PONGA AND PUHIHUIA—

Te Ao Hou, September 1963, Page 37

PONGA AND PUHIHUIA— Continued from page 24 Ka ki atu te ropa, ‘He tika iana, otira i haere tira tamariki mai tatou, he aha ta te kiore tana huanga’. Ka mea a Ponga, ‘Koia koa, otira he iti mokoroa e hinga te koroi’. Ka mea te ropa, ‘He tika koa, he ngahau noa iho ta tatou i haere mai ai, a he whanaunga e noho ana i te ra o te rongo taketake’. Ka ki a Ponga, ‘Ae ra, kei rarahu te ringa o tetahi o tatou ki te aha ki te aha, hei mate mo tatou’. Ka mea atu te ropa, ‘Ae, otira ma koutou, ma nga mea nunui e rahu te tapu o te pa nei, e kore tena e mahia e te penei me au nei’. Ka ki atu ano a Ponga, ‘He rarahu rapea tau e ki na, he ringa mau ki te taonga?’ Ka ki atu te ropa, ‘Kao, he taonga te taonga, a he mana tapu ano hoki o te taonga kori’. Ka ki atu a Ponga, ‘Mo Puhihuia rapea to kupu?’ Ka ki te ropa, ‘Oti, e ngaro hoki te mea kua piata, kua rarapa te kanohi o koutou, o nga mea nui o to tatou haere ki te kotiro ra i te wa ona e pukana ra?’ Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘E hoa, he tika to kupu, ko au kua mate noa ake: me hoki tatou ki te kainga, kei he au, he mea hoki kua mate ano a tatou ariki ki taua tamahine ra, a ki te mea ka riro i a au, hei take ngaki mate moku’. Ka mea atu te ropa, ‘E ki ana au, he tapu te tapu, otira e kore te tapu e kiia he tapu i te wa o te aruaru wahine’. Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘Ae i te kainga tupu’. Ka mea atu te ropa, ‘He kainga tapu koia te kainga o te tohunga o ia iwi o ia iwi, e tikina mai ra tatau wahine e aruarumia ra e nga tangata o Aotea. Haere mai ra hoki ratou i te kainga mamao, a, tae noa mai nei ki Manuka. He uri rangatira koe; e kore koe e akona ki te riri, waihoki e kore koe e akona ki te ngaki kai ma tama kapakapa’. Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘Kei te porahu (raruraru) kau noa iho aku whakaaro, e kore au e mohio ki te aha ki te aha’. Ka noho nei a Ponga raua ko tana mokai, a, roa noa, ka maharahara te ropa ra ki te mate whakamomori o tana ariki, a, na taua pononga a ia, a Ponga, i whakamohio ki te tikanga mahi mana, ka mea atu te mokai ra ki a Ponga, ‘E koro, tenei te whakaaro kua kitea e au; whakarongo mai iana, a, mau e pai, e pai ana, a mau e kino, e pai ana, tenei koa kia korerotia atu ki a koe, me hoki taua have fallen deeply in love with Puhihuia, and if I should gain her as my wife, my death would follow.’ The slave answered, ‘I must acknowledge that sacred things are ever held sacred, but in the time of courting the restrictions of tapu do not apply to those who follow their beloved.’ Ponga replied, ‘It is true that in our own home such liberty may be allowed to us, but not here where we are guests.’ The slave said, ‘I would ask, were even the houses of our priests sacred when the people of other tribes came from Aotea to pay court to the young women of our tribe? Those I speak of came from a distance, even to Manukau. You are descended from the great men of ancient days, and cannot be taught how a warrior should act, nor can you be schooled into the art of how to satisfy the palpitating one.’ Ponga answered, ‘I am completely dazed. I have no power to think about anything at all.’ Thus these two sat in the dark on the marae, and for some time each was silent; but, as the slave feared that his master might be led to commit suicide, he spoke again, and said, ‘O friend, I have a thought; listen to my words; and if you agree to what I suggest it will be good; and if you object to what I suggest, you have the right to reject it. Let me speak. Let us return to the house; and if you can sleep, well and good, and if you cannot sleep, well and good; but be brave. Let your spirit live in you; food is food—eat it. Talk and laugh, and smother your sorrow by the strength of your determination; let it be kept hidden from the knowledge of others. Tomorrow, in the evening, pretend to be thirsty, and call for me; however I shall not be near you, but in some house far away from yours', so that I shall not hear your commands. Call loudly, and order me to go and fetch some water for you; but I shall not hear, and it will appear as if I were defying you. Your call may be heard by the mother of Puhihuia, and, as you are her guest, and of high rank also, she may perhaps ask the daughter to fetch some water for you, which would not be degrading to her because of your rank. The mother may say to her daughter, “O daughter, how can you sit still and hear our guest, Ponga, calling in vain to his slave to bring water for him? Can you

