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copyright 2007, by Victoria University of Wellington
Volume V
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God of the Kumara.
At page 13 of the English part of this volume I have quoted from
The reader will find at the close of this volume the opinions of an English critic on this work.
The shame I feel and pain it brings Is like the Power of active tribe, And doth intensify the dread Of evil news so loudly spoken from afar. Oh! why should word be bought with word? And why not now draw near? And why—yes, why—oh! why, my heart, So start and palpitate? For well I know My home is where the nobly great Reside, and loudly welcome all the warlike tribes Of Horo-tiu to come and be our guests, And deck them in their beauteous mats, And sit with Tai-ha on his sacred seat, And tell the haughty and contemptuous Tohe-roa, That she must shift her seat, and stand aside From noble seat, to space where evil sits With witch and wizard brood, and where, my son, Assembled groups do congregate, to go On evil expedition full intent. But when the property Is gathered in the house, such to exchange, No passing thought recalls the doom of Wai-ta-oro at entrance of O-koro Stream; From which no profit came, As was the case when Maui, With his jesting act, fished up the land, And pulled Long Hawa-iki far up on the shore With Hika-te-pipiro, and led Rua-ea On to the land, where all mankind should cease to live. A barracouta was the fish that went Beneath the keel of Tai-nui; but ‘tis Not here, nor in this sea, the act took place, But such was acted far across the sea, Where Tama-te-kapua uttered his commands, And ancestors were then like goblin-gods. Yes, Nga-puhi is like those gods; And Roto-rua, and Hau-raki, And Kahu-ngunu, and Wai-kato, And Tara-naki, all have goblin-gods. And, O my son! what tribe is not godlike? Though now ye “Block the cave of Pi-hanga,” And “Open wide Whauga-nui-a-tara,” And cease to “Seek the bonds that peace doth make,” And hold—yes, “Hold secure the little kit of Haere,” And “Roast the small green parrakeet,” Or “Eat the small green parrakeet.” But, O my son! why hidest thou thy god— The god we call Tu-whakaparu-ate? Come, hold him forth for eyes of man to see, That fame of thy now having gods may yet Be heard, and not in vain, far on the distant horizon. My home shall now be sounded high in fame, And spoken of as home where warriors live And where the house of Hine-te-iwaiwa is, And in the south of this great Papa-tu-a-nuku, Where Tai-ariki, Ue-koko, and Henga Are in the abode of Tatau-o-te-po, Where dwell on that big mountain-ridge My ancestors, who breathed the dire old wizard-craft So spoken of by chattering lips of man. But thou art not of offspring of Koro-kino Who skims o'er distant earth to overtake old Hori, Who holds the power of gods, the great canoes Who evil brought on to this land, when came A stranger race, with all their garment-property, So envied by the children of Komako; And by the black descendants of old Kai-hau, Were seen displayed in omens from the gods, And not by human eye oft seen; Though dared, and felt at Ma-takitaki And Hau-raki, and, like the battle in the south, At Pa-hunga-toroa, which nipped the fame of Kuku-tai. And then the stealing sons of robbers passed O'er all the land. And Nga-ti-te-ata Shall dance the song of war at Puke-tutu And Nga-ti-pukenga; and Paoa too, shall Listen to the coming troop of war of Nga-puhi; And Tangi-te-ruru and Rau-roha Shall meet and welcome him from far O-hi, The noted Hongi-hika, and test the gods with Sacred rites, to make them yield their power to man's dictates. Song composed by Hoki, as a taunt in answer to false
accusations regarding the history of the people.
According to what the ancients have said, the canoe called Mataatua (god-face) landed at Whaka-tane (like a man). In this canoe a stone god was brought, which god was a kumara (sweet potato) god.
The canoe called Te-Arawa (the shark), which had also a stone god on board, landed at Make-tu (ridge of the nose). This god was also a kumara (sweet potato) god, and is now kept at the island called Mokoia (tattoo him), in the Lake Roto-rua (second lake).
The canoe of Turi (deaf or obstinate) called Ao-tea (fair cloud) landed at Hokianga-o-kupe (the return of Kupe), from which place she sailed, going by the west coast, and landed at Pa-tea (white fort). The karaka (Corynocarpus lœvigata) was brought in this canoe.
