15a. NUKUPEWAPEWA

Nukupewapewa, the fighter, the tactician, the engineer and chief, is a descendant of Tamatea-Ariki-nui.

It is claimed that his gift of mimicry as a child, resulted in great fighting skill and quick wit. He is said to have been a full foot taller than his compatriots, and he is so named because his moko was that of the pewapewa pattern.

His first great achievement was in the construction of Nga-mahanga pa, on the Ruamahanga river in the Wairarapa. This pa was fully fortified, enclosed in tall palisades.

His many battle campaigns began at Maungaraki pa which was said to be the Troy of the Wairarapa. From a cliff above this site, he launched a raupo kite into the pa whereupon the doors were opened and Maungaraki taken!

In one colourful adventure, a young Te Heuheu was forced to surrender to Nukupewapewa after a battle at Omakukara, (west Taupo); in another, the cunning Te Rauparaha was halted from laying his hands on the Wairarapa, (The battle at Peehikatea in Greytown), and yet another involved the famous Te Wharepouri of Te Atiawa. (See 15b).

Nukupewapewa the warrior, poet and tohunga was drowned in about 1840 in the region of Whakakii, in a disastrous storm which overturned his canoe.