Candy Cane Poem

Before the battle began, Henare wrote to Colonel Greer asking that they follow some tikanga about being kind to any soldiers or Māori toa who were hurt in battle or taken prisoner. At the top of his tikanga Henare had written the kupu of Ihu from the Paipera Tapu –“If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him drink.” Colonel Greer agreed to follow this tikanga.

Chief Rāwiri Puhirake got 250 men to build a strong fort with many tunnels where his toa could wait for the enemy. It was very cleverly built. They were ready for battle.

On 28/29 April 1864 the battle at Gate Pa (Pukehinahina) was fought. Colonel Greer had over 1600 soldiers that began to attack the pa. However, the Māori defences were so strong that many of the first soldiers to enter the pa were killed. They also became confused during the fighting in the trenches and with so many tunnels, that by evening Colonel Greer commanded them to retreat.

During the pō Henare Taratoa remembered the kupu of Ihu and the tikanga of the battle, so took wai to the hurt and dying British soldiers.

In the morning, everyone was amazed the Māori had won the battle against such a large army

Sadly Henare Taratoa did not live to see rangimārie for his people. Two months later he and Rāwiri Puhirake were killed during another battle at Te Ranga.

On his body there was found a copy of his tikanga for battle and some pages from the Paipera Tapu. Even on the battlefield, Henare wanted to show aroha to his enemies.