Tai-nui (great tide) landed at Hau-raki (dry wind), and the crew paddled from there and entered the Tamaki (start involuntarily), that is in the Whanga-makau (wait for the loved one) River. As they had to wait there for their supreme female head, called Marama (moon), as she and her slave-man had landed at Marama-rua (double moon), and the people in the canoe waited there for her; hence the origin of the name of that creek, Whanga-makau (wait for the loved one), where they waited for that which they loved—for the spouse. Tai-nui was dragged across the portage of O-tahuhu (the ridge pole) into the tide at Manuka (regret) (or Manu-kau—all birds), and out into the great sea, where they, Hotu-nui (great sob) and his companions, paddled along the west coast and landed at Kawhia (embraced).
Hotu-nui is the progenitor of all the Wai-kato (nipping water) tribes and all the other tribes. And they cultivated (set) at Kawhia the kumara which they had brought over in the Tai-nui
There were other canoes named, which canoes came to these Islands and landed in this land.
The traditional account given by the ancients says that the people called Patu-pae-arehe (weapon laid across, and weary, or fairies) came in the canoe Tai-nui; also the rat, with the kumara (sweet potato). And as Tai-nui went by the east coast the crew landed at Tutu-kaka (the kaka birds' perch), and went on shore there to look at the land; Patu-pae-arehe also fled on shore, and took some kumara with him in his hand, which were
Here I sit, and heart of man Requires to find some powerful charm To counteract the ill befallen me. Oh! now confusion's here confounded. But grow, O tendrils! grow, And flourish where ye sprout; The while I climb and sit on hill In lonely mood outside my home. O birds! whose voice is hushed Below me now at Rangi-ahua, Come, meet again and sing your song. I sacred am, and feel a dread Of Rongo-tapu-hirahira (hingahinga) (The great and sacred kumara). But Thou, O Tane! promoter, And he who calls great evil, And parent of the forest-land, Art not abashed to stand In presence of the little mouth (man), Or see the child of piercing tooth (rat) Devour and blight my growing crop, Which in days past sat sheltered In the prow of Tai-nui, And passed across the sea With Hotu-roa in his canoe; When Hotu brought the kumara, And blessed the sun-lit world with food. Ah! why now heed the gods' commands, Or think their power as aught? Then cast thou all behind thy back, And deem their power as ornaments; While Heaven propitious smiles, And screens at once from evil's power. Then cease thy charms to chant And incantations sing to Hau-turu And Te-whara. In those though sacred hills Confusion and mistaken trust are placed. Then press towards those hills, and see If thou canst bite, and make an impress Of thy teeth in them. But, oh! the kumara Still grows on cliffs in Hawa-iki, Where germ, and sprout, and life Of such were seen the first. But rats have blighted all now here.
The first canoes that came from the other side—that is, from Hawa-iki—and came to Ao-tea-roa (long light world), were called Te-arawa (shark), Kura-whau-po (combined red cloud of night), and Mata-atua (face of a god).
Papa says, at the time these canoes paddled (that is, sailed) towards this place Rata was left at Hawa-iki. Rata was a most learned man to make canoes, and Rata with his sub-tribe stayed at Hawa-iki. But the very (true) name of the land from which these canoes came to this land is not known—whether it is Hawa-iki or some other land, or an island or a great land.
Rata thought that they must make a canoe for themselves, and in the morning he went into the forest to find a tree of which to make a canoe; and when he had found one he went back to the settlement and slept. At dawn of day he took his axe and went to cut the tree down. When the tree was felled a bird called a popoko-tea (Orthonyx albicilla) and one called a pihipihi (Xencus longipes—a wren, the smallest New Zealand bird) were seen. The coming of these birds was an ill omen, as Rata had done wrong in the act of cutting the tree down for his canoe. Rata went back to his home and slept. On the following day he went again to work at his canoe, and found the tree standing up as it had grown; so he went back to his home and told the news to his sister.
She asked, “How did you act in cutting your tree down?”
