The Harriet Incident - South Taranaki
In December 2017 I trekked over farmland in Southern Taranaki to the mouth of the Kapuni Stream - the site of the twin pa of Orangi-Tuapeka and Ngateko (collectively Waimate) and of one of the most infamous incidents in early New Zealand history: the rescue of Elizabeth Guard and her children after the wreck of the barque “Harriet” in 1834. Background: Before the Treaty was signed in 1840 a considerable number of ships were wrecked on New Zealand coasts. In many cases the wrecks were pillaged by Maori and sometimes the crew were murdered and eaten. As a result of these incidents New Zealand became known as “the cannibal coast” - a reputation fuelled most spectacularly in 1809 by the burning of the “Boyd”, the massacre of those aboard and the large cannibal feast which followed. In other instances surviving crew members and other whites were captured and ransomed - a barrel of gunpowder often the price of their freedom: muskets were a desireable commodity. The Story: In his boo...