MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 June 1939, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

FANATIC FIGHTERS. (Recorded by J.H.S. lor “Times-Age.”) h A letter from the Governor with gunpowder, flour, sugar, tobacco, and blankets coming to Waka Nene confirmed the pakeha approval of his action against Heke. When Heke’s people heard the soldiers were coming to assist Waka, most of Heke’s men deserted, leaving only 200. Heke then decided to build a still stronger <pa at Kahika (white pine) in the midst of those giant trees on the very spot where the last words of Hongi Ika were spoken from his death bed.

Superstition and a childish belief in the whispered words of the priest made during the hours of darkness endowed a Maori with •courage or caution according to the words. The Atua Wera (Fire God) spoke to Heke at midnight—“Be brave and patient. Fear no soldiers. I will deflect their fire. Observe our ancient sacred customs.” The soldiers were worn out with two days of tramping, scarcity of food, sleepless nights, and wet clothes. They had with them a rocket gun, which the Atua Wera predicted would turn its fire all round and into the whares, consuming all and sparing none. But their Atua promised to divert it. Sure enough as promised, when roaring flame shot forth the rocket struck a branch and fell wide of its mark. The wet had got into it and made true shots impossible. The spirit of the Maori Atua had breathed upon it. 1 The perfect faith in Tu their god of war and their utter indifference to death while fighting made even a small band of Maori fanatics a deadly danger. Led by Tupori thus inspired, twenty of Heke’s men rushed the soldiers’ breastwork in the face of a hail of bullets. By some strange chance not one was shot in the rush. Eight of our men fell victims of their tomahawks, and only three Maoris failed to return to the Pa.