to attack the tyrant. Ltaugikaimata replied : " Who cares for that spotted dog Toaangina? Let the dark grey head go, but if it was a vvhito dog like you or 1, who could be seen in the dark (i.e., men of rank), it would be another matter." Papaka then concluded that ho could conquer and kill Toaangina without incurring the displeasure of the tribes, so he came back and made preparations for a taua or war party, which consisted of Mohotoru, sixty toas (braves). These assembled at To Horeta's pa above Tawatawa on this, the Tuakau side of the Waikato River. They embarked in a large canoe, and paddled down to Kakaha, near Kaitangata, which is the last bend of the river before a canoe can be seen from Tauranganui. Hero Te Horeta got the war party to lie down, and ho covered them up with green flax so that it might appear that it was a load of flax for netmaking that the canoes carried. He feared lest the people might run off and hide

in the bush, and though some might be caught and killed, Toaangina would escape. Te Awa alone paddled the canoe slowly down with the stream ; he was a relative of Toaangiua's. Soon the people on shore saw the canoe in midstream, and they told Toaangina it held a load of flax and only one man When it reached the landing Te Awa called out and asked if the kaumatua (old man) was there. The women being suspicious, replied he was away. Te Horeta was vexed at the disappointment of Toaangina slipping them, and spoke to Te Awa. Now Te Awa was a tohunc/a, and from -certain twitchiugs or taps he received on his nose, he knew that the tyrant was there, so

he told Te Horeta to be ready for a dash at the pa, and ran the canoe up on the beach. The tarn of sixty warriors, under Te Horeta, sprang ashore, and rushed the pa before its occupants could take steps to defend themselves;

Toaangina fled to the swamp below the pa. The fast runners of the tana soon reached where he disappeared into the swamp and lost sight of him, but Te Awa and Te Horeta went on to the hill to note

pa and kainga of Toaangina at Tauranganui, and his descendants live here to this day.

'ihe Native Laud Court awarded this land to other natives who were squatting (Noho Noaiho) there since the Waikato war, leaving the descendants of the conqueror out. The latter appealed, and the Native Appellate Court in its profound wisdom gave judgment that the land was conquered and held by Te Horeta and his descendants, but declined to alter the award of the Native Land Court.

the direction the fugitives were taking. Te Awa saw a tree shake in the swamp, and concluded that Toaangina was at that spot where he had seen the tree shake. Te Horeta bounded into the swamp with a taiaha (spear), and found Toaangina standing ready at bay. Toaangina asked that they might trample the raupo down so as to give them a clear place to fight. Te Horeta agreed to this, and they cleared a space. Then Toaangina made a leap and charged at Te Horeta. The latter jumped aside, and warded off the thrust, and before Toaangina could recover, felled him quickly, despatching the tyrant. Then Te Horeta gave chase to Te Rehu-Ki-Moehau, a son of Toaangina, and caught him at Waita-

whara, near Manutahi, and speared him there. Te Awa followed up with all the toas who had been killing men. They came to the spot where Te Rehu lay. Te Wehi called out that he claimed by conquest Pahau and Waihekura, and his descendants now hold these lands by award of the Court. Te Hoi'eta took as his share the