WAIKATO WARRIORS' MEMORIAL

On the south side of Te Whare Hononga is the burial place of six Waikato warriors who fell at the battle of Mahoetahi in November 1860. The bronze toki is a memorial to:  
Ngāti Hauā chief Wetini Taiporutu and his son Hemi 
Ngāti Apakura chief Whararangi 
Ngāti Kōura chief Hakopa 
and two unnamed rangatira.  

At the beginning of the Taranaki land wars, Wetini Taiporoutu traveled with a war party of 150 from Waikato to support Te Atiawa.

On November 6, 1860, they were attacked at Mohoetahi by a 700-strong band of British troops, local volunteers, and militia. 

After their deaths, Archdeacon Govet arranged for the chiefs to be buried in the grounds of St. Mary’s.

The graves were unmarked for 70 years until a stone memorial was finally erected in 1930. Wetini Taiporutu was known as Te Toki, so in 2023, a three-metre bronze toki, designed by acclaimed artist Rangi Kipa, was installed to honour and properly mark these warriors' resting place, where Te Toki has fallen, the taura (cord) undone.