OUR OWN COUNTRY The Story of Rapaki

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22081, 1 May 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

OUR OWN COUNTRY The Story of Rapaki

Over the hills and away! It's a fine sunny day, or it should he for such an expedition, and even if it is a little wet we don't mind. Walking in the rain is fun, too. Where are we off to? Why, Rapaki, of course. Ana, don't forget, Rapaki is a very old settlement. Somewhere about the time when George. 11l was on the throne of England, and the battle of Waterloo was not even thought of, some Maoris settled in the little bay. That's a long time ago, isn t it?

What shall we do when we reach Rapaki? Mind that boulder! It has rolled on the road! Why, we shall go fishing, of course! We'll enjoy that, even if the fish don't!

part in that fishing; it was what is called a "communal" affair. Great drag nets—"rangatahi" they were called —were used for this fishing. These nets were some 80 or more feet in length, and, of course, only the strongest men could help here. Our little friends, who walked over the hills, could not fish with the "rangatahi." They couldn't even use the' circular nets—"atata," these were—or the small scoop . nets—"kupenga titoko," or even the little drag nets —"kaka," they called these. (Have you all those names correctly? Never mind, Lady Gay will list them specially for you very soon.) Seeing they couldn't help with the rangatahi, the atata, the kupenga titoko, or even the little kaka, wha> were the children to do?

We set off over the hills. That's Lady Gay at the head of the procession, with her fishing rod over her shoulder. Aunt Amelia Aeroplane is above. She looks only a speck, because she is so high

Stop for a moment! Do you know that we are following the track that, centuries ago, little Maori children trod as they made their way across the hills from the Maori village at

Oh, it's very simple! The children could catch little fish on thin flax lines attached to a fishing rod—"matira," they called these—with

Christchuroh—Otautahl was its name—to spend the day Ashing with their- kinsmen at Rapaki? "We'll bring back plenty of fish," the little Maoris would say, setting off in fine spirits. "Oh, we like going over to Bapaki. , *

stone sinkers—"karahi," and bone fish hooks—"matau."

Now, you can draw a deep breath if you've mastered those names. Oh, and the children themselves were called "tamariki." So they fished, while the sea lapped gently on the beach, and over all brooded the grim sharppointed hill known as "Tamatea's Breast." &Tamatea was a great explorer who lived 600 years ago, and many a time, when the supply of fern root or vegetable food ran out, the warrior and his party set to, and did some fishing to stave off hunger.

MAORI NAMES TO REMEMBER Otautahi—Christchurch. Rangatahi—drag nets. Atatacr-circular nets. Kupenga titoko —small scoop nets. Kaka—small drag nets. Matira —fishing rod; Karahi—stone sinkers. Matau—bone fish hooks. Tamariki—children.

Of course, there were hundreds of men and women and children living at Rapaki then, not just a few as now. And, with hundreds of mouths to feed a great deal of fishing had to bo done. Everyone took

We have a picnics lunch—cooked I fish. Poor Aunt Amelia, is again too high to share, but anyway she likes, petrol better