Letter from Hoani Te Wainohu to Henare Matua

Taipitopito | Details

Tūhonotanga | Related

Wāhi | PlaceMohakaPorangahauWairoaTamateaWaihuaKohikohinga | CollectionTuhinga ā-ringa

Tu-hinga / Whakamāoritanga | Transcript / Translation

Tu-hinga | TranscriptTranscript: Mohaka 28 Maehe 1874
Kia Henare Matua ki Porangahau. E hika tena ra koe me te iwi katoa tena ra koutou kia ora koutou i roto i nga mahi tohu a te atua ka huri te mihi. He kupu ke tenei, e ta, kua pukuriri te kawanatanga mo te katinga i te waea na Winiata ratou ko ona taina i kati. Ko te kati tenei he tono utu mo te tunga o te pou i panaia hoki nga Pakeha mahi i te waea i te tainga ki konei. Tau rawa atu ko rahi o Waihua mahi ai ka rongo te kawanatanga ka tonoa mai a te Raka ka hui nga komiti o Tamatea ki te taone ki te Wairoa i 25 o Maehe nei. Ka tu ko Hotene ka mea, 'e hoa, e Raka me utu te haerenga o te waea i runga i toku wahi whenua ki te kore e utua e koe, e kore e tukua te waea,' Ka tu ko Tiopira, ko taua kupu ano ka tu ko Winiata ko taua kupu ano. I reira ano a te Apatu raua ko Toha e whakarongo ana me au ano i reira. Ka mutu te Maori ka ki mai a te Raka, e hoa ma ka he koutou ki te katia e koutou ka haere tonu atu te waea. Ki te peke mai koutou ki te whakararuraru ka mahia tonutia e te Kawana tana e pai ai. Ko te ki whakamutunga tenei a te kawana. Ka whawhaitia tonutia e ia nga iwi e kati ana i te waea. E ta, i puta tonu mai ena kupu i roto i te waha o te Raka heoi, kai a koe tetahi kupu e pai ana me kati. Tuhia mai e pai ana me tuku tonu te waea kia haere, tuhi mai no te mea ka tata raruraru kai toku taha, engari naku i whakahoki te kupu a te Raka.

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E hoa, e Raka e pai ana ka patu koe, e pai ana ka patua e koe. Kaua e tapuketia engari me kai rawa, kaua e moumoutia ma te pirau heoi e hika, tena ra koe.

Na to matua aroha
na Hoani te Wainohu.
MohakaWhakamāoritanga | TranslationMohaka 28 March 1874
To Henare Matua at Porangahau,
Greetings to you, e hoa, and to all your people. May you dwell in the shelter of divine guidance and prosper therein. Now, I lay aside words of greeting and turn to the weighty matter at hand. Friend, the Pakeha Government is sorely displeased concerning the severing of the telegraph wire, that act laid to Winiata and his brethren. The cutting, they say, was to force payment for the poles planted upon Maori soil. When the linemen came, they were turned away by the people. So it came to rest upon the shoulders of the whole of Waihua. When this word reached the ears of the Government, they dispatched Te Raka, and the committees of Tamatea assembled at Wairoa on the 25th day of March. Hotene rose and said, "E hoa Raka, you must pay for the crossing of my land by the telegraph. If no payment be given, the wire shall not pass." After him, Tiopira stood and gave the same word. Then Winiata rose also and said likewise. Te Apatu and Toha stood by, listening. I too was amongst them. When the voices of the Maori had ended, Te Raka arose and said, "Friends, you are in error to obstruct the passage of the telegraph. The Governor shall press on, and none shall stay his hand. This is the final word of the Crown. Should you interfere, he shall take up arms against those who meddle with the wire." Friend, these were the very words that fell from the lips of Te Raka. And now, the path ahead rests with your word. Write and say whether it is well to let the wire go on, or whether we stand firm. The tide rises, and the tension mounts. I gave answer to Te Raka's speech.

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Friend Raka, strike if you must - and be ready to receive the return stroke. Let naught be hidden in the ground nor left to rot in silence. Better to meet the matter head-on than allow it to fester. Let not our mana be wasted.

From your elder and loving kinsman,
Hoani Te Wainohu
Mohaka

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Letter from Hoani Te Wainohu to Henare Matua

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Letter from Hoani Te Wainohu to Henare Matua