1922.] 
Best.—Operiki Pa, Koriniti, Whanganui River. 
303 
THE OPERIKI PA, KORINITI, WHANGANUI RIVER. 
By Elsdon Best, Dominion Museum. 
With illustrations by J. McDonald. 
The Operiki Pa, situated about a mile from Koriniti (Corinth), on the 
Whanganui River, is a' good example of the old-time pre-European fa 
maori, or native fort. Like many others of these old strongholds, it has 
been used as a cemetery in modern times. It was abandoned by the 
natives after the introduction of Christianity, probably about the year 
1845. The site of the fa is a rectangular, gently sloping area of 95 
by 90 yards, on the left bank of the Whanganui River, and having on its 
southern side the precipitous canon of the Operiki Creek. The river face 
also is a vertical cliff, thus leaving two sides only to be artificially defended. 
The outer defence of the eastern side is a fosse, now almost filled with 
debris, inside of which are the much-eroded remains of an old rampart. 
The northern side has a rampart only, the land sloping down to a small 
gully. Inside the ramparts a dense growth of native trees and poplars 
betokens a fertile soil. This tree-grown old fort of neolithic man is an 
extremely picturesque place. 
In the stream hard by are a few remains of an old flour-mill, built about 
the year 1850 at the instance of the late Sir George Grey. Three others 
were erected on the river at the same time—one at Kaiwhaiki, one just 
above Galatea, and one at Pipiriki. The last-mentioned one is still 
standing, and is utilized to drive the electric-lighting apparatus for the 
accommodation-house. 
The local Natives tell of a siege of Operiki by enemies from Waikato 
in the long ago. This siege continued for some time, and then Waikato 
constructed a large rangi, or tortoise of supplejack, a closely woven fabric. 
This was carried forward by many men, whom it protected from frontal 
and overhead spear attack. Their plan was to plant the tortoise at the 
base of the maioro (rampart) and then undermine the earthwork. That 
plan came to naught, for the besieged constructed a Jcotaretare and so saved 
their ramparts. A number of long poles were placed so as to rest on the 
upper rail of the stockade and project out beyond the rampart. Cross¬ 
pieces secured to these formed a sloping elevated platform. The inner 
end was secured, then men stationed on its outer end cast down heavy 
boulders of stone and smashed in the roof of the tortoise. Long spears were 
then brought to bear on the discomfited occupants, and many were so slain. 
As the survivors withdrew, the men of Operiki crowded the fuwhara, or 
lighting-stages, and roared forth the famed ngeri (taunting-song) of Operiki :— 
“ Te rongo mai koia koe 
Ko te waro hunanga kai tenei ? 
Ko te waro hunanga tangata tenei 
Ko nga Tuatara o Kawakawa. 
Kei ngenge kau ou turi 
I te hapainga i te kakau o te hoe 
A kia riro atu te Toka i Matai 
E tu ake nei te whakawehi o te riri.” 
(“ Have you not heard that here is the dread chasm in which man 
and food are destroyed, and of the famed tuatara of Kawakawa ? Have 
care lest your knees be wearied to no purpose in wielding the paddle-shafts. 
When the Rock of Matai, the buckler of war-time, is carried away, then 
may ye prevail.”) 