ki te whare nana koe ka moe, ae, nana koe ka kore, ae, otira kia manawanui. Kia mau to mauri ora i a koe, he kai te kai, me kai, me kata, me korero, ko te pouri ou e pouri na me whakakoromaki ki roto i a koe, a hei te ahiahi ka maminga e koe he mate wai tou, a ka karanga e koe ki a au, otira ko au kia mamao noa atu i a koe, hei te whare ke noa atu au noho mai ai, a me whakatuturi e au, kia nui ai to karanga i a au, ki te wai mau kia kawea e au, a, te rongo noa ake koa au. ‘Ma reira pea te matua o te kotiro ra ka rongo ai ki to reo, ki to tono wai mau e whakatuturitia nei e au, ma reira pea a ia ka tono ai i tana kotiro ki te kawe wai mau, ma reira pea taua matua ona te mea atu ai ki tana kotiro, “E ko, he aha i waiho ai te manuwhiri ra a Ponga kia karanga noa ana ki tana ropa ki te kawe wai mana, te kawea atu ai he wai mana e koe”. A, ka rongo pea te kotiro ra, ka haere ki te kawe wai mau, a ki te haere a ia ki te kawe wai, hei reira koe ka whai (aru) atu ai i muri, a kia tae ki te puna ra, hei reira korua noho ai, whai korero ai, a, e kite koe ka whakatika te kotiro ra ki te tiki wai mau, ka whakatika a ia, ka haere, hei muri tata koe ka whakatika ai ano hoki, ka haere ki waho, otira ka whakatika koe, me penei na e koe he kupu mau, “Kei whea ra te pononga hoi (turi) nei? Tukua atu au ki te kimi (rapu) i a ia, a tae te whakatuturi o te taurekareka nei, kia penei rawa ake te angaanga (upoko), wahia ana i kona”.’ Ka whakarongo puku a Ponga, a, ka whakatika raua, ka haere ki te whare; moe nei, moe nei te whare ra, ano ka rikoriko te ata, ka kakarauri, a, ka oho te tini i roto i te whare manuwhiri, ka ka te kai, ka maoa, e kai ana me te toe tonu a Ponga. Na tana ropa i whakanoi (whakairi) he kai mana, a, oho rawa ake a ia, kua tikaka noa ake te ra, ka kai te tangata nei i nga o i tiakina ra e tana ropa mana, a, ka haere a ia ki te whare matoro. Roa rawa i reira, kua tu-a-to te ra, ka whakatika a ia, ka haere ki te whare o te matua o Puhihuia, ka noho i reira ka titiro atu ki te kotiro ra, e korerorero ana ratou ko nga kaumatua o te pa nei, a, kihai i roa ka heke te ra ki te rua, a ka po, kei te takaro te iwi ra i te whare matoro, kei te kanikani ano te iwi ra i te whare manuwhiri, otira kihai a Ponga i ahu ki aua whare; i noho tu-a-mokemoke ano i te whare i te kotiro ra; ko te kotiro ra koa, i noho tonu ano hoki i te whare, ratou ko tana papa, me tana whaea, me nga tino tangata o te iwi nei, o Nga-iwi. not go and get some for him?” And if the young woman obeys her mother, and goes for water, you can follow as she goes to the spring, and will be able to talk to her. But if she goes for water for you, and you follow, as you leave the house let those within hear you say, “I wonder where that deaf slave is. I will go to find him. How disobedient that slave of mine is! It will not be long before I crack his skull”.' Ponga listened in silence to all his slave had said, then they rose and entered the house. All of them slept; the light of the coming day glimmered faintly, and day shone forth. When they arose the morning meal was cooked and all but Ponga ate, but his slave kept some food on one side for him, hanging it up on a stage, and when he awoke it was past midday. He ate the food, then he went to the whare matoro. He stayed there until it was nearly sunset, then entered the house of the mother of Puhihuia. He sat and admired her while he listened to the conversation of the old people, who were talking about ancient history and deeds of battle. The sun had set; games were being played in the whare matoro and a kanikani was being performed in the house for the reception of strangers. Ponga did not go to either of these houses but sat moodily in the house with Puhihuia, with her father and mother, and with many of the old people of the pa. These old people were amusing themselves by repeating the history of the tribe from the days of their coming from Hawaiki in the canoe Tainui; this recital was given in honour of Ponga, to acquaint him with that part of their history. It was stated that he belonged to a junior family of those who were descended from Hotunui. The old people told of the acts of their ancestor which took place after the landing at Aotea, with the wars which were waged from the time of Hoturoa to the days when he came into the Hauraki district; the travels and deeds of Tama-tea-pokaiwhenua; and the acts of the Ngatiawa tribe when they were in occupation of the Hokianga district; with those of kauri, and his migration to the districts of Tauranga and Taranaki. The old men continued to talk of this until some of the audience left and went to their own houses, and those who were left in the house went to sleep. Ponga did not return to the whare manuwhiri but remained in the seat he had occupied all day, and slept there. He awoke and felt thirsty, and called for his slave

