76 TUTIRA 



struggle for the axe, Te Amohia in the end obtaining possession of it 

 at the cost of a badly-cut hand. The three ladies then pounded their 

 enemy's head till he was senseless, when Te Amohia placed her foot on 

 his neck, and with all the strength she could command, " once, twice, 

 three times did she strike, and every time the axe was buried in his 

 brain." The three women then cut him open, and tearing out his heart, 

 still warm and pulsating, Te Amohia placed it in the palm of her right 

 hand, and raising it above her head according to the ancient rite of 

 " whangai hau" offered it as an oblation to her mana or atua. 



It is interesting to note, as another example of the change from 

 heathen to Christian nomenclature and Christian custom, that in later 

 life Te Amohia became Elizabeth or rather its equivalent in Maori, 

 Biripeti ; under that name, dressed in European style, and doubtless 

 a professing member of the Church of England, she was well known 

 to Pera and Te Hata-Kani when they were boys as a quiet, pious, 

 elderly lady. 



Well, years passed away, but the desire to seek utu payment, 

 revenge for the Tauranga-koau mishap, and especially vengeance on 

 Te Mautaranui, the Urewera chief, still burnt fierce in the hearts of 

 our brave little hapu, which now, instead of Ngai-Tatara, was more 

 commonly known as Ngati-kuru-mokihi, those who had been attacked by 

 means of mokihi or rush-rafts. 



Its warriors met in conclave and decided that one of their number, 

 Hunuhunu, should be despatched as embassy to the various tribes along 

 the route to Te Wairoa, beyond which lay the vast tract of the Urewera 

 country, the country of Te Mautaranui. Hunuhunu accordingly set 

 forth, carrying on his back a taha huahua or calabash of preserved tui. 

 At Wai-hi-rere, in the neighbourhood of Te Wairoa, he met Te Apatu, 

 the leading chief of that locality. To him he explained his mission and 

 asked for assistance in seeking utu from the Urewera tribe ; his speech 

 completed, he presented the calabash of preserved birds to Te Apatu. 

 That chieftain, however, did not commit himself by acceptance, but 

 accompanying Hunuhunu, bade him proceed to Tiakiwai, the chief of 

 the Awatere. Hunuhunu repeated to Tiakiwai the proposal already 

 made to Te Apatu, preferring to him also the calabash. Tiakiwai, 

 following the example of Te Apatu, also declined the dangerous gift, 

 but accompanying Hunuhunu through his tribal lands, passed on his 

 guest to Ngarangimataeo at Te Ruataniwha. Ngarangimataeo in his 



