Thread: Intrepid NZ - First Crossings

Yeah. It was a bit too PC I thought. I spent a lot of time on deer surveys through the Urewera many years ago with the Forest Service. We came across old tracks and campsites from those pursuits including a beaut remnant of one of Von Tempsky's mercenary camps. Old iron cauldrons and stakes were still in place near the Waikare catchment. We also found several pigeon troughs , some on the ground and some up trees, but in most the side rails had gone.

Also did extensive work at Ngatapa on which land Te Kooti's lookout exists. The feature is massive and once had a rope bridge across a high ravine which was the final obstacle for any assault near the top. In recent years several artefacts belonging to Te Kooti and his followers were recovered by Maori elders from the location and relocated in a more secure place. In the old store at Ruatahuna, under the entry door there used to be several paua inlaid weapons including a tomahawk and old arabesque musket, sword and knife, said to have been some of the personal weapons once belonging to Te Kooti. I heard more recently that these weapons are secure in private possession. The history I have read of Te Kooti left me in no doubt he was a very savage warrior , no matter whether his enemy was Maori or pakeha. I have also visited the ridout near Taurewa and it is remarkably compact considering the numbers of people involved in that battle. Reading the history of the reverend Grace and how he and his family existed at Pukawa also throws quite a bit of light on Te Kooti and other warrior chiefs. Grace was very lucky to be rescued when a prisoner with Volkner at Opotiki, and Volkner's fate was extremely cruel at the hands of the HauHau. The turmoil that existed in New Zealand in those times between many factions, including between Maori / Maori, Maori/settlers, land thieves and Maori and settlers, government etc. must have made politics and communications and understanding very difficult indeed in those times and circumstances. The eventual moderators on both sides that brought peace deserve huge credit and I would have liked to hear more at the end of the TV program about the pardon issued Te Kooti and his reconciliation with Mair.