Ngätokimatawhaorua Page 2

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Haere Tonu Te Körero - The Story Continues

Kupe finally returned to the harbour that became known as Hokianga. At this place he turned his son Tuputupu Whenua into a taniwha and threw him into a spring which he called Te Puna o Te Ao Marama, to act as a guardian of this newly discovered land. He then uttered the famous whakatauki from which the harbour gained its name:

"Hei konei ra, e Te Puna o Te Ao Marama. Ka hoki nei tënei, e kore e hoki anga nui mai."
"Farewell, Spring of The World of Light. This one is going home and will not return again."

On arrival of Kupe back in Hawaiki, there was a great war raging and Nukutäwhiti asked his grandfather Kupe for the great waka Matawhaorua to take his people away to the new land of Aotearoa. Kupe agreed and Nukutäwhiti asked that the waka be re-fitted to take more people.

Two toki pounamu were used on the waka Matawhaorua to re-fit it for its return journey to Aotearoa. The pounamu for the toki were found by Ngahue and returned to Hawaiki with Kupe where two toki were made. The names of these two toki pounamu were:

Ngä Pakitua (a small bladed toki). This toki was made from dark coloured pounamu (kahurangi) and was sometimes referred to as "Rere-ki-te-po".
Tauira Ata (a wide bladed toki). This toki was white and was made from light coloured pounamu (Inanga) sometimes referred to as "Mahurangi".

Kupe made the decision to give the Matawhaorua to Nukutäwhiti after Nukutäwhiti had asked to travel to Aotearoa and had said the now famous whakatauki:

"E tü te huru ma, haramai e noho. E tü te huru pango, hantu haere."

"Let the white hair remain here. Let the black hair get up and go."

During the re-fit of the Matawhaorua these two toki were used. Whakatau was the canoe builder who supervised the re-fit. Kupe used Ngä Pakitua and Toka Aku Aku (te matua tupuna o Rüänui) used Tauira Ata to make the hull of the waka larger to take more people.

At the completion of the re-fit, karakia were done to release the mana of the old commander (Kupe) from the Matawhaorua and to replace it with the mana of the new commander (Nukutäwhiti). The waka then became known as the Ngä Toki Matawhaorua (Ngätokimatawhaorua) to recognise the original name and the contribution of ngä toki in its re-fit.

The Ngätokimatawhaorua was made tapu by Kupe and was not able to carry kai and so a sister vessel to accompany it on it journey was found. This was the Mämari, commanded by Rüänui (married to Niwa, te tuahine o Nukutäwhiti).

Kupe gave four taniwha to Nukutäwhiti and Rüänui to accompany them on their journey to Aotearoa:

1. Puhi Moana Ariki.

2. Rangi Uru Hinga.

3. Ara-i-te-uru.

4. Niua (Niwa).

Puhi Moana Ariki was a pet taniwha to Kupe and his name comes from he tupuna tawhito no Hawaiki known by three names; Puhi, Puhi Moana Ariki and Puhi Kai Ariki. This is where the iwi name Ngä Puhi derives. It was from this tupuna in Hawaiki that the Taniwha got his name and for whom Puhi Moana Ariki (off the Mataatua waka) was also named.

Four other "wairua" taniwha were sent with the Ngätokimatawhaorua and Mämari to accompany them:

1. Te hiko-o-te-rangi (Lightning of the sky) & Mahere-tü-ki-te-rangi (Binding to the sky) with

Ngätokimatawhaorua, and

2. Kanapu-i-te-rangi (Lightning of the day) & Te-tuhi-o-te-pö (The glow of the night) with Mämari.

Haere tonu - Read on!