96 Transactions. 



battle was known by the name of Tu-raki-awatea, and was fought on the 

 site of the Turakina Railway-station. The Tu-raki-awatea Pa stood on the 

 other side of the main road, near the Turakina Bridge. The old pa on 

 the opposite side of the river was known as Kopiro. Flushed with victory, 

 the Ngati Apa followed up another party of Rangi-tane to Papa-rata 

 (Oroua Downs), and annihilated them there. These losses naturally 

 aroused the riri of the Rangi-tane, who obtained aid from the Ngati 

 Kahu-ngunu, Nga Pakapaka, and Nga Mutu-ahi, from Dannevirke, and 

 came against Pukepuke, but were again repulsed. Then they resorted to 

 stratagem, and made it appear as though they had retired ; but not so — 

 they were simply hiding. Th^^n some of the Ngati Apa women and 

 children went in a canoe over the river on to the flat to suck flax-blossoms , 

 and before they discovered their perilous position they were captured. In 

 this way Oko-rewa, Te Hakeke's mother, was taken, as well as others ; 

 but before Rangi-tane got away with their prisoners, one of the women 

 managed to call out to Rangi-hau-tu to follow, as his wife was a captive. 

 He did so, but did not come up to the retreating iaua till they came to 

 the Manawa-tu, where, instead of fighting, a peace was patched up, and 

 Rangi-hau-tu was returning home in full confidence with the women, when 

 he was set upon by his escort of Rangi-tane men, and cruelly murdered 

 by Taka-wai. His body was left on a ridge called Te Ruahine (a sand- 

 ridge lying between the fertile and waste lands on the southern side of the 

 Rangi-tikei River), but the women and children got back to the Puke- 

 puke Pa in safety. ' 



A Waiata composed on the Occasion of Rangi-hatj-tu's Death, sung by a Rangi- 

 tane Woman of the Pakapaka Hapu (mo te Matenga o tc Rangi-hau-tw 1 patxia 

 e Taka-wai me ona taina ki te Ruahine Manuka). 



Me whakawai hoki e puanga akohti te patu tonu ai, 



Ka rau-ai to ringa mo nga ringa kino 



Kai te Ruahine mo Tanitia* tena kei roto mo te rangi Whititua,* 



Tena kei roto mo te Rangi-tapu-ihi,* 



Tena kei roto mo taku voranihu kai Pukepuke, 



]\Io te rorotuna ki Kai-kokopu. 



I me kata atu au e hika i kouci i. 



— / waiaiangia mat mo te Hakeke i te 

 whawhai ki kahutara. 



" So died the great chief Rangi-hau-tu (storm-wind standing in the 

 heavens) by treachery foul and dark. The proud canoe was broken up, 

 and his people were left stranded, with the raging sea all around them, 

 but they were not engulfed "' — for Ao-kehu quickly sent messengers 

 to Whanga-nui and Manga -whero, telUng them what had happened, 

 and seeking aid, which was readily given; and the combined forces 

 travelled to Manawa-tu, where they defeated Rangi-tane at the Hara- 

 keke Pa with great slaughter. (The site of the Harakeke Pa was the 

 place now known as the Sugarloaf Hill, below the Manawa-tu Railway- 

 bridge.) 



When this pa was first surrounded, Avord was hurriedly sent to Te 

 Ahuru-o-te-rangi, who was then on a visit to the South Island. As soon 

 as he received the message, he crossed over the Rau-kawa Strait with his 

 war-party in canoes ; but by the time he aiTived the pa had been captured, 

 and many of its people killed and eaten. Te Ahuru-o-te-rangi then 



* Three Ngati Apa men killed previously. 



