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Maori Myths & Legends
Forward - Book
One - Book Two - Book
Three
-Book Three-
- Taminamina the Taniwha - Hutu
Visits the Underworld - Stories of
the Patupaiarehe - Ruku and Tupou -
Taminamina the Taniwha
Based on George Graham
Taminamina was a Taniwha who lived in a swimming hole in Turanga.
Everyone in the tribe knew the water was sacred and it was guarded
by a taniwha, and they taught their children this from a young
age. But one day, Mere Hawkekaihe was swimming near the forbidden
area of the water when the other children called out to her to
come back, for it was dangerous. Mere scorned them; she had never
seen the taniwha and did not believe it existed at all. On the
other side of the bank their grew some hutukawa trees which bore
a fruit which contained a juicy nectar. Mere swan over and drank
the nectar, which she and the other children knew was forbidden,
for it grew near the water and was tapu. The children continued
to call to her and begged her to come back, and she did, when
she had finished drinking. But as she was swimming, in the deepest
part of the water, she suddenly disappeared and the water promptly
turned a deep black and began swirling like in a whirlpool. The
children ran back to tell their parents, and when they returned
the water was as they had said- a deep black colour. As they
watched with horror, the water became eerily still, but remained
dark forever more.
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Hutu Visits the Underworld
Based on Margaret Orbell
Pare was a beautiful young woman. many of the men desired
her, but she did not see anyone worthy enough for marriage. She
had a lovely house with many attendants, who kept it adorned
with kawakawa leaves. One day the men were playing games outside.
There was a lot of noise and commotion, and pare decided to see
what all the fuss was about. There she saw Hutu, an attractive
man who was very skilled at the game of darts, amongst other
things. Immediately she fell in love and asked him to come home
with her. He hesitated and replied that he was married with several
young children. Pare insisted but Hutu adamantly refused her
advances. So when Hutu had left, Pare told her attendants to
leave, and she killed herself as she was overcome with jealousy.
The people of the tribe were furious at Hutu having caused her
death, as everyone was fond of Pare. Hutu was an honourable man,
and offered his life in compensation. But before he was to die,
he asked for several days to sort his affairs and requested the
body of Pare not be buried until he returned. The people suspiciously
granted his request and Hutu set off for the Underworld. He presently
came across Hine nui te po, and she showed him the path that
dogs use. He gave her in offering some greenstone, and thus pleased
she showed him the path men use. She also gave him a fernroot
to eat on his way, but warned him to cease eating once he had
reached the Underworld. So Hutu ventured into the village of
the dead, but pare was nowhere to be found. He talked to the
villagers a while, and then thought he might tempt them by playing
games with them. This they did, and made a large commotion about
it. Pare came out of her hut once more to see what was happening,
and there was Hutu the skilled gamesman. Once again she fell
in love, and Hutu tempted her to try a swing he had constructed.
She sat on his shoulders and with a mighty push went all the
way back up to the land of the living. There Pare's spirit re-entered
her body and Hutu was granted marriage privileges to her as well
as his own wife.
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Stories of the Patupaiarehe
Based on A. A. Grace, Johannes C. Andersen, Carol K. Mack
& Dinah Mack
One day, three friends, Kaumariki, Tawhai, and Kupe, stole
a sacred bone hook. They fled the village and hid on a small
island. They set up camp for the night; Kaumariki surrounded
by fires. He later woke to screams from his companions, and he
looked up to see them being devoured by white skinned demons
with red hair and beards- patupaiarehe. He was fearful, but they
would not approach him because of the fires. In the morning he
went back to the village and returned the hook he had stolen.
At first the people were angry, but when he told his tale, they
looked on him anew. He had survived the demons, so he had become
the chosen one who must now destroy them. So Kaumariki devised
a plan to which the villagers eagerly gave their help. The following
night he and a small war party returned to the island, and constructed
a large house. Inside this he placed a lamp covered by a cloth
at each corner, and put wooden idols resembling sleeping men
on the floor. A guard was placed by each lamp, and they waited.
