Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Kāhu ki Rotorua: Insult leads to curse and death

Raimona Inia
By Raimona Inia
Kāhu ki Rotorua ·Rotorua Daily Post·
26 May, 2022 05:33 PM8 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Ohoukākā is a grand old pā site on the northern side of Lake Te Rotoiti.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air

Click here for English translation

Ko Ohoukākā te pā nui

Ka kanga a Te Rangiwawahia e Te Honikura ka rongo i te kanga mōna ka haere ki tona iwi ki a Waitaha ki te whakataka ope māna.

Ko Ohoukākā te kāinga e nohia nei e ngā tokorua rangatira.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Kua kōrerongia a Ohoukākā i ngā tuhinga kua hori. He kūmore i kitea e Kahumatamomoe.
Nānā hoki i ingoangia ko Ohoukākā. Koia te ingoa o te kūmore katoa. Engari tēnei kūmore i wāwahia kia whā pā motuhake. Ki te mātārae ki te taha whiti o te pā ko Te Tikitiki-o-Kurutōngia, ko roto mai ko Okurapoto, ki roto mai i a ia ko Kakanui, ko waho ko Te Pā-o-Ngauru.

Nō Te Honikura a Kakanui nō Okurapoto a Te Rangiwawahia, otīā he tapeha tata hoki rāua i heke mai i a Taketakehikuroa. Kāti ka haere a Te Rangiwawahia ki Te Rotoehu ki te taha o tōna tupuna i a Te Aotapairu.

Ka whakaae tana hiahia e Waitaha, kātahi ka tae ki Whāngaikōrea ki a Tokihāpai, ka whāki i te take e haere atu ai ia he whakataka ope ka whakaaengia e Tokihāpai me Matarewha otīā me ngā rangatira nui o tērā takiwā. Ka hoki ki te Okurapoto ki te whakatakoto tikanga ka noho ki te taumata o Waewaetahuna ka tae ki a ia te tikanga.

Ka hī te ata ka hoki a Te Rangiwawahia ki Whangaikorea ki te whāki i te tikanga o te riri. Me tana mea atu ki ngā rangataira ko te tohu o te riri ko tana whakaaraara e pēnei ana,

"Tika tonu mai, tika tonu mai ki a au e noho atu nei ki te kāinga". Katahi ia ka hoki ki Ohoukākā ki tōna pā ki Okurapoto.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ko Ohoukākā te pā nui. Kua kōrerongia kētia e ahau te nui o tēnei pā whakairo. E whā wāhanga o te pā kai ia pā tōna ake maioro e noho wehe ai i tēnā pā, i tēnā pā. Ko te iwi e noho mai nā i Whāngaikōrea ko Tūtaki-a-Koti ko Tūtaki-a-Hani.

Ka pō ka hoea e rātou te moana Te Rotoiti, ka hipa te ūpoko o Te Rangiwawahia he pōwhatu kai te mātārae o te wahapū ka tae ki Waewaetahae ka uta ētehi, ko ētehi anō ka hoe ki Te Mourea ki reira tatari ai.

Ka rongo te ope i te mataara a Te Rangiwawahia rokohanga atu ngā taura ka mau, ka piki, ka roa e piki ana ka puta ki te tihi o te pā whakairo, ka huna te hokowhitu ki ngā whare o te pā. Ka hī te ata ka kitea te ope tauā e nga uri o Taketakehikuroa e whakapōhane mai nā i te moana, ka oma ngā toa ki ngā waka, ka tere ngā waka, ka riria te iwi nā e ngā uri o Taketakehikuroa.

E rere ana ngā hoe, ka rūpuke te ope matua a Te Rangiwawahia, ka maranga te hokowhitu o uta ka hinga te pā o Tikitiki o Kuratongia, ka huri ngā tao ki te pā o Kakanui, ka mate ngā rangatira me ngā wahine, ko Te Pā o Ngāuru hoki tētehi o ngā pā ka pau i te wera, ka hinga ngā rangatira nui.

Discover more

New Zealand

Stolen patches and violent attacks: Police 'put the hammer down' as gang tensions rise

01 Jun 05:34 PM
The kumara caves on the north side of Ohoukaka.
The kumara caves on the north side of Ohoukaka.

Nō te taenga atu o te ope a Taketakehikuroa ki Te Mourea ka mātau ai rātou kua tinihangangia rātou e Te Rangiwawahia e titiro atu ana ki ngā pā o Ohoukākā e wera ana, ka oma ētehi. Ka mate a Te Honikura i a Kawitiroro, ko Ngāuru hoki tētehi o ngā rangatira nui i mate. Katahi ka whaiwhakaaro a Te Rangiwawahia ki ngā iwi o Waitaha me Kawitiroro ka tukuna te wahanga ki a Ngāuru ko te wahanga ki a Te Honikura , ka hoki katoa te ope ki ngā kāinga ka nōhia e Kawitiroro tēnei whenua a Paritangi.

Ko Ohoukākā te pā nui. Kua kōrerongia kētia e ahau te nui o tēnei pā whakairo. E whā wāhanga o te pā kai ia pā tōna ake maioro e noho wehe ai i tēnā pā, i tēnā pā. Ko te iwi e noho mai nā i Whāngaikōrea ko Tūtaki-a-Koti ko Tūtaki-a-Hani .