Nga korero o te hanga nei he korero i nga tataku korero whakapapa o mua, he tataku i nga tupuna mai ano i Hawaiki, he ako hoki i a Ponga; te take i korerotia ai aua korero nei e ratou ki a Ponga, he uri teina a ia no nga ariki, i puta mai hoki a ia i a Hotunui ma. E tataku ana tera i nga kauhau o nehe, me te korero i nga mahi a nga tupuna i mahia i tenei taha, ara, i Aotearoa nei. Haere ake ano te whakapapa tupuna me te whakatu i nga pakanga o mua, i nga ra o Hotunui i haere mai ai ki Hauraki nei. Me nga mahi a Tamatea-pokai-whenua, me nga mahi a Ngati-awa i raro i Hokianga-o-Kupe, me nga mahi a Kauri i heke ai ki runga ki nga kainga i Tauranga, me Taranaki, nawai i korero, a, korero, a, ka taki hokihoki etahi o aua koroheke nei ki o ratou whare moe ai, a, ka haere ano hoki ka moe nga tangata o te whare nei, noho tonu a Ponga i taua whare, kihai i hoki ki te whare manuwhiri moe ai. Ka moe te whare nei, a, roa rawa ka mate a Ponga i te hiainu, ka pa tona waha ka karanga ki tana ropa ki te wai ki a ia, ka mea, ‘E ta, kawea atu he wai ki a au’. He mea koa, ko te whare a te mokai ra i moe ai he wahi ke noa atu o te pa nei, a te rongo kau noa ake. Ko te whare a Puhihuia ma i noho ai i te tekoteko o te pa nei i te taha tua-a-tonga ki te marangai o Maungawhau, i raro tata ake ano i te wahi papa maro te whare kauta o nga ropa a Puhihuia ma i moe ai, hua noa te hunga e moe i te whare nei kei reira te ropa a Ponga e moe ana, a he hoi marire (turi) ano nona, a, he kainga tauhau, he wehi tetahi ona ki te tiki wai i raro i te papa koraha o te pa nei, koia raka te take o tana hoi, a, tetahi u ana, he po pouri, he te kitea te ara ki te puna wai. Karanga tonu a Ponga i tana kupu ki tana ropa, a he te rongo mai, ka hoha a ia, ka mea ‘Ka hei tau, kia penei rawa ake koe apopo, hei kai koe ma te rango’. Ka takoto ano a Ponga ki te moe, me te ngunguru puku ki a ia, ano ka rongo te whaea o Puhihuia ki te tangata ra e karanga nei, ka oho ake a ia, ko te kuia koa o te kotiro nei te mea kua oho ake, ka oho te kupu a te kuia ra ki tana kotiro, ka mea, ‘E ko, he tuturi ano hoki tetahi ou, te rongo koe ki te manuwhiri e karanga kau nei ki tana ropa, ka tingia nei a ia e te hiainu, e kore koe e aroha atu u ana ki tana mate, a, ka haere koe ka kawe wai mana’. Ka mea atu te kotiro ra ki tana whea, ‘Ua atu e ui koe he atua te taru o te ara e wehi kau ai au; ko Kuo te po, he kano kahurangi’. Ka whakatika te kotiro ra, ka mau ki te to bring water for him, saying, ‘O my slave! bring some water for me’. As the slave was some distance away, he did not hear the command. The house in which Puhihuia lived with her parents was on the top of the hill on which the pa stood. On the south rim of the crater and on a little flat below this to the north of the house, there were the cookhouses of Puhihuia's family, where their attendants slept; it was supposed the attendant of Ponga was there, and that it was fear at being in a strange place, and terror at having to go in the dark far down to the flat on the north at the main entrance of the pa, that caused the slave of Ponga to disobey his master's call. It was a dark night, and the road to the spring could be followed only by those who knew it. Ponga repeated his command to his slave, saying, ‘Evil will befall you, and tomorrow will not have gone before blow-flies will gather on you’. Then Ponga lay down, but uttered certain words in a low mournful tone to himself. The mother of Puhihuia heard him call to his slave, and rose and spoke to her daughter and said, ‘O daughter, you are also deaf; you appear not to hear one of our guests calling in vain for his slave in his thirst. Can you not feel some sympathy for him in his need, and go and fetch some water for him?’ She answered her mother and said, ‘Rather you might ask, “Are not the weeds on the road gods, that I should not feel fear?” Kuo is god of darkness and descendant of spirits.’ Puhihuia rose and took a calabash and left the house. She and her parents slept at the opposite end of the house of that at which Ponga slept. There was a door at each end of the house. As she left the house with a lighted torch in her hand, Ponga rose and said, ‘I will go to find my deaf slave, who does not pity my raging thirst, whose soul will soon go along the road to Paerau (the road to the world of spirits)’. These words of his were pure pretence, and only said to mislead those who heard them, and to prevent their knowing of his desire to follow Puhihuia. He had no intention of finding his slave and killing him. He left the house, and followed the path the young woman had taken. He had no knowledge of the road that led to the spring but followed as best he could the light of the torch and the voice of Puhihuia; for as she went along she sang a song to keep her heart brave, to amuse her ears with the sound of her own voice, and prevent the spirits from touching

