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Road signs that identify the, blink and miss, Maxwell Township on the outskirts of Whanganui have already mysteriously disappeared and may never be needed again.
Ruta Broughton, member of Ngāti Maika hapū. Source: rnz.co.nz
By Robin Maxwell of rnz.co.nz
The council has joined forces with Ngā Rauru and his hapū Ngāti Maika to make the name, which has ties to a bloody incident during the New Zealand Wars, become Pākaraka again.
Maxwell is currently named after Scotsman George Maxwell, one of the founding members of the Kai-iwi Yeomanry Cavalry Volunteers.
Led by a notable settler and politician, John Bryce, the volunteers participated in the notorious Handley’s Woolshed incident in November 1868.
Fearing attack by the Hauhau warriors from Tītokowaru, the militia encountered a group of Maori children between the ages of 10 and 12 hunting geese and pigs near the wool shed on the Nukumaru plains.
The cavalry charged, and according to most Pākehā accounts, two boys were killed.
Raymond Hina and Ngāti Maika hapū, member of Ruta Broughton in Pākaraka Pa. Source: rnz.co.nz
Ruta Broughton, a member of Ngāti Maika hapū, said it was much worse.
“Ngāti Maika says that there was only one survivor and there were actually more than two people … more than two young people who were killed that day. It was a massacre.
“And there was only one survivor and that only survivor was from Ngāti Maika and he’s in the corner photo with his fingers cut off.
“So how did he survive the massacre? Well, he played dead. He played dead and lived to tell his story about the events.”
The family portrait of Ihaka Takarangi is proudly displayed in Pākaraka Pa, north of Whanganui.
Broughton said that it was important for his generation to rename Pākaraka for the sake of their children and grandchildren.
Raymond Hina and Ruta Broughton, a member of the Ngāti Maika hapū, discuss the family portrait of Ihaka Takarangi. Source: rnz.co.nz
“We are not happy with the name because it is a monument to George Maxwell, who killed our youth back then and our whenua has a name, our land has a name, this place is Pākaraka.”
Raymond Hina grew up in Pākaraka, a name that combines the word ‘pa’ for home and ‘karaka’ for the trees that were once abundant in the area.
He said it was heartbreaking to have to explain to visitors why the area was called Maxwell.
“They ask the question ‘Maxwell, what name for this, why is it Maxwell?’
“And then we have to go back and tell the story and you know that as big as I am, it’s difficult to tell the story.”
Hina said that Pākaraka had always welcomed everyone and that the name change was not about excluding Pākehā.
“Everyone came here farmers and everyone and this is the place they returned to then.
“And if you see them now, you can say they were brought here – I’m talking about our Pākehā – because they call this the pa, Pākaraka, and they didn’t call him … he was always known as the pa.”
The Mayor of Whanganui, Hamish McDouall. Source: rnz.co.nz
Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall thought the city was ready to embrace the change.
“I understand that there will be divergent opinions, but a person from a very old settler family, whom I raised [to] And they told them personally this was happening, they said, ‘oh, I can’t wait. It should always have been Pākaraka ‘.
“So I think the time has passed to keep some names.”
But not all council members supported the application to the New Zealand Geographical Board.
Charlie Anderson voted against.
“I am concerned that it is just one more thing. There is no real gain for Maori and it only polarizes our community once more.
“I’m aware that Mr. Maxwell was probably not the nicest guy at the time, but we can’t change our rich history. We have to accept him with warts and all.
“Te Rauparaha was a murderous tyrant, but I believe that his statue still stands in Ōtaki, and it should remain there, as do the many names of Captain Cook.”
For Raymond Hina, however, a name change would mean the world.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be sitting here crying anyway. That’s what it would mean. And I could die happy I guess.”
The New Zealand Geographical Board is not expected to make a decision on the name change for several months.
