"PURAKAU" AND "KURIPUNI."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10408, 31 August 1911, Page 5

"PURAKAU" AND "KURIPUNI."

'SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION.

Mr Haeata Henare', a wieUnknown' Masterton. native, had isome interest"anig thongs ito isay tu the. aiepneseaitaItiv© of the Wairarapa Age yesterday in 'ratferaniae> to the renaming of 'KirripiMii railway station,. For (the 'origin, of "Kbits name, he isaid, one innjat go back to ancient history. In ''ihift hxng. time ago there was a. tfcrack "tssed ihytbhe Maoris, which ran T&irough' the Forty-mile Bush, Opaki, ' 6od the land now named "Solway," down to Gladstone, Gneyrtown,, iHind th© Lake. This was the track the Native® msed when, thley wient down-to fight the Natives at Wihataramgi (and' ithe Lake. There were no Ibxrases in. those days, hut isheltens of jbatk, flax, and tois were, msied, and ■StoaUow trees.: At Solway, a large toItara.trfe© -stood,. growing on- a hill-, side, and leaning over at an, angle. 'This was alonigside the track, amd a® the raaidieTMsddo of the trunik was rotted away and hollow, i$ came to be used! as a shelter for the Nativos traversing the .path. Wheh; it rained or was cold, and with a 'fir© in, front:of 'at, it (fanned a dry, warm camping giwumdj and a safe placa of shelter. When- fbhe .leaninig tree was isighted it was pointed to, and the exolaaniatdon followed: "Fu-<ra~kau," meaning that tinder the. ipee isafo -shJerßeir was to he found. Any place with liko characiteristics would he "Purakau." Ikt days of old, whew Kurip-uni miaw 'istaradsi' thero : used to ihe bush, ;-and tK>"fhe.eas!t of thle hush: was b Barge area of &wamp, through which ■ "wton the Pakoha canne, ifoie- great r mor#i<-ea«tarterial road SrOm Wellington, to Napier was formed, TraSditaon hands down the .fact that am Native ifroiri Whaka'tane (Bay of 'Pienlty) .travelled' through tlhoWairaaapa. The name of this Nativo was Koihiaere, and with him was Ms dog, whose mame was "Whakamoekahni." On the journey he stopped for , a rest alongside a- small v stream of water. Both dog and master aver©. Ihot and tired, an4 ; as ithe masteff-sat down' the dog went and lay himself idown' sm. tthe creek. The stneam' heing Shut email, the water .banked up, and iwhfen the old Native isaw the water ' Was Mocked toy the dog he ' isaid, "Kuripuni." When he oaim© aJong at <tt later timo ihe .remiemhered tthie iplaoe and the circumstance, and that is how thJat pairt hecam© known as "Kufipumd."