kiaka (taha), ka puta ki waho; nei koa i tetahi pito o te whare a ia e moe tahi ana ratou ko ana matua, a he kuaha ano to taua pito o te whare, a ko Ponga e moe ana i tetahi pito ano o taua whare, a, he kuaha ano to tera pito; puta kau ano te kotiro ra me te rama kapara i te ringa, ka whakatika atu ano hoki a Ponga ki runga, ka mea ki ana hoa, ‘Tukua atu au ki taku mokai e hoi nei ki a au, nawai ko te mate wai, a, ka hemo au i te hiainu, penei rawa ake koe i a au, ka takahi to wairua i te ara ki Paerau’. Ka puta a Ponga ki waho ko aua kupu koa ana ra, he parau (teka) kau nana, he whakangaro marire ano nana i tana tikinga whai atu i te kotiro ra, kahore kau ana mea kia haere a ia ki te tiki i tana parau (ropa) kia patua e ia, ko aua kupu ana, he mea ki e ia kia rongo ai ana hoa moe, kia kiia ai e ratou, e haere pono ana a ia ki te patu i tana ora (pononga). Puta kau atu ano a ia, ehara kua tika te ara o te tangata ra ki te haere, otira kihai a ia i ata mohio ki te ara ki te puna wai, engari i whai atu a ia i te ahi kapara, me te reo o te wahine ra, e haere ana hoki koa te wahine ra me te waiata oreore haere kia ngahau ai raua ko ana taringa ki tana reo kei pokea a ia e te wairua, a ka whai atu a Ponga i taua ahi me te reo o te wahine ra. E tae ana te kotiro ra ki te puna wai, ehara, e tu tahi atu ana a Ponga i tana tuara i te puna ra ano, e utu ana e wahine ra i te wai, ara, ka tae tana ringa ka pehi i te taha ra ki roto i te wai, a ka ki noa ano te kiaka (taha) na, tahuri noa ake te kotiro ra ki te hiki ake i tana ipu wai, ara he tangata e te ana i tana taha, i muri i a ia, ko Ponga koa e tu atu ra, me te kite mai ano te kotiro ra i a ia, i te marama atu o tana rama kapara. Tu kau ake ano te wahine ra me tana ipu wai, tu tonu, te kuihi te waha te aha, taro (roa kau iho) rawa, katahi ka ki atu te wahine ra, ka mea atu ki a Ponga, ‘He aha tau i haere mai ai koe?’ Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘I haere mai au ki te inu’. Ka mea atu a Puhihuia, ‘Ha, i haere mai nei hoki ahau ki te kawe wai mau, he aha koe te noho atu ai i te kainga, a, maku e kawe atu he wai mau’. Katahi ka ki atu te tangata ra, ka mea, ‘He tika ano taku kupu mate wai, na te ngakau ke tenei hiainu, na roto i kawe ake tana mate ki a koe’. Ka rongo te kotiro ra i aua kupu, ka mahara a ia, a, kua hiahia te tangata nei ki a au, a, ka noho raua, ka korerorero, ahuareka noa iho a raua korero ki a raua, ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘He kainga mataitai toku kainga a Awhitu, her. Ponga followed behind her until she arrived at the spring. She was dipping the calabash into the water to fill it, when Ponga came up and stood at her side. When the calabash was full she lifted it from the spring and saw a man standing near to her, and recognized him by the glare of her torch; but she did not utter a word, and stood there without moving for a short time. Then she said, ‘Why did you come?’ Ponga said, ‘I came to obtain a drink’. She answered, ‘I came for water for you. Then why did you not stay in the pa? I would have taken it to you.’ He answered, ‘What I say about thirst is true; but my thirst is that of the heart, and it is from within that I feel a longing for you.’ She heard his words, and thought, ‘Why, he loves me!’ They sat down and talked. Ponga said, ‘My home at Awhitu is famous for its fish and shellfish; but your home has only fern-root.’ She said, ‘We have fish in our pa, caught on the west coast, and on the east also—that coast of which the proverb says, ‘The coast so calm that a woman may paddle a canoe there’. And our pa has fish sent to it from many beaches.’ He said, ‘Yes, you may have much food in your pa, and peace may reign there; but what food is there for the heart?’ She said, ‘That is so; perhaps at your home the young high-born chiefs delight themselves in sports.’ He said, ‘Yes, that is true. Then return there with me, that you may see the games and delight, and take part in them.’ She said, ‘What is there left for me to see? I have seen you.’ He said, ‘If you can think as I do, you can go back with me when our party returns.’ She said, ‘The matter rests with you; but on the night before the day of your return, command your friends to go to Onehunga and cut all the fastenings which hold the top-sides on our canoes, and keep your canoe well out and afloat, so that when I leave with you there will be no canoes available for our people to use in pursuing us.’ They agreed as to the day when he would return home, and she took the calabash of water and went up the hill to the pa; but she said, ‘Go in front of me; go quickly, and arrive first at the pa.’ He went into the house and asked, ‘Has any water been brought for me?’ He was told, ‘None’, and said, ‘I have not

haere atu ki te wahapu o Manuka tena, ko tou kainga, he aruhe tona kai’. Ka mea te kotiro ra, ‘He ika ano ra te ika o tenei pa, he ika no te tai tu-a-uru, a, he ika no te tai hoenga taitama wahine, e kite ana tenei pa i te tini o te mataitai o hea, o hea’. Ano ko Ponga, ‘He tika te kai, he pai te noho o tou pa, ko te kore mau mo te hinengaro’. Ano ko Puhihuia, ‘Ae, kei tou kainga pea te ngahau na te tini o te uri ariki’. Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘He tika. Hoake taua, ka hoki ki reira koe titiro ai’. Ka mea atu te kotiro ra, ‘Titiro hoki ki hea? Kua kite nei au i a koe’. Ka mea atu a Ponga, ‘Ki te rite tau ki taku, me hoki koe i a au, ana hoki to matou pahi’. Ka mea atu a Puhihuia, ‘Kei a koe te whakaaro, otira, a te ra e hoe ai koutou, mau e unga i o hoa kia haere ki o matou waka i Onehunga, kia kotikotia nga herehere o nga rauawa, a ka tuku ai i to koutou waka ki waho manu mai ai mo taku tika atu, ka riro tatou, te ai he waka hei whai (aru) mai i a taua’. A korero ana raua mo te ra e haere ai raua, e hoki ai ki Awhitu, a ka hoki te wahine ra ki te pa me te taha wai ano ki te ringa mau atu ai. Ka ki atu a Puhihuia ki a Ponga, ‘Hohoro te haere; ko koe o taua kia tae wawe ki te whare’. Ka tae a Ponga ki te whare, ka ui ki ana hoa, ‘Kaore ano te wai nei?’ Ka kiia mai, ‘Kao’. Ka mea a Ponga, ‘Taku mokai te kitea, kei whea ranei, he ngaro nona i ora ai tana upoko te pakaru ai i a au’. E korero ana a Ponga, ka puta a Puhihuia me te wai, ka tapoko mai ano a ia i te kuwaha ano ona i puta atu ai, me Ponga i hoki mai ano ma te tatau ona i puta atu ai. Ka tae mai te kotiro ra me te wai, ka mea atu te whaea, ‘Te roa ou!’ Ka ki atu a Puhihuia, ‘He ara tata koia? A, he ra e whiti ana, i mihi ai koe ki taku roa, i kiia atu ra e au, “Ko Kuo te po”.’ Ka ki atu te whaea, ‘Kawea to wai ma to teina, ma Ponga, ka mate i te taringa atu ki a koe’. Ka mau ano te kotiro ra i te ipu, ka mau ki a Ponga, he uri rangatira koa, a, e kore e inu i te ipu, ka whakatutua e ia ki ana ringa, a, ka ringitia e Puhi ki a ia, ka inu, a, ka makona. Ka noho nei te pa nei, me te tira tamariki nei, a, ka hoha te noho, me te tu i nga haka me nga tini takaro, a, ka tae ki te ra e hoki ai te tira ra ki to ratou kainga, a, ka rite i te been able to find my slave, so he has saved his skull from being cracked’. He was still talking when Puhihuia entered at the door at the other end of the house with water in a calabash. Her mother said to her, ‘How long you have been!’ Puhihuia replied, ‘Is the road so short? and is the sun shining, that you should wonder at the time I have taken? I told you that Kuo was god of the night.’ The mother said, ‘Take the water you have brought to your junior relative Ponga, who has suffered from his thirst so long while he waited for your return’. She took the water, and as he was a chief of rank he could not drink directly out of the calabash, but placed his hands together to form a cup-like shape; she poured the water into them, and thus he drank, and was satisfied. The young people of Awhitu stayed at Mount Eden until they had played all the games known in those days, and decided to leave the pa and return home on a certain day. The night before the day on which they were to leave, Ponga said to his slave, ‘Go to your companions and tell them that I command you to go this night to Onehunga, and near dawn cook food, and wait for us; but also go and cut all the lashings that hold the topsides of the canoes of the Mount Eden people—do not leave one canoe uncut, and take our canoe out so that she may be afloat, and keep her so. Now, this is what you shall say to your companions: I, Ponga, have heard what the old people of the Mount Eden pa have said, which was spoken in the house in which I slept, when they were giving the history of Kupe, Hotonui, and Tamateapokaiwhenua, and also that in which all the wars of Waikato are given, and the history of the battles between the descendants of those who came here in Tainui. Now, when you get to our canoe let her be kept afloat, and let those of our party who shall arrive at Onehunga embark at once in the canoe, and let each take his or her paddle and sit in readiness to use it, as we shall start for our home as soon as I come to you; but wait for me, as I shall be the last to leave the Mount Eden pa, so that I may discover what intentions the old people of the pa have towards us. Wait, be cautious, and keep your suspicions alive, so that we may start immediately, and may reach our home in

tokomaha te whakaae te ra hei hokinga mo ratou. I te po o te ra ao ake ko te ra e hoki ai, ka mea atu a Ponga ki tana ropa, ‘Haere mai, haere ki o hoa, ka mea atu i taku kupu, hei te po nei ka whakatika, ka haere ki Onehunga, ka noho, ka tahu kai, ka tatari mai i a matou; kia ao ake ana te ra apopo, e tae ki nga waka o te iwi nei, ka tapatapahi i nga herehere o nga rauawa, kaua te waka kotahi e mahue; a ko to tatou waka me kawe ki waho manu mai ai. Nei te take hei kianga atu mau ki to tatou nuinga, he kupu i rongo ai au, he korero na te tini o nga koroheke o te iwi nei i te whare i noho ai au, i te whare o te matua o Puhihuia, he tataku na ratou i nga mea o mua, puta ki a Kupe, puta ki a Hotunui, puta ki a Tama-tea-pokai-whenua, a puta katoa ki nga he a Waikato ki a ia ano, ara, a nga mahi a nga hapu i puta mai i a Tainui. E tae ki to tatou waka, kia manu i waho, a, ko ratou o to tatou tira kua tae wawe atu, hohoro te eke ki te waka, ka mau ai ki nga hoe, me te noho tatari mai ki a au, tena au kei muri, kei te titiro i te whakaaro o te iwi nei ki a tatou. Noho tupato mai kia tatanga ai to tatou puta ki waho ki Awhitu, he mea hoki i tapatapahia ai nga herehero o o ratou waka, kei ai he waka whai mai i a tatou’. Ka tae te ropa ra ki ana hoa, ka rongo ratou, heoi ano rongo kau ano, ka oho te mauri o era, ka whakataka, ka haere i te po, ao kau ano te ra, kei te mahi i nga waka, a, rite rawa te kupu ako ata a Ponga ki tana ropa, a ka rewa to ratou waka, ka