CHAPTER XX. THE LAST OF THE TRIBAL FIGHTS.
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CHAPTER XX.
THE LAST OF THE TRIBAL FIGHTS.
AFTER the desperate engagement at Moturoa, Wharepouri and his people decided to leave their country and follow the fortunes of that portion of their tribe who had thrown in their lot with Te Rauparaha, and the main body under Wharepouri and Kaiaia marched down the coast en route for Kapiti. As they passed the Waimate Plains they were joined by Hanataua and his Tangahoes, who had escaped the attack of Te Ruaki. A few stragglers from Ngaruahine and Taranaki also joined him, but to the honour of these two tribes, be it said, the majority held fast to their lands regardless of Waikato. Late in the year 1835 this taua reached Otaki, where they joined the former migration of the tribe at Pakakutu pa. Much suffering had not taught these turbulent newcomers wisdom, for their very first act was to rob the potato pits of the powerful and warlike Ngatiraukawa tribe, who, after many vicissitudes, had succeeded in marching from Waikato to Kapiti under Te Whataroa, Te Ahu Karamu, Taratoa te Puke, and other chiefs, who were now sworn allies of their relative Te Rauparaha; and, although they had suffered terribly en route by the hands of Wanganui and Ngatikahungunu, were still too strong and too proud to be robbed with impunity. Consequently a fight was the immediate result, in which Tawhaki, of Ngatiawa, was killed, with many common men of the tribe. Ngatiraukawa had decidedly the best of it. After this skirmishes were of daily occurrence, in which loss of life took place. This so alarmed Te Rauparaha, who needed all his strength to defend himself against Wanganui and Ngatikahungunu, that he sent messengers to Te Heuheu of Taupo and to the Ngatiraukawa, who still lived at Maungatautari, to send reinforcements to crush the turbulent Taranakis
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and Ngatiruanuis. This appeal resulted in Te Heuheu and Mamuku, of Upper Wanganui, Tariki, and Taonui marching with 700 men to assist Rauparaha. Strong as this reinforcement was it was none too strong, for a series of combats occurred, in one of which, fought at Haowhenua, Rauparaha's son Tipi was killed. The crowning fight took place at Pakakutu. Here Ngatiapa and Wanganui took part against Ngatiawa, Ngatiruanui, and a section of Rauparaha's own tribe. The result was a decided defeat of the latter tribes, as during the fight their pa was taken; Ngatiruanui lost their chiefs Takarangi and Turaukawa; Ngatiawa lost Rangiwahia, Te Tupeotu, and Te Aotero, besides a number of common warriors whose names are not worthy of mention; Ngatiraukawa lost their chief Papaku, and many of the allies fell, but their losses were by no means so heavy as in the case of their enemies. This fight settled the war, and at the instigation of Te Heuheu peace was made, Ngatiawa and Ngatiruanui retiring to Waikanae and Wellington, while Ngatiraukawa occupied the land at Otaki lately in possession of their enemies.
This position of affairs lasted until 1839, when at the burial of Rangihaeata's mother (Waitohi) on the island of Mana the old land dispute was again revived, and the long slumbering wrath of Ngatiraukawa again broke forth. The three tribes of Taranaki, Ngatiawa, and Ngatiruanui were at this time living in fancied seclusion in two pas on either side of the Waikanae River, the pa on the right bank being known as the Kaititanga. This was the place selected for attack, and a few nights after the pa was carefully surrounded, and the great Ngatiraukawas' brave (Ngakuku) led his men inside the fortifications. Only one old woman was moving about at the time, and she gave the alarm, but was immediately struck down by Ngakuku. Her people, not expecting an attack, seized their arms, but did not attempt to sally forth, fearing that they would be struck down as they came out of the doorway. An accident, however, saved them, for one of the Ngatiawas from pure fright fired off his gun from inside the whare, and Ngatiraukawa, mistaking this
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for a signal, and suspicious of the calmness with which their enemies awaited attack, as also fearing a cross fire from the whares, delayed the attack until it was too late; for while this play was being enacted at the Kaititanga the people of the opposite pa, alarmed by the gun so fortunately fired, turned out en masse to assist their friends, but before leaving one chief, with great forethought, said, "Let us put feathers in our hair, so that we may recognise one another." This was no sooner done than each of the three tribes took their own paths, so that Ngatiraukawa might be surrounded. Taranaki, 100 strong, under a celebrated warrior named Waiana, managed to get into the pa with Raukawa, who, taking Taranaki for some of his own people, did not molest them. Here they remained quietly, each party waiting for daylight. As dawn broke, Waiana, burning to distinguish himself, recognised Ngakuku and shot him dead. This was the signal for a regular onslaught, and Ngatiraukawa, surprised and assailed on all sides by Taranaki and from the natives who sallied from their whares in the pa, after a short struggle broke and fled, only to find themselves attacked by those who were lying in wait for them outside the pa. Here a perfect massacre took place, and it is said that the survivors were pursued as far as Kukutaiaki. About 100 of Ngatiraukawa were killed, including the chiefs Ngakuku and Te Mateuruahu; the allies lost their chief Tukaru, of Ngatiawa, and sixteen men.
Rauparaha has always been accused of instigating Ngatiraukawa to this attack; and it is probable such was the case, for the action was in perfect keeping with his treacherous character. This fight was the last of a long series of pitched battles and surprises, diversified by murders and every other possible horror so dear at that time to Maori habit and character.
