Chapter IV.

Some Additional Particulars concerning the Aratawhao Canoe given by the Urewera.

Should you be asked by men ot this land—swift be your answer—I am from Rangi which stands above us and Papa which lies beneath us. And Kangi took Papa and their offspring were five--Paia-te-rangi, Tanewhirinaki, Tane-te wai-ora, Te Potiwha and Rangi-nui.

Friend! Hence sprang Taukata and Hoake who came from Hawaiki to this land in ancient times. Bangi-nui was killed by Heta in the war of vengeance for Tu-whakararo. Then Uenuku sought to obtain satisfaction for the death of his child. Then came the wars of old, Tai'paripari and Moana-waipu. Te Tihi-o-Manono was burnt, Hoake and Taukata came to Aotearoa. They came on Kga-tai-akupe. Which was a canoe formed of pungopunga (pumice). When Taukata brought the kumara from Pari-nui-te-ra, ne said to his, grandfather. Maru-tai-rangaranga, "What shall I take with me to the other side (ki rawahi?" And Maru said, "Take the preserved kumara, that is, the kao kumara." Enough ! They came, and landed at Whakatane. And Te Kura whaka-ata, daughter of Toi-kai-rakau who occupied Te Kapu at Whakatane, on going down [unclear: t] beach and approaching Nga-[unclear: T] Kupe overheard Taukata [unclear: re] the following incantation to [unclear: cause] sun to shine forth:—

Upoko, upoko, whiti te ra
Tenei to wahine te aitia nei
E te ngarara
Upoko whiti te ra.

(The meeting of Taukata and [unclear: H] with Toi as given by Tuhoe is the same as the Ngati-Awa [unclear: V] They say that Totara-keria [unclear: a] Aratawhao were one and [unclear: the] canoe. The totara log out [unclear: of] the canoe was made, was [unclear: covered] drift wood (tawhaowhao) as it [unclear: l] the river bed, and hence the [unclear: na] Aratawhao. Tuhoe also [unclear: give] awa-moana of Te Aratawha.)

So Te Aratawhao sailed [unclear: forth] the Sea of Toi and went to [unclear: H] to bring the kumarafrom [unclear: Pari] ra. And Taukata and [unclear: Hoake] ashore and were met by [unclear: Ma] rangaranga who chanted this [unclear: seq] them:—

Ehika! Ehika! ka uwea [unclear: Koe] nga te ata ura
Ki runga te ata mea
Maku e ki atu—pikitia e [unclear: koe] nga te ngaru nui
I runga te ngaru roa
Waerea e koe i tai
Ka pupuke i runga o te [unclear: Mo] a-kiwa
E takoto nei
Hurihanga a ngaru ki [unclear: wah] moano
Turua mai e koe kia Tu-[unclear: hik] Tu-hapainga
Awa mai Nuku, awa mai [unclear: Rap]
Rukuhia e koe i te ruku i [unclear: fe]
Koia te rangi e tu nei. [unclear: e]

When the song was [unclear: ended] people drew near that they [unclear: might] the story of these voyagers [unclear: w] come aross the great ocean [unclear: f] distant Aotearoa. And Maru-[unclear: f] page 13 [unclear: nga] said to Taukata, "Whoso csom-[unclear: any] is this?" Taukata said, "Those [unclear: re] the Children of Toi." Maru [unclear: asked] Why have they come across the Dark Ocean ?" "They have eaten of [unclear: the] sweet food of Hawaiki, the kao [unclear: nara,] which we took to Aotearoa, [unclear: and] they have come to obtain the [unclear: mara."] So the men of Toi, of Te [unclear: atawhao,] wore kindly treated by [unclear: the] men of Hawaiki who grave [unclear: them] abundance of kumara. [unclear: Then] was that the kura was obtained. Maru said, "Take with yon the kura, [unclear: be] kura of Tai-ninihi. Then Te Ara[unclear: whao] returned to Aotearoa. After [unclear: at] came Mataatua which brought [unclear: e] Kura and the kumara and the [unclear: raka] and the taro. The [unclear: kumara] [unclear: tivation] ground was Matire-rau. [unclear: the] karaka were Tnpu-te-nui and [unclear: apu]-te-kakea. Enough! This was [unclear: he] first appearance of the kurnara and [unclear: the] kura in this land, in Aofearua. [unclear: d] each succeeding generation has [unclear: fully] cultivated the kumara, even [unclear: to] the present, day. In time of [unclear: go]-karae the following saying [unclear: me] into use :—

"Tikina ki walio kite whanan pani [unclear: ei] mahi i to rua kia torn ai hono [unclear: o] rua."

Such was the saying in regard to the abundance of the k nmara. Here [unclear: ds] the story of Te Avatawhao or Totora-keria.