Tunohopu te Tupuna

      Immediately after the battle of Tawharakurupeti, we ambushed Tuwharetoa at Te Awaawaroa as utu and drove them back to Taupo.  Tunohopu returned back to his pa at Taumata-a-rangi which was located on the summit of what is now known as Kawaha Point.  He was followed not long afterwards by Tamamutu and the Ngati Tuwharetoa war party who were unhappy with the ambush.  Luckily for the village, a large number of the occupants had gone over to Mokoia Island.  Only a few warriors and others were left behind in the pa when Ngati Tuwharetoa attacked.  The taua entered into the village and killed a number of the occupants, however Tunohopu managed to gather most of his children together and escape to the cave now known as 'Te Ana-a-Tunohopu'.  Unfortunately in the confusion of the moment, Tunohopu had not been able to find Taioperua, one of his sons.  Taioperua was captured by Tamamutu and taken back to Taupo as a prisoner.

      Ngati Tuwharetoa set fire to the village as they left, and the smoke from the fires was seen by the people on Mokoia Island.  They immediately returned back to the village whereupon the warriors pursued their enemy, managing to despatch some of them but unable to retrieve Taioperua.

      Tunohopu grieved over the kidnapping of his young son, and in his grief he resolved to rectify the situation.  Tunohopu set off for Taupo alone to confront his enemy Tamamutu and to retrieve his child.

      After a long journey heading southwards, he eventually reached the pa where Tamamutu lived.  Standing outside the pa, he spoke to a young child and asked the boy the whereabouts of Tamamutu's whare.  On being shown where the house was, Tunohopu immediately walked straight into the lion's den and confronted Tamamutu in his own home.

      Tamamutu was extremely surprised and shocked to see his enemy standing before him.  Being amazed at the courage and audacity of Tunohopu, Tamamutu greeted him and listened as Tunohopu told him that he had come to retrieve his son or die in the attempt.  Tamamutu told Tunohopu that he would be given back his son, but that he firstly needed to announce Tunohopu's presence to the rest of the tribe.

      Tamamutu requested that Tunohopu change out of the worn pueru that he was wearing and that he adorn himself in a manner befitting a rangatira before his presentation to the tribe.  Tunohopu prepared himself by adding huia feathers and a heru to his hair and donning a fine cloak given to him by his host.

      When Tunohopu was ready, Tamamutu walked out onto the Marae and called, "He taua, he taua!"  Instantly the village was in uproar as the warriors scrambled for their weapons to meet the hostile war party.  However, only one enemy stood before them, dressed as a rangatira and obviously a guest of their chief.  Tamamutu then addressed the people and told them of the great courage shown by Tunohopu in his sole journey to retrieve his son.  At the end of the address the people showed much admiration and respect for Tunohopu.  A decision was made that the enmity between the two tribes was to end and Taioperua was returned back to his father.

     After staying with Tamamutu for a few days, Tunohopu returned to Rotorua with a number of Ngati Tuwharetoa accompanying him and carrying gifts of preserved birds and other types of food for the people at Taumata-a-rangi.