KO TE TIMATANGA MAI O NGATIWAI HISTORY OF NGATIWAI

Te Ao Hou, December 1961, Page 18

KO TE TIMATANGA MAI O NGATIWAI HISTORY OF NGATIWAI by MORORE PIRIPI

KO TE TIMATANGA MAI O NGATIWAI Ko Ngatiwai i timata mai i a Ngati-Manaia. I haeremai mai i runga i a Mahuhu-Ki-Te-Rangi. Ko nga mana katoa o Ngatiwai kei te wai, i nga taniwha me o ratou manawa. Kei Motukokako, kei reira tetahi wahi e huaina ana te ingoa ko Manawahuna. Ki te whakakorikoria te oneone i reira, ka pa he awha, ka marangai a ia, a, e kore te tangata e puta mai i reira. Na ka korero nga pakeke: ‘Kaua e whakakorikoria nga kirikiri o Manawahuna, kei ngaro koutou i te moana, kei mate.’ No te haerengamai o Rahiri ka moe i nga wahine o Ngati-Manaia i a Ahuaiti, i a Whangaruru, i a Moetonga. Ka haeremai, ka moemoe haere mai etahi atu ki etahi atu, ka huihui katoa. THE ORIGIN OF THE NGATIWAI The Ngatiwai descended from the tribe of Ngati-Manaia. They came on the canoe Mahuhu-Ki-Te-Rangi. All of the power of Ngatiwai comes from the water; from the taniwhas and their spirits. At Motukokako there is a cave known as Manawahuna. If the sand of Manawahuna is disturbed a storm will rise, rain will fall, and no person will be able to escape from this place. Thus the elders have said: ‘Do not disturb the sands of Manawahuna, lest you be lost at sea, lest you die.’ RAHIRI When Rahiri came he married the women of Ngati-Manaia; he married Ahuaiti, Whakaruru, and Moetonga. And as he journeyed he married women here and there and the tribe was unified.

KO NGA KORERO MO MANAIA ME ONA MANA ME NGA AHUATANGA E PA ANA KI A IA Ko Manaia i noho ki Motukokako, 1Motukokako is Cape Brett. ara ki Maunganui, i tona taenga mai. Ka mutu ka haere ki Taupiri, ka mahue tana waka i tenei takiwa, ara ko te ingoa o taua wahi ko Taupiri. I pakaru te waka o Manaia i konei. Ka noho a ia ki tenei wahi, a, taria te roa ka haere a ia ki Mimiwhangata. Ka noho ia ki reira mo nga tau maha, a, ka ahu mai i reira ki Whangaruru nei, mo nga tau maha. Ka noho ki Tawhiti-Rahiri, ara, te ingoa o te Pakeha inaianei, ko Poor Knights. A, ko one wahi i noho haere ai ia i tenei takiwa, ko Ngunguru, ko Matapouri, ko Whananaki, tae atu ki Whangarei Heads. I mua ko tenei wahi ko Whangarei Heads e huainatia ana ko Whangarei-Terenga-Paraoa. Ko te take o tenei ingoa he terenga tohora. Ko tenei mea ko te patuparaoa me tango mai i te tohora.2 Whangarei Terenga Paroa] According to another tradition the name given to this place signifies that it was a gathering place of chiefs of Ngapuhi—the word ‘paraoa’ being a metaphor for chiefs. Morore Piripi, himself a whaler in his time, says the harbour was in fact a passing place for whales. I a Manaia e noho ana i reira, ko ona mana ko nga mana o te moana. Ko tetahi korero i reira e korerotia ana i reira, ara me korero patere ma ratou, penei te korero, Takina ake ra te tai tara ki Motukokako, Whakataha ia ra te tikitiki o Tu-te-mahurangi,3Whakatahia ra te tikitiki o Tutemahurangi] Manaia, through a karakia contrived to shift the island Tikitiki o Tutemahurangi to the other side of Cape Brett. Tikitiki was said to be a metamorphosis of the plumes of the message bird Tutemahurangi, when these had dropped into the sea. He manu kawe i nga kii ki roto o Pou-e-rua.4 pouePouerua] The bird used to fly from Rawhiti to this pa which lies between Pakaraka and Ohaeawai. Nga kohu e tatao i runga o Rakaumangamanga: Kei tahuna tapu te riri e Whai mai ra ki au. Tena ra pea, koe e Pa e te Apatunga! Te korero a Wharena Kia houhia te rongo— E kore e mau te rongo: Ka