Te Kōpua 'the deep' refers to a conversation in 1845 prior to the battle of Ruapekapeka between Northern leaders Te Ruki Kawiti of Ngāti Hineamaru and Hone Heke Pōkai of Ngāti Rāhiri and the British and Māori allies. The words contained within this painting involve Kawiti telling his younger ally Hone Heke, I mea au i tū ai koe ki te riri kia taea te ika o te kōpua, kahore i te pātihitihi nei ano, kua karanga koe KĀTI. ‘I expected when you took up arms that you would go out to catch the fish of the deep; now, only in the shallows, you [cry stop, you] are calling out for peace.’ Te Ruki Kawiti. A more colloquial way of translating this passage might be, 'I warned you that the water was too deep for you alone to net the big fish, but you would not listen. Now the water just barely reaches your knees and you cry, enough!' In other words he is saying they are moving into deeper water. This is the meaning of 'Te Kōpua' the deep.

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