Waimate Pa, South Taranaki Coast

Of the Wai-mate pa, on the Taranaki coast, Dr. Marshall wrote in 1834:—"Wai-mate was built on an insular rock, not unlike Te Namu in its general form, but larger, loftier, and more difficult of access. It was excessively crowded with huts, these being generally disposed in squares, but occasionally so ranged also as to form long narrow streets. Of these huts there were nearly two hundred standing when we entered the pa, varying, however, in their form, as it was evident they varied in their uses."

This writer then proceeds to give a good description of the dwelling and other huts found within the pa, as also of the food pits, with which 'the whole of the ground occupied by the pa was honeycombed.'

In speaking of the Wai-mate pa as he saw it in 1840, Mr. R. Stokes says:—"The pa of Wai-mate is about half a mile beyond the stream of the same name. At this place, indeed, there are three pa, each on a separate cliff about 150 feet high, and close to each other, the names of the other two being Waranui (?Whara-nui) and Orangi-tuapeka, between these two last flows the Kapuni. … The pathway winds up the side of the cliff; about two thirds of the way up a rude ladder is placed (See Fig. 96 opposite), made of the trunk of a small tree, with notches cut in it for steps, up which we climbed to the pa (See also Fig. 97).

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Of the Otu-matua pa, north of the Wai-mate, the same writer says:—"Otu-matua is built on a projecting point between two small bays or indentations of the coast, the more sheltered of them serving as a place where the natives can draw up their fishing canoes on shore. There is a path down the steep face of the cliff, and half way down a ladder, similar to that described at Wai-mate. The pa is of considerable size, with a double fence or enclosure, and a passage three feet wide between. The posts are covered with grotesque representations of the human figure. The number of inhabitants at this pa, as far as we could estimate, is about four hundred, with a greater proportion of children than at any other settlement we had visited. They were mostly under the age of twelve years."

The name Waimate seems to have included two cliff strongholds known as Nga Teko and Orangi-tuapeka. The latter is level on the top. These sea cliff pa are situated about three miles from the township of Manaia.

In writing of the two pa at Waimate taken by the crew of the Alligator in 1834, Mr. Seffern says:—"These pa were found to be of formidable appearance. One was on the top of a detached rock about two hundred feet high, and quite inaccessible from all sides, excepting a narrow zigzag path capable of allowing only one person to walk up at a time. This was cut in the rock, and at the top stood a post about twenty feet high, notched with steps. The only entrance to this stronghold was by a hole three or four feet in diameter. The top of this pa was fringed by a palisading in which were embrasures for muskets, and in many places a dyke surrounding spots on which were built about two hundred huts, capable of housing a thousand inhabitants. There were about thirty provision rooms, in which were excavated cells which would each hold about fifty tons of potatoes. These provision houses [pits] were entered through a waterproof trap from their cookhouse. They were nearly all full, and as there was an equal supply of dried fish and firewood, it showed how completely these people were prepared against any attack from their neighbours."

A store pit beneath a cooking shed that would contain fifty tons of potatoes was an abnormally large one. Commodious store pits were usually situated outside the defences.

The Aromanga pa, situated on the right bank of the Whanga-nui river, about a mile above Tunu-haere and Kai-whaiki, is a good example of the use made by the Maori of wild places difficult of access whereon to locate his fortified hamlets. This pa, which was a very small one, is situated on the lower end of a small spur running down from the ridge above to the river, but terminating a page 352short distance from the river in a perpendicular cliff, absolutely non-negotiable with any primitive appliances. This cliff continues also along one side of the pa, while the other side falls away very steeply to a small creek, and was easy to fortify and defend. The approach to the pa from the river was up the steep slope on the inland side of the stream, along a narrow ledge at the summit of a cliff, then up the creek bed and so on to the spur. The upper end of the pa is defended by two deep moats cut across the spur, some little distance apart, which were assuredly supplemented by stockades, as also was the scarped side next the stream. When occupied, this pa, situated on the summit of the rugged cliff overlooking the river, must have been an extremely picturesque place. The other noticeable feature in connection with this pa is that it is commanded on the inland side by a much higher hill spur, rising steeply from the small creek the high bank of which forms one side of the pa. From this hill, stones or spears could certainly have been cast into the pa by means of the sling and whip formerly employed by the Maori, and it is not clear how its inhabitants protected themselves under such conditions.

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