TE KOOTI RIKIRANGI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16487, 28 February 1914, Page 6

TE KOOTI RIKIRANGI.

THE REAL STORY OF THE REBEL LEADER. WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE MAORI FANATIC RELIGIONS, PAI-MARIRE, RINGA-TU AND WAIRUA TAPU. (By Colonel Porter, C. 8., T.D.) (Written for the “Lyttelton Times.’’) [All Rights Reserved.] CHAPTER V. TE RINGA-TU RELIGION.

The removal of the restraining influence of the chiefs, as mentioned in our last chapter, left Te Kooti full scope for obtaining the strongest hold over the fanatical superstitions of his coprisoners, ready converts to the new form of worship. By secret study he cleverly constructed a religion culled principally from the Books of Moses, Joshua and the Psalms of David. The collations were appropriate to the Maoris’ state of bondage and to their prophesied redemption from the overlording Europeans. In the development of his peculiar form of worship ho bore in mind, as is evident, tlio Twelve Apostles and Ten Commandments of Moses, for bis ritual consisted of twelve services of ten portions in each, a total of one hundred and twenty. Wo have already quoted some of the Scriptural prayers and chants. Service 1, as written down by Te Kooti himself at the Chathams, consisted of the following passages:— Chronicles, l6t Book, 16th chapter, 28th and 80th verses; Job, 12th chapter, 10th and 11th verses; Psalms, 3rd chapter, Bth verse; Jeremiah, 31st chapter, 16th and 17th verses; Zephaniah, 2nd chapter, 3rd verse; Proverbs, Ist chapter, 7th verse, also the 24tli chapter, 16th and 17th verses. The other eleven services are selections from the Old and New Testaments. These notes are in the handwriting of Te Kooti himself in the sacred book, which only passed from him at his death to his chief preacher, Eria Itaukura, From this book, with its strange and bloody history, the ; “tapu” has now been removed, and it has been entrusted to the writer for the purposes of this history, and will be published at the end of the series as an appendix. The apt application of the Scriptural references will be seen by the extracts which have already been given. Te Kooti did not commit the details of the tenets to writing, but relied upon his memory. He alone preached them; he did not entrust them to other preachers till years after his return to New Zealand, when he extended the ritual number of the regular servioss to thirty-four, and appointed as his chief preacher Eria Itaukura. This was in 1881. The praying portion of the service was chanted by all standing, and Psalms were sung with right hand elevated. By the month of June, 1868, Te Kooti had obtained; absolute control ovor the people. They had full faith in his divine power, daily expecting the predicted revelation and direction from God, a heavenly sign which must be implicitly obeyed by all in steadfast prayer. On the twenty-eight day of June, 1868, a special and solemn service was held, >at whioh Te Kooti advised his followers that God had prepared him to receive a direction that night. He besought thorn to be unitedly earnest in their prayers. After the karakia ho isolated himself the _ whole night, and did not reappear till the next evening’s worship. Locking wearied and anxious after his Scriptural address, lie said God had revealed himself, and directed him to lead his people from bondage, and return to the land of their fathers, Ao-tea-roa. The day of emancipation was to he on their Ra Tapu "(Sabbath)—which, according to their faith, was Saturday. God had revealed to him that a small vessel and a large one would arrive, but the larger was the one destined for their escape. ,At the close of the service he directed that all the lights should be put out, and he prepared in the darkness to receive “a light from God ” if favourable to their escape. He then extended his bands in prayer, when to the astonishment of bis congregation bis hands became luminous by a phosphorescent light, illuminating the house of worship. This manifestation was accepted as a Tohii from Te Atua, in response to their direct prayers. On Juno 30 the ketch Florence arrived at Waitangi, the small vessel as foretold by Te Ivooti. This seemingly extraordinary fulfilment of his words aroused renewed faith in the promised escape from bondage, and the people asked To Ivooti when the larger vessel would arrive. To this he replied:— “ The ark for our salvation will arrive before our next Sabbath. Go to your avocations as usual, keep steadfast faith in God, and pray within your hearts, till the hour of command, then let not one person hesitate to obey, for should there be any among you lack faith, death shall come to him.’’

Now -uickly came the complete fulfilment of Te Kooti’s astute ‘‘revelation ” of tbe twenty-eight of June. On Friday, the third of July, tbe three-masted schooner Rifleman (Captain John Christian) arrived at Waitnngi from Wellington, with supplies. Tlie prisoners doubted. not that this was the vessel which it was foretold

should release them, and most anxiously they awaited the final word. Te Kooti himself, as steersman .of one of tho boats, laboured all day in landing supplies, giving no sign for the oventful coming morrow. At the service that night he preached from Exodus,, chapter six, Stli, 6th, 7th and Bth verses; also from chapter 12, 22nd and 23rd verses. Then the people knew deliverance was nigh. The morrow would be their Sabbath. In concluding the evening service, the worshippers chanted Psalm third, Bth verse, Psalm 119. 2nd verso, and Psalm 66, verses 6, 10, 11, 12. Then they dispersed to their hotises to rest and pray for safe and speedy deliverance from bondage. CHAPTER VI. THE ESCAPE FJftOM THE CHATHAMS. '