noho mai, ka tatari i a Ponga ma. Ka noho nei a Ponga i te pa nei, i Maungawhau, a, ka rite noa ki te wai i munaia atu ra ki tona mokai, a, ka rite. I mea atu hoki a ia, ‘Kia moiri kau ano te ra, kia ka te kai, a, ka mutu, tena rawa matou te haere atu na’. Oti kau ano te kai o te ata o te pa ra, ka mea atu a Ponga ki ana hoa, ‘Ka hoe tatou; he roa te wa moana, kia whiti ao ai tatou i Manuka. Ko wai i tohu ai e kore tatou e raru i te taniwha i te wa o te po’. He taniwha hoki to te wahapu o Manuka, ko Kaiwhare te ingoa, a, e pau ana te waka i a ia te horo; koia te kupu a Ponga i whakaaetia ai e ana hoa. Ka whakatika te ope tamariki nei, ka tatua i a ratou mo te haere, ka hui atu te tangata whenua ki te poroporoaki i a ratou, a, ka rupeke (poto) mai te iwi o te pa nei, ka whakatika te rangatira o te pa, ka mau ki tana mere pounamu, ka hoatu ki te tamaiti ariki o taua ope nei, a, ka hoatu hoki te mere a taua tamaiti ra ki te rangatira o te pa, he mea koa safety. This is why I have told you to cut the lashings of the topsides of their canoes, in order to prevent their pursuing us.’ The attendant went to his companions and gave them the commands of Ponga. On learning the nature of his orders, they were struck with fear, and rose at once, and that night in the dark went to Onehunga; and at dawn of day they took action and carried out the command of Ponga to its full extent. When their own canoe was afloat they embarked and waited for Ponga and his companions. Ponga and his friends waited till the time came which he had mentioned to his slave, for he had said, ‘When the sun rises let food be cooked, and we shall be with you.’ When they had eaten the morning meal in the Mount Eden pa, Ponga said to his companions, ‘Let us depart, for the distance by sea is great; let us leave at once, so that we may cross the Manukau by daylight. How can we be sure that we shall not be attacked by a sea monster if we have to cross in the dark?’ It was said that there was a sea monster at the Manukau Heads called Kaiwhare, who sometimes attacked and destroyed canoes. Because of this his companions agreed to ponga's words. The young people of Awhitu rose, and girded their belts ready to start. The people of Mount Eden assembled to chant farewell to them; and the head chief of the pa rose, and took his greenstone mere and gave it to the young chief of supreme rank of the Awhitu guests, who in return gave his greenstone mere to the old chief. These two meres were heirlooms, and it was in accordance with ancient custom to exchange such weapons between men of supreme rank. These two were in the direct line of descent from Hotunui. Heirloom weapons were kept by members of one head family for a time, then they were handed to those of senior rank in another branch of the same tribe. This exchange of weapons was a ratification of any terms of peace which might have been agreed upon by the tribes, and also a final pledge of the complete and genuine feeling of friendship felt by the young guests from Awhitu toward the Mount Eden people. Thus each held possession of the other's mere. When the ceremony was completed the Awhitu young people rose and departed, but some of the Mount Eden people accompanied them a short distance. The road the Awhitu party took was down the slope of Mount Eden, on the south side towards the Tatua (Three

aua mere nei, he manatunga, a he tika ki nga ritenga o mua kia hokohokoa aua tu mere nei e aua tangata, no te mea ko raua nga uri toitu e takoto haere ai aua mere, a, he mea hoki ko taua tu mea nei ko te manatunga patu, he wa ano ka mau i nga uri o tetahi hapu o te iwi, a roa noa, ka kawea e aua tangata i a ia taua manatunga nei e mau ana, ka kawea ka tukua ki etahi ano o nga uri o te tupuna nana taua patu i te timatatanga, koia nei te tu hokohoko o aua mere nei. A, tetahi tikanga, he whakapumau i te rongo taketake kua takoto i nga koroheke o aua hapu nei, ara, o Nga-iwi, a, o Ngati-Kahukoka, a hei mutunga ano hoki mo nga korero o taua ope taitamariki ariki nei ki nga rangatira o Maungawhau, hei maunga hoki mo ta ratou rongo, ka mau nei hoki tetahi i ta tetahi patu, a tetahi i ta tetahi patu. Mutu kau ano aua mahi nei, ka whakatika te ope tira tamariki nei, ka haere, a, ka whakatika nei ratou ka haere, ka haere tahi atu ano i a ratou etahi o te tangata whenua, ko te ara koa i haere iho ai ratou i taua pa nei, i heke iho i te toitoi o te pa i te marae tonu o te pa, ka ahu iho ki te hauauru, ka heke iho whaka Te Tatua, a, ka haere i te ara i runga i te rangitoto, ka ahu ki Onehunga. Ka heke nei taua tira nei, ka haere mai te nuinga o te pa ki nga kuaha o te pa karanga ai, ‘Haere, haere, haere ki to kainga’. E haere ana te tira ra, me te powhiri te tangata whenua, ka whakatika atu etahi o nga tamariki me nga kotiro, me nga tamahine o te tangata whenua, ki te powhiri i waho o te pa, a, ka haere te ara konihi a Puhihuia ratou ko ana hoa, a, e haere ana rapea te tamariki tamahine e whakatakohe haere ana, e wawata haere ana, me te kata