BY OHIWAS WATERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 24, 14 June 1939, Page 7

BY OHIWAS WATERS

KAHUKI'S REVENGE

SLAYS HIS FATHER'S

MURDERERS

In the last article it was told how the warrior Kahuki journeyed to Taneatua, how his sisters were slain by the chief Tamango and his clan, how Kahuki and his Taneatua relatives defeated Tamango and gained partial revenge, and how Kahuki, after giving instructions for peace to be made and Tamango's suspicions lulled by the gift of a wife, journeyed to Ohiwa where he foregathered with his grandfather Pane-kaha and his half-brothers. That night there was great talking in the palisaded and moated fort on the shores of Ohiwa harbour. Kahuki told of the death of his sisters and his defeat of Tamango. He inquired as to the occupation of Pane-kaha's people and learned that they were training in arms for war with their relative Tua-mutu, chief of the neigh bouring clan at One-kawa. Now Tua-mutu had killed Kahuki's father. He was Kahuki's uncle but that did not prevent his nephew desiring his death and Kahuki resolved to aid the people of Whitiwhiti in the family feud, A SURPRISE. lt was resolved to surprise the enemy, so when morning dawned several canoes of people were despatched to gather the plumes of the toetoe along the shore. These were made into bundles in which the weapons of the fighting men of Panekaha were concealed, presumably in order that, the One-kawa people might think the party unarmed travellers or fishermen. With their patus, spears and tai. ahas concealed in the bundles of toe. toe the warriors of Pane-kaha launched their canoes and paddled down the harbour to the beach at the entrance to the harbour, where they ranged in column. A party was sent forward to challenge the garrison of One-kawa on the cliffs above the lure them to the beach. When the pursuing One-kawa people ran down to chase the intruders away the main body of warriors under Kahuki snatched their weapons from the places of concealment and attacked them. Kahuki slew two with his own hand, and the work went merrily on until the One-kawa. people broke and fled, all who could leg it going to Wai~otahe. CHILDREN SLAIN. When, the victors arrived at the One-kawa pa they made a diligent search for the two children of Tuamutu, whose names were Tara_ki-uta and Tara-ki-lai. They were the great grandchildren of Muriwai of the Mata atua canoe. Kahuki's men searched the houses, cooking sheds and storehouses without success, but eventually discovered the children concealed in a pit used for storing root crops. Kahuki butchered them out of hand, cut off their heads and took them back to the Whitiwhiti pa, where the chief Pane-kaha at once proceeded to ''offer"' them to the atua or god, under whose guidance they had fought the good fight at One-kawa. The authority says that he offered up a. lock of hair from each of the two heads to the ferocious and useful war demon. TUA'S TURN. , Thus did relatives slay each other in the good old days. Kahuki had now struck his first blow to avenge the slaying of his father. One-kawa fort had fallen, some of the garrison were slain and the rest dispersed. Tua-mutu had lost his children, but had saved himself and he was not slow to attempt to restore the balance of power by the shining waters of Ohiwa. for the next morning he embarked hs fighting men and paddled round to Whitiwhiti to attack Pane-kaha's people. The old chief proposed to sally forth from the fort and fight the enemy outside, but Kahuki advised that they stand on the defensive and allow the enemy to advance. However, the local chief had his way and when Tua's force advanced the garrison of the fort counter-attacked. Kahuki slew his usual brace of men in the battfle, and old Pane-kaha accounted for two men before Tua's men retired, followed by the Pane-kaha warriors. TUA ROUTED,. The retreat became a rout, ad Tua's clan were unable to regain their canoes, but fled round the shore followed by the pursuers across the Whitiwhiti stream, the creek at Te Mapou, and on to Pungarehu, all places on the western side of Ohiwa. Many were slain in the pursuit, but Tua again escaped, and so when

the pursuers were returning and Kahuki's brother said "Your father's death is avenged" Kahuki answered that the score would not be settled until Tua was in his hands. ''Can you catch him?" asked his brother. "He has fled. He is beyond your reach.'" "Though he flee across the ocean; yet revenge will pursue him'' answered Kahuki. "Though he flee by land, yet shall the earth be contracted until it returns him to me. We will start to-morrow." TUA ESCAPES AGAIN. In the morning Kahuki led his men to Wai-o-.tahe, there to attack the Paerata pa, which is situated upon the summit of the cliff at the mouth of the Wai-o-tahe. Tua-mutu had taken refuge there. He was again defeated and his pa captured. He fled to Waiaua east of Opotiki and Kahuki followed and attacked the fugitives defeating them again with loss, yet once again did Tua escape with a whole skin, this time making his way to Whanga-paraoa or Cape Runaway as the pakeha later very suitably named it. Kahuki led his braves back to Whitiwhiti, but he was not yet satisfied. So his warriors made a large war canoe. So numerous and enthusiastic were the workers that the canoe was soon completed, and adorned with feather's and red paint in the Maori manner. A good omen attended the launching of this Polynesian long ship, for when she was hauled down to the beach a rumbling sound was caused by the grating of the keel on the ground, hence men knew Tuamutu would be slain. The canoe was named Rua-rae-roa and Kahuki recited over her the charm ''Tua-mutu is the person you are to seek and destroy." SEA BATTLE A war party boarded the new canoe and Kahuki with his brother Hakopu rakau and Hawea-poia sailed forth across the waters of the Sea of Toi in search of their enemy. They stood well offshore, first sailing to White Island and passing the night there, and making a landfall past Torere. When near the land the crew concealed themselves & allowed the canoe to drift broadside on, so that the natives on shore who saw the drifting vessel took it to be a canoe that had broken loose from some place and was drifting at the mercy of the waves. Many canoes put out hoping to secure the prize and Kahuki's crew disposed themselves so as to cant thefr vessel over with the higher gunwale on the land side. Hence the crews of the approaching vessel could not see into the drifting canoe. Kahuki let them approach until his crew could hear the oncoming people talking as they paddled, then at a given signal, his crew sprang up and with a few vigorous strokes of their paddles drove forward against the nearest canoe and dashed from one to the other, capsizing some and slaying all who came within reach. EXIT TUA. Apparently the canoe seekers had not considered it necessary to go fully armed to secure a derelict canoe but that was another of their little mistakes. It was Tua-mutu's crowning error, for he too was there. He found something else beside the canoe he sought for Kahuki laid his canoe alongside and jumped aboard, and sent Uncle Tua down to Davey Jones Locker with one blow.