Pai Marire at Tauranga

In November 1864 the Civil Commissioner at Tauranga, H.T. Clarke, reported (AJHR E8, 1864, p.5) that all was quiet in the district.

One circumstance has caused me some perplexity; with all this quiet there is a sullen gloom hanging over many of the Natives who have made their submission. Whether this arises from disappointment, or the loss of friends, or from what other cause unknown, certain it is that something is weighing upon their minds.

In the same letter, Clarke reported the rumours quoted earlier of an expected “ day of deliverance ”.

Tauranga people were suffering from the stresses and disruption of wars on their land. They had fought with Waikato at Meremere and Ranqiriri in 1863. Many were known supporters of the Kingitanga, and the King ’ s flag had been raised on several marae around Tauranga. In January 1864 British troops were landed at Tauranga “ to create a diversion ” to prevent any more Tauranga people joining Waikato or sending their supplies and to block the way for any supporting war parties from the East Coast (AJHR E2, 1864). In April 1864 the battle at Gate Pa was fought and followed up by Te Ranga in June. During July many Ngaiterangi surrendered their arms, but there were still many, particularly the Ngati Ranginui people of the inland villages, who refused to surrender, or acknowledge the right of chiefs who had to negotiate for them (Stokes, 1978). Te Arawa had not generally supported the King Movement and were regarded as kupapa, “ loyalists ”. This followed the pattern of tribal loyalties and alliances established during the time of Te Waharoa. The newspaper The New Zealander (17 August 1864) reported on events at Tauranga:

Had the troops not set foot on their lands… there would have been no rising amongst them… it was in defence of their lands which were thus unceremoniously, and in their opinion unnecessarily, invaded, that they took up arms against the troops, and so made, as it were, common cause with the Waikato.

Governor Grey had visited Tauranga in early August to accept Ngaiterangi submission to the authority of Queen Victoria. The Tauranga people had been told their land would be confiscated. Grey said only one-quarter would be confiscated (AJHR A20, 1867). Soon afterwards it was announced that Government would purchase the Katikati-Te Puna Blocks, an area of 32,375 hectares, and a deposit of £ 1,000 was paid on 26 August 1864. It was also announced that the 20,235 hectares to be confiscated would include the area between the Waimapu and Wairoa Rivers (Stokes, 1978). No firm agreements had been reached, the land had not been surveyed nor exact boundaries determined. It is not surprising that in November 1864, with all this uncertainty over lands, the demoralisation of defeat and the stresses of culture conflict, “ a sullen gloom ” hung over the district of Tauranga Moana (Figure 3).

In December 1864, the Europeans in the military camp of Te Papa (on the site of the present central business area of the city of Tauranga), were thrown into panic by the news that the teachings of the prophet Te Ua had reached the region. On 28 December, Mr Rice, Official Interpreter at Tauranga, reported to the Native Minister (quoted by Gifford and Williams, 1940, pp. 277-281) on “ the great movement that has shaken the whole of Tauranga. ” In mid-December, emissaries had arrived in Tauranga and there