whakarauika a Ngapuhi. Ka tu Taiharuru te moana 5Taiharuru] A cave near Ngunguru which contains sacred water. If you look into it you can tell the future. In this patere it is used to seek a battle omen. The tohunga would throw a divining rod into the water; if this turned in the direction of Wehenga it would mean defeat; in the other direction (of Kumeroa), it would mean victory. I hoea ai e Ngatiwai Ki raro ki Putawiri— Ka mate ki reira ko te Wehenga, Ka ora ki reira ko te au Kumeroa. Nga tai e to na ki waho o Morunga He au here toroa, Whai mai ra ki au. Morore Piripi (Photograph: Miles Wislang) THE STORIES OF MANAIA; OF HIS POWERS AND HIS ADVENTURES When Manaia arrived he resided at Motukokako1 and Maunganui. From there he went to Taupiri. In the vicinity of this place his canoe was broken. He stayed here, then he went to Mimiwhangata where he remained for several years. From Mimiwhangata he came to Whangaruru where again he stayed for several years. He also stayed at Tawhiti-Rahiri which is known to the pakeha as Poor Knights. His places of residence (within this area) were Ngunguru, Matapouri, Whananaki, and as far as Whangarei Heads. In

Ko tenei korero, he korero mo nga mana kei reira kei Manawahuna. Ki te haere ki te whawhai, ka haere ki te ana nei ki Waimaturuturu-ma-tuaiwi-Manawahuna, a, i reira, ki te kitea e maku ana nga tangata i te wai, he tohu pai tera. Ki te kore e maku i te wai, he tohu kino tera. Ka pangia ratou i' te raruraru, i te mate ranei, a, e kore ratou e ora i te hoariri. Na koia tera, ko tera mana o ratou. Ko tetahi o nga mana kei Waiharuru. He wai whakaata. Ko tetahi o nga mana kei Marotiri. He wai whakaata ano. Koi ara te take i huaina ai tenei iwi ko Ngatiwai. Ko te tikanga o te patere ko te manu i whakahuatia ake nei ko te manu kawe korero tenei a Ngatiwai. Ko te ingoa o te manu nei ko Tu-Te-Mahurangi. Ko tetahi o nga ingoa o te manu nei ko Tukaiaia. Ki te haere a Ngatiwai ka kitea te manu nei e tau ana i tetahi wahi ka mohiotia kei te haere a Ngatiwai. Ko Marotiri kei waho o Whangarei. He moutere e kiia ana e te Pakeha ko te “Chicken”, Ko te te “Hen” e korerotia nei, ko Taranga te ingoa Maori. Na ko enei etahi o nga wahi i noho ai a Manaia. I a ia e noho ana i konei, ka puta tetahi raruraru ki a ratou. Ko te mahi a manaia he hanga piriti kia puta ai ratou ki tawahi o te awa, ki te puaha o Whangarei. Ka mea a Manaia kia kaua rawa te tangata e haramai i te wai i a ratou e hanga ana i te piriti. Ara he korero i puta mai i tenei wa, a he korero whakatauki na Ngati-Manaia: ‘Ka tu ki uta ka noho ki te moana, E mauria ana e ia kia whiti ki te awa.’ Na' kahore te kotiro a Manaia i whakarongo ki nga korero whakatupatoranga a Manaia. Ka haere te kotiro nei ka takahia e ia te piriti nei. A, ka he te mahi a Manaia. Haere atu ana a Manaia, ka patua tana kotiro mo tenei kuare-tanga o ona. Ka mate te kotiro nei ka pangaia e Manaia ki te wai. Tae mai ki tenei wa kei reira tonu tana kotiro e takoto ana. Ki te timu te tai, ka mea nga huruhuru, ka kitea tetahi kohatu i te wahi i tau ai te kotiro nei ki roto i te wai. Ko ia te kohatu nei. Na Manaia i whakakohatu. Ki te timu te tai ka mea nga huruhuru ki waho. Ki te pari te tai ka ahu ki roto o te awa o Whangarei. Ka noho a Manaia ki reira, ka haere ia ki te hi ika. I a ia e hi ana, roa rawa ka mau i a ia tetahi ika, a, i mau tonu i te koka o te nono te ika.6 Te nono o te ika] The belief that the catching of fish by the belly indicates a wife's unfaithfulness is still current at Whangaruru. Ka mea a Manaia he raruraru kei te