LEGEND OF HINEMOA AND TUTANEKAI.

Dunstan Times, Issue 681, 7 May 1875, Page 4

LEGEND OF HINEMOA AND TUTANEKAI.

o This little legend is without exception the most beautiful and touching that the Maoris possess, being a tale of the passionate loves of a savage maiden of far-famed attractions, and one of the noblest young chiefs of tho Arawa. Tutanekai lived on the island, and the maiden on the main land. They had 1 >rg low d. but political reasons determined their parents on opposing their union, and Hinemoa was separated by the cold and angry waves from the darling of her heart. One night, while sittingwith her maidens on the shore, the sound of a flute was softly wafted on tho breeze. Quickly she recognised tire well-known song—a passionate appeal from her lover, sighing that he could no longerlive without hj( r. Dismissing her attendants she vainly sought a canoe, but her people 1 a I drawn them all on shore, and her strength wi s unequal to the effort of a inching one. Again the strains came stealing o’er the wave —“ Oh, come my darling ! why linger on the shore 1 !” This she can no longer endure. She is consumed with a strong and passionate desire—her love she can no longer stifle, —and plunging into the dark lake, she boldly swims in she direction of her heart’s desire. Onward she goes, and when her strength is failing slie is cheered and upheld 1 y those straii s o':' music, the unrestraine 1 out pourings of Tutanekai’s despairing love. Fa nt and weary, at last she reaches the gaol, 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 hath she hears the vo : or 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 bis master, and informs him of the circumstance, andTntanekai, enraged at the insult, rushes to discover the daring int-uder. Who shall describe their mutual transports! the hitherto insurmountable barrier has been passed, and Hinemoa sleeps on her lover’s bosom. These are the ancestors ot Ngatiwhakaue, and now can be seen by the enquiring tourist the stone in the bath on which Tutanekai sat while breathing forth his 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 Ngatiwakaue assert to he the original, while the Tuhonrangihave showed Dr Cowan a spot on Eotokakaki where they assert it was thrown by Iverei Te Eangiheroa on account of a tapu.— Bay of Plenty Handbook.