haere, nawai a, nawai, ka mamao atu ki waho o te pa nei. A, ka titiro atu te matua tane o Puhihuia ka hoi (tawhiti) noa atu ki tawhiti o te pa, ka pa tana karanga ki tana kotiro, ka mea, ‘E ko, hoki mai, hoki mai, na te wairangi tena tu haere ki tawhiti, ka kiia koe e te tira ra he tutua’. I rongo ano pea te kotiro ra i te reo o tana matua, a, me aha hoki, kua takoto ra hoki tana hiahia, a, kua maro tana i whakatakoto ai. Kihai a ia i hoki mai, ko ana hoa ia i hoki atu i te kupu o te tangata i karanga atu ra, tena, ko tuawahine, i pai te haere, i pai te haere, ara, i ata oma i te timatanga, tena e mamao, ko tenei kua tawhiti, kau tatu ki raro, kua papa tonu te ara i te raorao, ka torere tonu a ia ki te haere, ka rere-a-manu ra Kings), then on over the scoria flat to One-hunga. As the guests left, the Mount Eden people came to the gates of the Mount Eden pa and called the farewell—‘Depart, depart, go to your home’, and as they went on their way the people of the pa waved their garments as a farewell. At the same time some of the young people of the pa, including boys and girls, together with the daughter of the head chief of Mount Eden, stood outside the pa and waved their garments. But then Puhihuia went secretly to another place with some young friends, laughing and in high glee, knowing she would not be discovered by the people, and stood and waved her garment, and, walking on, followed the young people of Awhitu. When she had gone some distance from the pa her father saw her, and calling her, said, ‘O daughter, come back. It is only the insane who go so far as you do now, when guests depart from their hosts. You will be called a girl of low birth.’ She may have heard the voice of her father, but she did not listen to his command, for she had determined on a certain course of action, and would not relinquish that on which her heart was set. Her female friends came back at once, in obedience to the command given by her father; but she went on, slowly at first. Then she hurried, and when she had gained the scoria flat she ran, going as fast over the ground as a flying bird. Driven by the power of her love and the great longing in her heart, she flew to him with whom her heart was. On she went, and when she came to a great block of scoria which hid her from the sight of her people at Mount Eden, she hurried faster, never looking behind. Ponga saw her following now, and his friends noticed that Puhihuia was following them in a hurried way as if she were frightened. Ponga said, ‘What can be wrong? Let us go more slowly. Perhaps some unhappy

hoki, he kawenga no tana ngakau ki te whai i te whakahia-ngongo o tana ngakau. Te tino omanga koa o te wahine nei, kua tata ki te taha o te toka rangitoto e tu ana i te ara, ehara, te tino omanga i oma ai, ana na, ta te kohine pai i raro tonu te upoko, heoti ano hoki rapea, ka kite mai a Ponga i a ia, ratou ko nga hoa o Ponga, he kite mai i te haere o te kotiro nei he takakino te haere, ara, he oma mai, he whai mai i a ratou. Ka mea atu a Ponga ki ana hoa, ‘E, he aha tenei? Kia tatanga tahi ta tatou haere; he aitua pea, ina hoki te tino o te kakapounamu o te pa nei e whai mai nei i a tatou’. Ano ka tata atu te wahine ra ki a ratou, he mea koa i kitea e ratou e takakino atu ana te whai a te kotiro ra i a ratou, ka whakangawaritia e ratou ta ratou haere kia tae atu ai te wahine nei ki a ratou. Ka tae noa te wahine ra ki a Ponga ma, haere tonu atu te kotiro ra, tu ana i te taha o Ponga me te manu e kakapa ana te manawa o te kohine ra i te whainga mai i a ia. Ka ki atu te wahine ra, ‘Kia ngawari te haere, ma te uaua ano ona ora e tae wawe atu ai tatou ki te waka’. Te tino haerenga o ratou, ‘Koia ano me te huruhuru manu e rere ana i te hau,’ ano koa, ‘Me te weka ka motu i te mahanga’. Ka haere te tini nei, ahakoa tane, ahakoa wahine, kahore te mea kotahi i ruhi, ‘Me te pingao i te tuauru e rere ana i te one’. Te haere nei te tira nei, me te titiro iho te pa ra, a, ka kite iho ratou i a Puhihuia ka riro i te tira ra, katahi te mano o te pa nei ka oho, ka oma a ia, a ia ki tana patu, ki tana patu, a, warea ki reira, e haere marire ana a Ponga ma, a, hoki rawa mai te pa ra ki te whai (aru) i to ratou kotiro, ka motumotu rapea te whenua e haerea nei e Ponga ma, ka takiwa noa mai te iwi o te pa nei, ka takiwa noa atu a Ponga ma, kua tatu ratou ki te tauranga waka i Onehunga, i Manuka. Ka puta te iwi ra i te pa, ka haere papahoro noa iho i te pa. Kahore kau he kaiwhakahau i te ope nei, marara noa atu, marara noa mai. Haere te tane, haere te wahine, haere te tamariki, na te ururua koa o te ara, a, na te tini o ratou, hinga noa iho etahi i etahi i te kawenga o tenei kia puta ki mua o tera, a, tae rawa atu a mua o taua whai nei, ka titiro iho ki te one i Onehunga, kua eke a Ponga ma ki to ratou waka. Ka titiro ake te tira tamariki nei ki te kaiwhai i a ratou, te tino maunga ki te hoe, a, ka rite noa ano, te tino pounga ki te wai i poua ai, ana me te pere e rere ana, whakarongo ake ki nga papa o te waka ra, kongangi kau ana. Ka kite te iwi ra, te kaiwhai i a Ponga ma, thing has taken place in the pa after we left; or how can it be that the most noble of all in Mount Eden is following us?’ The Awhitu people waited for her. She came up to them and went at once to the side of Ponga, while her heart throbbed like the flapping wings of a bird. She said, ‘Let us go swiftly; our life depends on our strength to run, for through this we shall reach the canoe.’ They all ran on, ‘like the feather of a bird, driven by the wind’, or ‘like the weka which has escaped from the trap’, or ‘like the pingao of the sea-coast, driven by the wind along the sandy beach’. All ran on; men, women, all ran onward; nor did any feel fatigued. From their pa the Mount Eden people saw Puhihuia join the departing guests of Awhitu, and each member of the tribe hurried to snatch up his weapon of war. Because of this there was sufficient time for Ponga and his loved one to pass farther beyond their reach and gain the landing-place at Onehunga on the Manukau. The Mount Eden warriors each grasped his weapon, but as they were not in the command of any leader, they ran in a confused mob down the steep hill on which the pa stood, each tumbling against the other in the hurry to follow the fleeing girl. Men, women, and children followed in pursuit, but the path was partly grown over with shrubs and grass and they stumbled and fell in their eagerness to capture her. But when those who had run ahead of their companions reached the hill overlooking the landing-place at Onehunga, Ponga and his friends had embarked in their canoe. When Ponga and his companions saw that a party was following them they used their paddles furiously, making the canoe dart out on the stream like an arrow from a bow, so that its sides trembled. When the pursuers saw that their beloved lady had gone with the Awhitu guests, they rushed at once to drag some of their own canoes into the water. As was the custom, a line of men and women collected along each side of the canoe which was to be pulled to the water, and so that all might pull together a chief gave the word of command, repeating these words— ‘Move it, move it;’ to which the people dragging the canoe gave the response, all together— ‘Slide on, slide on;’ and each pulled with all his strength. But the lashings on each side of the canoe had been cut; the side-boards came away without moving the body of the canoe; the people and the

ka riro ta ratou puhi, katahi ka rere ki o ratou waka, ka to ki te wai, rarahu kau atu ano ratou, ka to i aua waka, ehara, to kau ana ko nga rauawa anake, takoto humuhumu ana ko nga tiwai i te takotoranga. He mea koa i te wa i toia ai aua waka nei e ratou, ka pa te waha o e kaitautapa he ohorere koa no te mauri o te iwi nei, a, he kawenga ano hoki no te whakatakariri tetahi, ka to hikaka te to, ara ka whakaputaina katoatia te uaua a te tane, a te wahine, tena e pa te karanga a te kaitautapa, ‘Turuki, turuki,’ a ka oho te kaito, ka mea, ‘Paneke, paneke.’ A, te tino kumenga a te kaito, nei ra kua motu nga herehere o nga rauawa, tena e kumea, te tino maunutanga mai o nga rauawa, mahua tonu ake, te tino kokiritanga o aua rauawa ki mua o nga kaito, te tino papahorotanga o te iwi e to ra, puranga ana i te whenua, he tangata i takoto wharoro ka pehia iho a runga ona e tetahi. Ko te tamariki ka taia ki tawhiti noa atu, ko te wahine ra tena poroteteke haere ana, ko te nuinga i pehia e nga rauawa, ko te upoko i whara, ko te ringa i pehia, ko te puku i kope noa iho i te rahunga kinotanga i te rauawa, takoto tangi ana etahi, maranga rakuraku ai etahi i nga upoko. Ko etahi ia, kihai i whara, ko enei i tu maro tonu, a, ka kite nei a ia i tana hihi, ka pa ka karanga atu ki te iwi o te waka e hoe ra, ka mea, ‘Haere, haere, tena au te whai (aru) atu na, he ra ka whiti, he ra ka to, tena rawa au’. Heoti ano, ka pahure te iwi ra, ka riro, ka hoki ora atu ki tona kainga, me tana taonga nui e haere tahi atu ana i a ia, ka hari te ngakau a te ropa a Ponga, ka riro nei hoki i tana ariki te wahine rangatira o te iwi nei, o Nga-iwi. side-boards fell together in a heap, some of them falling flat on the ground and others on top of them. The young men were thrown some distance; some fell head over heels, while others were pinned down by the weight of the side-boards; these ones had their arms and legs bruised. Some of them got up rubbing their heads, arms, and legs; but some escaped without bruises and without having been knocked down. These, seeing that they were helpless, shouted to the departing Awhitu guests, ‘Go, go! But we will follow you. The sun will shine, and the sun will set, but we will be with you!’ The guests paddled towards home full of glee, and proud of the young woman of high rank who was accompanying them. Ponga's slave felt highly gratified, as his lord had gained the daughter of the supreme chief of Mount Eden. The next instalment of ‘Ponga and Puhihuia’, in the December issue of ‘Te Ao Hou’, tells of their arrival at Awhitu.