Chapter 7
Te Wharepouri knew Honi's visit was important. Traveling across the Cook Strait was always dangerous, especially in a small boat. These men before him had shown bravery, maturity and patience; they'd not babbled like gossiping women when they arrived. They had brought fish as koha , which did please the women, and then they had waited patiently for him without complaining. Te Wharepouri nodded; despite their youth, he respected the young men before him.
"The koha will put food in our bellies tonight, thank you."
Honi nodded, holding Te Wharepouri's piercing gaze.
"You bring news of your father, Honi?"
"He is well, and healthy. He asks after you, sir."
"I hope you are looking after your mother?" Te Wharepouri looked to Honi's brothers for a response.
Shifting nervously, they nodded, murmuring that they did.
"And how is your life at Te Awaiti with the Pakeha?"
Honi looked at the chief's face, "It is not a good place, it is a place of death."
Te Wharepouri understood. These were good young men, reminding him of when he was young and their age.
The brothers began to relax as Te Wharepouri intended.
"Why have you come to see me, Honi?"
Honi began to tell Te Wharepouri exactly what Ngaiti told him. He recited word for word all his concerns and passed on the intentions of Wakefield and the New Zealand Company; he left nothing out.
"And Barrett will now be the interpreter for Wakefield?"
"Yes, Ngaiti will no longer work for Wakefield, and Barrett will speak for him."
Te Wharepouri poked the embers of the fire with a stick, deep in thought. Coming to a decision, he called for a warrior and asked him to go to his cousin, Te Puni, and request for him to come to Kaiwharawhara as soon as possible. The warrior acknowledged the instruction and immediately ran off.
"It is time to eat, we will talk later, for now I must think," said Te Wharepouri, dismissing the young men.
Barrett was no stranger to Te Wharepouri. A number of years earlier, Barrett had taken Te Wharepouri to Sydney, New South Wales, on the schooner Tohora to purchase muskets and powder. Chief Te Wharepouri had even urged Barrett and his friend Jacky Love to set up a trading base some distance northwards from Port Nicholson in the Taranaki area. This proved to be very useful, as the information he received far outweighed the unpleasantness he found when in Barrett's company.
Te Wharepouri knew that Dickie Barrett was involved in many different things; trading, whaling and now he was working with the New Zealand Company. He followed the Pakeha money like a dog chasing a bitch in heat. He'd also heard stories of cruelty, lies and deceit. Yes, Barrett was clever and outwardly appeared friendly and agreeable, but when no one was near, he was very different - he couldn't be trusted. He is a man without honour, thought Te Wharepouri.
Now Barrett was bringing more Pakeha; their coming was not unexpected. As Ngaiti correctly stated, this would create problems for Māori. When Te Puni arrives, we can discuss our actions, he thought. With a heavy sigh he rose from the fire and went to join the others to eat.
Chief Te Puni arrived, and once he formally greeted elders and family members, the two chiefs retired to a hut to discuss the imminent arrival of Wakefield and his desire to acquire land. A September evening chill lingered in the air and a small fire was built in a pit of the earthen floor to keep the two men comfortably warm.
Calling for Honi, Te Wharepouri and Te Puni sat cross-legged in front of the fire as Honi recounted all he'd been told by Ngaiti. Unusually, no others were present.
"It's simple cousin," said the older Te Puni, once Honi departed, "refuse to allow them our lands!"
"Is it that simple?" Te Wharepouri turned to look at Te Puni, "Wakefield will go to another chief and then another; finally someone will take the gifts and then what will happen? A weak chief will have these gifts. And what will Wakefield offer?" The chief looked back into the flames of the fire. "Amongst other things, he will tempt them with muskets and powder. Yes, we can be certain of that. Then we have to protect our lands and ourselves from a chief who has weapons he should not have. ...No, sadly, cousin, it isn't that simple."
Te Puni nodded. The flames cast orange flickering shadows across their faces as they both stared into the fire and sought answers.
"Did you know the missionary Henry Williams came here and wanted this land?" asked Te Wharepouri after a few moments of silence.
Te Puni shook his head.
"Yes, he came here a short time ago, when you were in the Wairarapa, he brought men from Australia with him. He also warned me of this man Wakefield. I understood what Williams wanted to do, he is a good peaceful man, but what he suggested would not prevent war. They wanted this land but would not live here."
"You are happy with your decision to turn away the missionary?" asked Te Puni.
"No, I did not want to turn him away at all, but I don't think I had any choice," said Te Wharepouri in frustration.
Te Puni nodded.
They both stared at the dancing flames.
"What is our greatest fear?" Te Wharepouri asked after another lengthy pause.
"We all fear being attacked while we sleep on our mats, at that moment where we are feeling safe and with the warmth of a woman beside us," Te Puni stated.
Te Wharepouri raised an eyebrow with a hint of a smile.
"I fear for my people," Te Puni added in a more serious tone.
"If we allow Pakeha to build their homes on this land, then it is less likely we will be attacked. These Pakeha all have muskets and soldiers. And they will protect each other and us, if they truly come here to live in peace."
"Do you really believe that?" asked Te Puni.
"I want to believe it, cousin. When they come, and they will, we can live without fear of being killed or taken as slaves by other Māori."
"You have forgotten a very important thing."
In question, Te Wharepouri turned his head to look at his cousin.
"Te Rauparaha!" said Te Puni.
"He is no longer a young warrior, he has no fire in his blood anymore," said Te Wharepouri dismissively. He'd not forgotten what Te Rauparaha had done to him.