WHAKATANE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 111, 17 January 1940, Page 6

WHAKATANE

BARNICOAT MEMORIAL PRIZE POEM The following is the poem which gained the Barnicoat Memorial Prize at the 'Whakatane District High School in 1921. The author, A. J. Sheat, has been for some years on the staff of the Morrinsville "Star." You have asked me why the Maori Gave the name of Whakatane, To the stretch of silvery sea-tsand, To the gently flowing river, With its mouth all blocked and broken, By the cruel rocks, where breakers Dash themselves in awful fury, To the pah and to the country. You have asked me, I will tell you. Many hundred moons have wasted, Sincc the coming of the Maoris O'er the mightj- ocean Kiwa, From the fabled land Hawaiki, From the Islands to the northward, Of the six canoes which carried Maoris to Aotea-roa, One there was the Matatua, She which bore the Chief Torea And his people o'er the ocean, To the shores of Aotea-roa, Near the river Whakatane. There the tired and hungry travellers Saw a land of peace and plenty, Saw the steaming isle Whakari, Lying far out in the ocean, Saw the Island Motu-hora, Rising steep and bare and rugged, Saw the wide expanse of swampland, With its fringing line of sand-hills, And the mountains further inland, With the mountain Puiauaki: Once a thundering volcano, Standing blue upon the sky line. And the}' reached the river entrance, Year the high and rocky headland Kolii point, where sea and river Meet and roar in wild confusion Over rocks that strew the entrance, S'rew the narrow dangerous entrance. But the warriors brave in battle. Who had crossed the mighty ocean, Suffered shipwreck and starvation. Suffered thirst; and suffered hunger. Feared to pass the foaming breakers. Where the cruel rocks showed grimly

Through the fierce and surging waters, Through the breakers rushing shoreAvar (1. And the currents and the eddies Swept the craft towards destruction, And the crew in tribulation, Thought that death would overtake them, Then, when all seemed doomed and helpless, And the waters raged in fury, Up there sprang the chieftain's daughter, Sprang the chieftain's child Wairaka And, with great determination. To the much despairing warriors Thus she cried, "Kia Whakatane Ake alma," which being Into English speech translated Means (at least so others tell us), 'I myself will act t.lic man's part." And, inspired by her example,, All the crew were tilled with courage, With fresh hope they plied their paddles, With new strength they stretched their muscles, •* Sent the vessel through the water*:, Through the wild & surging waters. Through the narrow roekstrewn entrance, And at last, they had her safely Floating on the river's bosom, On the quiet and placid river. Many hundred moons have wasted, Since the Matatua entered Through the narrow rocky entrance. Through the roaring surging waters, To the haven of contentment. Hut the name of Whakatane Still survives in town and river, In the broad and winding river, Flowing through the bush clad ranges, Of the rugged Urewera, Joining with the wild Wahnana, Which comes rushing through the mountains, Through the gorge that it has chiseled, Comes to meet the Whakatane; And the river (Sowing onward Past the rock Pohutaroa, Often mentioned in tradition, Past the town of Whakatane, Meets the ocean's mighty waters. This the reason why the Maoris Called, their village Whakatane.