Well.

I am very proud of my daughter.

I am pretty chuffed that this place is still going.

I am not a quitter.

I won my very first writing competition this year.

Crikey. Thats three more things than I thought I would come up with.

Well done you!!

And I'm proud of this. Its something I wrote.

You don't have to like it. You don't even have to comment on it. And if you don't know much about The NZ Wars and the period around the late 1860's, it might mean even less than it otherwise does. Anyway:

WHO BREACHED THE FAITH?

Relentlessly hunted through bush and stream
Over untrod mountain and gullies deep
Falsely imprisoned I begged for a trial
A chance to hear and see my accusers denied
Transported in chains to a far away Isle.

Not alone, but my voice was one of reason
Harm neither our guards nor the sailors too as
Visited in sleep by the wisdoms of God
I found a new faith.

Ringatu.
HE counselled my mind and guided my hand
As I spread HIS word to my degraded band
Christ my guide as the missionaries taught.
I had learnt to sail, my own ship I had bought.
Exiled without trial, without reasons why; so we
Captured the Rifleman, shedding not a drop of blood
As I determined to sail upon the next tide.

4 July 1868 I and my crew of fellow felons navigated home
That strange sailing ship from exile in the Chatham’s to
Poverty Bay. A savage at large, or so Pakeha say.
My peaceful intent ignored, we became government prey.
Hounded by night and daytime too my followers and I
Branded as bandits, rebels to kill; and yet hadn’t I written to
Governor Grey? – Here’s a translation of what I did say.

‘I fought the Hauhau for you alongside government forces
as their ideal of God I could not accept – it was not my way.
And yes we defeated them yet the very next morn I too was arrested
Accused of supporting those that we killed. You dragged me to Napier
Cast me in Gaol, no reason was given, my petitions for a hearing denied.

Until that time I was a government man true through and through
Trusting of Pakeha new to my land. Who broke our Tiriti?
Who breached the faith?
Not I, I declaim, not ‘til You up raised your hand.
Honour? What of honour does your Christian government know?’
I wrote you again; not wanting to fight but McLean and his men
Put force over right. I wanted to pass over land once that held friends
Yet your armies and lies had created mice from men.
All hands turned against me
Except my faithful few who saw as I did our Christian Bible anew.

Three times we were hounded by day and by night, berserk men on horseback,
Armed with guns as you tried to kill us with overpowering might.
In yet another letter did I set out my intent expressing
No earthly desire to fight. Did you heed my words? Not one.
A conclusion was reached; Pakeha government is bad.
So if it’s a fight you want, then we are your lads. You have
Chased me thrice in succession and lost but if you want more
Then fight you we must. November sounds good. Is it convenient for you?

Educated by missionaries I had founded a Faith
In the blessed words of our Christian God that lit up my way.
Ringatu.
The Lords words serve to strengthen our need for He giveth succour
To those who oppose greed. Peace, all we desired, but we’ll war if we must.

Your soldiers a harsh lesson at Paparatu were learnt yet so did we learn
A harsher lesson than death in honest battle as friends turned against us,
Free passage denied with a price on our heads – not our bodies, but heads. When your Colonel Whitmore demanded us dead –
”Five Hundred pounds, I’m worth”, he said.
A price on the head of a man who had cautioned his friends not with bullet but pen
’…Separated now from those I love
Oh my people! Respect the Queen’s authority
That we may prosper even to the end.’
And now, you want us dead?

So left with no choice but to fight to survive
We plundered and burned, left bodies behind and yet
Not even at Ngatapa could your overwhelming mixed force
Prevent my escape – but I lost. Too many devoted men fell to your wrath.

Intent on exterminating you unleashed your hounds;
Richmond foretold all too well
Of the deaths that befell my men brave and true.
Rapata, Arawa, Kupapa too hunted us down in the bush land below.
Some, all too few I regret escaped, but the rest?
Captured, humiliated, cut down in cold blood as they stood on the precipice, Bludgeoned by patu or torn asunder by hot lead.
More than 100 men you Unlawfully killed.
No trial by lawyers, no judgement by Crown.

Their flesh left to rot, brave bones lie neglected in fern root as mulch.
Dishonoured by that very own Queen in whose name
so much was promised.
You chased me for years and yet never was I got;
so your murderous leaders were Rewarded by lot.
Crosses of metal, A Sword of Honour, hands in the till,
Look at you. You repay more murderous ones than we.

Then a Pardon at last, the Government gave this tired old man weary from
Hiding his ever diminishing band.
A settlement of sorts, a few Pounds here and
Land you gave me; land of no use.
Swamp riddled land too poor to support us.
Land you had already stolen, yet oh so generously finally granted to the One Who had tied up a government, kept its forces on the run.
An old man I may be but this I do say;
My Death is foretold but not at your hands
Nor my body shall you touch.
And my faith, Ringatu will outlast us all.
A man seeking peace but driven to war
Yet guided by God in all that I saw.
May peace be with us now and ever more.
Te Kooti.


Pat Quinn Ohingaiti NZ 2007
All Rights Reserved

Wow Paddy!!!! I am also proud of you, you have a wonderful gift, faraway conversation? post? a memory of your words. To be a published writer. How much will you be charging for your new published book?. Save a copy for me. NZ wars i know a little about, to put into poetic form - history such Taonga.

Taonga tau koha
Arohanui

well now, I'm proud of everyone on this site.

Hi Paddy, i opened up this thread and was not expecting to read such a powerul and emotional well written peice of writing so well done you, am very proud of the work you have achieved and will continue to achive. I feel privellaged having read some of your work as I dont get out much and hardly ever pick up history books or even read articles online but i read your entire peice and enjoyed it. THank you.

I dont know as much as i should about NZ history, but the Ringatu Faith was quite often talked about as i was growing up with my grandparents who are ngai tuhoe and ngati awa. Sadly i didnt listen as much as a good grand daughter should but from reading your post now has sparked some memories of many songs and chants about Te Kooti and Rua Kenana. Actually i probably have my wires crossed as my grandfather was quite the story teller and i probably just mixed up all his stories into 1.

Anyhow good stuff i feel like doing some thinking, pondering and remembering now. Thanks paddy.