"Tainui"

The "Tainui" canoe came in company with the "Arawa," "Mata-tua," and others. "Horouta" is not always included among these names. "Tainui" was hauled across the Otahuhu portage at Ta-maki, and proceeded down the west coast of the Island to Kawhia and other places. The above vessels, with about four others (possibly more), left Tahiti about the same time, and several of them reached Whanga-paraoa, on the east coast of the North Island, at the same time, or nearly so. From that place they went their different ways in search of new homes for the immigrants.

The majority of the "Tainui" folk settled at Kawhia and its vicinity; they became the progenitors of the tribes of the Waikato and surrounding districts. All these immigrants by the various vessels intermarried with the mixed folk then inhabiting these Islands. "Tainui" is said to have been hauled ashore at Kawhia, and there left, the spot being marked by two stones. These stones were named Puna and Hine, after the stone anchors of "Tainui," the former being placed at the bow of the vessel and the latter at the stern. These stones are still in position, and are said to be 86 ft. apart (see Journal of the Polynesian Society, vol. 24, p. 45), though a writer in the Otago Witness of the 23rd July, 1904, states that the distance between them is exactly 66 ft., which is probably nearer the mark. The stone marking the former position of the stern is 2 ft. 6 in. in height, the other is a few inches over 4 ft. above ground. The stones are a coarse indurated sandstone.

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In a paper by Tati Salmon on the Ariki of Tahiti, published in vol. 19 of the Journal of the Polynesian Society, it is shown that the natives of Tahiti have preserved a knowledge of "Tainui," and of the chiefs Hoturoa and Hotunui, who brought it to New Zealand. Prior to coming here this vessel made several voyages to the Paumotu and Marquesas Groups.

According to Maori tradition, "Tainui" was about 90 ft. in length. As the Maori puts it, "Ko Tainui waka e kiia ana te roa tekau ma rua takoto o nga tangata roroa nei" ("As to the 'Tainui' canoe, it is said that its length was twelve takoto of tall persons"). This was a pre-European method of measuring. The human standard laid himself prone and stretched an arm forward, and the distance from the soles of his feet to the end of his extended arm was his takoto. A tall man would cover about 7½ ft., or a little more.