Location of Arapawaiti pa, Otaihanga

I use this shot as a benchmark to the passing of my mother-in-law the late Beryl. Ada. Mackie. Pukehou Hill lay down when Beryl lay down.Beryl was a queen in her own right, as local folk will nod to. Anyway, this was a weekend like no other! Absolute mayhem from the hills to the ocean, damage and chaos was everywhere. Newspaper reports stated flood patterns not seen since 30 years! The interesting thing about this photo was a scholar chap from down Otago university was sent up this way to research Pukehou Hill, and the question in moot was: "where did all of the soil go to when Pukehou fell like she did?" His findings were quite interesting; his theory is that: " the soils were totally washed away because there was so much rainfall that weekend near everything was awash.! " There was no damage to fencelines, nor soils along any of the fenclines along the bottom of the hills. I am familiar with this hill as I also worked on this Deer Farm with Rodney Lind, and lived in both farm houses at the foothills, she's a beautiful view from the top skyline by the way! It was here that I bumped into the scholar from Otago one day, we started chatting, and these are the resulting pics. This hill is also a historical site in terms of way back in the Mäori war times when Te Rauparaha and his people lived all through the district. The hill is known as "Ihaia's Leap" or, "The hill of Dedication" where local körero (talk), states a member of the Muaupoko tribe (Ihaia), was found up a tree as Ngati Raukawa people were travelling through that area. They gave him the option to jump; and if he survived...he may leave, yet, if he died...most unlucky in terms of the practices that were in place way back then! Thus; Ihaia survived; and as local talk would have it...this is one line of how the Muaupoko tribes numbers rose again through Ihaia who has direct lineage to the whänau Taueki resident throughout Levin. I do not wish to get into the politics of the actual matters here. This is just an overview of how the story has evolved locally, from whence I came, and no malice is intended throughout this text.

On the 18 July 2009 I took part in a bus trip around sites of historical significance in the Otaki area.

from trig looking south and you see Kapiti island in the hazy horizon

Thursday April 9th

Court sat at 10am

Present: Thos H Smith - Judge

W. B. White and J. Rogan - Judges

Same Assessors

Himatangi - continued -

Mr Fox stated that he should now call Ngati Raukawa witnesses.

Horomona Toremi - Sworn

Otaki - Te Patutukituki, Ngatiraukawa and Ngati Whakane -

I was with Nepia Taratoa - ws with him at his death and was left by him in charge of his eldest son - has a document to this effect - came here with a 'heke' of Ngati Raukawa - the east 'heke; between I and 2 years after Whatanui's 'heke;

I don't know anything of Whatanui's 'heke' - the land had been taken by Rauparaha.

I came down the Rangitikei to Te Awamate - there were 200 men of my 'heke' - Moko Moko Chief of Ngati Apa was there and Te Ata and Tutahi - we crossed to Pukepuke where we found Te Rua, Chief of Ngatiapa and Tuawhea and Peketau (Ratana's father) with his wife - we came on to Ohau (Ngatiapa received us hospitably and gave us eels and fern root) - came on to Otaki - we found the first 'heke' of Ngatiraukawa there at the mouth of Otaki and tangi with them - then the expedition to Kaiapohia - my 'heke' remained here to collect flax and cultivated here that year - at a place called Taranaki (3 acres) near Katihikie.

Aperahama Te Ruru and Parakaia cultivated - I came across to Te Roto Whakahokiri to my fathers cultivation (Haerewharara the brother of my mother).

I went to Huritini to collect flax - went to Okaka at Ohau and to Te Rata which belonged to Ihakara's 'tupuna' Iaikapurua - I returned to Otaki - then the 'heke' of Ngatiruanui, Taranaki and Ngatiawa came to Ohau there were about 1000 men of them - they came on here and 'Ka patu e Ngatiraukawa'

Tawake a Ngatiwawa Chief was killed - this was the Haowhenua business - when the Ngatiwawa of Waikanae (the 1600) heard that this 'pito' of them had been 'patued' they came from Waikanae and built the Haowhenua 'pa' - Ngatiraukawa fought and 2 Ngatiruanui's were taken to the 'pa' and 3 of the Waikanae 1600 - Ngati Tu wharetoa - Te Heu heu - Waikato - Ngati [Marui - undecipherable] Whanganui Te Reanuku (Tohi's brother) Ngati Whakane.

