To waha hakirara. He korero tenei mo tetahi tangata korero teka (tito, rupahu). Ka mohiotia atu ana, kei te korero teka tetahi tangata, ka karangatia atu, “to waha hakirara.” He harore rangi tahi. He korero tenei mo tenei mo tetahi mea kahore e roa ka mate; he ruarua nei nga ra ka mate. He po tu tata, he ao pahorehore. Ko tenei whakatauaki no Wairarapa. Ko tetahi ano rerenga o tenei korero e penei ana; “ahiahi tu tata, ao pahorehore.” Ko te tikanga e penei ana; I te po, e noho tahi ana e mahi tahi ana, ao rawa ake, kua marara te iwi, kua kore he mahi e oti. Kaimata whiwhia, maoa riro ke. Me kai i te kai i te wa e mata ana, kei noho koe tatari ai kia maoa, ka puta mai he tangata, ka riro mana ke e kai o kai. He korero amuamu tenei, kahore e tino pai ana. Hawaiki kai. He maha no te kai ti Hawaiki i puta ai tenei whakatauaki. Kei roto i te patere ra, nga kupu nei: “Ka toi au ki Hawaiki, ki te kai ra, i rari noa mai, te raweketia e te ringarnga.” Taihauauru i whakaturia e Kupe ki te maro-whara. E ki ana tetahi korero tawhito, na Kupe i mau mai nga toheroa ki Aotearoa nei ka tukuna haerengia e ia ki nga takutai o te taihauaura ki nga takiwa o te taitokerau, a, nana i waiho ki reira kia tupu ai hei kai ma ana tamahine. Ko tetahi o ana tamahine, ko Marowhara, na huaina ake nga ngaru o te taihauauru hei whakamaharatanga ki tana tamahine, na reira te whakatauaki nei. Kaore e pau, he ika unahi nui. Ko tenei whakatauaki no Taranaki tuturu. Ko Taranaki kei waenganui i a Ati-Awa kei raro me Ngati-Ruanui i te tonga. I nga ra o nehera, he rite tonu te pakanga o enei iwi, na ka whakarite a Taranaki i a ia ki te ika nui nga unahi, e kore rawa e mate. Ko te Ati-Awa kei tetahi taha, ko Ngati-Ruanui kei tetahi, engari ahakoa te nui o nga pakanga, tino kore a Taranaki i hinga. Nga uri a Haunui-a-papa-rangi. nana i taotao te nukuroa o Hawaiki. Kei nga kupu o te patere i titongia ai e te kaituhi mo te poi a te ropu taitamariki o Putiki, e penei ana te takoto o te whakatauaki nei: “Nga uri a haunui-a-paparangi, nana i takahi te nukuroa o Hawaiki e.” I waihongia ai te kupu ra “taotao” ki waho, he kino te whakarongo atu e te taringa. No Whanganui tenei whakatauaki, he whakaatu ki te toa o to ratou tupuna i Hawaiki, e ai ki nga korero, i haerengia e te tupuna nei te nukuroa o Hawaiki kahore rawa i tata mai te mate ki a ia. He toa i nga wa o te pakanga, he toa hoki ki to arataki i tona iwi. Waihoki, tae noa mai ki naianei, ka mau te whakatauaki nei ki runga ki ona uri ma e noho nei i roto o Whanganui. “At night, all are assembled: at day, all are scattered.” This proverb originates from the Wairarapa district. At night, all are together for whatever is to be done (e.g. Clubs, meetings, etc.) but in the day time, all scatter i.e. to their various work, or homes, etc.) This is a favourite saying in the Wairarapa mainly applied to organisations. At first all are keen to form an organisation, but as time goes on, the faithful few are left to carry on the work. This of course applies not only to Wairarapa but to most of our organisations throughout the land. “Eat whilst raw; cook it and it is gone.” The intention is to eat whatever is being cooked whilst partly raw, lest the cooker be overtaken with visitors and they in turn will eat what is cooked. This of course is a selfish saying, but the intention is to expedite whatever one is doing. “Prolific Hawaiki.” Ancient history records that Hawaiki was noted for its abundance of food. There is a Maori chant which records: “Hastily, I return to Hawaiki, where food abounds not prepared by hand.” “The Western seas, wherein Kupe left Marowhara.” According to legend, it was Kupe who first introduced the toheroa to this land, and distributed them along the west coast mainly north of Auckland. He had a daughter named Marowhara, and during his journeys along the west coast, he named the waves after his daughter, hence this saying. “It will not be consumed, for it is a fish covered with large scales.” This saying originated from the Taranaki tribe which is bounded by Ati-Awa on the north and Ngati-Ruanui on the south. During ancient times, war constantly raged amongst these tribes. With Taranaki in the centre, it likened itself to a heavily scaled fish, unconquerable. True to its motto, and in spite of the wars which existed, Taranaki was not conquered. “The descendants of Haunui-a-paparangi-Hanunui, who contrived to conquer the length and breadth of Hawaiki.” This saying was modified in a chant specially composed by the writer for the Putiki Young People's Club, where the word “taotao” was replaced by “Takahi.” The former word is harsh, whilst the latter “takahi” which means “to trample” gives a similar meaning but in a milder form. This saying originates from Wanganui, and it aptly describes the courage of their ancestor, who, whilst at Hawaiki was a champion at war, and consequently overcame all his enemies. He was not only a champion at war, but was also an able leader of his tribe. The proverb has today been adopted by the young people of Wanganui with the minor amendment in the original Maori.