kainga, inahoki tana ika ka mau i reira. Ka hi ano a Manaia ka mau ano te ika i taua wahi ano. Na tera atu ano nga mahi nunui a Manaia, engari i te wa i raruraru ai ia i te moana ka hoki ia ki tana kainga. Ka u mai ki te one ka karanga atu ia ki tana wahine kia kau mai. Ka huraina e tana wahine ana kakahu ki te whakamatautau i te hopua the old days this place Whangarei Heads was known as Whangarei-Terenga-Paraoa, which means ‘Whangarei, the gathering place of whales’. The reason for this name lies in the face that whales gathered here. The weapon, the patu-paraoa, was obtained from the whale.2 During Manaia's sojourn there his powers were the powers of the sea. One of the stories from there, told by the people in the form of a patere, tells of these powers: Bring a stormy tide to Motukokako, May the plumes of Tutemahurangi be moved,3 The birds that carries tiding to Pouerua.4 Mists are clinging to Rakaumangamanga: So you may bless the battlefield, Follow me! You are very welcome, Father Apatunga. Wharena is saying, Let us make peace— But peace will never be made: Ngapuhi will oppress us. There lies the water of Taiharuru.5 From there the Ngatiwai paddled To Putawiri Where Wehenga would spell death, Kumeroa would spell victory. The tides that flow out on the horizon Are currents linking me to the albatross— Follow me! This patere tells also of the powers at Mana-wahuna. When Ngatiwai went to battle they would first visit the cave at Manawahuna and there, if they became wet, would take this as a propitious sign. If they did not get wet this would be a bad omen. Misfortune would befall them; they would either fall ill or else they would not survive the enemy. This power at Manawahuna was one of the many powers of Ngatiwai. Tu-Te-Mahurangi mentioned in this patere is the messenger bird of Ngatiwai. Its other name is Tukaiaia. When Ngatiwai journeyed forth this bird would be seen settling in a certain place. And only then people would know that Ngatiwai was around. Another of the powers was at Taiharuru. This was contained in the water, and was known as a cautioning water (for instance, this water would tell the people to be wary of the foe). Still another of the powers, also a cautioning water, was at Marotiri. This is why Ngatiwai was called such. Marotiri mentioned here is outside Whangarei. It is an island now known by the pakeha as ‘Chicken’. The other island, now known as ‘Hen’, was called Taranga by the Maoris. These were some of the places where Manaia stayed when trouble came to him and his people. Manaia was building a bridge so that he and his people could cross the river to get to the mouth of Whangarei. He warned people that they were not to come while work was in progress. And

o te wai, ka mea atu a ia he hohonu rawa te wai a, e kore ia e kaha ki te kau atu. Karanga atu ana ano a Manaia, ‘Kau mai. Kau mai.’ A ka haere atu tana wahine. I te huranga o te wahine nei i ana kakahu ka mohio a Manaia kua takahia tana wahine e tana pononga. No te mea hoki i kite i i te ahua o te aroaro o tana wahine, a, he tangata i reira e raweke ana. Ka tae mai raua ki uta ka pa raruraru ki a raua. Katahi ka mahi nga karakia a Manaia, ara ka mea ia ki te hoki mai ki Mimiwhangata. Ka riririri a Manaia raua ko tana pononga nei, ko Paeko. Katahi ka hinga a Paeko ki raro ka karakia a ia Tu tonu atu a Manaia ratou ko ona tamariki, ko tona hoa wahine, ko tona pononga hei kohatu.7Tu tono atu a Manaia … hei kohatu] Manaia's prayer had been to turn Paeko into stone so that, his revenge taken, he would be free to go