Next morning they swam the river to the spot where Raniera had thought could be lucky but the current was so swift that Raniera's dog was swept downstream. Raniera swam after his dog, and as he hauled the dog up on to the bank, he found gold clinging to his hair and nuggets in the rock crevasses. Raniera and his 2 friends had discovered one of the richest claims of the Otago Goldfield. They panned 400 ounces of gold before nightfall. His strike opened up the biggest gold strike in New Zealand's history and within 2 months, there were 4600 men, prospecting the Skipper's canyon . The conditions were harsh and many died. In July 1863 a flash flood in the mountains brought a wall of water down the Shotover river, killing about 80 men. It was followed by several bitterly cold days that killed many more. About this time, whether due to the tragedy or because he and his friend's had worked their claim, Raniera left the goldfields, never to return. He was a wealthy man by all accounts.
Now he returned to Otakou to ask Chief Taiaroa for the hand of his grand-daughter Nani in marriage but while Raniera was at the Goldfields, Taiaroa had died (4 Feb 1863 aged 80 years). But still her family refused to let her marry Raniera so they conspired to elope. One night, as previously arranged, Nani secretly packed her bags and waited for a signal from her sweetheart. Raniera rowed across from Port Charmers, gave the signal as arranged and she came. They rowed back across the harbour to where a horse and carriage were waiting to take them to Dunedin. They were married the next day in St Paul's Church , 28 Aug 1863. The next morning, when Nani's family discovered that Nani was missing, they sent some men to find her but it was 3-4 days before they located her and she greeted them with the exclamation; "Too Reiti" , meaning Too Late.
Taiaroa had left a large block of land at Otakou for Nani, so they both settled on the land and began to farm it. The first 3 children were born in Otakou but after that time the family seemed to shift back and forth to Waikouaiti and several children were born here. In the mid 1870's ,on the Otakou farm, they built a robust homestead which they named Te Waipounamu which still stands today. Around this time Raniera became more politically active, travelling to Waikanae where he had land and visiting with the Taranaki prophets, Te Whiti and Tohu. He became converted to their religious movement and began to hold service on the 18th of each month in his house. He also began to support Te Whiti and the Parihaka village financially and is said to have given several thousand pounds to this cause. In the 1880,s the government forces invaded Parihaka and imprisoned its leaders, sending them to be incarcerated in the South Island. One group was sent to Dunedin where they spent time in the caves by Anderson's Bay. Raniera provided food and blankets for them which helped them survive the bitter cold winters. When they were finally released, they paid homage to Raniera for saving their lives, by calling themselves Ngati Erihana. A mate from Taranaki to Otakou still happens to the present day and portraits of Raniera and Nani hang beside Te Whiti and Tohu at the Parihaka Meetinghouse. Raniera was later given a beautifully carved Tukutuku stick by King Tawhiao which is still in the family.
Raniera arranged the marriages of most of his children. In his later years, Raniera and Nani spent alot
of time looking after grandchildren and Raniera collected alot of whakapapa which is recorded in books that he
kept. He died on the 16 May 1920, aged 80 years and was buried in the urupa at Otakou Marae. He outlived
all of his daughters and all but 4 of his sons. Nani died nearly 4 years later.
Beautifully carved Tukutuku stick given to Raniera by King Tawhiao
DANIEL (RANIERA) ELLISON - 2
Top to bottom: Te Waipounamu- Ellison Homestead, Otakou.
Middle: Raniera & Nani old age'
Bottom: Raniera portrait