Peace offering at tangi ends 150-year dispute

A PEACE offering at Parekura Horomia’s tangi has ended nearly 150 years of bitterness between neighbouring tribes Ngati Porou and Tuhoe.

Tuhoe arrived at Ngati Porou’s Hauiti Marae, at Tolaga Bay, to mourn Mr Horomia and to bring an end to agitation between the tribes.

Tuhoe kaumatua Tu Waaka yesterday offered a gift of peace to Ngati Porou, which was accepted by Wayne Ngata.

Tu Waaka said the history between the tribes was bitter and he did not want successive generations to be encumbered by the past.

It brings to an end a dispute that had its origins in 1868 when Te Kooti Rikirangi returned to the East Coast from the Chatham Islands.

A battle broke out between the followers of the Hauhau Movement, many of them Tuhoe, and Ropata Wahawaha, of Ngati Porou, who was a government loyalist.

Wahawaha was instrumental in capture of Te Kooti in 1869 and manded the execution of nearly Tuhoe captives.

With thousands of visitors to the tangi at Hauiti Marae, food is flying off the de120 the shelves in Gisborne and managers are rounding up stock on Maori-owned farms.

Head of the kitchen Michelle Tangohau-Collis said 4500 settings were made on the first day of the tangi and orders have been made each day.

‘‘We have had to bring in thousands of dollars worth of kai every day,’’ Mrs Tangohau-Collis said.

‘‘We have had 10 mutton and used that in one day as well as a beast [beef], 20 chickens and maybe 15 bags of potatoes in two sittings.’’

She said it was one of the biggest events the marae had catered for and businesses and locals were there to help.

The army arrived with three trucks and two kitchen units that can cater for 700 people each sitting.

‘‘People from town, businesses are on board and have organised for us. They are just ringing now and asking us what do we want.’’

Some businesses had donated food, local fishermen have delivered daily and whanau have harvested from the sea.

‘‘Whanau just showed up here with 130 crayfish and we just cooked it for lunch. Te Ohu Kaimoana have been ringing daily. Ngai Tahu just sent heaps of chilly bins.’’