THE BATTLE OF ORAKAU.* Graphic Account by a Maori Chief.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 293, 25 August 1888, Page 4

THE BATTLE OF ORAKAU.* Graphic Account by a Maori Chief.

Our Parliamentary telegramtLthe other day stated that a native chief named. Hibiri Te Paerata, of the Ngatiraukawa tribe, had given a select company in the interpreters' room at the House of Representatives a graphic description of the battle ot Orakau. Tho following is a report of the adolress } which was interpreted to the company by Mr Gilbert Mair : " I feel .somewhat confused and embarrassed having to meet all these members of Parliament and ladien, more especially as we were defeated at the fight you now ask me to give you an account of. But if it w ill please you I will endeavour to do so. I will first explain the causes which led to the King movement, and the subsequent fighting which culminated at Orakau. For some years previously the Maori people had been getting more and move dissatisfied at the manner in which their ancestral lands, their one great possession, had been passing away, partly on account of the Government land purchases— tho purchasing of tho land for fishhooks, tobacco and hatchets. Then the chiefs were angry because their mana was not sufficiently recognised ; also the selling by chiefs of the lands belonging to the people. The Maoiis then determined, on the advice of Tamihana Tarapipi, to set up a head whose mana was to overshadow the land »nd protect it. Te Wherowhco Potatau was accordingly made king, and many tribes gave the keeping of their bodies and their lands inr.o hi.« hands. As you all know, this led to fighting, first at Taranaki, then in Waikato, the East Coast and other places. After many fights, in which the Europeans were generally successful, for they had_ numbers and other advantages on their side, whereas the Maoris are a foolish people, we assembled in the vicinity of Orakau. My own tribe was commanded by my father, Te Paerata, my brother Hone Teri te Paerata, and my uncle "Rawiri Te Hirawea. The Urewera contingent were ! headed by Te Whenuanui and Hapurona Kohi. The Bast Coast natives were led by Te Waru, Tamatea, and Raharuhi, and the Ngatimaniapoto by RewiManga Maniapoto. The old men had selected a site for a pa in a very strong position, a tongue of land on Mr Cowan's farm, running into a deep swamp. Our first intention was, to remain concealed untilourdefenceswere completed, j butsomeoftbehot-headedyoungmenstrayed awayagainst orders, and some were killed at Rangiaohia and at another place. Our hearts were very dark on account of these young men being killed, and the old men were angry. It was my old father, Te Paerata, who said, " Let us make the pa here (me nute au kikonei). Let me die here on the land." It was owing to the disobedience of others and the dissensions amongst us that this place was selected, for it was not a suitable place at all. However, we commenced to build our pa at Orakau, but some European troopers saw us and gave the alarm. The general ab once made preparations for attacking, and after marching all night, took up a position about a mile from wheie we were at work, to wait for the main body to come up. Just as morning broke the troops were all collected "and advanced to surround our position, which was a sort of oblong redoubt built of sods. It was about a chain and a half long and a chain wide, and built in a peach grove. There was a sorb of outwork or flanking angle at one end. We had worked all night, but the pa was nob completed when the troops attacked us. They attempted to take the pa by a rush, but my father had placed the men, some in the ditch, and others leaning over the earthworks, so when the attacking party got within a short distance we fired tremendous volleys, which made them fall back, leaving their dead and wounded. They then attacked on another side, and were again repulsed. My father and other brave men urged that we take advantage of the confusion the Europeans were in and attack them. It is an old saying of our fighting men. " Taka mua, taka muri " (" Quick to strike and quick to retiie"). Rewi would not consent, and the supreme lucky moment was lost. The Europeans again attacked, and were repulsed for the third time. They then appeared to lo?e all hope of taking the place by assault, and determined to take it by first'surrounding us, and then sapping up to the pa. Our retreat was now quite cut off. We had no water nor anything to eat except potatoes, which we ate raw to quench our thirs*-, which was very severe. For three days and three nights we were in this state, during which time a storm of shot was poured into our fort, but we leturnedthe fire, and dug holes to shelter the women, and did all we could to strengthen our defences. By this time the sap had approached to within half a chain of our works, but we kept up such a hot fire that many of the men digging it were killed or wounded. Up to this time our losses had been very small, and we were sustained by the recital of the brave deeds of our ancestors, whose motto was. ' ' Me mate te tangata me mate mo te Whenua " (The warrior's death is to die for the land.) We felt no fear, for our hearts were filled with fury. Our ammunition now began to fail. We had no bullets, so we fired peach stones and plugs of woods as a substitute. Our sufferings became very great from hunger and thirst. About mid-day on the third day, the sap was quite close to our pa, and the troop lighted small shells (hand grenades) and threw them into our midst. Some burst, killing and wounding those near : ofchei*s we picked up and threw back, bursting in the sap. The General decided to send a summons calling upon us to surrender. Major Mair was sent by the General to bring us this message. He came up to within a few yards ot where we were (our men all aiming ab him with their guns), and said, "Let the fighting cease, because you are surrounded. Your position is hopeless ; if you persist in fighting you will all be killed, and your women and children will dio with you." This word was sent round, and all the chiefs and people within the pa took counsel on the General's message. The Urewera proposed that we should hoist a white flag, and when all the troops came up close to our fort and demanded our arms, to pour a tremendous volley in and then charge through, we would not agree to such treachery, because this was not after the manner of chiefs. What we proposed was that the troops should go away with all their dead and wounded, and that we also would go away with ours. These negotiations lasted about half -an - hour before our ultimatum had been decided upon. The General again sent Major Mair, who said, "Let the women and children be sent out ; we will protect them so that they may nob die." Then up rose ray sister Ahumai amidst the women and said, "If our husbands and brothers are to die, of what profit is it to us that we should live ? Let us die with the men." Seeing that the women were all of one mind then Hapurona, Rawiri, Rewi and my father &aid "We will fight on for ever." (" Ake, ake, ake.") The people repeated these words with a great shout, and. one of my people named Wereta fired »b Major Mair,

