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Te Ao Hou, September 1955, Page 11

KO nga tupuna o te tangata ehara i te wahi kotahi, no tera wahi, no tera wahi, kei nga matua hoki te tikanga i penei ai, kei te matua tane ranei, kei te matua wahine ranei, ara i taha mahimahi pea tetahi wahi o nga tupuna, kihai i kanoi; koia i kore ai he rangatira nui mo tenei motu, mo Niu Tireni, kahore he tangata, ara he tupuna kanoi ki te rangatiratanga hei pehi i te kino, hei hapai i te tika mo nga tangata o tenei motu, kia noho pai ai ratou, kia whiwhi ai ratou ki te mahi pai ma ratou. Koia i penei ai toku whakaaro he mate hoki no te kupu e kore e ora, koia i mea ai he rangatira ano to ratou, to tenei iwi, to tenei iwi. Koia i tutu ai he hua no nga rangatira, he kore no te kanoi hei pehi i te kino, ko a ratou tikanga e whakataurekareka ana tetahi rangatira i tetahi. Ko to matou nei tupuna, no Ngapuhi a Te Naue, te tupuna wahine. Ko te tupuna tane, no konei ano a Matatini, no te riu o Hauraki nei ano. Ko te tikanga i kitea mai ai tenei wahine ki Hauraki nei, ko te whaea, ko Tuohupiko i riro mai i te herehere, ara i te parau, i te whakarau. Ko te kotiro ka noho atu, ara i mau ano ia i te taua, i tukua atu tenei e te whaea i runga i te papa-a-waka, ka tukua kia tere ki te pa. Ka kitea mai e te pa raka e tere ana. Hua noa he waka OUR ancestor from the female line called Te Naue came from Ngapuhi, but our ancestor Matatini from the male line was a man of local origin, coming from the Hauraki Valley. Te Naue came to Hauraki because of her mother Tuohupiko, who was previously brought here in captivity. Although her daughter was also captured the mother was able to place her in the bottom of a canoe which drifted back to the pa. When the people of the pa saw the canoe they thought it was empty, but on closer view found the child Te Naue lying in it. She had been wrapped in a cloak, one which was considered in ancient times as a priceless possession. Such a garment was worn only by the high born. Of course both Te Naue's parents belonged to this high rank. The mother was captured, but the father remained with the child in their original home. Thus was her mother brought here and the child left behind. As time went by, Te Naue grew up and blossomed into womanhood and news of her beauty became known far and wide. It was then she decided to go in search of her mother. So she boarded a canoe and drifted in the direction of Hauraki. TE NAUE and MATATINI

kau, kaore he utanga o runga; tirohia rawatia iho ko Te Naue e takoto ana i roto i te waka. I takaia ki te pueru; ko to namata taonga nui tera; ko tera kakahu no nga rangatira anake. Ko te matua me te whaea o Te Naue he rangatira nunui anake raua. Ko tona whaea ka riro rawa nei i te herehere. Ko te matua tane me te kotiro i noho atu i te kainga tupu. Ka riro mai te whaea, ka noho atu te kotiro. A kaumatua noa, ka tamahinetia, ka wahinetia; ka mau hoki te rongo. Katahi ano te kotiro ka mea kia haere ia kia haha i tona whaea. Katahi ia ka haere mai, ka eke mai i runga i te waka, ka haere teretere mai. Ko taua wahine he wahine pai, ara tona pai ko te ahua o te kanohi, ko ta te Maori pai tenei o te wahine; ko tetahi wahi, he rangatira. Katahi ia ka tino pai rawa atu. Ka tae mai taua wahine ra ki konei, ko te kainga i tae mai ai ko Te Wairoa. Kihai i maha nga ra ki reira ka puta noa atu te rongo o tenei wahine ki Hauraki. Ko te putanga tenei o tona rongo ki Hauraki, ko Te Naue kua tae mai, ko te tamahine a Tuohupiko, kei Te Wairoa. Katahi ka haere mai nga tangata o Hauraki ki te matakitaki. Nga tangata e haere mai ana ki te matakitaki, ko nga taitamariki anake. Ko te take tenei o to ratou haerenga mai, he hiahia no ratou ki a Te Naue kia riro i a ratou hei hoa mo ratou. Ki te pai ki tenei tangata, e pai ana; ki te pai ki tetahi atu, e pai ana; ki a ratou katoa; e pai ana. He nui nga teretere e haere mai ana ki te matakitaki, e kore e roa te tirohanga a taua wahine ra ki te manuhiri kua hoki. Ko te take tenei i whakaparahako ai taua wahine, he kikino no te tangata. No muri ka haere mai te waka i a Matatini, ka tae mai ki Te Wairoa. Ka kitea e nga tangata o reira, ka tawhiritia. Ka u ki uta, ka puta iho a Te Naue kia kite i te manuhiri. Ko tona titiro tau tonu ki a Matatini hei hoa mona. Muri iho ka haere ki te kainga, ka tahuna te ahi roi. Haere ake ki te ahi nei e rua rau, te wahine, te tane, te tamariki. Ko te wahine hei hurihuri, ko te tane hei patu. A ka puranga te roi, ka rukea ki tahaki. Ka whakatika mai a Matatini ki te kai; ko nga rangatira i tetahi pito, ko nga tutua he pito ke ano. Ko Matatini i roto i nga tutua e kai tahi ana. Titiro rawa mai a Te Naue, ka noho a Matatini ki reira. Ka haere mai te wahine ra me tana kowhatu ano, ka noho ki te aroaro o Matatini, ka patu i te roi. Ka riri te manuhiri nei ki a Matatini, ko ta ratou kupu riri tenei. “Koaia rawa tatou i uta mai ai i tenei tangata!” A muri iho, ka mutu te kai, ka hoki ki tahaki, ahiahi noa. Ka turia te haka, ka puta a Matatini, moruki kau nga ringaringa, ano hoki te ringa wahine. Na ka rere te wahine nei ki a Matatini, haka tonu. A ka mutu, ka moe te manuhiri nei; ko nga rangatira i roto i te whare, ko nga tutua i waho. Ka kite a Matatini, ka moe ia ki reira, ki roto i nga tutua. Kua kite mai a Te Naue i te moenga o Matatini, taumau tonu mai, a ka warea e te moe, te haerenga mai o te wahine ra, ka moe raua ko Matatini. Whakatu tonu atu kia tahuti Now Te Naue was really a beautiful woman. Her face was perfect and since this was the Maori mark of beauty, she was indeed an outstanding beauty. Her aristocratic lineage added to all this beauty of course made her even more desirable. On arrival at Hauraki, Te Naue made her landfall at Te Wairoa. And not many days passed before news of her spread throughout Hauraki, telling of the arrival of Te Naue, daughter of Tuohupiko. Soon the people of Hauraki gathered to see her. Of course the majority of those who came were young men, hopeful of winning her hand. Apparently it did not matter which one she chose as long as he was one of their number. And so, many were the canoes which arrived in this way with people eager to see Te Naue, but she herself looked on these visitors briefly and then retired, because she saw how ugly most of the men were. Some time later a canoe appeared with Matatini in it. As soon as the people spotted him they rose to welcome him. When he finally landed Te Naue came down to see the new arrival. When she looked at him for the first time it became evident that she was greatly attracted by him and desired him for her husband. After these ceremonies of welcome the people returned to their homes and lit fires for the roasting of fern root. Two hundred men, women and children assembled by the fires. The women were occupied turning the fern root while the men beat them. When the fern root was all cooked it was raked aside ready for eating. Matatini then rose and came forward to eat. The chiefs proceeded to one end of the table whilst the common folk took the other end, but Matatini took his seat with the latter group. Hence by the time Te Naue located him he was already seated there. She then came with her pounding stone, sat opposite Matatini and proceeded to beat fern root. Her gesture annoyed Matatini's companions so much they remarked among themselves, “Is this indeed the purpose for which we brought him?” After the feasting they moved back from the table and sat until evening. Then ranks rose for the haka and Matatini with them. His hands were as supple as those of a woman. Te Naue was so impressed by him she flew to his side and danced with him. When it was all ended the visitors went to sleep, again the chiefs sleeping within and the others outside. Matatini once again going with the common folk. As soon as Te Naue saw where Matatini was sleeping she went to him and henceforth was betrothed to him. They then decided that Te Naue should go away from there. So before dawn she left making her way towards Taupo, where she was to stay at a place appointed by her lover. Prior to going he advised her thus. “Go direct to Raukawa, where the land juts out beyond the long promontory, and there await my coming. Should anyone call for you to appear, do not heed then but when I call, then should you come forth.”

