A MAORI LEGEND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4822, 5 September 1876, Page 3

A MAORI LEGEND.

The Rev. Mohi Turei, of Waipa, has favored us (Te Waka Maori) with the following.account of the introduction of reptiles, &c, into New Zealand by the Hawaiki migratory canoes: — One of the canoes had on board a number of reptiles and insects, which were brought from Hawaiki. The name of the canoe in question was " Mangarara," and the chiefs who come from Hawaiki by her were Wheketoro, Waiopotango, Rauarikiao, Tarawhata, and a number of others. This canoe brought the tuatara, the teretere, the kumukumu, the mokoparae, and the mokokakariki, (all reptiles of the lizard kind). The name of the chief of the reptiles was" Tuakeke" (a lizard). There were also centipedes, the phasmid (better known as the " walkingstick"), field crickets, wood bugs, and various other reptiles and insects. There were birds, too, on board of this canoe—the torea {hcematopus unicolor), and the whaioio, or whioi [anthus Nova: Zealanclice) —and a dog (or dogs) called " Mohorangi." The canoe, in short, was a sort of Noah's ark.

When the canoe arrived at Whangaokeno (an island off the East Cape), Wheketoro at once put all his reptiles and insects on shore, and they spread all over the island. Numbers of large lizards exist there at the present time. Then Wheketoro set about tabooing the island to ward off danger from his pets. First he made a sacred fire on the beach, which he named " Takuahi." The inland was girt round by precipitous cliffs, but there was one place of easy ascent; so he took a stone from his sacred fire and cast it against thiß place, which immediately fell away, forming an inaccessible cliff, which he named the " Hororoa." Then he east upon the rocky beach another stone from his sacred fire, and immediately a spring of water burst up, which he named the " Whakaauranga." This spring is still in existence. Then another magician, named " Waiopotango," brought forth another spring in the same manner, and named it the " Muriwai." Rauarikiao then cast a bundle, or tuft, parenako (a kind of forest fern) to Hauremiti as a dwelling place for Tuakeke, the chief of the lizards. The birds, the torea and the whaioio, were placed in charge of the island. The maleof the torea was named "Wehiwehi," and the female " Hinekitorea." The male of the whaioio was named " Tuwhaka," and the female " Tangowhiti." Then the canoe "Mangarara" came on to the mainland with Wheketoro,, Waiopotango, Rauarikiao, and the others, together with some of the reptiles, &c. As they drew near the beach at Tokaroa, they cast overboard Tarawhata and his dog Mohorangi. The dog immediately commenced struggling and kicking with so much violence as to create a great swell which capsized the canoe, and they were case ashore at Pariwhero. The canoe may be seen there at the present day in the form of a rock. It was not broken, but remained in a perfectly sound condition. Rauarikiao then called on the reptiles to assist in drawing up their canoe. Then Rauarikiao led off the following chaunt, and all the reptiles joined in the chorus as they pulled at the canoe :

Hani the canoe! Ho ! heave—Yo, ho! Haul the canoe I Ho ! heavo —Yo, ho ! She sticks, she sticks ! Ho ! heave—Yo, ho I She holds, she holds I Ho I heave—Yo, ho I Look, look ! turn, turn ! to every part, Before, behind, bo quick, be smartSteady now ; mark her carvings rare, And of her head and bows take care. Ho ! heave—Yo, ho t She stops ! she's fast I Ho! heave—Ho, ho ! And so they pulled and tugged until morning light came, but they were unable to move her; therefore they left her lving there, and the reptiles retired to the shelter of the overhanging banks and crevices and cracks in the earth, and the vegetation and grass growing around.

Wheketoro and Rauarikiao, with their com : panions, took up their residence at East Cape, where their descendants still live—namely, Ngatiporou. Kiwa and his friends came from Hawaiki also, in another canoe called " Takitimu," probably about the time that Wheketoro arrived with his reptiles, and landed at Turanga. About 300 years ago Kaiawa, a descendant of Kiwa, lived at Turanganui. Reports having reached him of the abundance of kaliawai in the waters of Hick's Bay the fishing grounds of Ruawaipu (the name of a man) —he determined to go thither, that he might see these renowned waters. So he went to the rivers of Awatere, Karakatuwhero, and Wharekahika, attracted by the fame of these waters for their abundanoe of fish. When he arrived at Opure (a settlement at East Cape), he found Tahingaroahau living on the brow of the hill called Otarakorero. Tahingaroahau invited • him to his settlement, and he went in and sat down. After he had eaten some food, Tahingaroahau 9a ifl : —" Where are you going ?" Kaiawa answered, "The fame of the fish of Ruawaipu's waters has attracted me hither." Then said Tahingaroahau, " Remain here. There is an abundance of fish hero also. Behold the rock (island) yondor "—the island where Wheketoro landed his reptiles. So Kaiawa made his abode there and took to wife Whatumori, the daughter of Tahingaroahau. In due time a daughter was born to him, and he named her Ponuiahine; afterwards another daughter was born, whom he named Rcrepuhitai. At length Kaiawa resolved that he would remove the tapu placed on the island of Whangaokeno by Wheketoro, and the people on the mainland approved of his purpose. Then Kaiawa launched his canoe and paddled away to Whangaokeno, taking with him hie daughter Ponuiahine to firmly hold (by standing on it) his sacred kaunoti* for producing fire by friction. As they approached the island they beheld the Mohorangi (dog) standing outside the creek called Taumatao-Tuwhaka. The precaution of veiling the eyes of his daughter was neglected, and tho Mohorangi fixed its weird piercing gaze upon her person. When Taiawa landed with his daughter, he pulled up a sacred rimu sapling and handed it to Tuhaka (a bird). He then produced sparks by friction while his daughter held the wood firmly, these he named " Rinoianuku ;" then he plaoed the sparks in a bunch of dry vegetation, arid waving it round, flame burst forth ; thiß flame he named " Rinoiarangi." : ,

Then Kaiawa put his daughter to sleep and went.to removethe-tapu by means of "woman's fire," (ft sacred fire possessing a p»wer and virtue emanating from women). He lighted fires of this kind at Hauremiti, at Hororoa, at Takuahi, at Whakaauranga, and at Muriwai, thereby dispelling the-; spells of Wheketoro. Then he made a great smoke by smothering his fire, which caused the birds Tuhaka and Tangowhiti to sneeze, and they became perfectly tame and docile ; but the other birds, Wehiwebi and Hinekitorea; flew to the rocks off the shore, so that he waß unable to tame them. When. he returned to the place where he had left his daughter, she had disappeared from the spot where she had been sleeping. As he called, " Ponuahine, oh, where are you ?" he observed a grasshopper jumping away from before him, and, looking up he, perceived his daughter turned into a rock standing in the sea. Then he gave vent to his grief, but in vain. Therefore, . women never went upon the island afterwards, leit the fate of Ponuiahine should be theirs ; and strangers going there always had their eyes veiled lest they should see the Mohorangi, and, on landing, be Btruck by a stone falling from the cliffs.