Before detailing the incidents of the seizure of the schooner Rifleman and the escape of the Hauhau prisoners, it will bo interesting to glance at the state of the Chatham Islands at this period. The following is from the present writer’s notes of Impressions gathered at the time of .Te Kooti’e arrival at Wharekauri in 1866: “ After three days pleasantly passed aboard the St Kilda (Captain Kennedy), the south-west head of the Great Chatham, named Bishop’s Point, owing to two peculiarly formed rocks bearing resemblance to a bishop’s mitre, wo reached the bay of Waitangi ("wailing waters”) and dropped anchor. The bay is beautifully formed, on ono side richly coloured red cliffs, on the other a fine hard sandy beach extending for some miles. The anchorage is 6afe, exoept in gales from the north-west, in which case vessels can run for shelter to the small bay of Whangaroa, where there is good anchorage. The settlement of Waitangi is the largest on the island; the others are Oenga, Whangaroa and Pitt’s Island. Tho head chiefs, who all reside at Waitangi, are Toenga, Kopi and Tungari. The pa is beautifully situated, and compares more than favourably with any I have seen in New Zealand for the building, cleanliness and general good order. The houses are not huddled together, but are built with considerable regard to neatness and regularity.. There is also a very handsome ‘ whare-karakia ’ (church), lately extensively repaired. Towards its completion the Resident Magistrate. Captain Thomas, contributed a neat bell tower, and he has done much to improve the natives, by whom he is much respected. Services are held regularly morning and evening, the bell callin'* all to devotion. The prisoners from Nejv Zealand are already located at a beautiful spot at the foot of a rising ground, about half a mile southwest from the principal pa, The population is about 50 Europeans, 380 Maoris (former invaders from j New Zealand), and 120 Morioris (the original race), who generally resemble the Maoris but are rather inferior in appearance as well as in intellect. The country is beautifully undulating, with abundance of timber for fuel but little or none fit for building. Most of tho houses are built of the tree fern (ponga) stems neatly put together and in some instances lime-plastered. The streams, lakes and lagoons are well stocked with cels of a superior quality, and the surrounding sea abounds in fish of many varieties and excellent quality.” The guard of Europeans established at this date to watch and hold the prisoners consisted at first of a total of thirty of all ranks—two officers, three non-coms., and twenty-five privates. Captain Edward Tuke was in command. They built a redoubt of earth works in a commanding position towards the sea, and for a time strict military discipline was maintained. Unfortunately, discipline was considerably relaxed towards the end of 1867, which state of things was reported to the New Zealand Government. The complaints were principally from among the prisoners. The Hon Mr Rolleston in the beginning of the year 1868 paid an official visit to inquire into tho general state of affairs; the following is extracted from his report:— “If a military is still to ,be kept up, I respectfully submit that a smaller number of efficient well-paid men would answer the same purpose as the present foroe. Ido not think that even the force as now constituted would be any material good were anything like a serious difficulty to arise, but the existence of a guard of some sort is a necessary precaution to prevent the necessity arising for a larger force. The number of non-com. officers and men need not be greater than sufficient to keep up a sentry.” In February, 1868, following this report-, the Government reduced the guard to one non-com. and fifteen privates, recalling the officers and others to New Zealand, and leaving the R.M., Captain Thomas, in solo charge —civil and military. Such a depletion of the already weak guard and removal of chiefs before referred to, was playing directly in tho hands of the prisoners, whose preacher, Te Kooti had already formulated ideas % of escape, in fact, it was offering a strong temptation to men capable of the most daring deed, apart from their fanaticism and longing for freedom.

The eventful Ra Tapu, Saturday (their Sabbath), the 4th of July, 1868, set in with heavy rain at dawn. The rain continued till midday and all work ashore and at sea was suspended, the guard keeping close within the redoubt, the settlers in their houses, crews in their vessels, and Maori prisoners in their whares. All seemed peaceful and quiet, but a rude awakening was near, its details known to only one man— Te Kooti Rikirangi. The morning meal of the, prisoners over, all assembled as usual for. morning service in the large meeting-house. The service was more than; usually devotional and solemn. Anxious glances of inquiry were directed at the preacher, who, however, gave no sign. The karakia being ended, Te Kooti addressed tlie assembled people. “ This is God’s day for us and the rain from heaven (te ua o te Rangi) is sent as a sign for our deliverance.” Dismissing the people, lie requested, the boat’s crews to remain, also a certain number of other men he named, among them his uncle, Te Warihi, and Karanama Ngerongere, Te Oikau, tho half-caste Eru Peka, and Tamanui Tote. Then he addressed them, saying : “ Tho Atua opened this day with brightness and we saw the sun; thou he brought down the rain as a tohu, a sign, and after midday (ra-poupou) it will clear again. The day will be ours, the soldiers will be overcome and the ship captured.” Then he detailed the plans for escape, namely, that when the first Government boat returned from the schooner it should be. seized and at the same moment he with the chosen few could surprise the guard. There was to be no killing or spilling of blood. ' Three only out of those assembled raised doubts and protests against the attempt te escape. One of them was his uncle, Warihi. (To he continued oil Wednesday.)