EELS AT TAUPO

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 77, 13 March 1933, Page 8

EELS AT TAUPO

CAPTURES AT ARATIATIA PERMANENCY NOT PROVED. BELIEF OF THE MAORIS. (By Ralph H. Ward.) Considerable interest has been aroused among anglers and those interested in natural history by the recent appearance of eels in the Waikato river close to Taupo. From tune immemorial the waters of Lake Taupo and of all its tributary streams, and of the Waikato river downstream to a point at the head of the Arapuni Gorge known formerly as Te Ai-kati, have been free from the presence of eels. This fact has been of importance in connection with the introduction of trout into Taupo waters, eels-being ono of the chief enemies of these fish in many waters. The first eel known to have been caught in Taupo waters m recent years was caught at Aratiatia Rapids on May 31, 1931, by Mr Harry Riekit, of Taupo. No further eels were observed until January 4 last. On that date Mr Thomas Riekit had his attention drawn by some visiting anglers to two eels clearly visible in the clear water of the Waikato liver at Aratiatia Rapids. Mr Riekit baited a hook with trout entrails and succeeded in catching one of these eels, and later in the day caught a second eel in the same locality, while several other eels were seen. Two days later Mr Harry Riekit visited the spot and caught five eels on a hook and line, and yet another was taken there on January 8 by Mr T. Riekit. All these eels were captured in daylight. Two weeks ago Mr William Bird, junr., experimented with a hinaki, or eel trap, at night and secured five eels, and on the I stant Messrs H. and T. Riekit tool .een eels by the same method. Se i eels have been caught in the same period at Donnelly’s camp, a little further downstream, and one was caught a little below that, at the junction of the Waikato and Toke stream, by Mr Tommy Ra. A Rotorua resident caught an eel last year at the bridge over the Waikato, at Waunahana, on the Rotorua-Taupo road. AN OMEN OF EVIL. Prior to the recent capture of eels outlined above, my inquiries have, so far, resulted in the tracing of only two eels caught in the waters described. One of these was killed in the Waikato river near Waotu about 50 years ago, the occurrence being related to me by the late Mr William Moon. Throughout the Taupo country the appearance of an eel was regarded by the Maoris as an aitua, an evil omen, and this is still the attitude of older natives. On the occasion ’ described by Mr Moon, who was at Waotu at the time, the Maoris predicted that the man who had caught the eel would d>e. The predic. tion was swiftly vindicated, the man becoming ill on the following day and shortly dying. The second eel referred to was caught in the Tokaanu stream, at the southern end of the lake, by a Maori woman. This was also many years ago, mv authority being the late Rev. H. J. Fletcher, well known as an authority on the Taupo country. The extreme rarity of eels in the Taupo waters ever since the occupation of the country by the Maoris is implied by the old Maori belief that their appearance was an evil omen. At present it is difficult to explain what is patently an unprecedented occurrence of eels in these upper reaches of the Waikato. Old Maori belief is stated that at Te Aukati, the boundary. the point at Arapuni above which the eel did not go, was taniwha, a monster whotj power prevented the tuna from passing. Taupo Maoris today explain that the harnessing of Arapuni by the pakeha has killed the taniwha, allowing free right of way to the tuna. Until further investigation suggests a better, that explanation will serve. Meantime, anglers will await with interest the accumulation of evidence as to whether the ancient freedom of these waters from the eel has or has not disappeared.