The battle of Te Puta o Tongara

The posted coordinates are at the highest point nearby an ancient battleground named
Te Puta o Tongara.

Is it the most accurately placed geocache in Rotorua? P PUKEROA Fun thing to do - test your GPSr and / or phone to see how close your coordinates are. My GPS read S 38° 07.888′ E 176° 14.941′
 

To help establish the time in our history when this pakanga occurred, it followed not long after the death of the famous rangatira known as Te Umu alias Te Arakau who had been captured by Ngati Whakaue.

A visiting chief named Te Tairo arrived from Mourea and, hearing of the capture, asked Ngati Whakaue for the right to dispatch Te Arakau, to which they consented.

This incident was due to Te Arakau having committed treason against the people of this chief. This killing is dated around 1805-1807 by the Rangiwewehi scholar Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikaheke.

When driving up towards the Rotorua Hospital from the southern end, one passes Rotorua Primary School.

This road passes over an ancient battle ground named Te Puta o Tongara. The ensuing story follows the battle between Ngati Whakaue and Ngati Rangiwewehi, Ngati Uenukukopako, also Ngati Rangiteaorere. The battle took place upon Te Pukeroa.

The settlement stage of Rotorua was an uneasy period that would see relations turn against each other. The struggle for the prime land areas has long featured in the waiata and haka of Te Arawa.

Te Pukeroa is where Rotorua Hospital stands, and because of its strategic and commanding position tribes fought over it leading to the deaths of many people.

With great difficulty, the possession of Te Pukeroa by Ngati Whakaue was achieved.

The great task ahead of them was ensuring that they could now defend and retain the site from their Te Arawa relations.

It was retold by the tohunga Pango Ngawene that Ngati Whakaue, as a precaution fortified an area known as Hiraua. True to Maori custom, as early morning broke over the ridge of Whakapoungakau, a strong force of Ngati Rangiwewehi had arived to challenge for Te Pukeroa. With great energy they opened their attack on the site.

Though he fought valiantly, Te Puta o Tongara, a fighting chief of Ngati Rangiwewehi, was killed.

The death of this chief was quickly followed by the loss of another Rangiwewehi fighter named Tiwha.

In the commotion of the fierce fighting, many relations were saved due to their immediate connections, to those who were attempting to repel the attacking force and defend their territory. Riko is one name mentioned by Pango Ngawene as having been with the Rangiwewehi war party; he was somehow cut off from his main troupe but fortunate enough to be saved and hidden at a place named Te Arahuna by the Ngati Whakaue.

With the sudden deaths of these leading figures, the defenders were greatly empowered with a newfound fighting spirit, the attackers were forced from Te Pukeroa and Ohinemutu. Ngati Whakaue retained Te Pukeroa and the battle was named Te Puta o Tongara.

Ngati Uenukukopako returned to Mokoia Island as did Ngati Te Rangiteaorere, whilst the Ngati Rangiwewehi returned to the great pã of Puhirua located past Te Awahou and sited just before the turn off towards Tauranga.

Though successful in defending the site, these deaths meant they needed to be answered and avenged.

Over time, numerous fighting parties would be assembled, and more battles would unfold on the land and the lake of Rotorua.

Ko Te Puta o Tongara tā tātau tatai korero.
 

He paku awhinatanga kia mohiotia te wà o tenei riri ka whãia tenei riri i te patunga o Te Umu ara a Te Arakau he rangatira nui no Ngãti Rangiteaorere i mauheretia e Ngati Whakaue.

Ka tae mai a Te Tairo he rangatira no Mourea rokohanga a Te Umu e mauheretia ana ka werohia ki tana taoroa ka mate a Te Umu.

E ai ki a Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikaheke nõ te tau kotahi mano, e waru rau mã rima kai te mã whitu ränei tēnei patunga ona.

Kite peka atu te tangata ki te hohipera o Rotorua mã te kohamo ka hipa koe i te kura tuatahi o Rotorua ka kaha whãia tonungia te rori ka whakawhiti te whenua o Te Puta o Tongara.

Koia i tapa ko te ingoa o te mataika hai ingoa mo te pakanga me te whenua. Wheoi ano te patai. Ko wai mã ngã hap i tu ki te kurawaioha o Maru?

Ko te hapu no ratau te whenua ko Ngati Whakaue. Ka whawhaitia ratau e Ngati Rangiwewehi e Ngati Uewenukukopako me Ngãti Rangiteaorere. Kai te kohamo o Te Pukeroa tenei whenua maringi toto. Kihai ngã uri o Rangitihi i noho rangimarie ki ngã whenua o te waiariki.

Ko Te Pukeroa me Ohinemut he whenua rangatira i kaha pirangatia e ngã rangatira nui.

Kai te wa o Te Puta o Tongara, ko Ngati Whakaue te hapu e noho nui ana ki Te Pukeroa.

Me he tangata pakiki koe ki ngã korero onamata kua tirohia ou kanohi ki ngã tini waiata me ngã haka kua titoa e ngã manu korohi e whakahuahua ingoa tupuna ana, otia ko te tini tangata i mate mo te whenua te take. E ai ki a Pango Ngawene he tohunga no Ngãti Whakaue, e noho rangatira ana a Ngäti Whakaue ki Te Pukeroa ka whakaarangia e ratau he pa tuatawata ko Hiraua te ingoa.

He whakatupato kai taea rãtau e te hoa ngangare.

Tika hoki! Ka rere a Kop ka huaki te riri.

Ko Ngati Rangiwewehi te wetini o te kurutao. Ko to ratau tangata ko Te Puta o Tongara.

He ahakoa e wehi kore nei a Te Puta o Tongara ki te haputa o te riri, he kakama ake te tao o tetehi, ka ngaua ki te rae o to tatau rangatira, ka hinga ki raro. Ko mate.

Ka whaia tenei rangatira e Te Tiwha he rangatira hoki no Ngäti Rangiwewehi.

Ka uru mai te wehi ki nga manawa o te hoa ngangare, a marara te ope taua, i whakaorangia etehi o ratau e ngã tapeha tata o Ngãti Whakaue. Ko Riko tetehi o te hoa ngangare i whakaorangia ki Te Arahuna.

No te hinganga o enei rangatira me tehi ano ka oma atu te ope tauã. Ka mau te whenua o Te Pukeroa i a Ngãti Whakaue mai i taua wa, a, moroki noa nei.Ka hoki atu a Ngäti Rangiwewehi ki te pã nui o Puhirua. Ko

Ngäti Uwenukukopako ki Mokoia, ko Ngãti Te Rangiteaorere ki tetehi taha o Mokoia hoki.

Reference: Raimona Inia

To locate GZ, travel 57.78 m on an angle of 164°.
  

BYOP.