The Elvers of Taumarere

Tu Tangata, Issue 8, 1 October 1982, Page 25

The Elvers of Taumarere

Early in the history of Taumarere, individual subtribes and families within its vicinity were fueding.

One day two young men, who having just escaped from an extremely heated debate, sought peace by the shadowed bank of the river.

While trying to soothe their taut nerves and muscles they noticed a large group of elvers swimming upstream. Forgetting their problems they followed the young eels.

Eventually the elvers reached the Otiria waterfall. By gathering together they formed a writhing mass at the base of the falls. Their writhing bodies generated much “para” or body slime, which enabled the elvers to shoot the falls step by step.

With their bodies so slippery there was little opposition from the pouring torrent of water above them.

Gradually, through great determination and the use of small holes and ledges in the rocks as steps, they reached the beckoning water above the falls and swam on in safety to their destination.

After watching this phenomenon for some time, one of the men spoke.

‘‘Here, we have in front of our eyes these little creatures showing us what is missing from life in Taumarere.

‘‘Just as these elvers work together to overcome the giant waterfall so should we work with one another to overcome the obstacles in our lives. Let us go and tell them so that we may become one people.”

Excited, they ran back to their people and told them of the wonderous sight they saw.

Henceforth bonds of friendship were erected between the people.

With the force of this new union they built a Pa up Whangae road and called it “Oro te Pa”. This Pa was designed as a training Pa for the selected young men of the area to form an elite band of warriors to protect the united people.

The “haki” or trainees went to “Oro

te Pa” to be trained by the “whakama tautau” or tutors in the art of leadership and warfare. On their return to Taumarere they were known as the “taus”.

In times of war they commanded through conquest the respect of all surrounding tribes and soon the people of Taumarere were left in peace.

They realised that without the discovery of what took place at the waterfall none of this would have been possible and so it became the custom at a certain time of the year that a party would be sent across the plains to the waterfall with large and small mesh kits to help the young eels up the waterfall as a token of gratitude.

The eels were caught in a two-kit arrangement so that those that slipped through the first were caught by the second, so that all that could be saved and carried up the waterfall to continue their journey in safety.

Hence the saying: ‘‘What the large mesh won’t stop, the small mesh will catch”.

In my opinion this proverb sums up the whole legend, meaning that each person in a community has his job to finish and though there are strong and weak, large and small, each is suited to a particular situation.

In conclusion, the legend of the elvers of Taumarere and other various myths of the Bay of Islands area, reveal the imagination, deep insight and humanity of our ancestors.

The themes or messages which are incorporated into the stories can be related to present day life, though they are usually portrayed by fantastic creatures.

I strongly believe that Maori myths and legends are not only forms of entertainment or ways of explaining human character but a means of retaining our natural heritage.

Therefore we must preserve them as they help to constitute our individual identities.

Tanya Martin

Bay of Islands College

Form 6