Page:Hawaiki The Original Home of the Maori.djvu/190

178 Tino-rere's return, Tu-tapu arrives from Iva with a war-fleet to demand of Tangiia their father's weapon, "Te Amio-enua," and the right to the rara-roroa, and the rara-kuru (man and breadfruit tribute), both tributes of an ariki. But Tangiia refuses, though after some time he concedes the rara-kuru, thinking to appease his cousin, but to no avail. It is clear from the fact of Tangiia's sons having attained to manhood at this time, that he had been absent in the Western Pacific for many years.

Great preparations were now made for war. Tangiia collects his people, the clans of Te Kaki-poto, Te Atu-taka-poto, Te Kopa, Te Tavake-moe-rangi, Te Tavake-oraurau, Te Neke, Te Ataata-a-pua, Te Tata-vere-moe-papa and the Manaune, some of whom are mentioned as small people; they were probably Melanesian slaves. The two parties now separate, Tu-tapu retiring to Tau-tira, at the east end of Tahiti-iti, whilst Tangiia and his army occupied Puna auia (a stream and district, west side of Tahiti). War now commences; as the history says, "Tahiti is filled with the Ivans" (Tu-tapu's people), and they press Tangiia so sorely that he orders his vessel to be launched and all his valuables placed on board, including his gods Tonga-iti, Rongo, Tane, Rua-nuku, Tu and Tangaroa, besides his seat named "Kai-auunga," in case of defeat in the coming strife. Two other gods were taken by Tu-tapu—viz., Rongo-ma-Uenga and Maru-mamao. When this had been done, Tangiia again fought Tu-tapu in the mountains, where the former's two sons, Pou-te-anua-nua and Motoro are killed, the former by the woods (or grass?) being set on fire. And now Tangiia was driven into the sea by his enemies, whilst the country-side was a mass of smoke and flame. Then comes in a little bit of the marvellous: "The goddess Taakura looking down upon the fire fiercely burning, descries Motoro in the midst of it. She spoke to