LEGEND OF HINEMOA AND TUTANEKAI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1959, 15 April 1875, Page 2

LEGEND OF HINEMOA AND TUTANEKAI.

This little legend is without exception the most beautiful.and^ touching that the Maoris possess, being a tate of the passionate loves of a savage maiden of farfamed attractions, and one of the noblest young chiefs of the Arawa. Tutanekai lived on the island, and thfe maiden on the main land. They had long loved, but political reasons determined their parents on opposing? their union, r: and .Hinemoa was 1 separated^ by the and' angry waves from the darling of her heart. Oiie night, while sitting with her maidens on the shore, the sound of a flute was softly wafted on the breeze.o Quickly sb® recognised the well-known sorg—a passionate appeal from her lover, sighing that he cculd no longer live without her. Dismissing her attendants she vainly sought a canoe, but her people had drawn them all on shore, and her strength was unequal to the effort of launching^ them. Again the strains came stealing o'er the wave — " Oh, come my darling! why linger on the shore ?" This she can no longer endure. She is consumed with a strong and passionate desire—her love sne can no longer stifle,—and, plunging into the dark lake, she boldly swims in the .direction of her heart's desire. Onward I she goes, and when her strength is failing 'she is cheered and upheld by those strains of music, the unrestrained outpourings of Tutanekai's despairing, love. . Faint and weary, at last she reaches the

goal, and, creeping into one of the warm baths, she is soon restored, and again her hot blood rushes through her veins. While sitting in the bath she hears the voice of Tutanekai calling to his slave to fetch him water. This the slave proceeds to do, and while passing the bath it is dashed from his hands by Hinemoa. He immediately returns to his master, and informs him •of the circumstance, and Tutanekai, enraged at the insult, rushes to discover the daring intruder. Who shall describe" their mutual transports '■?'■ the hitherto insurmountable barrier has been passed, and Hinemoa sleeps in her lover's bosom. These are«theancestor's of Ngafcwhakaue, and now.can,beseenby tHe enquiring the stone in the bath on which Tutanekai sat. while breathing forth hisf love song to Hinemoa.' A. great many conjectures have been formed as to the whereabouts of the identical flute of Tutanekai. Captain Mair is in possession of one which the Ngatiwhakaue assert to be the .original, while, the Tuhourangi ;have -shewn JDr Cbwari a spot in Itotolra;kaki where they assert it was thrown by Kerjei Te (Rangiheroa on account; yof a itapu^-Bay of Plenty Handbook.