hitting him on the top of the right) shoulder. Of course this treacherous work broke off the negotiations, and firing commenced on both sides more furiously than ever, only we had no bullets. A big gun was then put in the sap, which broke down our pa and made abreach through which the troops tried to enter, but we drove them back, killing their leader, Capt. Herford. Our position became so desperate that we determined to try and break through. So we put our last bullets in our guns, and forming up in a solid body, with the women in our midst, we made one rush, breaking down the pa and marched out firing from both flanks at the besiegers, who closed in round our rear and tried to cut off our rett cat. We burst out on the southward side and marched down the hill, breaking through and killing a lot of the soldiers who tried to stop us. As we were leaving tho pa I saw one of our men crouching down hold ing his gun as if about to fire at the enemy. I found that he was quite dead, so I took the gun, feeling that if I had that I would be a match for any man who tried to stop me. I also bethought me of some blankets wherewith to keep myself warm at night ; so I ran back and picked up a bundle. No sti'agglers were left behind, and the fighting became desperate and hand to hand. I had a presentiment that I would escape, but when I looked back and considei-ed the odds we had to ficrht against-, and saw the Europeans marching after us in their majesty and might, then I f-airt to my companions — "Oh, foolish people, to dare to strive against the white man, the offspring of 'Tiki,' the heavenborn &ons of giants." As we fled before them they tried by out-marching on our flanks to cut off our retreat, and poured a btorm of bullets, which seemed to encircle us like hail. It became as a forlorn hope with us — none expected to escape, nor did we desire to. Were we not all the children of one parent? therefore we all wished to die together. My father and many of my people died in breaking away from the pa. When we cut through the troops further on, my brother Hone Teri, who was with Rewi, died in endeavouring to shield him. The whole of my tribe were slain— my father, brothers and uncle all died. My sister Ahumai — she who said the men and women would all die together — was wounded in four places. She was shot in the right side, the bullet going through her body and coming out on the left ; she wasshot through righttheshoulder, the bullet coming out at her back ; also through the wrist, hand and arm. Yet she is still alive, and resides at Taupo. We bore away many of our wounded. Not half of the defenders of Orakau pa escaped. I saw as we got away from the Punui River a youug man of the Ngatimaniapoto tribe leading ofF two old men, one of whom was badly wounded. He was hard pressed by the troops, and kept dropping down on his knee and aiming his gun at the pursuers, but it was not loaded and eventually he was shot, also one of the old men ; the other escaped into the woods. None of the men in the pa showed any fear, but the most intrepid in fights and sagacious in counsel were Hapurona, Raureti Te Huia, Rewi's brother, and my brother, Honeteri Te Paerata. It was from the small flanking angle that Wereta fired and nearly shot Major Mair. When the pa was carried - Major Mair went in with the stormers to lookafterthe wounded, hefoundsomesoldiers trying to kill a wounded woman belonging to Rotorua, called Hmeiturama. They did not know, perhaps, that she was a woman, but they were enraged at the death of their officer, Captain Ring. Major Mair carried the woman away to a corner and went to look after another woman called Ariana, who was also badly wounded, but when he returned Hineiturama had been killed. Before Orakau, 1 took part in the fight at Ransriaohia. The fight at the bathing place at Waiari was caused through the boasting of Ngatimaniapoto ; they lost forty-five there. The Maoris had collected a great deal of ammunition years before, not with the intention of fighting against the Europeans, but to protect their own land in case they were attacked by other tribes, as there had been a number of fights between other tribes over the land not long before. My own tribe, the Ngatiraukawa,and the Ngatimaniapoto, would have been very sorrowful indeed if the Government had given the site of Orakau, with all our dead, to Te Kooti. We were very thankful that Mr Bryce prevented this being done. When we were hemmed in at Orakau some of the wounded were crying for water, and I ran to the swamp with a calabash to get some. I passed right through the soldiers. Perhaps they knew what I wanted the water for, for they did not fire at me.

*Orakau is situated in the Waikato District, near Kihikihi. The battle was fought on March 31st, April Ist and 2nd, 1864. The Imperial and Colonial troops numbered. 1,70G nd were under the command of Brigadier -General Carey. The Maoris numbered 300, including women and children.