The Story of Hinemoa

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22195, 11 September 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Story of Hinemoa

Long, long ago, before ever the pakeha came to this country, the lovely Hinemoa lived at Rotorua. Her father was a very great chief, who lived on the shores of the lake, right opposite to a certain hot spring on the island of Mokoia. Her tribe was very proud of her beauty and her rank, and many young chiefs from round about were eager to win her favour. Handsome indeed and noble must be the lover to whom her hand would be given in marriage. Yet there was one who worshipped her from afar; who. though handsome as one could wish and noble, too, In the truest sense, would never have received her father's consent to his wooing. For he was i

of humble birth, though he had been adopted by a chief as his son. His father lived near that hot spring on the island of Mokoia; it is called "Hinemoa's Bath" to this day. The bold young lover's name was Tutanekai. He and Hinemoa had seen each other at some great gatherings in Rotorua, and their eyes had met more than once in looks of love. They had never spoken of their love, until one day, when people were met together from far and near, they saw each other again, and Tutanekai could keep silent no longer. So that night he sent a messenger to Hinemoa to tell her of his wish to make her his bride. When the maiden heard the message he said, "Eh-hu! It is true, then, that he loves as I do!" The messenger went on to tell her of Tutanekai's plans. He wished her to come by night, paddling softly across the lake in a canoe. "But how am I to come and when?" said she; "and how shall I know my way in the darkness." So the messenger explained that Tutanekai had built a platform on the shore of the lake near his home, and there he and his friend, Tiki, would give her a signal by making music. Then Hinemoa promised that she would come. For several nights after this Tutanekai and his friend Tiki made sweet music by the shore, but Hinemoa did not come. The trouble was that her father had suspected there was some plan on foot to steal away his daughter; so he had given orders that all canoes were to be drawn up high and dry every evening, and the paddles hidden, lest she should make her escape.

Night after night the sweet strains came floating across the water to the ears of the waiting, listening girl, so at last she said, "I can wait no longer; I must swim to him though the water is cold and dark. She then prepared six gourds to act as floats so that she could rest when she was tired. Then that evening she went secretly down to the margin of the lake and listened for the music. Soon the music started, so letting herself softly down into the water, she began swimming with steady strokes for the other shore. From time to time she rested and was thus able to reach the other snore just as the music finished. Sine then found a warm spring and then her only thought was one of gladness at her success, and enjoyment in the return of blood to her half-frozen limbs. At that moment the bushes at the side of the pool were swept aside and there appeared a man with a calabash in his hand. As he stooped down to get some water from the lake, Hinemoa said in a very gruff voice, "Give me a drink," and the man being very much surprised, and thinking she was a man, handed her the calabash. "Who is your master?" the maiden asked.

"Tutanekai," was the reply. Then Hinemoa threw the calabash on the rocks. This happened several times, for the man dare not refuse the stranger a drink. But each time the man went home without water«Tutanekai became more and more angry. At last he went to the place himself to see who had jdared to break all his drinking vessels. "Who is there?" he cried. Hinemoa did not answer. So Tutanekai went peering and feeling round the rocks of the pool, until at last he caught her hand. "Who are you?" he cried, "who has broken all my calabashes and insulted me so?" j .Hinemoa uttered only one word; it was his name, but he recognised her voice at once and cried, "Can it be that this is she, my lovely Hinemoa?" He threw his cloak about her and led her joyfully to his house, where she became his wife according to the Maori custom. The next morning Tutanekai brought Hinemoa forth before the eyes of all the people and told them that she had married into their tribe. Then they made a great feast and none felt a greater pride thah Tutanekai's father, who had adopted him as a son. —•'MATE HINEMOA, Riccarton.