taua wahine ra. A kihai i puao te ata, ka haere, ka ahu te haere ki runga ki Taupo; ko te nohoanga mo taua wahine ra kua tohutohungia atu e tona hoa. Ko tana kupu tenei, “Kia tika tou haere ki Raukura, ki te tumu e kokiri na ki waho o te tumu roa na, hei kona koe noho mai ai. Ki te karanga he reo, kei puta iho koe; ki te karanga ko au, hei kona koe ka puta.” I te ata ano ka hoe te waka ra, ka hoki ki tona kainga. Ko te pa i noho ai te wahine nei kei te haha i te wahine ra. Ko te whaea o taua wahine kua rongo ki te haha a te tangata. Ka haere ki te whaea patai ai; ka mea mai ia, kihai i kite. He huna tenei nana, he wehi i tana kotiro, kei kumekumea. Ka hoe te waka ra, ka wawata ha ki a Te Naue, ka karanga, ka mea, “Te Naue, e puta mai.” Ka pena tonu te karanga a nga tangata o te waka, a tae noa atu ki Raukura. Ka karanga a Matatini, ka mea, “Te Naue, e, puta mai: ko au tenei, ko Matatini.” Te putanga iho, tu ana i tatahi, ka kite te waka nei. Tirau ana te kei, tirau ana te ihu; kua tata ko te kei, kihai i whakatika; kua tata te ihu ki uta me waengarahi, kua piri katoa ki uta. Ko Matatini i waengarahi e noho ana. Ka haere mai te wahine nei, tika tonu ki te aroaro o Matatini. Karanga noa te ihu me te kei kia tika ki reira, kia noho tahi ki a ratou: kihai i pai. Na ka riro tenei wahine i a Matatini, ka moea e ia hei hoa tupu mona. Ka puta ake tana tama ko Hura. Ka moe a Hura i a Waita, ka puta ake ki waho ana tama ko Te Kore raua ko Te Toki; ko Te Kore te tuakana, ko Te Toki te teina. Early in the morning the visiting canoe returned home, while the people of Te Wairoa searched for Te Naue. Her mother heard of the news because they went and enquired of her, but fearing their treatment of her daughter, she lied telling them she had not seen the girl. As the returning canoe proceeded homewards, they also searched for Te Naue, calling, “Te Naue, please come out.” The men on the canoe continued their calling until they reached Raukawa. At this point Matatini himself called, “Te Naue, please come forward. It is I, Matatini.” When she appeared at the water's edge all those in the canoe then saw her. They manoeuvred the canoe so that first the prow came alongside and then the stern, but in neither case did Te Naue move to board the canoe. The canoe was then turned broadside to the shore. Matatini was seated in midships. Te Naue immediately went to him. Those seated in the prow and stern called to her but she refused. Matatini therefore won the hand of this maiden who thenceforth became his wife.