“WAIRAKA”

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 52, 24 November 1928, Page 28

“WAIRAKA”

THE WOMAN WHO TURNED TO STONE A LEGEND OF PUKERUA

(By

H.M.C.)

In considering the old-time occupation of our sea coasts by the early Maori we find many natural objects with Some strange story, legend or myth attached to them. If a rock, tree or deep pool appeared somewhat unusual in shape or had something uncommon about it, the Maori, with faculty for uncanny legends and myths, saw in the pool a taniwha ; in the tree, the home of fairies; or in the rock some figure which stimulated his imagination to endow it with the ability of moving from place to place. Should there be even remote resemblance to a human being in the shape of the rock, then that rock was somebody, and the reason for that rock’s shape and being was passed down from generation to generation by the storytellers of the tribe.

There is a quaint old legend attached to a rock off the coast between Hangoeka and Pukerua, at the foot of Te Hewn Rewa, the north head of Porirua Harbour. It is reallj’ a nursery story by Te Rahgitokoru for his daughter Wharaurangi. The translation is given by several writers, with slight differences in each, but in the main they are the same.

There is a story somewhat similai attributed to Turi of Aotea canoe fame, but he was not so unfortunate in his family. affairs. He travelled south from Patea and gave to many places the names which they bear to-day. The Rev. T. G. Hammond gives the story of Turi’s wanderings in “The Story of Aotea.” The leading character in our other story is one Hau, who came from the far north to look for his wife Wairaka, who had been enticed from the care of her Hau by a rascal named Weku. who made off with her to the south.

Hau followed with all speed, and reached Whanganui River, to which he gave the above name because of the great mouth. Not far away he found the Whangaehu, so close, in fact, that he splashed water into it from the Whanganui and thus W’hangaehu received that name, meaning “the splashed mouth.” In the next stage of his journey Hau was enabled to cross a river by cutting a tree, which fell across from Whangaehu beyond that new river, Tura-kinn (felled from Turaki, to throw down). The next river proved a considerable distance away, and to that was given the name Tikei (a pace), from Tikei. the action of the legs in walking. Now we know that river as Rangitikei. When Hau reached the next obstacle, also a fiver, he found it rather wide, and feared that he might be unable to ford it, and his spirit became depressed in consequence, so Manawa-tu (the depressed spirit) is the name of that river. Further down the coast our traveller experienced a stiff wind which whistled in his ears, and where he experienced the whistling he gave the name Hokio.

The next stream seems to have been named after Hau himself, as we find it Ohan. From here he was probably expecting trouble, 1 ecause he carried his spear at the horizontal, and from that fact the next river received Otaki for its name (from taki, to level a spear when making a charge). Hereabout Hau seems to have been overcome with his sinfulness or weakness or something that didn’t agree with him, for he strengthened himself by praying and repeating karakia, and the name Whi-mea was given to the stream (near Waikanae), from meha meha, to make sacred. This Hau seems to have expected a sight of his beloved Wairaka about here, for he looked slyly from the corner of his eye, and thus the rivgr became Waikanae (what Waikanae has to do with looking slyly from the corner of the eye we do not quite understand, but we let it go at that). . After a lengthy journey down _ the coast, with no further supply of rivers to name, our footsore traveller reached a place bevond Pukerua where he espied his dear Wairaka sitting with Weku. They waited for him, and when he chught up he called to his wife, Wairaka, I am exceedingly thirsty, fetch me some w-ater.” His loving wife, pleased no doubt to see her Hau again, rushed to do his bidding and waded into the sea with two calabashes for water. Up to her knees she went, but Hau told her to go further and still further until the water reached her waist. Hie thirsty Hau ordered her further out, and the water covered her shoulders, and then he played a mean trick on her—he repented powerful karakia. full of strong magic, until the simple Wairaka was turned to stone, and there she stands to this day awaiting patiently for someone strong in magic to come along and undo her husband’s evil work. 1 hie object, which is a bit out from the shore, is not “Wai” rock as unfeeling fishermen seem to think, but Wairaka. She appears to possess charms for fishes, for it is n spot much favoured by fisher-

men, who generally h. ve luck thereabout. A Second Wairaka. There is another story about one Wairaka, but whether she is the same as the one referred to above is not stated. This latter lady was of a practical turn of mind, for her action ■ at a critical moment made her famous. Away back in the far-off days of Maori settlement in New Zealand, IS or 20 generations ago, when Mataatua canoe came from overseas to the Bay of Plenty, the crew were afraid of landing close to a pa occupied by Tnngatawhenua, the people of the land, and they hesitated about venturing upon strange soil. Wafrrtira, who was daughter of rhe commander of the canoe, one Toroa, saw the hesitation and spurred the men to action when she grasped a paddle, stood up and cried, “Let me act as a man.” The moaning of Whakatane is to act in a manly or virile manner, tane, n num (Trngear), Wairaka showed the way by dashing nshore and lending her friends to victory. Because of this act the name of Whakatane was given to the surrounding country.