DEATH OF TE HUKE

Te Ao Hou, October 1958, Page 14

DEATH OF TE HUKE Te Huke was overtaken and slain at the crossing of the Te Arai river at a point near to where the Manutuke Bridge now spans the main highway between Gisborne and Wairoa. Te Huke's head they cut off, and left it on a pole at te Karaka. The spot is still known as te upoko o te Huke, and is just north of Te Karaka, on the Otoko road, at a spot where rail and road converge. They took with them back to Te Kaha te Huke's famous greenstone toko-pou-tangata which bore the name of Te Waiwharangi. It was deposited in a secret cave, and for all I have been able to learn to the contrary it may be there still. So great a warrior was Te Huke and so high stood he in the aristocracy of Ngati Kahungunu that

his death was accepted as sufficient utu for the murder of Kahukuramihiata and for the loss of those other chiefs who fell while trying to avenge her death. Tamahae is still remembered in the Turanga district by the saying “Ka hika putanga, ka kumara Kaiaio, ka rehu Tamahae”, which might broadly be translated as meaning that the skill of Putanga in the short jab of the mere and the great strength contained in the kumara of Kaiaio, both contributed to the famous sweeping blow of his taiaha which enabled Tamahae to win so many victories. It was the memory of Kaiaio, and especially of the tasty kumara which came from his gardens which finally set Tamahae's feet on the homeward journey. He did not reach home, however, without further adventures. At Tatapouri, some miles north of Turanga he met a nameless chief who aspired to gain renown by impeding the progress of the famed Tamahae. The nameless one proved unequal to his ambition and achieved only a new understanding of the full name of his locality, Ta-ta-po-uri-taanga, or the place where darkness falls quickly. Darkness fell quickly indeed on that luckless chief and it remained over him eternally as Tamahae proceeded victoriously and joyously on his way.