The pā is often mistakenly called Kaiapohia, which is actually an insult to local Ngāi Tūāhuriri whose ancestors died in the pā after they were besieged by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa allies in 1832.
Te Rauparaha then mounted a major expedition against Kaiapoi Ngāi Tahu in the summer of 1831-32.