A Story for Nukutawhiti, Ruanui and Hokianga Whaka

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Kupe gave instructions for the waka to lay the bows of the waka to the cloud pillar that lies to the south west. At night fall steer towards the star Atua-tahi. Hold to the left of Mango-roa (the Milky Way) and at day break continue towards the cloud pillar. Kupe also gave instructions to find Te Hokianga nui a Kupe (The great returning place of Kupe - The Hokianga Harbour) and his son Tuputupu Whenua in Te Puna o Te Ao Marama.

When the two waka departed, Nukutäwhiti did a karakia to call up Ngaru-nui (large wave) to travel on. The two waka travelled to Aotearoa on Ngaru-nui with Puhi Moana Ariki wandering back and forth in front to protect them. On the fourth day of the journey the waka became caught in the nets of Kahukura. For fear of perishing Nukutäwhiti called on his tohunga Papatara - the tohunga with the greatest mana amongst his people. Papatara began a powerful and long karakia ki ngä atua to save them from this danger. He then bent forward and cut the upper and lower ropes of the net and they were freed. The voice of Papatara the faded away as the nets of Kahukura did also.

As a result of the wandering of Puhi Moana Ariki across Ngaru-nui and the early warning that he was able to give the waka, Nukutäwhiti gave Puhi the new name of Puhi Te Aewa (Puhi the wanderer). Descendants of Nukutäwhiti took on these names as iwi names generations after their arrival in Aotearoa - Ngä Puhi and Te Aewa. Te Aewa, generations later became known by the iwi name of Te Rarawa after a separate incident.

On seeing Hokianga, Ngaru-nui dropped away and Ngaru-roa (long wave) rose to guide them into the harbour.

On their arrival in Aotearoa (Hokianga) Nukutäwhiti went ashore to do karakia. He returned with eight Rimu fronds giving two to each taniwha. He then sent Puhi Moana Ariki (Puhi Te Aewa) and Rangi Uru Hinga back to Hawaiki to let Kupe know that they had arrived safely. He then sent Ara-i-te-uru and Niua to the entrance of the Hokianga to protect them. Ara-i-te-uru guards the south and Niua guards the north at the mouth of the harbour. It is from these taniwha that Ngä Puhi gain much of their strength and mana; hence the whakatauki:


"Kotahi ki reira, ki Ara-i-te-uru. Kotahi ki reira, ki Niua.
A homai he toa, he kaha, e aua taniwha, ki Ngä Puhi"
"One there is for Ara-i-te-uru. One there is for Niua.
May those taniwha bring courage and strength to Nga Puhi."

At this point the waka were taken ashore; Ngaru-roa then dropped away and Ngaru-pae-whenua (shore ward wave) guided them onto land.

The four wairua taniwha then returned to Tohi-nui-a-rangi, the atua that lives at the rising moon.

Nukutäwhiti named his first son Ngaru-nui to remember the assistance Ngaru-nui had given to Ngätokimatawhaorua and Mämari during their journey to Aotearoa. Ngaru-nui subsequently named his first son Ngaru-roa and Ngaru-roa named his first son Ngaru-pae-whenua.

Nukutäwhiti and Rüänui settled with their people in and around the Hokianga Harbour area. Both set about building whare wänanga; Nukutäwhiti built his on the northern side of the harbour and called it Te Whatu Pungapunga while Rüänui built his on the southern side and called it Te Pouahi.

Te Pouahi was completed first but Nukutäwhiti asked Rüänui to delay the opening until Te Whatu Pungapunga was complete so they could be opened together. Rüänui agreed to this but by the time Te Whatu Pungapunga was complete all the food that Rüänui had stored up for the opening of his whare had been used up.

Rüänui then decided to do a powerful karakia to lure a tohora (whale) into the harbour for their häkari (feast). Nukutäwhiti took exception to this and recited another powerful karakia to send the whale back out to sea. Rüänui countered this with another karakia and this was again countered by Nukutäwhiti.

This contest went on for many hours until both ariki (chiefs) had exhausted all their karakia. From this incident Hokianga has often been referred to in old whakatauki (proverbs) as "Hokianga Whakapau Karakia" (Hokianga which exhausts incantations).
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