Apakura Memorial Kohatu tells story of Rangiaowhia

Rangiaowhia Memorial volunteers, from left, Hazel Wander, Julia Martin and George Griggs prepare the site for new grass. Photo / Dean Taylor

On Friday, February 21, 2014 iwi gathered at Rangiaowhia for a series of commemorative events on the 150th anniversary of the village of Rangiaowhia in the Waikato War (1863/64).

To mark the day iwi unveiled a plaque at dawn on the site at the intersection of Rangiaowhia and Puahue roads, Apakura Memorial Kohatu, where they believe the houses stood before they were burned down.

On that day Tom Roa, Ngāti Apakura elder and chairman of Ngā Pae o Maumahara, the group established to commemorate and raise awareness of the war, said today will be remembered with much pain and grief for the local iwi of Ngāti Apakura.

''I pāhuatia ō mātou tūpuna I Rangiaowhia — our ancestors were killed unguarded and defenceless at Rangiaowhia, but I hope this commemoration will help to heal the grief, appease the anger and bring peace for Ngāti Apakura."

Tom's words continued to ring true over the coming years — not just for Ngāti Apakura — but for the many visitors who learned what happened on the day in 1864.

The events that unfolded at the small settlement near Te Awamutu are still debated by historians and the descendants of Ngāti Apakura, but what is clear is that it caused people to scatter from their homelands and that the scars of that day run deep.

Ngāti Apakura say at daybreak on February 21, 1864 the advance guard of General Duncan Cameron's 1000-strong force of cavalry and foot soldiers attacked the largely undefended Rangiaowhia.

A number of Māori were killed, including women, children and the elderly, and several houses were burned down, with villagers incinerated inside. Five British soldiers died.

For those who survived the attack, retreat was the only option.

Generations later the descendants of those who survived have worked together to return Rangiaowhia to symbolise a place of peace and prosperity, as it was before February 21, 1864.

Last week volunteers Hazel Wander, Julia Martin and George Griggs put in the finishing touches to a redesigned memorial site in preparation for the last step in the project, the laying of lawn.

All descend from Rangiaowhia survivors. Hazel and Julia travel to be part of the project, while George is local.

Hazel is from Ōtorohanga, where she lives next to Kahotea Marae where Ngāti Apakura is one of the principal hapū.

Her great-grandmother Wikitoria Te Mamae Pahi was just a teenager at the time, and fled Rangiaowhia to be taken in at a papakaianga north of Ōtorohanga, a village of huts around a pā, similar to her former home and now site of Kahotea Marae.

Hazel says Wikitoria, like others fleeing for safety, would have known of safe havens with whānau where they could go and live and be protected.

Hazel is a member of Apakura Rangatahi Kahotea Marae and takes tours of tertiary, secondary, primary and kohanga reo students, plus the public, to war sites where she teaches Waikato history. The Rangiaowhia Memorial is one of those sites.

White stones, river stones, a peach tree, grass lawn and raised and planted bank all have meaning for the Rangiaowhia story. Photo / Dean Taylor

She is eminently qualified for the role, having completed her thesis for her masters degree in Adult Education for Massey University's College of Education — Kōrero Tuku Iho: Wāhine Māori Voices from the Embers of Rangiaowhia — just the year prior to the 150th anniversary.

Back to Tom Roa's words about ongoing grief; Hazel says when she tells the story of Rangiaowhia many people, especially adults, leave in a distressed state.

"Retelling the story has helped us to get over the trauma, but many visitors are shocked and visibly upset afterwards," says Hazel.

"That is not the purpose of the tours."

Hazel says that is not reflective of the people who made Rangiaowhia their home and she believes visiting the site should bring a sense of peace and prosperity.

Part of the problem was the physical site on the corner of two roads.

Hazel says it was messy and had potential dangers.

She, Julia and George held a meeting with conceptual artist Daniel Ormsby and laid out their ideas.

The design concept was based on making the site beautiful and spiritually and physically safe for visitors.

White stones, river stones, a peach tree, grass lawn and raised and planted bank all have meaning for the Rangiaowhia story. Photo / Dean Taylor

It had to reflect the stories of their ancestors and bring a sense of peace and prosperity, because Rangiaowhia was a peaceful and prosperous village.

The process started pre-Covid, so plans have been in the wind for some time until work could proceed.

The group is grateful to Waipā District Council, which provided a grant from the Heritage Fund.

But Hazel says there has also been a spirit of giving from contractors working on the project, partner groups and physical neighbours.

She says the positive relationship with neighbours fully reflects the relationship between Rangiaowhia Māori and Pākehā in the early 1800s, when it was a flourishing community.

"It's old fashioned giving and helping where you can," she says.

Using land given by the farm owner, a new fence was erected to define the space.
Waipā Earthworks was engaged to create the landscape shapes, which includes a lawn area, retained wall with another flat area for sitting or standing, banking to the roadside to create a buffer.

Hazel says they went above and beyond.

Puniu River Care group stepped in and provided all the plants, and did the planting along the fence line and on the bank and helped lay the lawn last weekend.

A peach tree has been planted on the flat, peaches being one of the main fruit crops grown by Māori at the time for markets in Auckland.

Hazel says the tree represents the prosperity of that time, but fruit also represents the hope and aspirations of Apakura for a productive future through a process of reconciliation with the Crown.

The white stones around the memorial plaque symbolise peaceful relationships, as well as the site of the whare karakia (church), while the river stones meandering away from the plaque symbolise the scattering of the people, following the waterways, to escape the invasion.

When the project was in its early stages, visiting Minister of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little poured water on the peach tree.

Now complete, Hazel hopes the experience will be more spiritual when people visit the site and they will leave with not only a better understanding, but with a sense of peace and hope for the future.