Whakapaki Street

Whakapaki was a renowned chief and warrior of the Ngāti Hinetuhi hapu, of Ngāti Mutunga.

He fought on the side of Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Toa against Waikato, who were pursuing Te Rauparaha, in what became known as the battle of Motunui, which took place on the plains in front of Ōkoki pā in November 1821. Whakapaki was recorded as being one of the chiefs of Ōkoki pā in that year.

As a child Sir Peter Buck (Te Rangi Hīroa) recalled one Māori visitor he dreaded. He had conjured up an image of Whakapaki as a fear-inspiring sorcerer.

When visiting Peter's mother Ngarongo, Whakapaki sat on the front doorstep and talked with her through the open door. At those times Peter knew not to upset him and would carefully sneak around the back to avoid any contact.

The rumour was that Whakapaki disapproved of several Māori who were allies of the Government and they had been removed by his orders.

In his twilight years Whakapaki lived at the foot of a terraced hill on the right bank of the Urenui River. Before he died, Whakapaki, deciding he had no descendants worthy of inheriting his treasured pounamu (greenstone) mere, broke it and threw the pieces in the river. After his death, in late August, 1883, his whānau, searching for the mere, discovered small bits of pounamu near a large rock by the river.

Despite the trepidation he inspired in others, Whakapaki was a chief of great mana and was someone who demanded respect for tikanga Māori and lived strongly by Māori traditions.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.