TAUPO - NUI - A - TIA

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 20, 28 May 1952, Page 6

TAUPO - NUI - A - TIA

TALES OF THE TAUPO COUNTRY

(By

R. H

W.)

In aneient days the Maori language was rich in proverbial sayings, often used on ceremonial occasions, and as often in the daily speech of the people, and to those who Iheard them they would give the same pieasnre as does the apt allusion oi (a modern orator. Many of these Maori proverbs carried meanings ,similar to those of Pakeha proverbs, "E whia motunga o te weka i te mahanga ?" — translated as "How inany times will the weka escape frpml the snare? — meant that a weka would not be caught in the same snare, and recalls the English proverb "The burnt child dreads the fire." "Those who escape the seagod will be killed by those on shore" refers to the legendary custom, in the aneient home land of Hawaiki, of killing shipwrecked strangers, and was used as referring to those in periloiis circumstances, as we might speak of being between the Devil and the deep sea. Many Maori proverbs were derived from actual happenings and examples of this type were well known i* the Taupo Country. About two hundred and thirty years ago a raiding party from W anganui had killed two chiefs of Tu wharetoa, Te Tawiri-o-te-rangi (and Te F>angi-kaheke-ir waho, and news of this had been brought to the Tuwharetoa leader Tama-mutu who was living at Motutere, on the eastern shore of the Lake. Tamamutu organised an avenging force and set off southward in the famous canoe Te Reporepo. In discussing their plan of campaign Tamautu used several sayings that have lived on. "Tuwharetoa! Drive the canoe gently, lest it be overwhelmed by the driving spray." Just a-& a canoe might meet with disaster if driven too hard into the waves so might they meet disaster unless they used due caution. "gtretch out, but return to the sheltering cloud," indicated that while it was well to push on they m)ust also guard their return. "One dwelling dies, two live," indicated that man with only one plan might be killed while the man with two or more would probably live and be victorious. » Eventually Tamamiutu and his men attacked and defeated the raider^ near the present village of Otukou, adjacent to the Turangi-National Park Road. Prior to this eneounter •one of the Wanganui leaders, Tu-ra-hni, had caught some koaro in the nearby Lake Roto-a-Ira, and had distributed the f'ish to his own men first, with the result that when he reached the other leader, Tamakana his net was empty. While Tu-rahui's men were eating their fisjf Tama: nvatu's party attacked them, and Turaihui shouted an exhortation to the mvaders to repel the attack. But Tanmkana replied, "E noho kai ika, kai haere kai rau," and with this taunt. he and his followers fled, Teaving; Tu-rahui with his men to their iate at the hands of the Tuwharetoa avengers. The reply, may be translated "Fish eaters remain, net eaters are going," and expressing as it did. resentment at the selfishness that had ^deprived Tu-rahui's men of a share of the food it survived as a proverb Used to reprove similar selfishness.

Another proverb of the Taupo j people, "E nfua kai kai, e muri kai wai" (First eat food, afterward drink j water), originated as follows. An j argument once arose between Tuke- | keru, whose home was near Maroa on the Taupo-Atiamuri Road of today, and a Rotorua chief, Uenukukopako", as to which was the best food. Uenuku said that oil or fat was the best, and Tukekeru said that water was. The trivial dispute becrme heated and at length Uenuku insulted , Tukekeru, who determined •o s reveit'ge. Next year he prepared a large quantity of huahua, birds preserved in fat, and sent an invitation to Uenuku to come and share • the' delieacy. Water-springs were few and far between at Maroa, and sx house was built over ihe only con-

venient one, with a board covering the spring just where Uenuku s be^ would be. The visitors duly arrived and were regaled with food, particularly the oily and thirst-provokinr huahua, and when this had eaused ihe visitors to enquire for water Tukekeru replied that there was nc water nearer than the Waikato. Thal night the visitors suffered agonieE Viom thirst and could eat no morc huahua. At last Tukekeru told Uenuku to turri up the mat below his bed and he would find water, and a? he did so and dipped up water for himself and his friends his host reminded him pointedly* of their dispute as to which wTas the better food, oil or water. A fa^ourite proverb of Taupo is the saying of Waitapu, a woman of \uyuhau, "He ahakoa, kai at tuhera tenu te awa i Nukuhau." This rers *to the . outlet of the Waikato River at Taupo, Nukuhau being the i and on its western shore, and transi ute I neans,7 "What of that, the river is always open at Nukuhau." . waitapu had borne her husband four faughters, and this had enraged him, -for he wantedN sons, and on his upj " afding her she replied to him ip the words above, indicating that as ! was still in the prime' of Hfe j there was no need to despair of havng sons. To this day the proverb I s known as a metaphorical reply to those who indulge in too hasty asser- | tions. i ♦