Maori Explorers 2013

Te Kereru Toa

Ko Te Kererunui Te Toa! The land quakes with the resounding thud of myriad haka, the raucous noise of celebration. Kereru, the mighty fire waka has prevailed over all her foes. The final battle began in the sacred deserts high upon the volcanic plateau. Kereru in possession of many of the finest warriors and tacticians ever seen destroyed the combined forces of Tui and Kakapo on one front and then obliterated the powerful waka of Takahe on another battlefield. Tui and Kakapo made the fatal error of not investing in and raising up a strong force of elite warriors. They had several opportunities earlier on but never did take advantage. In the end they paid dearly when Kereru arrived on the scene replete with many great warriors. The final battles were almost anticlimactic because Kereru fought as like Te Wheke versus mere shrimps. Not even Takahe who had taken some precautions by raising up a cohort of advanced Toa were able to stop the Red Tide when it washed over them. It was clear to all present that the victors would be Kereru and so it came to pass. So we declare before all that Aotearoa is a Red land. A land fallen into the hands of the House of War and all other houses under their thrall. May it be so that they will show mercy to their defeated foes and may they be kind guardians to the whenua hou. No reira, i te timatanga ko te kore, Engari mo te wa nei ko Te Kereru, Kereru nui, Kereru roa, E tu! E tu!

Te Whenua Pakanga!

Piki Ake, Piki Ake! The air has filled with the sounds and sights of battle. The new land is unused to the horror of war. The royal houses of Tui and Kakapo waka have suffered grievous blows at the hands of the mighty Kereru and Takahe coalition. In the North, Takahe have breached the green and yellow defenses thus breaching the border. Meanwhile far to the South and East in the distant Urewera, a resurgent Kereru has decimated the forces of Tui House and prepare to make what could be a fatal blow. Great karakia have been incanted by the fire Tohunga of Kereru and the water mages of Takahe and they have been able to send powerfully enhanced warriors out against the green and gold coalition. All waka have learned the folly of not making proper provision for their armed forces. The old saying 'An army marches on its belly' rings so true. A great emergency is unfolding among the people of Tui and Kakapo. They must approach their Tohunga and seek arcane knowledge that might gain them some kind of advantage or even escape. It's not known how long it may be before one of these four great waka gains final ascendancy over the others but this reality cannot be far away. Kia Hiwa Ra E Nga Waka Katoa!

I Te Whenua o Aotearoa

'Kia haere tahi tatou'


And so the people of the fire god and the children of the sea made peace. They aligned and sent combined forces to the vast forests of Te Urewera.

The house of war raised itself up against the people of the Tui and they were early victorious but verily they eventually failed and thus tasted unexpected defeat.

Tui, aided by the mighty magically enhanced earth powers of the Kakapo tohunga were able to withstand then overcome their more favoured red cousins.

The elders whispered that those who fail to feed and shelter their soldiers are doomed to battle against tiredness and ill discipline as well as their true enemy...

Meanwhile the people of the sea slowly build...

No reira Kia tupato!

KIA HIWA RA!

E NGA WAKA, NAU MAI HAERE MAI - KI AOTEAROA! 

And then finally they arrived in their dozens and their hundreds upon the whenua tapu of Aotearoa. Surely the fortunate and the bravest of all those who had departed their ancient now destroyed homeland of Hawaiki. As each waka made landfall they commemorated those whose lives had been lost along the arduous and perilous way and gave thanks for the gift of a wondrous new home.

But powerful Kereru of the flame and Takahe of the ocean docked close together in the favoured land of Te Tai Tokerau. It was expected that they would battle for the right to claim guardianship over the mighty North. And over ensuing weeks they made plans to do so until scouts returned to the Ariki of both waka bearing disturbing news.

Far to the South in colder lands Kakapo the great waka of the earth people had made a solemn pact with Tui, the followers of the Air. A grand alliance to work together, to forge a strong new civilisation in a strange new land. Tuituia had spies in the far North who whispered of contentions between the two rival houses of Kererunui and Takahenuirangi.

