TUHOE versus PAKEHA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 120, 7 February 1940, Page 3

TUHOE versus PAKEHA

FRICTIONS AND FIGHTS

The first appcarance of the Tuhoe in tlie lighting against the Pakehas was in 18(5-1, when.a party of Tuhoe marched north to the AVaikato and look part in the fights of llangiaohia, Haerini and Orakau. The all air at Rangiaohia occurred on February 22nd, 18(51, "and the natives, principally AVaikato men, were defeated. losing twelve men killed.

A tight took place at Haerini next day in which the rebel natives were again defeated, losing thirty killed.

About fifty of the Tuhoe tribe to have taken part in the defence of Orakau. A party left Ruatahuna to assist in lighting the Euro peans in the AVaikato district. Their idea was that the encroaching pakehas should be met and fought before they came unpleasantly near to the tribal lands of Tuhoe, or,, as their orators put it: Kia tawharautia a Matatua —Let Matatua be sheltered.

England is adopting the same prin ciple to-day.

Only a portion of the tribe agreed to the expedition, those of Ruatahuna and Tc Whaiti. The Ruatoki and Waimana clans declined to join it.

This is an account of the expedition and fight, as described by Paitini, of Tuhoe, who was one of the party that joined in the fight against Britisli soldiers at Orakau.

"We heard of the fi,ghting in the north, of how the tribes of tlie Waikalo were trying to heat back the Pakeha soldiers. Then a meeting oi the Tuhoe tribe was held at Ruatahuna in order that the matter might be discussed by all, Piripi Te Heuhcu, one of our leading chiefs, proposed that the fighting men of the Tuhoe should march north and assist in fighting the soldiers at YYail<ato. He said: "Listen to my word, 0 Tuhoe! The island is in anguish. 1 propose that the Tuhoe here assembled do greet the land,, that the men may be in advance, while the land lies behind.' Hereupon another chief, Te Ahoaho. arose and said: 'My idea is this —Give heed to it, O Tuhoe! Tawharautia a MataLua. Leave it, secure from harm, in the shed.' Here the speaker spoke of or.r tribal lands as the ancestral canoe, Matatua, on which our ancestors came from far lands. He objected to going afar off to fight, but wished to see the tribe stay at home to protect their lands only if attacked

on them. "The chief Te Whenuanui agreed to the last plan, and remarked: "I agree that Matatua shall be sheltered, for the fighting is coming near to us.' Thus the bulk of the tribe agreed to remain at home and guard the tribal lands. Then Piripi Te Heuheu stood alone. He said: 'I agree to your remaining here, but I and my people will march to show my sympathj* for the island in trouble.' He and his party left. "After they had gone Te Whenuanui regretted that he had not joined them, so he also went north and he fought at Orakau. "The tohunga of our force wns named Pene-titi and he said to us: 'When you reach the land of the Waikato, should you find those people fighting the white men, do you also fight them, but if peace has been made do not persist in ,lighting, or you will surely fail." Then the tohunga gave us some small bottles containing a medicine he had made fiom various herbs and the bark of trees. He told us that, when going into battle, we must drink the mixture in the bottles, and then no weapon could harm us. the bullets of the enemy would be turned aside. . Friend! When the white man rolled on us like a flood at Orakau, when wc charged out of our fort and through their ranks, then I drank of that priest's medicine. O! The deceit of the Maori. For it did not prevent 11 pakeha bullet from passing through me, nor did it save my father and many others from being slain. Such foolish things did we in the dr«jys of darkness." 1 The Figilt at Orakau. It seems that the two forces met and merged at Aratitaha. There were then about fifty fighting men of Tuhoe. A messenger was despatched to Rewi and he came along and addressed the party, giving word to a prophetic utterance. He warned the Tuhoe not to garrison the pa at Orakau as to do so would mean figh = ing for them and if they I'oughjL there they would all perish. "If you must light," lie said, "then do so at the pa- Te Tiko-o-Te I hi ngarnngi, iiewi agreed to join Tuhoe and to(Continued at foot of ne\"c colum.:)

get her they marched to Orakau. All that night they toiled at building the fort, men and women working hard, and erecting two lines of earth works. The garrison numbered four hundred lighting men. Unfortunately sufficient time was not alloAved the working parties to complete their tasks, as the pakeha soldiers surrounded the fort. The Tuhoe had no food other than some pumpkins, which they ate raw. Then arose Hapurona Kohi, a famed lighting man of Tuhoe, and he had a gun in each hand. He yelled: "O Tuhoe! Be stout-hearted in the fray. Let the enemy approach close before you fire on him. When his hand is about to clasp you, then let the guns resound." But Rewi had other ideas. He said: "Not so. If you allow the soldiers to come up to the defences you will perish. They will not retire. Keep them at a distance. You would kill the first but the others would still come on." Paitini Continues. "Hapurona bounded on to the earthworks. The soldiers were now quite close. We were armed Avith doublc-barralWl fowling pieces and flintlock muskets.. Each man had two bandoleer cartridge belts and some had three, full of cartridges. "About that time Piki mounted the defences and five soldiers fell to him before he himself was killed. The soldiers were driven back." (To be continued)