A COUSIN LOVER

Te Ao Hou, December 1959, Page 17

A COUSIN LOVER Whatiwhatihoe in those days was an important meeting place of the tribes. The site of the village is on the western bank of the Waipa River at the foot of Pirongia mountain. Tribal gatherings there used to attract hundreds of tribesmen from far and near. Among those present at the time of the arrival of Puhiwahine was her distant cousin, Te Mahutu Te Toko, of the Maruapoto tribe. He was a striking figure of a man with his face only recently tattooed by the leading artist of the Maniapoto—the same man who had done the tattooing on Te Heuheu (Patatai) Tukino. Te Mahutu was a fine orator, a good singer and a lively conversationalist. When these two ardent souls met it was a case of love at first sight. Puhiwahine's two brothers had not arrived, and she became obstinate and deaf to the arguments and pleadings of her elders. The brothers had been delayed and the two lovers were constantly together. Many days passed before Ketu and Maraku

arrived. When they learnt of the love affair of their sister they lost no time in taking charge of her, and on the same day they set off for their home in Taupo by way of Kihikihi and Parawera. The party stayed at Owairaka near Parawera for some days with some of their Ngati Raukawa relatives. It was here that Puhiwahine composed her love song for Te Mahutu, a song which became the most popular of her many songs. Among the tribes throughout the land it is sung as a farewell song at the end of their tribal gatherings.