From the MTG: Legends from long ago

Maui Fishing up the North Island by Marcus King.

Events between the time of Kupe's visits and the establishment of Ngāti Kahungunu throughout Hawke's Bay get little mention.

As we know, there are always alternative versions of the stories and legends that made this country. This brief column is but only one of those versions.

Once upon a time, Māui fished up Aotearoa. The name for the North Island is Te Ika a Māui, Māui's fish. Te Matau a Māui, Māui's fish hook, is Hawke's Bay, and Te Kauwae a Māui the barb, Cape Kidnappers.

It is common belief throughout the Te Moana nui ā Kiwa that Māui fished up just about everything in the Pacific.

Following Māui came Kupe. Kupe lived in the time of Athelstan, mokopuna of Alfred the Great. Around the time Athelstan became the first crowned king of all England, Kupe was escaping from Hawaiiki with the wife of another man, Kuramārōtini.

Kuramārōtini was married to Hoturapa, Kupe's cousin. But leaving Hoturapa to drown while at sea fishing, Kupe kidnapped Kuramārōtini and stole her away, in her own waka Matahourua as to not raise alarm.

While at sea, he encountered a giant octopus when it wrapped its tentacles around his waka. Kupe cut off one of these tentacles with his patu, causing the octopus to flee. Kupe then set chase, which led him here to Hawke's Bay, then to Wellington and across the Cook Strait where he trapped and killed the octopus at the top of the South Island.

Which is how the South Island got its original name Arapaoa, ara to rise, paoa or pawa in this case, to strike - the head of the octopus.

Then came Whatonga from Hawaiiki. During Whatonga's young adulthood, he was blown off course competing in the Hawaiiki Cup Yacht Regatta, sailing for some time before eventually making landfall in Aotearoa.

On Whatonga's return voyage to Hawaiiki his grandfather Toi searching for his grandson, passed him in the night. He also eventually landed in Aotearoa.

Upon Whatonga's return to Hawaiiki and learning his grandfather Toi was searching for him, he set sail once more, in his grandfather's wake leading back to the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Toi and Whatonga both settled in Aotearoa with their wives from Hawaiiki and with other wives they had found on this new island, Te Ika a Maui. By all accounts, it was a lovely life.

Whatonga living in Te Matau ā Maui with his first wife Hotuwaipara, had a son, Taranohu, born around Cape Kidnappers area. Taranohu begat Ngai Tara iwi.

Whatonga also had a grandson, Rangitaane, but from another wife, Reretua. Ngai Tara and Rangitaane iwi married into the locals of the time. These were other ancient cultures who descended from Io.

Other peoples in the area such as the Mouriuri, and those referred to as Moa Hunters in the Official Centennial Memorial - History of Hawke's Bay, all were pre-Māori.

Eventually, in the time of King Henry III's rule, out of Hawaiiki came Takitimu waka in one of the many flotillas. From Takitimu waka came Kahungunu the man, the tribe, Heretaunga, which in time became Hawke's Bay.

The descendants of Henry III and Tamatea Arikinui, the captain of Takitimu, were eventually to collide in the formation of Hawke's Bay.

At the beginning of King Henry VI's reign, Taraia, a descendant of Tamatea Arikinui, arrived in Hawke's Bay, establishing Ngāti Kahungunu iwi in the area. His arrival dispersed those iwi already here, Awanuiarangi, Awa, Whatumamoa and Moe, Hotu, Te Aitanga a Whata, Tauira, amongst other iwi.

Taraia had already perused Hawke's Bay before shifting here. He had married into the ancient people of Hawke's Bay area by marrying Hinepare from Taradale Puketapu, who descended from not only Whatonga but also from Paikea. Ngati Hinepare therefore also descending from Toi prior migration.

Through might and marriage, Ngāti Kahungunu took hold of Hawke's Bay, changing its landscape.

In 1850 Donald Maclean arrived in Hawke's Bay. But that's another story.

Te Hira Henderson is Curator Maori at MTG