LEGEND OR HISTORY?

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 3

LEGEND OR HISTORY?

Genesis Of Island Bay

Mr. Lionel Adams, ex-schoolmaster, Gisborne, who has always been interested in Maori history, has made a habit of peering into the past through the medium of Native history and legends. In the course of his researches he came across something of interest to the people of Wellington, as it claims that Island Bay was the landing place of one of the canoes from the faraway mystical Hawaiki. Mr. Adams has written to a friend m Wellington (an Island Bay resident) as follows: “The name of the island from which your Bay gets its name is Motutapu te .Ranga, which means ‘islaind ot the sacred canoe-ways (or skids), ioroa was 'the chief of the Matu-atua canoe, which came to New Zealand about 1300. It was springtime.. The breezes were steady from . the rising sun and the can&e was being steered toward the setting sun. One day about hoon the steersman proclaimed that land was in sight, long snow-capi;d mountain ranges, looking like long white.clouds on the horizon (there was no such thing as snow in Hawaiki). The course was set into the strait between the islands, narrow waters afterward named Moana-a-Raukawa. The mountains were the Kaikouras. Toron rose and said : ies, that is our destination. We shall now run our canoe into the land to rest alter our long voyage.’ . . 1 “Nearing the rocky coast a channel between the mainland and a small island was seen. Sails were lowered, and the crew took their paddles, chanting in unison as they neared the shore a loud song of joy. They cautiously approached the rocks'on the north side of the island and the order was given to get the skirts ready to place under the keel. The holders o'f these blocks of wood were ready to jump into the water when, to the surprise of the people, the great canoe slid gently and smoothly along a level ledge of rock, unassisted by man. The gently falling tide left tbe vessel evenly on what was afterward considered the divinelyprepared ‘Ranga’—the rock which served instead of the wooden skids. Then Toroa declared: ‘Yes, the Atuas are truly with us. Our gods have guided us to these nature-made canoe-ways, to this island ot rest. Henceforth it shall be known among the Mata-atua people as Motu—tapu te Ranga—tbe island of the sacred canoe ways.’ ”