He kau kawana

Whakamarama

 
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He kau kawana - Link
 
 
He wai manawa whenua tuhatuha, e kore e mimiti’
 
When Pootatau Te Wherowhero became the first Maaori King he and governor Grey had many political debates in their time.One of those stories is that Grey said he had a fat cow and put this question to Te Wherowhero;
 
“When all your resources are gone, when all your foodstuffs are gone, when all your water has gone - what will you eat?

”Te Wherowhero replied; “I will eat YOU!”
 
Te Iti Kahurangi Kapa Haka performed “He Kau Kawana” at Te Matatini in 2017.The Whakaeke written by Brad Totorewa highlighted the interaction of Kiingi Pootatau & his Son Kiingi Taawhiao with the crown in the early 1860s at Oraakau, one of the battle sites across the Tainui Rohe.
 
Pootatau referred to the crown as being a ‘Kau’ e kaihoro nei i ngaa whenua me ngaa rawa aa te Maaori.The result of these wars and battles led to the confiscation of land at significant sites across the Tainui Rohe such as; Oraakau, Rangiriri paa, Rangiaowhia, Paaterangi, Pirongia and further up near Tamaki at Pokena, Pukekohe and Mercer which are also referred to in the whakaeke.
 
It also serves as a reminder of the resilience of our tuupuna to overcome adversity, as we look at today’s challenges and work together as one to overcome our current issues (Covid19)