Rata answered, “I went to the tree and cut it down, and cut the top off it; but I had seen two birds, a popoko-tea and a pihipihi, and I came back home and slept.”
The sister said, “You did wrong in going back to make a canoe.
Rata now went to cut his tree down, and did as instructed by his sister; and when he had felled it he covered the stump with the fern panako, and he also covered the body of the tree intended for a canoe with the same sort of fern.
On the following day Rata worked at the outside of his canoe; then he worked on the inside—on the hold of the canoe. And when the food was collected for those who worked at the canoe it was not guarded by any one; so a boy called Kowhiti-nui (he who takes many choice bits from a heap) took and ate the choice bits of this food. Against this boy Rata felt a hatred, and when the day came that the canoe should be laid on one side, so that the other side could be completed, Rata called and said to Kowhiti-nui, “Pull the rope, that the canoe may cant on one side.” Now, Kowhiti-nui was a brave little fellow, so he took hold of the rope and pulled. Rata said to him, “Put it round your neck.” Now, Rata had made a slipknot on the end of the rope, and Kowhiti-nui put this over his head, and Rata pulled it tight and killed the boy, and buried him in the chips made in making the canoe.
When the canoe was finished and the day came to drag it to the sea, all the tribe collected, and the father of Kowhiti-nui was there; but not any of the people knew that the boy had been killed, and they thought he was absent at some other of
Now that the canoe was completed Rata stood up and chanted his incantation, to the words of which the canoe Tai-nui should be dragged to the sea. And when the incantation was chanted the canoe had been dragged to the sea. This is the incantation of Rata:—
Sharpen the axe of Hine-tu-a-hoanga; But it is I, Rata, searching for The river at Pikopiko-i-whiti. Death has been at Maunga-roa— The death of Kowhiti-nui.
Then the people shouted,—
O sin! our day.
Rata answered,—
Killed by Rata of Wahie-roa.
The people shouted,—
O sin! our day.
Rata answered,—
Dash it, the two, and bind them.
The people shouted,—
Dash it, the two, and bind them.
Rata answered,—
Fire, with a screen of air— Air of the year with a spear on the brow.
And this is also another incantation chanted when Tai-nui was dragged to the sea:—
Drag Tai-nui down to the ocean. Who shall drag her? Hearken: 'Tis the news of earth—the news of heaven. Plant, caulk. Welcome, O Tane! We will swim that you may be admired By all the crowd of people. I have come for you to the forest of Tane As an embracing husband, a husband of delight, And a husband to lead; but we are blown on By the air from Wai-hi. Move, bow of the canoe. Move by short stages; move; slide, slide.
Then Raka-taua (entangle a war-party) (or Raka-taura-entangle a rope), the father of Kowhiti-nui, knew from the words of the incantation of Rata that his son was dead. Raka-taua was a wizard, and all the tribe were afraid of him; and when he went to search for his son the tribe said, “Let us start on our voyage that we may escape, and leave Raka-taua here.”
And this is the incantation chanted when Tai-nui left to go on her voyage:—
The man on shore uncovers, and waits not for the man of the sea. The man of the sea uncovers, and waits not for the man of the shore. Even so the great dowry, the long dowry, The opened stream, the stream of blood, By putting the war-troop to sleep, And Tu and Rongo (gods of war and food), The sons who own or dam the stream. Do not hinder or cover the son; let him go out Of the grief and troubles, where lords appear, And Rongo (god of food) is counterpart Of all that man doth need on earth.
Now, Hotu-roa and Tai-ketu (ebbing tide) (or Tai-kehu—red tide), Mama-o-rongo (offerings to the god Rongo), Ao-o-rongo (day of the god Rongo), and Taura-waho (the outer stay for the mast) embarked, and all sat at the stern of the canoe; but in the centre, or where the water is baled out of the canoe, sat Potu-keha (night of the flea awake) (Pou-tu-keka—verily deranged), and in the bow sat the priest, with Rata and his sister Hine.
The food brought in Tai-nui was kumara (sweet potato), hue (gourd), po-hue (convolvulus), and mawhai (Sicyos angulatus), which were for the crew to live on while at sea.
