Rangiahua Pa:                               

Introduction and location:

Rangiahua Pa was once an ancient Pa Tuwatawata on the banks of the Nūhaka River.  It was in fact practically an island nearly completely surrounded by the river; only a narrow neck of land joined it to the main whenua.

The last Rangatira who reigned and lived in the pa with his people was Tamakahu.  Tamakahu was a prominent tipuna of the Nūhaka area and this is reflected in the whakapapa below.

Rakaipaaka = Turumakina

Pōkia Te Rangi = Hine Te Ao Rangi

Tamakahu = Hinewhakarua

Pare = Totina

Te Iringa = Utu Wairua

Te Wairua = Katea

Parangiora = Te Kino o Tongia

Iraia Te Hānene = Rawinia Torere

Ko Ngāti Rangi te ingoa o te Hapū (Ngāti Rangi is the name of the Hapū)

I korero mai a Kemureti ki a au ina tata tonu nei, ko ētahi a o matau tipuna, koroua hoki, i haere ki to matou maunga, ki a Moumoukai, he pa hoki.  Ka pōkia te maunga e te kohu. Kātahi rātou ka rongo e korerorero ana tētahi iwi o roto i te kohu.  Kātahi ka hoki mai, ka korero ki te hapū, i rongo rātou i tētahi iwi e korerorero ana i roto o te kohu o te maunga, anō nei no te rangi.  Koia nei mau tonu atu te ingoa ko Ngāti Rangi, mai i taua wā tae mai ki nāianei.  Ehara i te ingoa tipuna pēnei i a Kahungunu nei, pēnei i a Rakaipaaka nei [1].

In 1864 Nūhaka No.1 Block was sold to the Government.  Rangiahua Pa was within the area of No.1 Block.  Ngāti Rangi was not a party to the sale.

In 1926 a petition was lodged[2], by Matairangi Rore and 51 others.  They were claiming their ancestors ‘although living and undoubtedly entitled’ to, were unaware of their Pa being sold as part of Nūhaka No. 1 Block.  They did not sign the deed of sale.

Petitions Allegations:

• Nūhaka No.1 sold to the Government;
• The ancestors for that land were Te Whetū and Tamakahu and our elders were descended from those ancestors;
• At the time of the sale our elders (Te Teira Te Hānene, Rīpeka Te Hānene, Wi Tamahi Te Hānene, Pani Te Hānene, Kerenapu Te Hānene, Ratima Te Hānene, Aramata Tipene, Hohepa Weko (and others) although living and undoubtedly entitled did not sign the deed of sale and they did not receive any portion of the purchase money.
• Paratene, Te Matenga Tukareaho, Ihaka Whaanga and others sold to the Government, … our elders while having the rights in the land  were not parties to the sale……….. their descendants have never received the slightest benefit from the said sale and have lost their land;
• Whereby we have suffered injury and loss…… and pray for inquiry – these are the family’s that signed the petition and are all of the Ngāti Rangi Hapū:-

Rore             Taka             Tamahi         Poipoi           Ihaira            Kara       Wiremu

Pani              Rapana         Potatau         Waerea         Wairo            Weko

One of the Ngāti Rangi Kaumātua, Cambridge Pani, said – “Mea tera mo, mea mo Rangiahua Pa i noho rā a Ngāti Rangi i raro papakāinga i roto hoki rātou i te perā a Rangiahua kei rāwāhi kei tera taha o te awa, kare kē i tēnei taha, wāhi noho mai rā ‘right opposite’ i te tomo ra te ‘cemetery’.  Ara kei reira hoki ngā mea, ngā tipuna whakamutunga i roto e noho ana a Tamakahu raua ko Te Whetū.

A hika ngā mea, ngā uri kē a Wi kua hokokengia taua kainga kei te noho tonu i roto i te pa, kare hoki raua e piringi mahue i te pa rā a Rangiahua i taua point.  A ka mutu ka tangi hoki nei.

Koira tētahi o ngā block I hoko ko Ngāti Rangi hoki te mea rā Mau mai rā kia au ngā mea te claim mai I konei ki te moana – kua nohonoho haerengia o tātou hapū, kainga kei runga te block rā ka haramai rā ngā ‘so called chiefs’ nei a ka hoko [3].

Cambridge Pani described the land alienation of Te pa o Rangiahua that was included in the sale of the Nuhaka No.1 Block.  He said “those that resided on the land however were unaware of this sale and did not give their consent to the sale.  Consequently they had to leave their ancestral land and move to a new papakainga at Te Komania.

FOUND TREATY OF WAITANGI BREACHES BY THE CROWN:

The Crown breached Article 2 of the Tiriti by not allowing the whanau, hapū, Iwi to maintain their taonga tuku iho.  The Crown breach was that they did not ensure Ngāti Rakaipaaka the full exclusive and undisturbed possession of their lands, estates, forests and fisheries.

Grievances: 

The Crown failed to protect Ngāti Rangi losing their land.  There was no careful consideration or consultation, as to who the right people to deal with.  Due to the Crown’s actions Ngāti Rangi lost their Pa Rangiahua, then to make matters worse, due to flooding in the early 1900’s, the Nūhaka River made a new pathway, cutting Rangiahua from its original whenua.

[1]C. Pani, He Hokinga Mahara; Hemi Potatau p.6 Longman & Paull 199
[2]Petition No. 93/1926
[3]Pani, C, Te Reo Irirangi o Ngāti Kahungunu ēnei rīpene I hōmai, Ko Rangiwaho Pere te kaiuiui; 7/10/93