Presently, the patupaiarehe arrived and went into the house,
thinking they were sleeping. When they were all inside, they
lamps were uncovered and the patupaiarehe were blinded. The guards
fled and barred the door, trapping the demons inside. Kaumariki
and his war party then set the house alight, killing the demons
inside.
Mataora was wandering alone one night when by chance a group
of patupaiarehe passed by. He immediately fell in love with Niwareka,
their chieftainess. He entertained the group by giving them raw
food (they never ate cooked meat), and later they participated
in dance rituals. The patupaiarehe left, but Niwareka stayed
with Mataora. They lived together for many happy years, until
one day, for a reason none but Mataora knows, he hit her. Stunned
and upset, Niwareka left to live with her people. Mataora was
shamed at his conduct and followed her into the netherworld.
Some of the patupaiarehe saw him and laughed at the paint on
his face, for their faces were adorned with tattoo. Uetonga,
their leader, and father of Niwareka, mocked him, and said "look
at this mortals face. It is no more than smeared with mud."
and he rubbed Mataora's face with his hand, and the designs were
smudged. Mataora was offended, but the patupaiarehe offered to
teach him how to tattoo properly. After they had finished his
moko, he asked to see Niwareka. She came to him, and he asked
her to return with him. But Niwareka decided to stay, because
the Netherworld was a land of good, and in the Upperworld there
is nothing but evil. So Mataora left to go home, but before he
could leave the patupaiarehe gave him a fabulous cloak and a
belt to tie it with. He thanked them and left along the path.
However, he forgot to leave a gift of his own, and because of
this the entrance to the Netherworld closed and has been shut
forever more. The art of tattoo, the cloak, and the belt given
to Mataora were taught to his kin, and have been used by the
Maori people ever since.
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Ruku and Tupou
Based on A. A. Grace
Ruku was a high born chieftainess of her tribe, and was very
fond of eels. So fond, that she would be unhappy unless there
were eels for her to eat, and the more the better. She lived
near a river where eels were in abundance, but the river was
contested by another tribe who lived across the bank. This was
the tribe of Tupou, but they were smaller than Ruku's people
in number, so could not maintain their claim for fishing rights.
Tupou still wanted a way to fish there without risking a war,
so he devised a cunning plan. He had some spies in Ruku's village,
and one day they reported that she was planning a mass fishing
evening to rid the river of eels, so she may ensure her supply
forever, without the issue of fishing rights. So Tupou and his
men went to work. That evening, Ruku and her best fishermen went
out on the river and cast their nets. The fishing was good, and
they made good hauls. But as one of the nets was being pulled
into the canoe, it became very heavy, as if it were caught. So
they pulled again, harder this time, and all of a sudden a mighty
taniwha arose out of the water, splashing and roaring. Ruku was
terrified, and all the men on the bank fled. The canoes were
brought ashore, and in turn the fishermen too fled, leaving canoes
and eels behind in their rush. After they had gone, the taniwha
emerged from the lake. It looked around to check it was alone,
then took off its disguise, and Tupou and some of his men came
out from underneath, very pleased with the success of their plan.
They took the eels back with them and ate well that night. The
next morning, Tupou sent an delegation to Ruku with an offering
of eels, on the pretence he had heard they had a bad nights fishing.
Ruku was amazed they had caught any eels at all, and demanded
to accompany them on their next trip, for she was certain the
river was tapu, and they would be eaten by the taniwha. They
did this, with good results. Ruku was again amazed, and decided
the taniwha must be in favour of Tupou's claim to fishing rights
in the river. So, reluctantly, she went to leave back to her
village, and told Tupou he and his men could fish in the river
as much as they desired. But she was very sad, because never
again could she eat eels. Tupou, because he had grown very fond
of her by now, invited her to stay with him in his village, where
she could have as many eels as she wished. She was overjoyed
at this proposal and at once joined to live with him. They were
soon married, and their tribes united. Many years later, Tupou
told his wife the truth about his trickery. Rather than get angry,
Ruku merely laughed. "That is okay, my husband. At least
now we can go fishing together!"
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Contents
- Maori Myths & Legends
- For the Glory of Rome
- The Sanity of Professor R.J. Basil Part
One, Two, Three
- The Trials of Archibald Henderson
of Windsor
- Convergere
- Other
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