When Raka-taua had got back from searching for his son, Tai-nui had gone a great distance out on the ocean, and he called to those in the canoe and said, “Bring the canoe back for me;” but the canoe was not brought back to him, and he was
Tai-nui was dragged over the isthmus at O-tahuhu, and sailed away along the west coast from the entrance of the Manuka harbour towards the south. And when she had got opposite to the entrance of the Wai-kato (full tide) harbour, the people in the canoe saw the water flowing outwards to the sea, and the priest who sat in the bow of the canoe said “Wai-kato, wai-kato kau” (“Flood-water, all flood-water”). These words he uttered in jest, as a taunt, and he threwhis paddle on shore, which stuck in the cliff above him. And they paddled on along the west coast, where again this priest said, “Ko te akau kau” (“All sea-coast”). And when they arrived at Kawhia the same priest said, “Kawhia kau” (“All kawhia”), on account of the fish kawhia being so abundant there. And they landed there, and there again they found Raka-taua, who was standing looking at them. These words are not a myth; they are the words of very truth.
And they dragged Tai-nui on shore, and the skids over which they dragged her grew, and to this day they are still growing there.
The tree I have to introduce was discovered during my recent visit to the Mo-kau district, under circumstances of some interest beyond the mere botanical importance of a new addition to the flora of the country. It is a very local plant, being confined to about an acre of ground on the spur of the low sandy hills that extend along the coast between the Mo-kau and the Mohaka-tino Rivers.
The peculiar habit of the tree first attracted my attention, having a resemblance to a clump of apple-trees, so that at first glance I thought it to be an old orchard or cultivation. I afterwards was much interested in hearing from the Natives that a peculiar tree was growing on the spot where their ancestors first camped when they abandoned the Tai-nui canoe, in which they came from Hawa-iki, and that this tree had sprung from the rollers or skids and the green boughs that were brought as flooring to the great canoe. On my doubting this, they offered to take me to the place, and if I could not recognise the tree as being found elsewhere in New Zealand they would consider it as proof that the tradition was correct.
To my surprise, they took me to the clump of trees I had previously observed, and, as it is certainly quite distinct from any plant hitherto described for New Zealand, the tradition receives a certain amount of confirmation; and I need hardly point out that, if it were true, and we could hereafter determine the original habitat of this tree, it might give us a clue to the whereabouts of the mythical Hawa-iki, or the place whence the Maoris originally migrated to New Zealand.
The following description of this plant indicates it to be closely allied to Pomaderris apetala (Labill.), which is a native of Australia and Tasmania; but, as it differs in its growth to a much larger size—that species being a mere shrub like the kumara-hou (P. elliptica) of New Zealand, whereas the tree now described grows to a height of 2Oft., with a large stem 5in.
A small shrubby tree twenty feet high, with numerous irregular branches; smooth brownish-grey bark; young branches and under side of leaves covered with white stellate tomentum; leaves two to three inches long, elliptic-oblong, obtuse at both ends, irregularly crenulate, glabrous and dark-green on upper surface, with distant stellate bases on young leaves, principal veins very prominent, buff-coloured. Flowers small, in open thyrsoid panicles, leafy at the base, buds nearly globular; calyx about 1 1/4 lines long with stellate leaves, the tube being very short; petals, O; anthers tipped by a small gland; styles divided to the middle, with club-shaped, almost capitate, stagmas; capsule not seen.
Habitat: Sea-coast south of Mokau River. In flower 5th December, 1878.
Kawhia has been held in possession by the descendants of those who landed there in the Tai-nui, and hence that people is called Tai-nui, of whom at this day [1840] Te Kanawa is the supreme chief, and representative of those who landed there in the canoe Tai-nui. All the tribes of Wai-kato are from those same ancestors who came in the Tai-nui; as also are the tribes of Hau-raki (Thames), as the ancestors of the Hau-raki (Thames) tribes migrated there from Kawhia; as also the tribes of Te-rau-paraha are from the same ancestors.
It is said that the caves where the dead have been deposited in the cliffs at Kawhia, were the depositories of the dead belonging to a people who were at Kawhia before the time that Hotu-roa and his associates arrived there in the Tai-nui.
