“MATATUA.”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 8 (Supplement)

“MATATUA.”

ORIGIN OF FAMOUS CARVED HOUSE. NAMED A ITER, CANOE THAT CARRIED KUMERAS. HOW WATER. HENS AND RATS WERE; INTRODUCED. Many generations ago, while some of the ancestors of the Xgatiawa tribe were preparing a repast of fern root at Whakatane for a strange; named Taukata, lie shewed them some kumeras. They asked .him where he had got them and if they were good lor iood and he told them that they had come from Haw.wiki and were the main sustenance of the people there. If they would make him a nance he would 1 c quite willing to take them h-ack to that (his) island ior tiie purpose of procuring some seed to plant in this land. T no- a l 'curiorrs of the Ngaiiawa com plied with Taukata’s 'request and named the canoe “To Aratawhao,’and started on their long journey under the yepidance ot Vo o-i an Tain!.. kihikuvangi. Taukata did not make the trin hut told 1 them the direction in which to steer, and giving them instructions to dig the kumeras from h’" '"die i i a 1 1 1 M t-eV l curl not to

take them from near the sea .beach. He also warned them to prevent pakura. (water hens) or rats from getting on board. • On He arrival of the voyagers at Hawaiki it was found that the canoe “To Aratawhao” was too small to carry a cargo of kumeras. Consc- ' quontlv, the travellers were obliged to make another canoe, which they I called “Matatua,’ and it was laden I with kumeras. But they quite overi looked the caution about the pakura | and the rats: hence the first introduction of these into New Zealand. “Matatua.’ left Hawaiki in comI panv with a canoe named “To Arawn,” which was commanded by NVaI toroirangi. As it so happens, the !• crew of “Te Arawa” were on a similar mission, namely to. got kumeras. But these two canoes bad not ' Wt New Zealand together. In due course, they parted and “Matatua” landed at Whakatane, where the Ngtiaw'a. pa later stood. . Immediately the eatice “Matatua’ reached Whakatane, the natives in tlxc stern 1 lumped out and went- inhuid and. subsequently, made their way to Taranaki, where their descendants still live and retain the name of Ngatiawo. Those- in-the stern of the ca.noe did not land at once- bur., when they did, they settled there and then on the spot and so named themselves- Ngatiawa proper, whilst- thej* called the deserters “Te Rc.ro Ngatiawa” (wanderers). The Natives who remained at Whakatane! Aver© the ancestors of Ngatiawa., Ngaiterangi, Urewera, Whakatohea, Whanaupanui and other tribes. As for the canoe “Matatua” it Avas dragged to the spot Avliere the Ngatiawa. pa afterwards stood- There she was left to decay and years after tAvo trees grew up. One was a pur-

in', which was cut down hv the Ngapuhi tribe when they made a- raid on Whakatano; the other was a rata, u lilch was called “Te Ptihu-a-Mata-tua” and was destroyed by the troops under Colonel Fraser in 1867. Taukata did not benefit by his' kindly action in giving information a/ out the kumeras, for the people of Ha’.vaiki gave 'the tribe instructions to kill-him as soon as the kumeras came up, warning them, at the same time, that if they did not do so the gods (under his influence) would bewitch the crop and the kumeras would never grow in their land. So the Natives seized a favorable oppo: tunity and cruelly murdered him in. a kurnera pit. Now the idea of building the-fam-ous carved house “Mata.tua’ originated. with Hohara Matatehokia, chief of the Xgat’pnkako tribe, who consulted with Wopiin\ Ap.swui and other Natives, also with. Major. Mail*. 'Some two..years later the whole tribe took up the matter and decided that the projected house should represent a'i their ancestors. It was also hoped ! tlmt the house would reconcile the : tribes Ngatiawa and Urewera, between whom there existed much illfeeling in consevaonce of murders perpetrated by the latter tribe. The h(>”'o was completed in 1874. 1 he images on each post represented the ancestor of some tribe or suh-tri e. Principal amongst them v. as hoi. from whom the whole Native race is supposed to have sprung. His figure was carved’ on the bottom of J the middle post in company with Awe and Toroa. The front pole re-irresente-l the figure cf Kahungunu,

ancestor of the Hawke’s Bay Natives; Rcngowhakaat.a. ancestor of Poverty aßy Natives, and To Wliatuapiti, another ancestor of the Ha. l .lie’s Bay Natives. One small image represented Te Ngarara, who was killed whilst trading oif Whale Island and another represented Te M.aitaranui, grandfather of Wepiha Apamii and cf Mr Falcon, who was murdered at Wh&katane. The carving on the ridge pole in iront of the house represented. Run- j ineana and Matcarehe, ancestors of Ngatipukeko tribe, also Awa.tope. a ' god. On top- of the ridge pole was j an image to represent Mokoera, fath- ! er of Apanui. Twin images on the j right hand of the porch represented ; Tiat murea, and Wahahamama, ances- 1 tors of the Patuai tribe, whilst twin j images on the left of the building re- j presented Tarakiuta and Taraldtai, : twin boys belonging to Rongowhaka- j ata tribe- Tupurupurn, a Poverty: Bay chief, was, it seems, by right eii- ! lit ed to t)ie' first of the preserved' lords—in fact, to a royalty on all. birds killed in Poverty Buy, hut oil' the twins reaching maturity lie was bound to lose Ins right, as they were from an. elder branch of the family, j Determined lor this reason to get rid i oi them he dug a. deep pit across aI'oad where the twins were in the > habit of spinning tops, (hie day lie j sent them out to pla-v and they" fell j into the pit ho had prepared for j them and were killed. j Ihe foot ion,rd across the front of tlio porch was to represent Oniawa, ancestor of the Xgatiawa and the imago was carved by a Fijian named Kune oi iicmof of Thakoh.au of Fiji. On either side were eercted posts 'to represent .ancestors of the various tribes, descendants of the crew of Matatua.” . -