Sullivan's Murder
Disobeying the Maori King’s prohibition several Europeans crossed the forbidden line into the King Country in 1873 - which resulted in one of them being murdered and having his heart cut out and offered to Uenuku - the Maori god of war.
Background: After the stalemate of the Waikato Wars (1863-1864) the Waikato Maori entrenched themselves for 20 years in Te Rohe Potate (the King Country) behind the Autaki Line under King Tawhiao - who made it very clear to the Europeans that any uninvited incursions into this territory would meet with the penalty of death.
In 1873 for some reason a group of settler farm-workers saw fit to ignore the King’s injunction and crossed the Line at Kairangi (literally “food” of “heaven”), near Cambridge.
The following is from:
“Guide to Historical Sites of Maungatautari and Roto-O-Rangi”
Complied by John Scott (1994)
Cambridge Museum booklet #993-357 Sco
Scott does not explain the exact circumstances preceeding this incident, but relates that a Tom Qualtrough had a contract to plough this area, and David Jones, Charlie Rodgers and Timothy Sullivan were laying fascine (bundles of sticks) to form a crossing over an arm of swamp for the horses and plough. This work was being carried out about a thousand yards (1km) inside the Aukati Line, when the furious barking of Jones’ dog alerted the men that danger was approaching. They fled back towards the safety of the Autaki Line hotly pursued by a group of armed Maori.
After a long sprint the 55-year old Sullivan became exhausted and fell behind, crying out: “Go on boys...take care of yourselves...I’m done.” He was shot in the back and fell to the ground. The others reached safety.
Later a settler recovery party returned to the scene - to find Sullivan decapitated and with his heart removed, slashed from his body with his own pocket knife, which, covered in blood, was found beside his body.
It was an ancient Maori custom to offer the heart of a fallen victim to Tu and Uneku, the gods of war. This practice was known as “Mawe”, and is described in detail by James Cowan in “Kimble Bent”:
Mawe was an offering to the god of war of a portion of the flesh of a slain enemy “invariably a human heart torn from the body of the first man of the enemy killed in the fight.” The Maori priest of the burnt sacrifice “would take the heart in his hand...and strike a match, or take a firestick and singe the flesh. When it was slightly scorched he would throw it away; it was tapu to Uenuku.”
The heart would be that of the “mata-ika”, the “first fish” slain.
Titokowaru (the Hauhau chief who led the third Taranaki War 18xx-18xx)) adopted the ancient practice of mawe because he believed it would cause the pakea to lose strength and courage and to become unnerved in time of battle.
Scott notes that it is believed that the Sullivan incident was the last time an offering of this nature was made.
Timothy Sullivan’s pocket knife has survived and is an exhibit today in Cambridge Museum:
Kairangi: Literally: kai: “food”; rangi: “heaven” (ie “food of heaven” or “heavenly food”). However Reed explains the meaning as “rainbow, a fine variety of green stone, anything held in high regard or, figuratively, a powerful chief.”
Kairangi is near Rotoorangi south of Cambridge:
 |
| Uenuku - the Maori god of war |
In 1873 for some reason a group of settler farm-workers saw fit to ignore the King’s injunction and crossed the Line at Kairangi (literally “food” of “heaven”), near Cambridge.
The following is from:
“Guide to Historical Sites of Maungatautari and Roto-O-Rangi”
Complied by John Scott (1994)
Cambridge Museum booklet #993-357 Sco
Scott does not explain the exact circumstances preceeding this incident, but relates that a Tom Qualtrough had a contract to plough this area, and David Jones, Charlie Rodgers and Timothy Sullivan were laying fascine (bundles of sticks) to form a crossing over an arm of swamp for the horses and plough. This work was being carried out about a thousand yards (1km) inside the Aukati Line, when the furious barking of Jones’ dog alerted the men that danger was approaching. They fled back towards the safety of the Autaki Line hotly pursued by a group of armed Maori.
After a long sprint the 55-year old Sullivan became exhausted and fell behind, crying out: “Go on boys...take care of yourselves...I’m done.” He was shot in the back and fell to the ground. The others reached safety.
Later a settler recovery party returned to the scene - to find Sullivan decapitated and with his heart removed, slashed from his body with his own pocket knife, which, covered in blood, was found beside his body.
It was an ancient Maori custom to offer the heart of a fallen victim to Tu and Uneku, the gods of war. This practice was known as “Mawe”, and is described in detail by James Cowan in “Kimble Bent”:
Mawe was an offering to the god of war of a portion of the flesh of a slain enemy “invariably a human heart torn from the body of the first man of the enemy killed in the fight.” The Maori priest of the burnt sacrifice “would take the heart in his hand...and strike a match, or take a firestick and singe the flesh. When it was slightly scorched he would throw it away; it was tapu to Uenuku.”
The heart would be that of the “mata-ika”, the “first fish” slain.
Titokowaru (the Hauhau chief who led the third Taranaki War 18xx-18xx)) adopted the ancient practice of mawe because he believed it would cause the pakea to lose strength and courage and to become unnerved in time of battle.
Scott notes that it is believed that the Sullivan incident was the last time an offering of this nature was made.
Timothy Sullivan’s pocket knife has survived and is an exhibit today in Cambridge Museum:
 |
| Cambridge Museum - the old Court House |
Kairangi is near Rotoorangi south of Cambridge:
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