The European goes without authority on to the lands of the Maori, nor does the smallest thing escape his notice. He is most inquisitively annoying on every subject. And why does he enter and pull everything about in the caves of the Maori dead? Why does he not confine his inquisitive acts to the things of every-day life? But, no, he will turn everything upside down. All that is old, decayed, and rotten his hands will handle, as this fact will prove: The Europeans went without authority to Kawhia, and on to the steep cliffs at that place. Having perhaps seen the entrance of a cave far up on the cliff, they climbed up and entered the cave, and there found the bodies of the dead sitting in that cave. These were sitting as though they were alive. The dead were not reclined, but were sitting up, and in a line (or circle) all round the cave. These must be the dead of some other people, as our old men were not aware that this cave was occupied by the dead of our ancestors, nor was the cave used in which to deposit the bones or the dead bodies of our ancient dead; but we heard of these dead bodies from the Europeans who visited this cave. Who can go to this cave, from the dread of ghosts or the dead? Why are these things not left alone, and why do the Europeans handle them?
When the canoe Tai-nui landed at Te-mahia (the sound of a voice or noise) a man of that canoe was left behind, and that man, Raka-taura (entangled by a rope), felt a longing for his companions on board of the Tai-nui, so he dived on the east coast in the sea and came up on the west coast, and swam on shore, and went on to Kawhia. He landed there some time before the Tai-nui arrived there, and he placed the skids for her over which she could be dragged up on shore.
Te-ao-kai (day of food) was the name of the first man whose body was cooked and eaten at Kawhia. He was killed at the
The tree which has grown from the sprig which was tied round the waist of Koro-kino (evil fifth day of the moon's age) by his mother at the time of his birth and baptism is the totara tree which was to be seen on Totara-i-ahua (One-tree Hill), between One-hunga (light soil) and Auckland, to the east of the main road between those places, and was seen growing on the pa (fort on the extinct volcano) called by the name of Te-totara-i-ahua. (the totara which was used as an altar).
Koro-kino was a member of the Nga-ti-awa, and was ancestor of Kiwi of the Tai-nui migration, as the
The proverb, “Do not be mistaken in regard to the marae of Hine,” was repeated in respect to the courtyard in the pa of Hine (daughter), the daughter of Mania-poto (short jarring sensation), who had a pa at Moho-ao-nui (blockhead of the great forest), situate far up the Wai-kato River, where she resided with her parents and people.
Hine was the wife of a chief of the
Do not mistake, or intrude on the marae (courtyard) of Hine.” The pursuing enemy heard the words uttered by old Mania-poto, and halted and stood and looked at their loved Mania-poto, then retired and went back to their homes.
The courtyard of Hine was not entered by a war-party, nor was any human being allowed to be killed there. And if any escaped from a pa which was taken by an enemy, and fled to the courtyard of Hine, such were not followed to that marae, and, though such were pursued by the enemy, when the fleeing one and the pursuer got opposite to the courtyard, the pursuer ceased to follow and went back; and this was the custom in all battles fought in Wai-kato. But if the fleeing ones went in another direction than that leading to the Marae-o-hine they were followed and killed; and hence the proverb,
The courtyard of Hine Will not be trod by A war-party;
which proverb has been continuously repeated, and that courtyard has been held sacred as a place of refuge, by the tribes of Wai-kato to this day.
Also, if the Wai-kato people are not inclined to join in war, they repeat this proverb to indicate the line of action they will take. At the same time the chief of the tribe whose aid is solicited to join in a war will, in giving an answer to the request to join in war, repeat these words, “Come, come to the marae of Hine;” which will be sufficient indication as to how the chief and people of the pa thus asked to join in war will act, and tell distinctly that they will not join in war.
Also, if a member of a tribe has been killed, and it is determined by a council of chiefs that the offending tribe shall be attacked, and if a member of the offending tribe is sent as a messenger to the offended tribe, and if the chief of the offended tribe rise and say, “Come to the marae of Hine, which shall not be trodden by a war-party,” all the people of the chief who speak thus will know that revenge shall not be taken for the death of one of their tribe.