Ka pō ka hoea e rātou te moana Te Rotoiti, ka hipa te ūpoko o Te Rangiwawahia he pōwhatu kai te mātārae o te wahapū ka tae ki Waewaetahae ka uta ētehi, ko ētehi anō ka hoe ki Te Mourea ki reira tatari ai. Ka rongo te ope i te mataara a Te Rangiwawahia rokohanga atu ngā taura ka mau, ka piki, ka roa e piki ana ka puta ki te tihi o te pā whakairo, ka huna te hokowhitu ki ngā whare o te pā.

Ka hī te ata ka kitea te ope tauā e nga uri o Taketakehikuroa e whakapōhane mai nā i te moana, ka oma ngā toa ki ngā waka, ka tere ngā waka, ka riria te iwi nā e ngā uri o Taketakehikuroa.

E rere ana ngā hoe, ka rūpuke te ope matua a Te Rangiwawahia, ka maranga te hokowhitu o uta ka hinga te pā o Tikitiki o Kuratongia, ka huri ngā tao ki te pā o Kakanui, ka mate ngā rangatira me ngā wahine, ko Te Pā o Ngāuru hoki tētehi o ngā pā ka pau i te wera, ka hinga ngā rangatira nui.

Nō te taenga atu o te ope a Taketakehikuroa ki Te Mourea ka mātau ai rātou kua tinihangangia rātou e Te Rangiwawahia e titiro atu ana ki ngā pā o Ohoukākā e wera ana, ka oma ētehi.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ka mate a Te Honikura i a Kawitiroro, ko Ngāuru hoki tētehi o ngārangatira nui i mate. Katahi ka whaiwhakaaro a Te Rangiwawahia ki ngā iwi o Waitaha me Kawitiroro ka tukuna te wahanga ki a Ngāuru ko te wahanga ki a Te Honikura, ka hoki katoa te ope ki ngā kāinga ka nōhia e Kawitiroro tēnei whenua a Paritangi.

Ohoukākā is a grand old pā site on the northern side of Lake Te Rotoiti.

The area was named by an earlier ancestor named Kahumatamomoe when he took from his hair a plume of the kākā bird and planted it in the soil. This site was occupied by many people, and this is the story of one chief who lived here. His name was Te Rangiwawahia.

Te Rangiwawahia was cursed by a chief named Te Honikura. These two chiefs had a common ancestor called Tuteamutu; therefore, they were both descendants of Taketakehikuroa. When Te Rangiwawahia heard about the curse, he travelled to Waitaha, the people of his ancestor Te Aotapairu; he reached a settlement on the north shore of
Lake Rotoiti called Whangaikorea and told them of the incident and the desire to raise a war party.

Tokihapai the local chief agreed; Te Rangiwawahia then travelled to Rotoehu and gained the support of Matarewha another prominent leader of this period. Te Rangiwawahia's plan was starting to develop.

With the support of powerful fighting chiefs, he returned to his settlement upon Ohoukākā to Okurapoto, he started creating a rope ladder that would be lowered down the side of the cliff to be used by the Waitaha warriors waiting at the bottom; he also made a chant to let the men know when to start their climb "Tika tonu mai, tika tonu mai ki a au e noho atu nei ki te kāinga".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Ohoukākā is a grand old pā site on the northern side of Lake Te Rotoiti.
Ohoukākā is a grand old pā site on the northern side of Lake Te Rotoiti.

'Climb towards me, come closer for here I am waiting at my abode – climb, climb'. Then, he again travelled to Whangaikorea and relayed his plan before going back to Ohoukaka.

It was here that Te Honikura and the people of Taketakehikuroa lived. Ohoukaka is a great pā that is separated by great ditches where many other strongholds once stood. Te Tikitiki o Kuratongia was one, so also Te Pā o Ngauru and Kakanui, Te Rohutu as well as Okurapoto, the dwelling place of Te Rangiwawahia.

The people living at Whangaikorea were the Tutaki a Koti and Tutaki a Hani people. At night they all travelled; under darkness, some of them landed below the area waewaetahae.

When they arrived, they heard the voice of Te Rangiwawahia; they found the ropes hanging down and so started their climb to the top. Finally, they reached the top of the Okurapoto pā, one section of the Ohoukaka pā.

The invaders hid at Okurapoto. When morning came, the Taketakehikuroa from other sections of the pā saw the fighting party anchored in the Bay and made their way down to their waka to commence battle with the invaders.

When the Taketakehikuroa arrived at Te Mourea, another site across the bay to where they thought the invading party would be best attacked, the concealed army within Ohoukākā started killing the occupants of the other sections of the pā; only then did the Taketakehikuroa realise that there were two invading parties — they had been deceived and outwitted.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Te Honikura was captured by Kawitiroro and killed; the initial insult of Te Honikura resulted in him losing his life. With the victory, Te Rangiwawahia gave the conquered pā sites as a gift to those who had assisted in avenging his insult.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Cold showers, decontamination for workers at scene of truck crash

19 Jun 04:15 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Geeks and creatives' hope award shows rangitahi they 'belong in tech'

19 Jun 03:10 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

19 Jun 01:59 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Cold showers, decontamination for workers at scene of truck crash

Cold showers, decontamination for workers at scene of truck crash

19 Jun 04:15 AM

'The clean-up was thorough and there is no ongoing risk.'

'Geeks and creatives' hope award shows rangitahi they 'belong in tech'

'Geeks and creatives' hope award shows rangitahi they 'belong in tech'

19 Jun 03:10 AM
Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

19 Jun 01:59 AM
Blind and deaf man dies after hit-and-run, police release new images of suspect

Blind and deaf man dies after hit-and-run, police release new images of suspect

19 Jun 01:04 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP