Dictionary of New Zealand Bography logo

Kōrero: Rua Kēnana Hepetipa

Whārangi 1: Haurongo

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Rua Kēnana Hepetipa

1868/1869?–1937

Nō Ngāi Tūhoe; he poropiti

I tuhia tēnei haurongo e Judith Binney, ā, i tāngia tuatahitia ki Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau i te 1996. He mea whakamāori nā Ngā Tangata Taumata Rau.

Ko te tikanga he tama murimate a Rua Kēnana, arā, i ētahi wā e karangatia ana ko Ruatapunui, nā Kēnana Tūmoana o Ngāti Kahungunu. I tana pāpā e whawhai ana mō Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki i te riri i Mākāretu i te wā mai i Noema 1868 ki Hānuere 1869, i mate a ia. E rua ngā patapatai tonu a te whānau o Rua mōna, arā, ko wai tōna pāpara ka tahi, me te tika anō o tana kōrero i whānau ia ki Maungapōhatu ka rua. Nō te hapū o Tamakaimoana o Tūhoe ki Maungapōhatu tōna whaea a Ngāhiwi (Hārai) Te Rihi.

I pakeketia a Rua i roto o Ngāi Tūhoe me ngā iwi o Kēnana i Te Aute, i Pakipaki me Waimārama. Kia hoki ngā whakaaro o Rua ki te wā i a ia i roto o Ngāti Kahungunu, anō nei, ko te wā tērā i manenetia ia. E ai ki tāna anō, e iwa pea ōna tau i tana hokinga atu ki te iwi o tōna whaea, ēngari kore rawa rātau i rata atu ki a ia. I runga i ngā tohutohu a ōna whānau e rua, ka akona a Rua ki ngā kōrero tuku iho mō Te Kooti, me ngā poropiti tapu e whakahua ana, arā, ā muri nei puta ake he Tangata hei whakaoti katoa atu hoki i ngā mahi a Te Kooti kia ora tonu ai ngā whenua o te iwi Māori. E ai ki a Rua, ko ia tonu taua Tangata rā.

I roto i te rua tau i muri i te matenga o Te Kooti i te tau 1893, puta ake ana ko Rua o te hunga Ringatū. Nā runga i te kī a Rua, ko ia te 'tama' a Te Kooti, e wehe mārika tonu nei te ao Ringatū. Ko te iwi i tino ū ki a ia, ko tērā o tōna whaea, ko Tūhoe, ēngari nō reira mai anō hoki tana tino kaitauwhāinga a Kererū, arā, te rangatira rā (ko Numia Te Ruakariata rānei tōna īngoa). Tae noa ki te wā i oti rawa i a Rua ētahi rapuhanga āna i te tau 1905 ki te 1906, kātahi anō ka pū tika tōna mana.

Nōna ka pā ki tētahi āhuatanga i a ia i runga o Maungapōhatu, te maunga tapu o Tūhoe, i pānuitia tuatahitia e Rua tana kōrero rā, kua noho kē ko ia te piki tūranga a Te Kooti. E ai ki ngā kōrero, he mea whakahau a Rua rāua ko tana wahine tuatahi, ko Pinepine Te Rika e tētahi poutiriao ki te piki i te maunga, ā, nō muri mai, ka kitea ko te tino anahera tonu, ko Kaperiere taua mariko rā. Tērā tētahi taimana i hunaia rā, ā, i tēnei wā i whakaatuhia mai ki a rāua, inarā ko te kōhatu kaitiaki tēnei o te whenua. Āraia atu te haeata kānapanapa ki te tarapouahi o Te Kooti. Hīpokina ana hoki e Rua taua taimana nei kia kore e raweketia. E ai ki te kōrero a ētahi, tokorua rāua, ko Whaitiri, te tupuna o Tūhoe me te Karaiti i tūtaki a Rua i runga i te maunga. Meāke nei mea ai a Rua, ko te taina Māori tonu a ia o te Karaiti.

Mai i tēnei whakakitenga ka nuku atu te nui o ngā mahi a Rua i te tau 1906. Nō te marama o Maehe, tana hīkoi manene atu ki te wāhi i whānau ai a Te Kooti i Tūranganui-a-Rua (Poverty Bay). Kātahi ka tomokia e Rua te whare tapu rā a Rongopai i hangaia rā mō Te Kooti i te tau 1887, ā, aukatia mai ana ōna hokinga atu e te kāwanatanga. E ai ki te kōrero, mā runga a Rua i a Te Ia, i te hōiho mā o Te Kooti, kuhu atu ai ki te whare e raka ana. Nō muri i te merekara nei i tīkina atu ai e te tohunga matua o ngā Ringatū, e Ēria Raukura a Rua, ka iriiria ki roto i ngā wai o te awa o Waipaoa ki te īngoa o Hepetipa, te īngoa i huaina e Te Kooti mō te Tangata māna e whakahoki mai anō te ora o te whenua.

I te haerenga atu o Rua i Tūranga (Gisborne) ki Maungapōhatu, ka hokia anō tana poropiti i te 12 o Āperira (ko te rā tapu tēnei o ia marama o ngā Ringatū), arā, ā te 25 o Hune, eke ai ia ki runga i te torona i te wā tonu e tae atu ai te Kīngi ki Tūranga. Nō te marama o Mei ki te marama o Hune 1906, te hīkoi manenetanga atu ki Tūranga. Mā runga a Rua i tana hōiho mā haere ai; kei ngā awatea he mea mau e ia tētahi pouaka nui ki runga i te hōiho tarapēke here ai, ā, pō rawa ake kei roto te pouaka i te tēneti e tiakina mai ana. Ko te kī a ētahi, ko te āka o te kawenata tērā, ēngari kei tā ētahi, he taimana kē taua mea e haria atu ana hei koha māna ki a Kīngi Eruera Te Tuawhitu. Mā te tuku o taua taimana rā (ki tā ētahi, he moni kē) ki te tama a Kuini Wikitōria, e hoki mai ai ngā whenua i tukuna ki te Kuini. Ko te kaupapa tonu a Rua ko tērā o te whakahoki mai anō i te mana o te Māori i runga i te rangimārie. Nō te korenga o te Kīngi i puta mai, i konā ka mea a Rua, ko ia kē taua Kīngi rā. Ka kī pēnei anō a ia, 'anei au me te katoa o taku iwi'.

Ka noho nei a Rua he mahi hou nei āna i tīmataria e ia, arā, ki te whakatū i te Pā o te Atua ki Maungapōhatu. Ko ngā kōrero karaipiture tuku iho tonu, te pūtake mai o te mahi nei. Ahakoa rā, ko tōna tino kaupapa o taua wā tonu, kia kaua ngā whenua o Te Urewera e riro mō te kari maina, kia riro hei nohanga kāinga rānei mō te Pākehā. Ahakoa ngā ture hanga tiaki i te whenua o te tau 1896, i āhei tonu te mahi rapu ōpapa i aua whenua, ahakoa te kore e whakaae a Tūhoe. Arā noa atu te whānui o te titiro a Tūhoe rātau ko Te Whakatōhea i ngā take nei, arā, ngā iwi e rua nā rātau a Rua i tautoko i ngā tau 1906 ki 1908. Kua tau kē te whakaaro kia tomokia atu anō ō rātau whenua i murua ake rā i te taha rāwhiti o Te Moana-a-Toi (Bay of Plenty), he whakarite nā rātau i ngā whenua nei ki ērā i oatitia e te Atua, hei whakahoki mai ki ngā uri whakatupu i runga i tana kawenata ki a Iharaira.

I hangaia e Rua tana nohoanga tangata hou i te take o te maunga i te tau 1907, ā, tangohia ake ana e te iwi kāinga te īngoa o Iharaira hei īngoa mō rātau. Pērā i a Rua, tukuna ana ō rātau makawe kia roroa te tupu; he mea tēnei i tangohia mai i ngā Nātari, te hunga 'kua motuhia ki te Atua'. He mea hanga te whare nui kia porohita te āhua, kātahi ka tapaina tōna īngoa ko Hīona; ka whakapaipaitia ki tētahi tauira karapu kahurangi, taimana kōwhai hoki. Nō te hanganga, ka whakaritea tōna āhua ki te Tihi porohita o te Toka nei kei Hiruhārama; te mea i waihangatia hei whare kaunihera, hei 'whare pāremata' hoki mō Rua, ka whakatūria ki waenganui tonu i te wāhi tapu o roto o te pā. I te waharoa o te pā, mārakerake tonu mai te tohu rā a 'Mīhaia', tōna tohu tonu e ai ki a Rua. Ko tōna wāhi kāinga anō ko te Hiruhārama Hou, i roto tonu mai i te wāhi tapu. He whare maihi, he hanga rite ki tō te Pākehā te āhua, ēngari e rua kē ngā kūwaha hei kuhu atu i te mahau; kotahi mō Tūhoe, kotahi mō Te Whakatōhea.

Taka rawa mai ki Āperira o 1908, kua tokowhitu kē ngā wāhine a Rua, inarā ki tāna he whakatutuki tēnei nāna i te poropiti a Īhāia 4:1. Heoi, i te mutunga iho, tekau mā rua rawa āna wāhine. Nō Tūhoe ētahi, nō Ngāti Raka ētahi, he iwi tēnei i noho tahi rātau ko Ngāi Tūhoe. E ai ki te mea pakeke o ana mokopuna, tekau mā whitu ā rāua tamariki ko Pinepine o Ngāti Kurī o Ruatāhuna. kīia ai ia ko 'tō mātou Whaea Tapu' nā te mea ko ia tētahi i kite i te whakakitenga i runga i te maunga. Anei anō ētahi o ngā wāhine a Rua: ko Pēhirangi (Rehe) Kanuehi nō Hāmua ki Rūātoki; ko Te Akakura (Patu) Rū o Ngāti Rongo, o ngā kāwai rangatira tonu o Rūātoki; ko ia he mea karanga tonu e te iwi o Rua, ko te 'Kuini o Hepa' (Sheba); arā, ka hoatu e Kīngi Horomona ki a ia 'ngā mea katoa i pai ai ia' (Ngā Whakapapa 4:1); ko Te Auē (Kiritiatia) Heurea nō Ngāti Koura ki Ruatāhuna; ko Mihiroa (Tātai) Te Kaawa nō Ngāti Kurī ki Ruatāhuna; me Wairimu (Martha Vercoe), he taha Māori, Pākehā nei ōna, nō te hapū o Hāmua. I whai mai anō hoki ētahi atu wāhine mā Rua, ko Whirimako (Teo) Ereatara nō Hāmua, ko Ngāpera Rīni nō Te Māhurehure ki Rūātoki, ko Kiha (Te Hororoa) Tahu nō Te Whānau Pani ki Rūātoki, ko Waireti Irohia nō Ngāti Raka ki Te Waimana me Te Aomakarani (Meri) Wī Kamaua nō Ngāti Raka hoki. Ko tana wahine whakamutunga, tamariki atu hoki i ērā, ko Piimia (Te Atawhai) Onekawa nō Te Ūpokorehe, he iwi anō hoki tēnei e noho tahi ana ki a Tūhoe. Nō te putanga mai o Rua i te whareherehere i te tau 1918, ka moe rāua.

I whiwhi tamariki a Rua i āna wāhine katoa. Nā ngā whakamoemoe taumau ki ngā mea pakeke a ngā tama a Rua, ki a Whatu rāua ko Toko, tēnei whakahononga i a Tūhoe rāua ko Te Whakatōhea. Nō te matenga o te wahine a Whatu, o Whaitiri Rēwiri i te takiwā o te tau 1911, e hia kē nei o Te Whakatōhea i whakarere i a Rua, haere atu anō hoki a Taupaki Te Kora, te wahine tuatahi a Toko. Heoti, ki te taha tōrangapū, pēnei i tana mārena tuatahi, he mārena nui te mārena tuarua a Toko. Ko tana wahine tuarua ko Tāwhaki Awa, he tamāhine nā Awa Horomona. Ko ia tētahi o ngā tāngata tokorima nā rātau a Te Kooti i hahu, ka haria he wāhi kē tanu ai i te tau 1893. Ko rātau anake ngā mea i te mōhio i hea a ia e nehu ana.

Nō te ekenga o Rua ki runga i te komiti ā-iwi tiaki i ngā whenua o Tūhoe i te tau 1910, ka hokona atu e ia ngā whenua 40,000 eka te nui ki te kāwanatanga, £31,000 te utu. E mau tonu ai i te manawa o te rohe o Te Urewera, ka mea ia ki te whakaputu i tētahi tahua moni hei whakatupu, whakakaha ake māna i tana hapori, arā, hei whakamahi i ngā 20,000 eka kua oti rā te homai noa e Tūhoe i te tau 1907. Ko tāna anō i tūmanako ai kia tupu te mahi maina i reira, otirā mā tētahi kamupene nāna tonu i whakatū i 1908 e whakahaere. Mā te whakanoho i te Pākehā e ai ki ōna mahara tērā e tere ai te whakaoti i te huarahi kararehe i tīmataria mai i Tūranganui-a-Rua, ā, ka mutu, kia whakatakotoria anō tētahi mai i te taha rāwhiti o Te Moana-a-Toi, ka ū mai ai ki Maungapōhatu. Atu i reira ka rere atu te huarahi nei ki Rotorua, ā, mā reira whai oranga ai tōna iwi. Nō te tau 1906, ka tū te whakaaro kia whakatakotoria he rerewē mai i Tūranga kia rere mai ki uta haere ake ai mā Maungapōhatu. Nā runga tonu i ana mahi matakite, poropiti hoki, tērā e tino waipuketia ngā whenua o raro, te take i huihui mai ai tōna iwi ki reira. Nā āna tohutohu tonu, ka hokohokona katoatia ā rātau rawa; ko tāna i tūmanako ai i nāianei, tērā e ora i a ia tōna iwi e noho ake nei i raro i tō rātau maunga.

Ka taka mai ki te tau 1911 ka kitea tonutia atu te uaua haere o tāna i kōingo ai. Kāre i tutuki te mahinga i ngā huarahi i whakaarohia rā e ia. Ka kino kē nei a Maungapōhatu hei wāhi noho i te kaha nui o rātau e matemate ana, arā ko ngā mea tamariki tonu, i te kaha mātao o ngā hōtoke, i te kore i nui o te kai me te kore hoki i tika o ngā kāinga noho. Kāre te kaunihera ā-rohe o Kuki (Cook County Council) i whakaae ki te hiahia o Rua i te tau 1908, kia tukuna e ia he tangata ki te whakaoti i te huarahi kararehe mai i Tūranga. Nā te kaha pōhara o te tangata i kore ai i mau i a rātau te puri tonu i te matakitenga tapu. Ka taka mai ki te tau 1913, ko te tokomaha o rātau tae atu ki a Rua mā me āna wāhine, kua taki hokihoki katoa ki ngā awaawa maru o te taha rāwhiti o Te Moana-a-Toi, ā, tukuheke ana te nui o te iwi rā mai i te 500 rau, 600 rau rānei, ki ngā whānau 30 noa iho.

Nō te tau 1914, i runga i ngā tohutohu a Rua, ka tīmata te hanganga tuaruatanga o Maungapōhatu. Ko tāna i whakaaro ai, me turaki ngā kāinga, kātahi ka whakatū anō, anō nei he pure tāna. He mea wāwāhi te poraka, 20,000 eka te rahi, i Ākuhata o te tau 1914, ka waihotia tētahi hāwhe ki te taha. Ka whakahaua e Rua me whakapapahoro te wāhi tapu o roto rawa atu. Ko te mahuetanga atu tērā o Hīona, ā, nō muri mai āta turakina rawatia atu. I taua wāhi nei whakatūria ana he whare nui haratau tonu nei, ko Tānenui-a-Rangi te īngoa. Kotahi tonu te mahi rerekē i roto i tēnei whare kāre e kitea ana i te nuinga o ngā whare nui, arā, whakaaetia ana te kai ki roto. Ko te wā o te whakaaraaratanga tonu i te tau 1914, tētahi wā anō o te tuku karakia hiki haere i te tapu, ka mutu rā i te tīmatanga o te tau 1915, te wā i tapahia e Rua rātau ko ana pononga ō rātau makawe roroa, koia te wā i ngaro noa te ia o te Nātari. Tahia atu ana ngā ture tapu, whakanoatia ana te noho tapu, whakakorehia ana hoki ngā here o mua rā; ina koa rā ko ngā tau tonu ēnei o te toronga mai o te Kawenata Hou. Me e whai ana a Rua rātau ko tōna iwi i ngā rārangi mahi o roto o te Paipera, kīhai i mahue i a ia ngā tikanga noa a te Māori, arā, te mahi whakarere, mahi mau ake rānei i ngā āhua o te noho rangitahi.

Nā ētahi atu mahi kē, ka haukotia te rapu oranga mō te iwi. I runga i ngā whakatītina a ētahi tino rangatira Māori tonu nei, arā, a Timi Kara (James Carroll) rāua ko Kererū, kua āta titiro ngā mana whakahaere i ngā mahi a Rua. Koirā, mōna te take i whakahaerea te Ture Whakamutu Tohunga (Tohunga Suppression Act) i te tau 1907. He tohe nōna ki te kī he tohunga whakaora wairua a ia me tana whakahē i ngā kura Māori e taki ako ana i ngā tamariki mā te reo Pākehā, ka kīia he tangata kino a ia. Nā runga i te whakapae i te mahi tohunga a Rua, ka whakahaua ngā pirihimana ā-rohe i Mei o te tau 1906, ki te āta tirotiro i ngā mahi a Rua. Whakapōrahua ana a ia e ngā tāke kurī i te tau 1907, ā, ahakoa ngā mahi atu a Kererū, kāre tonu ia i hāmenetia i raro i te Ture Whakamutu Tohunga.

Nā te mea i hui a Rua rāua ko te pirimia, ko Tā Hōhepa Waari (Joseph Ward) i Maehe o te tau 1908, te tino take i whakakorea te whakaaro ki te hāmene i a ia. Huaina ana taua hui ko te kawa mō te kotahitanga (Ceremony of Union) i waenganui i ngā iwi o Iharaira. He whakaae nō Rua ki te kōrero a Te Waari i kī rā, e kore e taea te whakatū he kāwanatanga motuhake mō te iwi Māori, ā, e ai ki ngā kupu a Te Waari, e kore e tika kia rua ngā rā e whiti iho ana i te rangi i te wā kotahi. Nō te mea hanga pai ana ki te Māori rāua ko te Pākehā, kia kotahi te rā e whiti ana i runga ake i ō rātau māhunga. E ai ki te whakamārama rā a Rua, kua noho kotahi te ture mō te Māori rāua ko te Pākehā. Ka whakatarea he haki ki Maungapōhatu nāna tonu i hanga (nō muri meinga ai he mea whana kāwanatanga tōna tikanga), arā, ko te tiaki o Ingarangi, he mea tui atu te kōrero nei ki runga, 'Kotahi te ture mō ngā iwi e rua Maungapōhatu'. E tare ana hoki ko tōna haki tupuna tonu, ko Te Tahi‑o-te-rangi, i tangohia ake e ia te tuakiri (pērā i a Te Kooti i mua rā) o tēnei toa o Tūhoe, nāna nei te whakahau mā te aroha pū e toa ai rātau (kaua mā te rapu utu). Nō te wā o te Pakanga Tuatahi o te Ao, ka kīia he whana i te mana kāwanatanga kē te mahi a Rua, arā, ko tōna pūtake hoki e whai ana i ngā tikanga ōrite i raro i te ture, me te kaupapa o te whakamārietanga anō hoki.

He mea whakapae i te hoko waipiro a Rua i Maungapōhatu i te tau 1915, ka hopukina ia e ngā pirihimana. Kāre kau te Māori i whakaaetia ki te hoko waipiro i waho mai i te pāparakāuta; koirā, ka takatakahia taua ture e te hunga katoa. Nō te mea i kī a Rua kia kaua te Māori e haere tūao noa ki te whawhai, ka whakamahia e te kāwanatanga te ture hei whakararu i a Rua. Nōna ka tae ki tētahi hui nui (he hahunga kōiwi tangata te mahi), ka hopukina ia e ngā pirihimana i runga i te whakapae i te hoko waipiro ia; nā te whakatau a Rōpata Taea (Robert Dyer), te kaiwhakawā o taua takiwā, ka mau hereheretia ia mō te katoa o te wā mō tērā tū hara, arā, mō te toru marama te roa. Ahakoa rā, ko te whiunga nei i a ia he whiu kē mō tētahi atu whakapae i whakatārewatia i te tau 1911, mō tētahi mahi pērā anō āna.

Nō te 19 o Hānuere o te tau 1916, ka hāmenetia anō a Rua mō ngā whakapae o te tau 1915, e whakaaro ana rā ia kua oti kē i a ia te utu tana hara i tērā mauhereheretanga ōna. Ko tēnei hāmenetanga nō muri tonu mai i tētahi hui whakatutetute i karangatia kia kōrerotia te whakatuwheratanga o ngā whenua o Tūhoe. I tae katoa ngā waha kōrero ki taua hui, arā, a Rua, a Kererū, a Wiremu Hērihi (William Herries) – te minita mō ngā take Māori – me Taea. Tērā tētahi petihana nui a Tūhoe i Mei o te tau 1915, nā Rua mā i kōkiri, e tono ana kia whakakorea atu ngā herenga ture mō te hoko me te rīhi i ngā whenua rāhui o Te Urewera. I whakahē anō hoki a Kererū rāua ko Te Hērihi i te petihana rā. Ahakoa rā he whakahē huna kē nei tā Te Hērihi, ko tāna kē hoki kia āhei tonu te hoko motuhake a te Karauna i te whenua, nāna tonu rā i whakakaupapa ake i te tau 1915. Ka hurihuri haere te kōhumuhumu he mahi tautāwhi kē tā Rua kia wikitōria ai ngā iwi o Tiamani; ka tae aua kōrero pōhēhē nei ki te kāwanatanga, nā Kererū i whakaatu atu. Ka uru mai te whakaaro ki a Te Hērihi ki te whakarau i a Rua i runga i ngā whakahaere a te ture i whakaputaina rā e Taea. Ko Kererū te kaiwhakahaere o te komiti whakaurunga o Tūhoe; nāna i āta akiaki a Te Hērihi ki te mahi pērā.

I te tukunga mai o te hāmene ki a ia, ka puta te tangi a Rua ko te wā kē tēnei hei tapahi māna i ana karaihe kakewhutu, ā, ka kore ia e wātea ki te haere ki te kōti i taua marama. Ko tāna i kī ai, mō te hui a te kōti o te marama e heke mai rā, ka wātea ia. Ko te whakaaro o Taea i tana kitenga i te reta he whakahāwea kē tā Rua i te kōti, kātahi ka tukuna anō he wārati hou kia whakaraua a ia. I te taenga atu o te wārati ki a ia i te 12 o Pēpuere, kāre ia i whakaae kia haere noa atu ia i te taha o ngā pirihimana tokorua rā, ā, kāre hoki a ia i whakaraua. Nā Hōne Kāne (John Cullen), te kōmihana o ngā pirihimana, i tīmata te mahi whakatū i tētahi ope pirihimana mau pū i te 9 o Maehe. Nō te hēnga o ngā whakahaere ki te whakarau noa i a Rua, kātahi ka kaha rawa atu ngā whakatakatū hei āta karawhiu i a ia.

Nā ēnei āhuatanga, i kitea te tino kino o te riri i tēnei rau tau, i te tutūtanga o te puehu i waenganui i te Māori me ngā pirihimana i te 2 o Āperira o te tau 1916. I hopukina a Rua i Maungapōhatu e tētahi rōpū pirihimana e 57 te rahi, he mea taki huna mai i Ākarana (Auckland), tāpiri atu hoki ki ngā ope pakupaku ake e rua, ko tētahi nō Tūranga, ko tētahi nō Whakatāne. E tū ana a Rua rāua ko Whatu me Toko i runga i te marae, kāre he pū, e tatari kē ana ki te pōwhiri i ngā pirihimana. Ka hopukina a ia. I taua wā tonu, pakū ana te pū. I te pakarutanga o te riri, tokorua ngā Māori i patua, arā, ko tētahi tonu ko Toko. Nō muri mai i whakarūkahutia e ngā pirihimana matua ā rātau whakaaturanga, e kī kē ana he tatari whakakokoti kē tā ngā Māori, riro ana nā tētahi tonu o rātau i tīmata te pupuhi; hāunga ki tā ngā Māori nā ngā pirihimana kē. E kore pea e tino mōhio rawatia nā wai i tīmata, ēngari ko te nuinga o te kōrero, e tautoko kē ana i tā te Māori. I kōrero parau anō ngā pirihimana mō ngā Māori e rua i mate rā; te āhua nei pea, kua tū kē a Toko i te matā, i te wā ka hopuna atu e ia he pū, ka tīmata tana pupuhi i ngā pirihimana, ā, ko te mutunga mai, āta patua ana pea ia. E ai ki tā te ture, he tuki tangata kē te whakaraunga i a Rua nō te mea i whakahaerea te mahi nei i te Rātapu mō te hara paku noa nei te take. I hē te tumuaki nei a Kāne kia pērā rawa te taikaha. Ki te whakaaro o tētahi o ngā pirihimana o Tūranga, o Arnold Butterworth, ehara kau i te mea ko te whakarau noa i a Rua te mea hē, ēngari tekau mā tahi kē ngā hara whakapae o Kāne, arā, atu i te mahi kōhuru, i te whakamate tangata rānei, taka mai ki te hauhau tangata noa nei.

Nā te roa o ngā whakawā o te Kōti Matua (Supreme Court), e ai ki ngā kōrero hītori ā-ture o Aotearoa nei, kāre kau he whakawā i pērā rawa te roa, ā tae noa mai ki te tau 1977; koinei i paoho whānuitia ai te hē o te whakarau i a Rua. Tāpiri atu ki ngā titotito a ngā pirihimana ko ngā oati teka hoki a ngā Māori; he mea whakakaupapa atu e te rōia mō te taha whakapae, e Jerry Lundon, he mea whakaatu pōhēhē noa tāna, nā te Pirihimana Eke Hōiho, nā Arthur Skinner kē te pū i pakū tuatahi rā. Nā te kore i whai ki tā te ture o te whakarau, whakakorea ana e te kaiwhakawā, e Hāpimana (F. R. Chapman) ngā whakapae ātete i a Rua i te whakaraunga i a ia i Maungapōhatu. He mea whakawā anō a Rua mō ana kōrero whana i te kāwanatanga, mō ana tohutohu i ētahi ki te kōhuru, whakahauā rānei i ngā pirihimana, mō ana ātetenga hoki i te whakarau o mua atu, i te 12 o Pēpuere. Porowhiua atu ana e te hunga whakawā te whakapae mō te whana i te kāwanatanga, ā, mō te taha tohu kōhuru kāre i taea e rātau te whakatau; i whakataua e te hunga whakawā i hara a ia, arā, i runga i te 'whanonga hēnga' ōna, i tana ātetenga i tana whakaraunga tuatahitanga. Nā konei i whai take ai a Hāpimana ki te whakawhiu i a Rua kia kotahi tau te whakataumaha i a ia, ā, ka mutu tēnā, kia 18 marama anō a ia ki te whareherehere. Riro ana nā te tokowaru o te hunga whakawā i tautohe whānui te whakatatūtanga a Hāpimana, mauria rawatia atu he petihana ki te Pāremata i te kaha taumaha rawa o tēnei whakaritenga i tā rātau i whakatau ai. Kore rawa e taea te kī he tangata tōkeke a Hāpimana. Ki tōna whakaaro kua roa kē a Rua e takahi ana i te ture, ā, tāpiri atu ki tēnā he tangata ia nō tētahi iwi 'kāore anō kia mutu te kura', nā reira e tika ana kia akona tonutia, ahakoa kei hea te tangata, taea ana e te ture te toro atu ki reira.

Nō te marama o Āperira o te tau 1918, ka tukua mai a Rua i te whareherehere. Ka hoki mai ki tōna iwi, ka kitea te kaha o te taumahatanga o ngā nama mō te utu i ngā whakawākanga i pā tonu rā ki a ia me ētahi atu hoki, tāpiri atu hoki ki ngā utu mō te haerenga atu o te waitaua pirihimana ki Maungapōhatu. Kātahi ia ka tahuri ki te āta whakatikatika anō i a Maungapōhatu, arā, hei hanganga tuatorutanga tēnei māna. Ko tō rātau kāinga ko āna wāhine i Māai, ā, ko te tikanga o taua īngoa, he mea hiki i te tapu. Hāwhe māero pea te tawhiti atu o Māai i tō rātau kāinga tawhito, ā, nō Pēpuere o te tau 1919, ka whakatuwheratia tētahi whare nui hou ki reira. He mea tapa te whare nei ko Te Kawa-a-Māui, arā, ki te īngoa o tētahi o ngā whare wānanga i Maungapōhatu e tū ana i mua. Ko tētahi āhuatanga hoki o taua whare, he whakamaharatanga mō ngā ritenga kawa i tukuna e te tupuna rā, e Māui hei hiki i te tapu, hei whakawātea hoki i te whenua. I hangaia te whare hou nei ki ngā papa o te whare kaunihera, arā, o Hīona, ā, whakakoretia atu ana ngā tauira ki te peita mā.

I a Rua e noho tonu ana i te whareherehere, ka tau atu te mīhana Perehipitīriana ki Maungapōhatu, ā, nō te marama o Hūrae o te tau 1918, ka tū he kura ki reira. I tautokona e Rua ngā mahi a te kura, ēngari ko te utu ko te whakaoati a te Hāhi Perehipitīriana, kia kaua rātau e whakatū whare karakia ki reira. Ahakoa rā te rerekē, riro ana tēnei hei kaupapa whakapū i te noho tahi a Rua rāua ko te mihingare, ko Hoani Rōtene (John Laughton).

Kātahi ka pakaru mai te kirikā taipō ki runga i Maungapōhatu i te tau 1925. Ka tohutohua a Rua e Tākuta Charles Hercus me āta mahi anō ngā kāinga me ngā wharepaku. Hopukina ana e Rua te kaupapa nei, ka whakawhānuitia e ia kia whakatūria anō te Pā o te Atua ki runga i te mata o te whenua. He mea poropiti e ia i te tau 1927, ka pau nei te ao, oti atu ana i ngā whetū maringi mai i te rangi. Whakahaua ana e ia kia mahia anō ngā kāinga whakamau rawa i ngā tuanui ki te haeana mō te tūpono o taua aituā. Kātahi ka pērā anō ngā iwi i tā rātau i mua rā, ka hokohokona ā rātau taputapu, ka taki nuku katoa mai i ngā awaawa o raro, ki te take anō o te maunga.

Ko te take o tēnei hokinga tuaruatanga mai o Tūhoe ki Maungapōhatu, ko te whakaatu a te kōmihana a te kāwanatanga i whakatūria i te tau 1927 hei titiro i ngā whenua i murua, arā, kāhore he kamupeneheihana mā Tūhoe, ā, kāhore hoki e whakahokia mai he whenua. Ēngari i taua wā anō tērā pea ka waimarie te hua o te ora ki Maungapōhatu. Nā te kawenga o Rua i te tau 1922, i kohaina atu e Tūhoe he whenua ki te kāwanatanga, 40,000 eka te rahi, hei mahi i ngā rori hono i Maungapōhatu ki te rāwhiti o Te Moana-a-Toi ka tahi, me Rotorua ka rua. Ko te tikanga, kia tīmataria te hanga i ngā rori nei i te tau 1927. Ko tā Rua i wawata ai, tērā he oranga mō Tūhoe kei ōna whenua tonu, ā, kia waiho mā rātau tonu rātau e whakahaere. Kāti koa, kore ana ngā rori i mahia. Ehara! Nō te tau 1958, i utua mai tētahi moni kamupeneheihana ki a Tūhoe mō tā rātau koha.

Kīhai a Maungapōhatu i tōtika hei wāhi whiwhi oranga, ā, tae rawa atu ki ngā tau tīmatanga o te tekau tau atu i 1930, kua taki haere kē ngā tāngata ki te kimi mahi, ki te kimi kai hoki mā rātau. Ka heke a Rua ki Matahī noho ai, ki te kāinga nāna rā i tīmata i te tau 1910, i te awa o Te Waimana i te rāwhiti o Te Moana-a-Toi. Nō te 20 o Pēpuere o te tau 1937, ka mate ia ki reira. E ai ki te kōrero, 68 tōna pakeke. Tokorima āna wāhine i mahue mai i a ia (ko Pinepine, ko Pēhirangi, ko Te Auē, ko Mihiroa me Piimia), ā, i tua atu i ēnā ko Te Aomakarani hoki, tētahi o āna wāhine, ēngari kua wehe noa atu rāua. Mahue mai ana hoki ko āna tamariki 22. He mea poropiti e ia ā te tuatoru o ngā rā ka ara ake anō ia. I te paunga o ngā rā e toru ka kuhua atu tana kāwhena ki roto ki tētahi whare kōhatu, katia atu ai. He mea whakahau tonu nāna i whakatūria ai taua toma nei ki te taha o tōna whare.

Ahakoa whakahua ai ia i tōna īngoa ko te Mīhaia Māori, i pau katoa ōna kaha ki te whakahuihui i ōna iwi kia pai ai te noho me te mahi tahi hoki. Mehemea nāna rātau i mahi nanakia, arā, i pau tonu i a ia ētahi o ā rātau moni, i whakamahia anō hoki e ia ā rātau rawa ko te hua i puta ake hei painga mō te iwi katoa. I ngā wā e pōkia ana rātau e te taumaha, ko ia ki te hoko purapura me te toha kai haere hoki. Ahakoa ia he tangata tauwehewehe i te tangata, ko ia anō hoki te kaihautū o tētahi iwi, kātahi kē nei te pōhara me te rawa kore, e tari ana kia puta ake he māramatanga.

He kaha ātaahua nōna ka tahi, me te roroa o ngā makawe ka rua, hau ana te rongo o Rua, auau anō hoki te whakaahua i a ia. Noho ake ana ia hei take whakaata i ngā whakaaro o ngā kaiwhakaari, kaitoikupu, kaihanga pikitia, kaipeita, tae atu ki te hunga kaiwaiata puta noa i Aotearoa. Inā noa hoki te maha o rātau e whakamahi ana i ngā kōrero mō Rua, hei take whakaatu haere tonu ai i te taha ki te ture me te taha ki te mana motuhake o te Māori.

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārangi:

Judith Binney. 'Rua Kēnana Hepetipa - Rua Kenana Hepetipa', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1996. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/biographies/3r32/rua-kenana-hepetipa (accessed 29 March 2024)