Episode 69: Hongi Invades Whangaroa (Part 5; The Chase)

With Ngapuhi having entered Taratara Pā, there is bedlam. A large group of Ngat Pou and Ngati Uru escape and break out, heading for the Hokianga.
Hongi, Ururoa and their men give pursuit...
References:
'Tribal Guns and Tribal Gunners' by Trevor Bentley
'The Musket Wars' by Ron Crosby
forms.justice....
Tareha, Titore, Te Hau and Turikatuku and Wesleydale all feature.

[@warrenjohnknight.9831]

One of the great chiefs in history, a very special man indeed so,human history is about these men and their infamous leadership,

[@kiwicodger]

History is mainly about these guys, I must admit ...still there are stories of other as in the episode 33 'The Warrior Gene'.

[@davebroad642]

Hongi, among the greatest military geniuses this land has ever seen. But as another such genius, Sun Tzu, once wrote, 'Don't swallow their bait'

[@kiwicodger]

It still has me scratching my head as to why Hongi was in that pursuit party...i went with an assumption he was baited, as you say...you would've thought he knew better...

[@claymosen963]

I’m loving these story’s. Please keep them coming.

[@philippedersen7178]

He, who lives by the sword ...

[@kiwicodger]

I reckon, it's kind of fitting that Hongi is shot...Hongi dying of old age just doesn't seem right.

[@davemcivor9711]

A great series, thanks very much for your efforts putting it all together. I find these episodes fascinating. The more I see (and read) the more I want to know

[@kiwicodger]

NZ history is fascinating....and it's at our back door!

[@shanewitehira6052]

Can you please do a series on Te Hotete vs Ngare Raumati and Rewa, Wharerahi and Moka vs Ngare Raumati in the early 1800s (Bay of islands)?

[@kiwicodger]

Sorry Shane, this is not on my radar...I think most of the conflict(s) you are talking about here were carried out with traditional weapons...

[@errolhunt]

Loving this series. Will ep 6 include Ururoa’s vengeance on Kaitangata at Okahumoko?

[@kiwicodger]

Alas there are no details on this attack on Okahumoko, except that there were only around a dozen survivors...the next episode will make reference to this attack via a message Hongi sent to the Missionaries at Kerikeri.

[@errolhunt]

@@kiwicodger A sad tale. Would love to know your ref for a dozen if you didnt mind sharing? I've read only two survivors (Hone Tua and either his Mum or his sister)

[@kiwicodger]

@@errolhunt You picked a good time. I am trying to get Episode 70 finished, it's not a dozen, it's only ten. The reference is what I use for my script. Here it is www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz/document/?wid=3038&action=null , go down to 24th Jan.

[@MozziTāne]

Thanks again Kiwi your narrating keeps getting better and better. I too wondered why Hongi made the hasty decision to pursue those who had escaped, especially after a major victory. I guess being cursed by another chief was not something you left unchallenged.

[@kiwicodger]

Curses and insults were taken seriously back in the day. The Girls war was started because of it, also Ngati Whatua when invading Tamaki Makaurau, there was a curse involved in that if I remember correctly.
I could not think of anything else that would have caused Hongi to be involved...open to suggestions of course. Mana was a bit like copyright law, unless you were prepared to defend it, then you'd lose the right to it.

[@MozziTāne]

@@kiwicodger very interesting. I did consider it was something as trivial as pride but as you've pointed out there were far more serious implications at hand. One would of have thought that after his many battles, no one was worthy of challenging his mana so why even bother.
Whatever the reasoning it still mystifies me as to why he treated this encounter any different to his previous battles and not using his armour. I guess one will never know.

[@kiwicodger]

At this stage we can only guess. Re chain mail/helmet/Jacket...my reading of this is that he only wore these when he knew he was going into battle. It was almost a sign that battle was to commence once he was in 'uniform', he was invariably the aggressor and therefore controlled when and where the battle would commence. In this chase he had to be mobile, it was in the middle of summer, probably hot, when action occurred was not under his control, I personally would have been surprised if he had his armour on at this time. I have been trying to find how effective chain mail was against musket fire, I still haven't found anything conclusive on this....but you can bet it would have hurt! ;)

[@vwxyz0002]

Interesting conjecture at the end. Was there dissent in the ranks and Hongi felt a need to round the campaign off with more mana and spoils of war for the troops? Had all his successes made him think he was immortal? Was there a massive slight to him or his ancestors that demanded utu? I guess we could speculate until kingdom come as to why he pursued the "enemy" and still be wide of the mark?
While nothing may be written down in your reference books I wonder if the oral history handed down to any of your followers may shed some light on the subject.
If nothing else, this episode leaves everyone with something to speculate on.
Well done. A great undertaking accomplished. What's next?

[@kiwicodger]

Cheers Onslow,there are a couple of episodes in the works... but much work still to do on them. Stay tuned.

[@itsmedre141]

If only they knew forgiveness in those days

[@dale-mareemorgan2895]

How about listen to the actual Iwi - and also get there permission before taking it upon yourself to put drones over sacred places that arent yours. Kia ora

[@kiwicodger]

It's not too late to contact them, if you have any contact details then comeback to me. I wasn't able to determine contact details for the landowner or the marae that had mana whenua of the area. Modern day privacy laws makes these things difficult.

[@lukefox7011]

Karen

[@dale-mareemorgan2895]

@@lukefox7011 turituri warawara

[@lukefox7011]

Documenting what happened isn't disrespectful.most of his info is very accurate taken from dairys written in that time.if he doesn't share it the story's will be gone

[@dale-mareemorgan2895]

@@lukefox7011 let those descendants of the story tell the correct version themselves.