We were there one year - we had been surrounded by the enemy when his sucessor arrived and saved us - there was a fight between these allies and Ngati awa at Te Horowhuo. Tupe o tu and Te Hau te Horo fell - Ngatiawa came back to Haowhenua, a fight ensued and Papaka of Te Wharetoa and Te Hika of Ngati Whakane fell. We then went on to Waikanae and on our return came along close to Haowhenua 'pa' Ngati Awa and Ngati Toa (Kataha a Ngati Ta=oa) sallied out and killed some.

Rauparaha was with Ngatiraukawa. Rangihaeata was with the Ngati Toa who sided with Ngati Awa.

After this the allies returned and then we left our 'pa' - we ran to Ohau and stopped there - we were afraid of Ngati Awa - 'Ka Pakaru' the 'Kohainga'.We remained at Ohau - Ihakara and his 'tupuna' Tai Kapurua went to Manawatu - Te Hiko and Chiefs of Ngati Toa then followed Rauparaha in canoes and brought him back again.

At Ohau Rauparaha embarked to go to Kapiti. Rauparaha Te Whatanui - kiharoa Te Puke, Te Matia and Ngakuku of my 'hapu'.

My tribes remained at Ohau, Nepia Kuruho Aperahama Huruhu - (Ngati Parewaka waha). and (Patutukituki) Haerewharara, Honerite and I - then we went to Rangitikei.

We went 'ki te whakahoa i a ngatiapa' - we were not invited but went of our own accord - don't know about Hakeke inviting us - we went there after Haowhenua and made friends after we got there - there were 60 men who went - some joined us on the road on the other side of Manawatu - Kingi Aho aho was one - we went up and found Ngatiapa at Te Ana - - 40 of them - (Names Chiefs of Ngati Apa there) - Ngati Tupataua a 'hapu Rangatira' of Ngati Apa - lived together with Ngati Apa - Hunia's tale about our going to Matahiwi and Waituna to Hakeke's 'pa' is correct -

We left Waituna and came to Te Ana and built a 'pa' on the other side of Rangitikei - built it with Ngati Apa - we had become one tribe and lived together - after 2 years stay there Kawana Paipai's father Tawhito came - came to ask us to avenge some Ngati Apa Chiefs killed at Waitotara - We went and Kiatanui at Waitotara was taken - I took a Chief of Ngati Apa Takanirangi and let him go - Tapa's brother also shot a Whanganui.

We returned to Te Ana and Whanganui attacked Ngati Papa at Whangaehu and killed Whainga Piking as 'tua kaua' in payment for those who had been killed of their tribe - Turangapito sent for my father to go with the 'tawa toto' and to bury Whainga who had been left to lie where she was killed - went and at Whangaehu were surprised in the night by Whanganui - a 'pononga' of mine (Turingonge) was taken and we bolted into the river Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Apa - I and Turangapito held them - Whanganui rushed on us and captured Haerewharara's brother and carried him off gun and all --- this was about 4am.

I rallied our party and killed Takarangi and Whanganui bolted and left him. We returned to Te Ana and then crossed Rangitikei being afraid of Wanganui, Tapa's father Te Wata Heino Kanga and Pukerimu Ngati Kauhata Chiefs - came to see us and Ngati Tuputaua 'hapu' of Ngati Apa pointed out land for us to occupy.Rangitane up Rangitikei - Tomo Kauga was also a place were we were allowed to go to get 'Kakariki' and Te puta Te Rake hou.

We had a 'Waerenga' at Te Koeka near Rakehou - Hakaraia Pouri (NgatiApa) Te Rongo (Ngati Raukawa and Manihera aki (NgatiApa) Te NgaWha (NgatiApa) - after a time left... [the rest of this transcript is in part 2]

Photo provided by Pauline Cottrell nee Harris via email who wrote:

"I am also a decendant of Jessie and William Harris through their son David Harris my great grandfather who resided in Auckland and who lived to attend my parents wedding.

I have been trying to find out about Riria and have just some of the story. I have a picture ( attached ) whom I believe to be Jessie Clark and would be grateful if you could confirm this also if you would kindly pass on to me any family photos of Riria, Jessie etc and any information."

Jessie is the only daughter of HEKE PARATA and DAVID CLARK is JESSIE CLARK, b. Abt. 1845, New Zealand; d. 1912, Pauatahanui, New Zealand.

She was baptised in the Kapiti parish 18 January 1846

She married WILLIAM HARRIS 14 January 1861 in Mr Londons Hotel, Porirua, New Zealand, son of DAVID HARRIS and CAROLINE COX.

Married at Mr "London's Hotel".

Jessie and William lived many years in a two storied house north of Pauatahanui

She is buried at Pauatahanui, New Zealand