to Mimiwhangata. But Paeko had the same power, so all were turned into stone. A, e tu ana ratou i tenei ra i Manaia Puke, kei waho i Whangarei. I mua i enei raruraru katoa, i a Manaia e noho ana i Mimiwhangata, ka whawhai ki reira, na Ngapuhi ki a ia. Ko te take o te whawhai i kohurungia a Te Waero e Ngati-Manaia. Ko tenei tangata ko te Waero no Ngapuhi, a, i moe ki etahi o nga uri a Manaia.8Etahi o nga uri o Manaia] Te Waero's wives were Waimiko and Tenako. He was murdered at Mokau because he had wilfully destroyed a fishing net at Helena Bay. I te whawhai i Mimi-whangata, ka mate te nuinga o Ngati-Manaia. Ko nga mea i ora i rerere haere ki tena wahi, ki tena wahi, ki Whangarei Heads, ki Omaha, ki Pakiri, a, tae atu etahi o tenei iwi ki te takiwa o Akarana, ki reira noho ai. Tae atu etahi o enei iwi ki Piki Paria (Great Barrier) Aotea. He maha nga korero nei, ara mo te hononga a Ngati-Manaia ki nga uri o Rahiri, ki nga uri o Puhi, ke te timatanga mai hoki o tenei iwi e kiia nei ko Ngapuhi. Na te moemoe ka huihui katoa a, i a Ngatiwai hoki. this warning was contained in a proverb still used by his tribe: ‘Though you are on the shore you are in the sea. He is taking you across the river.’ That night Manaia's daughter climbed onto the bridge and his work was spoilt. So he went and killed his daughter and threw her into the water. Manaia's daughter still lies there. When the tide recedes the hair will part and spread outwards and a stone will be seen. This stone is she, metamorphosed by Manaia. When the tide goes in, her hair flows landwards. When it goes out, the hair flows in towards the river of Whangarei. During Manaia's stay there he went to fish. While he was fishing it was a long time before he caught a fish. He caught the fish by its anus.6 And Manaia said that there was trouble at home since he had caught the fish in that way. He fished again, and again he caught a fish by that part. Now Manaia had many important things to do, but when this bad omen was repeated he decided to return from his fishing. As he drew towards the shore he called out to his wife to swim to him. His wife lifted up her clothes and examined the water and said to Manaia that it was too deep and that she could not swim out to him. Again Manaia called, ‘Swim to me. Swim to me.’ So she swam out. Now when she lifted up her clothes to swim out Manaia looked at the front of her body and he knew that his wife had been used by his servant. Because of this, when he and his wife reached the shore, trouble arose. So Manaia began to pray, for he desired to come back to Mimiwhangata. Manaia's quarrel was with his servant Paeko. Then Paeko fell down and prayed and straight away Manaia, his children, and his wife, and Paeko7, became stone, Today they still stand at Manaia Puke outside Whangarei. Before all this trouble, while Manaia stayed at Mimiwhangata a great battle took place; it was Ngapuhi's wager against him. The cause of this battle was the murder of Te Waero by Ngati-Manaia. This man Te Waero was from Ngapuhi. He married the descendants of Manaia. The big battle was fought at Mimiwhangata, and the majority of Ngati-Manaia was killed. Those who survived, fled here and there; to Whangarei Heads, to Omaha, to Pakiri, and even to the vicinity of Auckland. Some of these people went to Great Barrier Island. There are many more accounts of this history which tells of the unification of the descendants of Manaia and those of Rahiri. It was through intermarriage that the whole of Ngapuhi and Ngatiwai also was brought together.