It is the Takitimu waka, which is the binding whakapapa to this place - connecting them to the same gods of creation as we speak of here. It is the 'deed of entitlement' for these Islanders to Aotearoa and Hawke's Bay.
I was told a story that Takitimu waka is actually Samoan. Yes, from Upolu. We all know about Whatonga and his descendants here in Hawke's Bay, pre Takitimu.
In Samoa, Whatonga was called Vatonga and he was the Ariki in Upolu. He had a couple of brothers in Samoa called Oronaino and Orokeu.
When they finished school they decided to leave Samoa for their big Overseas Experience, but needed a waka to make the journey. In Upolu there was a forest belonging to Rata. They went into Rata's forest and cut a tree down. This tree became Takitimu waka.
While they were carving out their waka, Oronaino and Orokeu were killed. Whatonga going into the forest to send their wairua to Hinenuitepo, saw their waka and felt aroha for it. So Whatonga with help from Ngati Maru Aitu shifted the unfinished waka from Rata's forest to the beach.
Whatonga named the waka after this 'night shift' action, Tarai Po, its first name.
When locals arose in the morning and saw this on the beach they asked how so. Whatonga replied that the birds flew it in. Thus giving it its second name Te Manu Karere.
When completed, Whatonga's son Arutanga wanted to captain it. But Arutanga, knowing his dad would say no, sent his wife Kare to see him and gain consent. It was a very long meeting, taking all night. However, by sunrise Whatonga had granted permission. Whatonga then gave the waka its third name Te Pori o Kare, The Beauty of Kare.
The waka was hourua, double hulled, in design and it was large. On its maiden voyage to Tonga it was laden with goods for trade and exchange. Tonga was a large market, networking with different parts of the Pacific.
From Tonga it sailed to Fiji and was taken out of the water for its first maintenance service. It was given its fourth name, a Fijian name taken from the garage it was serviced in, The Long House, Te Orau Toa Ki Iti.
While here, race relations fell apart, with Ngāti Samoa and Ngāti Fiji going to war. Ngāti Samoa were victorious but everything went to the pack. Arutanga and his crew became lazy and the waka remained in the garage drying out disastrously.
Many years later, Arutanga's son Kaukura left Samoa to search for everyone.
Finding them in Fiji soaking up the sun on the beach, Kaukura was not impressed. Taking the waka out of the garage, he sailed it home to Samoa.
Thankfully he made it home - but unfortunately due to long negligence, the waka had to be sunk in a swamp lagoon to cure the wood. From this action it was given its fifth name, The Eel that Slept, Te Tuna Moe Vai. Another Samoan name.
When cured, it resumed travelling for trade purposes between the Pacific Islands and was renamed The Seeker, Numiao, its sixth name to reflect its inter-island movements around Polynesia.
Over time a chap called Tangiia became captain of the great waka. His cousin Tutapu wanted the waka and chased Tangiia all around the Pacific but to no avail. You see, Tangiia's sister had a thing going with Tutapu which enabled her to forewarn Tangiia of Tutapu's intentions.
From her actions the waka got its seventh name Te Tika a Te Tuaine, The Right of The Sister.
Tangiia, while docked in French Polynesia Tahiti, was caught up with by Tutapu and his armada, but again Tutapu was outrun. From this the waka was given its eighth name Te Takipu, To Leave in Haste.
Sailing for Rarotonga he met his cousin Karika on the ocean highway. Pulling over to chat, he told Karika he was fleeing Tutapu. Karika then sailed with Tangiia to Rarotonga to await the pursuing Tutapu. Tutapu and his fleet did arrive and were defeated, with Tangiia killing Tutapu.
Tangiia plucked out Tutapu's eyes, holding them up to Ranginui exclaiming Taki Tumu, meaning The Burden has been Lifted. Thus the waka was given its last name. Tangiia and his mixed islander crew settled in Rarotonga.
So after 300 odd years came the migration, Taki Tumu became Takitimu and a chap called Tamatea Arikinui out of Tahiti was its captain to Aotearoa.
Arriving here Takitimu landed in Kaitaia, Tauranga, Portlands, around the East Cape, down the East Coast to Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington, and across the Strait to the South Island. While in Te Anau, Takitimu hit a whirlpool and disintegrated with the mountains above Te Anau being named Takitimu Ranges in remembrance.
So from Kaitaia to Te Anau, Takitimu waka dropped off its crew of mixed island whakapapa all over the place. Then came the Dawn Raids.
Na pau a lena mo le taima nei tofa,
Te Hira Henderson is Curator Māori at MTG Hawke's Bay, Tai Ahuriri