The spot called “the courtyard of Hine” is a little below Moho-wao-nui (blockhead of the forest), on the bank of the Wai-kato River.
This man Peha (bark, rind) came from the east to Kawhia, and lived with a woman of Kawhia, and had a child called Manu-tonga-tea (fair bird of the south), but this child was a bastard. This is how they stood related to each other:—
After this child was born he and his mother lived at a settlement, and when the child had grown and was strong and able to play with other children, he took his whipping-top and played with it in the company of the other children. These, having seen how well he could play with his top, said, “This bastard is able to make his top fly to a great distance;” which the children of the pa repeated at every game they played with him. At last Manu-tonga-tea became grieved at the repetition of the remark, and went to his mother Peho (beg), and said, “O mother! is it true that I am a bastard?” She answered, “Yes; your father came from the east.”
He stayed with his mother till he had become a man, when he thought he would go and see his father, and he said to the tribe of his mother, “Take me to see my father, called Peha, who is the son of Kai-ahi (fire-eater).”
All the tribe agreed to his request, and twice seventy of the tribe assembled to take him to see his father. They took him to the settlement of Peha, where the son and his attendants
Oh! the skin of Manu-tonga-tea Is nipped by the wind. O great bird of Peha— Peha of Kai-ahi.
When these words had been heard by one of the people of Kai-ahi, he went to the house where the people were assembled and repeated the words he had heard the boy uttering; and when the man repeated the words, “Bird of Peha of Kai-ahi,” Peha said, “Oh! the boy is my son, who was born at Kawhia;” and in the morning some went and asked the boy Manu-tonga-tea, who said, “I am Manu-tonga-tea. My mother is called Peho, and my father is Peha; his father is called Kai-ahi.”
Peha cried over his child; but how could he make amends for the insult offered to the boy? The boy lived with his father some time, and then returned to the home of his mother. All the time he lived with his father he did not say anything to the people [did not threaten, or remark on the insult offered to him and his attendants], but so soon as he returned to his mother he meditated on the insult offered to him by his father in the murder of the people of his mother.
He was now living at Kawhia. He collected a war-party with whom he would go and kill his father. The troop assembled, and were in number one hundred and eighty twice told. These went towards the south, and occupied the pa of Peha. As Peha had murdered some of the people of Manu-tonga-tea, so he
Manu-tonga-tea is one ancestor from whom the Wai-kato people take their origin, and from him the chief Kokako came, who had a son called Tama-inu-po, who was also a bastard belonging to Kawhia, whose mother was called Whaea-tapoko, and whose genealogy is thus given:—
Hotu-Mauea (sob for apparent food) was a very tall man, and was one of the progenitors of the Wai-kato people and also of the Nga-ti-haua.
He took a wife, and had a child, and he went on one side to take water out of a hole for his wife. Now, at this time the brothers of the wife of Hotu-mauea were concocting a plan by which they could kill the husband of their sister.
When these brothers had laid their plans to kill Hotu-mauea they in a body came towards the settlement of their sister, and found Hotu-mauea in the water-hole getting water for his wife. Now, Hotu-mauea had dug this pit [well] to obtain water for his
Some of the war-party now went down into the well to kill Hotu-mauea there, and as they got near to him they held a weapon up to give him a blow. They struck him, but he warded the blow off. Hotu-mauea now saw that the road by which they had come down into the pit was clear for him to escape. At the same time the brothers who were still standing on the brink of the well called to those who had gone down to kill Hotu-mauea and said, “Do not strike him on the head, lest the skull be cracked, and the head be ruined when cured.”
