One side was concerned about Pākehā settlement and land loss, whilst the other sought to influence this through collaboration with Pākehā. Although the battle was short, the impact it had on its descendants was great.
Mātene Te Rangitauira was the leader of a Pai Marire contingent from the upper Whanganui area who wanted to attack the township of Whanganui.
The Pai Marire faith had been established by Te Ua Haumēne in 1863, in response to the loss of Māori land. Tūroa informed Tinirau at Rānana of the intention of the Pai Marire contingent, and a message was sent to Hōri Kīngi Te Anaua at Pūtiki.
Metekingi enlisted the support of various hapū and rangatira of the lower Whanganui area who wished to continue their engagement with Pākehā and defend any proposed attack. This side is often referred to as "kūpapa", a term meaning to be neutral, but which has been applied to Māori who sided with the Government.
Father Lampila, a Catholic missionary, begged Tinirau to prevent bloodshed. A hui was held at Tawhitinui, between various rangatira, and it was confirmed that should the attacking contingent pass the Ngāti Hine boundary (the northern end of Moutoa Island), a battle would ensue.
Great discussions and debates were had on each side and, as a result of hearing the various kōrero, people decided on what side they would fight.
The morning of May 14, 1864, came and several hundred gathered to partake in and witness the short battle.
The Pai Marire force landed by waka at the head of Moutoa Island. There were four divisions of kūpapa going into the battle. The first division was led by Kereti Te Hiwitahi, the second division by Tamehana Te Aewa, the third by Marino and the fourth by Haimona Hiroti.
Kereti Te Hiwitahi laid down a whāriki (a woven mat) and signified the beginning of the battle by shooting a bullet to the sky and one to the earth. He was the first to die and, as he fell, he landed on his mat and his people rolled him up and took him away.
Tamehana Te Aewa took over the leadership of the kūpapa, who not only fought on Moutoa, but also sought those Pai Marire who had gone to find lower river rangatira.
Across both sides of the battle, approximately 65 men lost their lives, including Brother Euloge from the Catholic Mission, who was a bystander.
The Battle of Moutoa was an infinitely tragic event for the people of the Whanganui Awa. It was said on marae along the river, "Brother fought brother, cousin fought cousin and the river ran red with blood". The sadness still resonates today.
Every year, the hapū of Rānana - Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Ruaka - gather on May 14 to remember all those who died at the Battle of Moutoa. A memorial cairn was unveiled at Rānana Marae on the centenary of the battle on May 14, 1964.
A memorial to the kūpapa is at Pākaitore, and the Whanganui Regional Museum contains taonga associated with the Battle of Moutoa.
• Dr Rāwiri Tinirau is the director of Te Atawhai o Te Ao, who provide Māori curatorial services (Pou Rauhī) to the Whanganui Regional Museum. Both Rāwiri and Connor Pauro affiliate with Ngāti Ruaka and Ngāti Hine, and other hapū of Rānana.
