Tāngatahara

Tangatahara ( – 13 December 1847) was a Ngāti Irakehu (Banks Peninsula) and Ngāi Tūāhuriri warrior who led the unsuccessful defence of the Ōnawe Pā invasion in 1832, but later restored his prestige by joining war parties to drive Te Rauparaha and his forces from Te Wai Pounamu.

Early life

Tangatahara (pronounced Takata Hara in Southern Māori dialect, also spelt Tangata Hara) lived at Kaiapoi Pā and on the western side of Akaroa Harbour, on Banks Peninsula. 'Tangata' means 'man' and 'hara' can mean 'offence' or 'foul'; in other words, his name denotes a criminal or ugly man.

Ngāi Tahu, originally a lower North Island tribe, had moved steadily south into Ngāti Mamoe territory, settling where people were already settled, conquering and intermingling, until the Ngāti Mamoe lost their identity as a separate people. In the early 19th century, the Kaiapoi and Banks Peninsula hapū were divided against each another, and many were killed in the Kai Huānga ('consuming relatives') feud. But they had to put their differences aside to face a new threat when the Ngāti Toa war chief Te Rauparaha began a series of raids on the South Island.

Thus, Tangatahara lived in a time of violent conflicts within and between tribes, along with the misunderstandings and minor conflicts of the early decades of contact with Europeans. Ngāi Tahu people would always have been on guard. Spring ushered in the fighting season. Winter was the time to withdraw, to family life, to make repairs and recuperate. When the earth sprouted, it was time to ready your weapons.

Tangatahara first encountered Te Rauparaha at Kaiapoi Pā at the end of 1828 or beginning of 1829. He and Akaroa's high chief, the cruel and cowardly Tama-i-hara-nui, ambushed and killed eight of Te Rauparaha's (chiefs) in a pre-emptive strike. The northerners had arrived at the pā giving assurances of friendly feelings towards the inhabitants. However, words had arrived via fugitives from a skirmish at Omihi of slaughter and foul play by Te Rauparaha's followers. The leaders of the pā convened a hurried meeting and decided unanimously to strike the first blow. Te Pēhi Kupe, a senior Ngāti Toa (chief), saw what was happening and scrambled to escape.

In all, eight northern chiefs were dispatched in a terrible and surprising blow to Te Rauparaha. He had never imagined that the Ngāi Tūāhuriri would dare to take such an initiative. He made a speedy retreat and fled back to his stronghold on Kapiti Island, bearing a grudge.

The killings, particularly of Te Pēhi Kupe, triggered a war. Two years later Te Rauparaha returned, and in a bold and novel ruse, now known as the Takapūneke massacre, he captured Tama-i-hara-nui. (The whereabouts of Tangatahara on that day is not documented).

Ōnawe

Fearing Te Rauparaha would return after he had captured Tama-i-hara-nui and sacked Takapūneke, the Akaroa Harbour Māori built a pā (fortification) on the landward slope of Ōnawe Peninsula. (Its attractiveness as a defensive position in the warfare of the period is indicated by the fact that the French in 1838 gave Ōnawe the name of 'Mount Gibraltar'. Yet in fact it was a deadly trap.)

Tangatahara, at age 60, was commander of the defences at the pā. Great quantities of food were stored within the pā, and the defenders dragged waka (canoe) into the pā and filled them with water, in case access to the springs was cut off. About 400 warriors and a larger number of woman and children gathered.

When Te Rauparaha did return in the summer of 1831–32, he captured the stronghold at Kaiapoi Pā, then carried on to the Ōnawe fortress, intent killing Tama-i-hara-nui's kinsmen. Using a party of captives from Kaiapoi as a screen, panic ensued, and he took the pā where there was further slaughter.

Tangatahara, as the leader, put up a fight at Ōnawe, in this forlorn stand. Few survived the day, only the young and strong were taken for slavery. Up to 1200 people were slain.

This catastrophe, which has puzzled historians ever since, suggests a surprising degree of incompetence, gullibility and indecision on the defender's part, as well as lingering suspicions and animosity from the Kai Huānga feud on the part of the prisoners.

Tangatahara himself was captured and was bound for slavery; however, on the way to Kapiti Island, when the (canoe) he was in stopped at Gough's Bay for repairs, he dove into the sea and fled into the bush. Canon Stack elaborates:

(war parties)

After the massacre, Tangatahara redeemed himself though. He joined Taiaroa, an Otago , as one of the leaders of the Tauaiti (little war party) of 1833 and also of the Tauanui (big war party) in 1834, and went north to attack Te Rauparaha in the area of the Marlborough Sounds. No engagement eventuated.

When the British came calling at Akaroa with Te Tiriti, he (and other rangatira) from the western side of the harbour decided to avoid meeting them, or he was possibly living in Moeraki at the time.

He died on 13 December 1847 and is buried at an ancient (burial ground) below the cliff at Ōtūtereinga.

Recognition

A statue of Tangatahara was unveiled at Little River on 22 March 1900 by Hōri Kerei Taiaroa. Other distinguished guests were Tame Parata, Charles Tikao, T. Te Kahi, George (Teoti) Robinson and T. E. Green. Four hundred guests from all over the South Island attended the unveiling. The statue, carved in white marble by a French sculptor, depicts a cherub-faced warrior in action, wielding a hatchet. It is mounted on a pedestal, which is inscribed on four sides with the story of his exploits. It also upholds the memory of Banks Peninsula leaders, including Hōne Tikao. The statue stands on a mound beside the Wairewa Marae.

The inscription is in Māori. A translation reads:

Portraits

A life cast of a Tangatahara was made possibly at Moeraki, in Otago, on 31 March 1840. The cast is one of three tattooed warriors made by phrenologist Pierre-Marie Alexandre Dumoutier during D'Urville's exploratory Pacific voyage. A copy of it was presented to Akaroa Museum by the French Government in 1990, and it stands in a prominent position at the Akaroa Museum, although doubt has been raised as to whether it is him or a different Otago warrior named Taha-tahala. Another cast made at the same time is purportedly of Hōne Tikao.

A sketch titled "Tangatahara, King Akaroa" is one of four portraits drawn by French artist Auguste Jagerschmidt in 1841. He is depicted side on, slouching and dressed in a European suit and tie.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tangatahara
1847 deaths
1772 births
History of the Canterbury Region
Massacres in New Zealand
People from Banks Peninsula
Akaroa