STRUGGLE FOR OPOURIAO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 59, 6 September 1939, Page 3

STRUGGLE FOR OPOURIAO

VICTORY FOR TUHOE RAID AND COUNTER-RAID Some time after the fall of O-tC-nuku pa at Ruatoki trouble again commenced between, Ngati-Raka and the Tuhoe clans of Ruatoki. NgatiRaka had been defeated at o,jte-nukuo ,j te-nuku by a mixed Waimana and Opotiki force who were allies of the Tuhoe people, but though the defeat had been a heavy one, Ngati-Raka still were a power in the land. The date of the episodes in the campaign is a difficult question, but the war was probably waged in the early twenties of the last century. "Now, this is the delightful thing about Maori history," says Elsdon BeSt. "You commence to study a series of attacks, conquests, reprisals, murders and cannibal feasts, the account of which runs on so glib ly, and so wanting in any indication of lapse of time, that you are under the impression tliat all the incidents occurred within a year or so —when Lo! With no token of hiatus or lacuna you find yourself hurled into a new century. The shock to the system is alarming." . COUNTER ATTACK. At any rate, be .the date of the attack whatever it may, Ngati-Raka resolved ! to make matters interesting for the victorious Tuhoe clan of Ngati-,Rongo and under the chief Tapoto they marched on Ruatoki and at early dawn were in a position to see the smoke of the cooking fires at O.inawakc, near Ohutu on the left bank of the Whakatane. Ngati-I-lakn could see the people moving about the fires, and they at once descended to the river, crossed it, and delivered an attack. Now it happened thai the men of this party of Ngati-Rongo, about 40 in number, were, absent at Maringi, a-wai at the time, where they were engaged in eel fishing. There were only women, children, and non-fight crs in camp at O-ma wake. Hence Ngati-Raka had a truly delightful for there were no fighting men to oppose them. They captured the women and also many children whom t]ie3* made prisoners. The affair is usually known as Kohi.pi, the chicken collecting affair (kohi, to gather, pi. young birds). AN INCAUTIOUS PICNICKER. The Ngati-Raka decided to improve their advantage and they pushed- on the same dav to interview the men of Ngati-Rongo who were eel fishing. The force proceeded up a stream, but Tapoto the commander, crossed the riverbed, having seen smoltc near Te Totara. He found that this smoke emanated from a small fire at which was seated one H'.rihiri, of NgatiRongo who was engaged in cooking a n eel. Tapoto crept up quietly behind the luncher, and raising his weapon „ over his head., remarked qu'etly "Was the flesh of the eel's tail well il?-voured, Te Hirihiri?'' Te. l-lirihiri glanced round quicklj —-but next moment he was Vfting the well, worn trail to the happy hunting grounds. MAIN BODY ATTACKED. Tapoto quickly rejoined his force, and an attack was made on the main body of Ngati-Rongo. In a few minutes the two parties were face to face. One of the leading chiefs of Ngati-Rongo was one Pa-i-te-rangi, and Tapdto challenged him to single combat, but before he could accept the challenge the battle was joined. Ngati-Rongo Jost five men in the first clash, and Pa-i.te-rangi was seized by one of Ngati-Raka, others 'throwing themselves on him until ha was pinned down, but, in some way he fought clear and broke away. Then Tapoto called on both sides to stop fighting while he and Pa-i----te-rangi engaged in single combat. This was agreed to and both parties watched the duel, not an uncommon thing in Maori warfare. PA DOES HADLY. Pa was armed with a patu and Tapoto with a short spear called a tokoloko. In tiie first passage Tapoto wounded Pa in the thigh, then in the arm, then in the shoulder. His spear would obviously give him a great advantage over poor Pa witi) his short stone weapon. "How badly you parry"' jeered Tapoto and ( he then speaivd Pa five ti-m'c.s more. P ? was satisfied wilh lm eight lUsh wounds and retired back to h's parly. General battle again raged, but Ngati-Raka v.-ere to j many for their opponents and the fight was soon over. Only three of Ngati-Rongo escaped. Pa-i-te.rangi I being among them. About .'lO or .were slain, their bodies being thrown by the victors into a nearby lae'oon. Hence the field of Maringi-a-wai rcmnined tapu for long years, until' in later times Te Kooti sent a priest H) lift the tapu.

After this the Ngati-Rongo clan moved inland to Ruataliuna and as about this time the Nga-puhi raids on the district commenced Ruatoki must have been uninhabited or only sparsely settled for years. TE KOOTI'S ORDERS. When the inter-*tribal wars were over, the next time the Tuhoe clans abandoned Ruatoki was during the war with the Europeans, after which they gradually came out from Ruataliuna, and re-settled those bloodstained lands. Once only have they left them since, that is after th<3 eruption of Tarawcra in 1886, when they were told by the much revered Te Kooti to abandon Rurftoki for one year, because those lands had become tapu owing to being covered with the ash of an eruption which had slain many natives. There was further fighting in the netft year or two after the Maringi-a-wai episode, and again Ngati.Raka under Tapoto gave a good account of- themselves, scoring a fairly decisive victory at Patu-tahuna where they again caught the Tuhoe people eeling. A good many men were slain here, and a large number of the leading wom'cn of the tribe taken prisoner to Opotiki. .FINAL RECKONING. There were several other minor affairs. with varying fortunes, but at length Tuhoe gathered a strong force and marched to attack Ngati-Raka and Te Kareke who were settled in considerable numbers at Te-Pou-o, Urutakc, a hill fort east of Opouriao South and between, that district and the Waimana River. A DEMON ALLY. The Tuhoe force was not only strong i n numbers, but it had the ghostly aid of the new war god, Te Rehu-o-Tainui, whose fame Avas great in the land. This god, evolved from the malignant spirit of a still-born child, had already led the MaungaPohatu people 'to victory, and its fame had soared heavenwards. Now it was to be turned loose on the Ngati-,Raka ranks. Uhia was the hu-

man medium of the god and with his spiritual friend he marched against Te Pou-o.Urutake. Uhia, of was a most important personage, for he was the favoured of the gods. After the manner of his kind he consulted his divinity, and, as usual, the results of the divination were given to the people in the form of a song or chant. Strip, ped for the fight and chanting thi-s song, with the tapu of the war god on them, the wild mountain men marched on Te Pou-o-Urutake, and the end was not well for the garrison, of that fort.. ESCAPE IN DISGUISE. The pa was taken with considerable slaughter many chiefs of Ngati-Raka being killed. Te Papa, the principal leader, escaped by a subterfuge, for as he fled he snatched an eel pot and bore it with him, hoping that the pursuers would mistake him for a slave, or an unimportant person, to be thus laden. This was exactly what did occur, for the first pursuer press, ed on in pursuit of higher game. At one point of 'the chase Pa-i-te-rangi (who we met earlier) chased him into a thicket of supplejack, but Pa tripped and fell and Te Papa escaped . Tapoto now saw that there was but little chance of regaining the lands of Opouriao and Ruatold from which his people had been driver, so it was resolved tcr» make peace. For this purpose representatives of both sides met at Whakatane, Tapoto being the chief speaker for Ngafti-Raka. and Tai-turakina representing the Tuhoe clans. The Maunga-Pohatu fighting men attended in force, as they claimed the honours of victory at Te Pou-o_Urutake. MUTUAL INSULTS. When the negotiations were completed the people amused themselves with song and haka. In some way Tapoto*s wife was insulted, and that worthy and Tai-turakina exchanged abuse. After the, peacemaking Tapoto and many of his clan seem to have accompanied Tuhoe to Ruatoki, where they remained a few days in feasting and speech-making. Again the two chiefs exchanged insults..

Tapoto decided to return with his people to Opotiki and next inornipo NgatLßaka left Ruatoki. Tai-turn-kina and his people were at the WaiItirikiri pa when as Tapoto led his tribe past he called out a parting threat to come back and settle accounts. MORE FIGHTING. The irrepressible Tai replied with another insult. The omens did not seem propitious for peace. Actually the turbulent bush fighters of Maunga-Pohatu were spoiling for another contest. They locked for trouble, aiul they found it, for next spring when TaLtvuakina led a force to attack Tapoto's people they were chased away from Opotiki and defeated with the los<? of 100 men at Waiotahe. The last word rested with however for Tai-turakina, who had escaped, raised another force and in a last fight at Ure-taia. on the banks of the Waiotahe, Ngati.Raka and 'their Te Whakatohea allies were defeated. This was the end of the struggle for Opouriao and Tuhoe remained in possession of the lands. One more attempt was made by Ngati-Raka to return when in 1860 a party went to O.te-nului and built a palisaded pa there. However Ngati-Rongo burned the fort and drove the garrison away.