But upon hearing news of the Southern Compact, the Red and Blue Houses united creating a grand alliance of their own. And thus war was averted, the spies of Tui were chased from the Northern lands and Half of the House of War departed for the unsettled lands of the East whilst the other half remained with their new friends of the House of Water.

Meanwhile far to the South Kakapo and Tui held many hui to decide which way they would go. They had many fears about whether their island crops would grow in this new much colder land as well as the need to not spread their numbers to thin over the vast amount of territory they now claimed. And as always they kept a weather eye on their two dangerous cousins in the far distant North and East.

And so the first chapter of the generations of Maori Explorers upon Aotearoa was written.

KIA HIWA RA!

NEWSFLASH!!!

(Prince Thomas)

• With regret we announce the sad passing of His Royal Highness Prince Thomas Te Kereru of the illustrious House of War. Prince Thomas was defeated in a duel to the death by an unnamed cannibal leader. He fought bravely but was unable to prevail due mostly to dehydration and hunger related illness.
• Prince Thomas was a master warrior and highly respected member of royal society who enjoyed great popularity and success in his homeland of Hawaiki. And to that ancient homeland he will return now where he will dwell in glory forever.
• His Majesty King Uenuku has declared strongly to all Tohunga that more effort must be put into ensuring our people are more properly provided for on this long journey to Aotearoa.
• His Majesty likewise expressed his disappointment in the apparent cowardice shown by our people on the second day of our sojourn upon Te Motu Kaitangata. His exhortation to all citizens is 'KIA KAHA! - Me kaua e oma haere!'

Na Te Mangai Amorangi

TE POU TATAU

TE POU TATAU

Tui  55

Takahe  37

Kereru  29

Kakapo  10

Most Pacific Majesty,

I dearly hope this message finds you well. The most recent journeys of the four waka
have been less than optimistic. Very troubling, to say the least. Nevertheless, I will
inform your majesty on all the specific dealings the four waka have experienced since my
last report.

This day the legends have been proven true. It seems the four waka have made landfall
upon the infamous Motu Kaitangata! Bloodthirsty savages abound there indeed! The
inhabitants of the island desire to consume our people as kai! Te Waka Tui was also
swept onto Te Motu Kaitangata after their defeat to Te Wheke! Their house was caught in
the ocean current and washed ashore. Whether Tui knew what dangers awaited them or not I
am unsure.

An intense battle against the natives of Te Motu Kaitangata broke out involving Takahe,
Kereru, and Kakapo who shamefully opted to flee! Tui was the only waka unable to run
away from the kaitangata so they had no choice but to fight it out with the craven
cannibals, although if they could have run away they would have...

 And so the kaitangata caught Tui house and they had to fight against the cannibals. The
three houses experienced massive almost catastophic loss of mana which ultimately
affected their resources. I certainly pray that they will remember that they are noble
beings of superior bearing and will not run away in future.

Kereru lost their mangatoa in a duel with the kaitangata general, may he rest in peace!
Takahe lost four soldiers and three civilians, Kakapo lost three civilians, and Tui
lost six soldiers. Peace be upon them all.

It seems that none of the teams desire to cooperate with one another. This has been
evidenced by their lack of unity when fighting the wicked kaitangata. It is my opinion
majesty that the houses are in disarray and ill disciplined. This lack of discipline and
focus caused the death of many soldiers because they didn’t use their structures to work
decently with confidence and in order.

I did see a glimmer of hope in the end, as some of the waka began to put away their
petty rivalries in the name of survival. They started to learn that they should trade and
sell their resources to the cousins for the benefit of all. Whether this will come to
fruition, I am not sure. Mighty blows have been struck against all four waka on this
journey so far. Many of the warriors and civilians have become a delicious kai-hakari
for the island natives. What comes about after this lies hidden in the mists of
uncertainty.

Be well Pacific Majesty. I am as ever in your service.

Na Te Amorangi