TAUPO-NUI-A-TIA

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 7, 27 February 1952, Page 1

TAUPO-NUI-A-TIA

TALES OF THE TAUPO COUNTRY

(By

R. H.

W.)

To the eye of the pakeha geologist the lakes of the Taupo Rotorua volcanic district present examples of most types associated with volcanic activitity. Taupo- moana itself, 238 square miles in extent, occupies an area of collapse and it seems that the vast quantities of pumice covering the surrounding country must have been blown out through some part of the lake floor. There is no very definite evidenee so far as the contours of the lake floor are known, of the presence in it of a crater or craters. But as immense quantities of volcanic ash must have been carried into the lake by rivers, in addition to air-borne ash, and as enormous quantities of water-logged pumice must have aecumulated, it is certain that the lake floor must have its features masked by this deposit. The process of collapse which has formed the lake has continued into modern times, and as late as 1922 subsidence occurred along the shore line of Whakaipo and Whangamata Bays, amounting to ten feet in some places; The eye 6f the ancient Maori was not less observant than that of the pakeha scientist, and that he correctly understood the origin of the lake basin to be volcanic is clearly indicated in the folk-lore story of the loves and enmities of the volcanoes. In days that are now dim in the haze of ages there were in the heart of Te-Ika-a-Maui more mountains than are to be seen to-day. Of these Tongariro was the chief, but near by was Taranaki, now known to the pakeha as Egmont. In addition there were Tauhara and Putauaki, or Edgecumbe, and among them was Pihanga, standing where you see her to-day. Among these mtfuntains there arose great rivalry for the iove of Pihanga, but it was on Tongariro that her favour feil, and in the battles that ensued among the suitors it was Tongariro who was victorious. There then arose among ftie defeated mountains a discussion as to what. must be done, for it was clear that Pihanga belonged to Tongariro, and after they had finished this talk it was decided that. Tauhara and Putauaki would depart to the coasl which faced- the rising sun while

Taranaki would go to the setting place of the sun. And so it was done. Taranaki travelled west, moving fast and in anger, and in the gorge of the Whanganui River of to-day you may see the path by which he went, Putauaki had reached the seaward edge of the Kaingaroa Plains by dawn, but Tauhara had gone with laggard feet, held back by love of the Phihanga whom he was leaviri]* forever. So it was that the first light of the rising sun stopped him where he has stood to this day. And so, it was that the great basin of Taupo-moana was formed, for it was there that these volcanoes once stood. Of the telling of tales there is no end, and many voices have spoken, so that we are also told of other places where the ancient mountains first stood. Thus it is held by some that Taranaki stood where now lies the lakes of Nga-Puna-a-Tamatea, south of Ngauruhoe, and that Tauhara and Putauaki stood where Lake Rotoaira is 'found to-day. To whioh we may say that these things happened long ago and that through the mist of many years it is some times difficult to be certain of many things.