When Hotu-mauea heard these words uttered about his skull he was very wroth, and in the excitement of the moment he sprang up out of the well, and with one bound stood on the brink, and, as those of the war-party who were there attempted to strike him with their weapons, he rose in power, and fled and escaped; but the war-party caught the woman and her child, which was a son. And, as they had taken her prisoner, her brothers went to examine the child to know its sex, and so determine what sex the heir of their sister was. The two brothers who went asked their sister, “What sex is your child?” She had placed her son in such a way that the child appeared to them to be a girl, and they were satisfied that it was of the
Hotu-mauea fled, and, being a swift-running man, he escaped; but some of the war-party pursued him, and as they followed him and got near to where he was, close to the stem of a tawa-tree (Nesodaphne tawa) which was growing near the bank of the Horo-tiu (swift-flying) River, with one leap he stood in the top of the tree, towards which his pursuers went, and from the top of the tree he said to them, “Go back: I shall not be caught by you.” But they did all they could to get at him on the top of the tawa-tree. Hotu-mauea made one defiant jump, and leaped across the Horo-tiu River, which is perhaps twice ten and five fathoms across; and the place where he thus jumped is a little above Kirikiri-roa (long gravel), at the Nihinihi (steep), where the marks of his feet as they sank in the rock as he landed on the brink of the creek are seen to this day. Now, when he got to the other side of Horo-tiu River he went off and was looked at in vain by his pursuers; for, what could they do, as the river was between them, and only by crossing in a canoe or swimming could they be where he then was? At this day this river is voyaged on by steamers.
And hence the proverb: when a long man is seen, it is said of him, “Well, this man is Hotu-mauea.”
In the days of ancient times, in the days when the descendants of those who came in Tai-nui made war on the old occupants and original owners of the land at Mokau—in those days the descendants of Hotu-roa (long sob) collected a band of warriors and attacked the forts of the original owners of the land, and the Tai-nui war-party went to attack the fort of the people of
In the days of ancient times the descendants of those who arrived in Tai-nui made war on the people who had occupied the interior of Wai-kato—that is, the Tai-nui attacked the original inhabitants of the land.
These people were called Te-upoko-tioa (the cold or sharp head), and were a people who had occupied that district long before the Tai-nui landed at Kawhia.
These people were attacked by the descendants of those who came over in Tai-nui. The men they killed, and the women were saved, and taken as wives by the Tai-nui. Those who attacked these people were of one family tribe of Tai-nui, and were descended from one ancestor, and were therefore uncles and nephews, who, after they had killed the inhabitants of Wai-kato, turned against and made war each on the other—uncle killed nephew, and nephew killed uncle; elder killed the younger, and younger killed the elder.
The elder branches of the Tai-nui family lived on the land far up the Wai-kato River, and at a certain time some of these voyaged in their canoes towards the heads of Wai-kato—towards the sea. These people on their voyage collected all the pumice-stone they could find in the river, and threw it on shore on to the banks of the stream, while others of them collected the pumice-stone of the interior and threw it into the river. The reason they did this was that they might claim the Wai-kato River and all the adjacent country as their own.
This party voyaged on, and at last arrived at the fort of their nephews; but they had not been long there before they murdered some of those nephews, and put the bodies in their canoes and took them to another of their forts far up the Wai-kato River, and left them there unburied, so that the relations of the dead might go with a war-party and fetch them if they liked, and revenge this murder by shedding blood. Some of those to whose fort these bodies had been taken took some of their own houses and placed them in the river. These houses were made of toetoe (Epacris panciflora), and did not sink. Some of these people dived under the houses and stayed there, as there was sufficient room under the houses in which they could sit without being drowned. The stream carried these houses far down the river, and the houses looked like the driftwood of a flood. Nor were the occupants of these houses seen by those of their cousins who lived on the banks of the river, and hence those in the houses escaped the vengeance of their relatives, and were not killed by their cousins. The cause of these murders was that the elder branch of the family might possess the whole Wai-kato district. Not long after this event the elder branch of the family again made war on the younger line; but about this time a grandson of one of the elder branch of the family took to wife the granddaughter of a younger branch of the family. These had a son, and the child was not killed by the elder branch of the family. One night, when this boy had
Te-arawa, Mata-atua, and Tai-nui are the first-mentioned canoes of all the canoes which came to these Islands. The first great tribe was called Nga-ti-hua-rere (descendants of Hua-rere—flying fruit), and from this tribe sprang Wai-taha (water at the side or water in a taha—calabash), and from Wai-taha came the Nga-ti-awa (descendants of Awa—river or creek). And after the Nga-ti-hua-