the Bay of Islands reported as follows: At midday we arrived at what in New Zealand is considered a town of great size and importance, called Ty-a-my. It is situated on the sides of a beautiful hill, the top surmounted by a pa, in the midst of a lonely and extensive plain covered with plantations of Indian corn, Kumara and potatoes. To view the cultivated parts of this country from an eminence a person might easily imagine himself in a civilised land. For miles around the village of Ty-a-my nothing but beautiful green Gelds present themselves to the eye. The exact rows in which they plant their Indian corn would do credit to a first rate English farmer, and the way in which they prepare the soil is admirable. Here at Te Ahuahu was the original home of Te Wera Hauraki, whose outstanding personality and extraordinary activities laid a thread of direct and continuous contact across a century and a half to the present day. If Te Wera did anything ordinary, it is not remembered. He seemed born to be a creator of legends, not by word of mouth, nothing he ever said seems to be recorded—but by his actions. Piecing together what is known of him from books and conversations, ends by giving one the impression that he was able to extend his power to associates. Te Wera was one of Hongi Hika's trusted leaders. He was visited in 1815 by Kendall, and in 1819 by Samuel Marsden, and he came to some extent under missionary influence. In 1817 he served with Titore in a taua of 500 which raided round the East Coast, heavily defeating the Ngati-Kahungunu of Mahia peninsula, who could not face the muskets of the northerners. They brought back about 40 prisoners, amongst whom was an Arawa woman of NgatiRangiwewehi, named Te Ao Kapurangi, who became Te Wera's wife. Her part in saving many of her own people when she accompanied her husband's people at the sack of Mokoia in 1823, has become a genuine piece of New Zealand folk lore.

Hongi Outsmarted She pressed Hongi, through her husband, to spare her NgatiRangiwewehi relatives, and Hongi rather grudgingly conceded that those who could pass between her thighs should be spared. Nobody now will ever know whether her ruse was her own idea, or whether, as a northerner by marriage she had heard the story of Te Hana who mounted the ridgepole of Tutangi Mamae to save her tribe. Whichever way it was, she out-smarted Hongi. In the confusion when that helmeted warrior was struck on his iron covered head by a ball from the only musket on Mokoia, Te Ao dashed ashore, stood astride the door-post of the meeting house, and frantically ushered her people to safety inside until the house would hold no more. In a later raid Te Wera captured the Ngati-Kahaungunu chief Wareumu, and it was partly due to the close friendship which grew between captor and captive that Te Wera's fame and exploits came to be discussed, remembered and acted upon before Judge Prichard in the Maori Land Court only a few years ago. After the Mokoia battle Te Wera and Pomare captured the Ngati-Awapa, Puketapu, at Whakatane, after which the taua broke up to scour the countryside. In an independent foray against Te Whanau-a-Apanui Te Wera's nephew Marino was killed at Te Kahu—a deadly victory, as it turned out, for those people. Leaving Pomare at Waiapu, Te Wera returned Whareumu to his people at Mahia, and yielding to their persuasion, remained with them as a “stout fence against winds from all quarters”. Under this leadership, Ngati Kahungunu beat off the Ngati Raukawa and the Ngati Tuwharetoa who had driven the Kahungunu people from the plains of Hawkes Bay. Here at Mahia and on the Here-taunga plains Te Wera and his Ngapuhi lived with their friends and allies for many years. In 1836 Te Wera set out to avenge the death of his nephew Marino 13 years before. He defeated the Bay of Plenty people at Toka-a-kuku, and surprised his followers by forbidding the ceremonial eating of the dead. Many years after Te Wera's death about 1839, another voyage of deliverance was made in his name. A Ngati Kahungunu boy, Renata Kawepo, recaptured by Te Wera from the Ngati Raukawa Taimai. (Photo: S. Andrews.)