in 1865 the pai mārire movement (commonly known as hauhau) was active on the east coast. potae opposed the hauhau and on 18 august 1865 near tahutahu-po, where the hauhaus had taken up a position between tokomaru and tolago bay, potae and 36 warriors fought a large body of hauhaus at pakura. ropata wahawaha and 90 ngāti porou warriors were close by and engaged the hauhaus, who were decisively defeated. about 200 hauhaus, who were driven out of tokomaru, made their way by the middle of september 1865 to waerenga-ā-hika, which was the church missionary society (cms) mission station that had been established by the rev. william williams in the poverty bay district. potae went to waerenga-ā-hika with 30 to 40 of his warriors on 28 september and 30 october to support the colonial government forces – forest rangers and settler volunteers - who were opposing the hauhau.