Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
See below for English translation
Kai te ihu o te kanohi te kaupapa o Te Matatini nā reira tēnei korero iti hai koha ki ngā uri o Whakataupotiki. Tēnei kura panaho ki ngā uri o Hineraukatauri nāna me tōna pahi wāhine i hinga ai a Kae, tēnei kakano rearea ki ngā uri o Tamatekapua wae kai kapua me tōna pikituranga ko Whakaturia.
Ko Potakatawhitinui te take i tutū ai te pūehu i Hawaiki. Ka pau te kurī i te korokoro o Toi me Uwenuku, nā reira i teitei ngā puku.
E tika ana ki a ngakia tēnei mate e Tamatekapua me Whakaturia. Ka hangaia e rāua he poutoti ki te kato, he ahakoa he whenako kuru nā te tohunga kē te mahi.
Ka haere te tangata ki te aru i a Tamatekapua engari kāore i hopukia, engari a Whakaturia, ka pā te ringa ki tōna waewae, ka hopukia a Whakaturia ka mau hereherengia ki te whare o Tuteihoanga, hai whakatoenga mā te iwi.
Ka hereherengia ōna ringaringa, ka kumea ake tōna tinana ki te tāhūhū o te whare kia rāoa ai a Whakaturia e ta pāoa o te ahi. Pō tuatahi mai e kaha tonu ana te tinana, ka hī te atatū e āuē ana ngā pona, pō tuarua mai e parerori kau ana ngā ringaringa me te tinana.
Kātahi, ka puarengia tētehi wāhanga iti o te tāpatu. Ka puta te reo a tōna tuakana kua piki ake nei ki runga ki te tuanui o te whare, “E Tu, ko ahau ko Tama.
He rautaki nāku e ora ai koe. Karanga iho ki te iwi he take kore ana ā rātau haka, te anuanu hoki o ngā tāne, ehara i te toa, he pātiki kē, karanga iho he hauā te tū a ngā wāhine, karangangia te hunga ki te patu i a koe kia mate, karangangia te pō hai tuku i ōu kanohi, kia māmā hoki ai ngā taringa.
“Nā wai rā ka tahuri te iwi ki a koe, karanga iho he pai ake koe ki te haka, ka pewhea te pai, mea iho ka nui te pai. Ka tukuna iho koe e rātau ki raro, tonoa he hinu, he tia, he maro, e tika ai tō tuku i te kauanuanu. Kātahi koe ka haka, kātahi koe ka oreore, kātahi ngā waewae ka karapetau, ka wera teka nei e koe, tonoa te iwi, ki te whuaki te tatau o te whare, kia hā ngā pūkahukahu, ka whakapūa-rengia te tatau, kai te māhau ahau e tāria ana koe, kia kamakama, ka whiti koe i te paepae, ka takioma atu tāua ki te pō”.
E tūngoungou whakaae ana te ūpoko o Whakaturia.
Kātahi ka kawea e ia te rautaki a tōna tuakana. Ka whakamātata-rangia āna taura herehere i ōna ringaringa, ka tonoa he hinu, ka tonoa he rau o te amokura, he maro, ka oti he māipi.
Hupane kau ana a Whakaturia e mātika ana tana tupapaku, e ūpoko whakarehu rehu ana tana mahunga, kātahi ka mārangaiarearengia tana māipi, kai te peruperu ōna waewae, kai te ngāueue ngā ringaringa, ngangahū ana te manu taikō, e arowhakī ana ngā paihau, komekome ana ngā ngutu, takaoreore ana te hikuroa o te taniwha – inā rawa te wehi o tāna e haka nei, e wārea katoatia ana ngā kanohi ki te whetū haere whenua.
Ka roa a Whakaturia e tūwaewae ana, ka tūturi ki runga ki ōna pona. “Kai te pirorehe ngā pūkahukahu -kai whea te hau angiangi e ora ai ahau?” Kai te hamama ngā waha, “whuakina te tatau o te whare kia mirimiria ia e te hau angiangi”. Kīhai tētehi i whakaaro kē atu, ka whuakina te whare e tētehi.
Kai te tāria ia e tōna tuakana. Ka tika anō te tuara o Whakaturia, kai te wārea ngā waewae ki te pō. Ka tahi pekenga, ka rua pekenga, kua puta i te whare. Rere ana te pūehu. Katia rawatia te whatitoka o te whare ka titia ake, mau tonu. Ka ngaro rāua tokorua ki te nehenehe. Whakarerea kau te iwi o Uwenuku e noho pōrewarewa ana. E wāuna hoki.
This is a fitting tale to be told as Ngai Te Arawa head into the Matatini competitions.
The descendants of Whakataupotiki.
The progeny of Hineraukatauri, who brought to justice the cunning warlord Kae with her entourage of female dancers.
Tamatekapua is famous for his skill, agility and boldness, and we should remember his young brother, Whakaturia.
Following the semi-successful raid by Tamatekapua and Whakaturia upon the sacred breadfruit of Uwenuku, Tamatekapua and Whakaturia attempted to escape from their rivals who had brought trouble to their people for eating the pet dog Potakatawhitinui.
Tamatekapua managed to flee the crime scene; however, Whakaturia, unfortunately, was caught. Despite his rank as a son of the chief, he was to be severely punished for his disrespectful behaviour.
Whakaturia was bound and taken to the meeting house Tuteihoanga where he was hung from the ridge beam of the house over the smoking fire that was specifically prepared for this occasion.
Day and night, his captors took great pleasure in tormenting their captive; they ensured there was a generous amount of wood on the fire so that the heat would rise and slowly roast Whakaturia, then when the wood had burnt through, there was still the terrible thick smoke that it would emit, filling the lungs of the young captive with a most horrible taste causing near suffocation.
Still, the most incredible torture endured by the young descendant of Ohomairangi was the terrible singing and atrocious dancing of the warriors below him.
Finally, in the stillness of the night, a section of the house thatching parted. “E Tu – I am here. It’s me, Tamatekapua. I have the plan to get you out of here.”
Whakaturia, because he had been hanging for such a long time, had terrible cramps, but he found the strength to acknowledge that he had heard his brother’s instructions.
“Complain brother about the dancing and their awful singing, tell them that dances of this nature should be outlawed altogether.
Plead with them to end your suffering; let them know your ears bleed, and that your eyes wish to be blinded.
“Ask them to put you out of your pain of having to endure such substandard skill – keep this up, and finally, Uwenuku will not only tell you to shut up but be brave in ensuring that you work him up to a state where he challenges you to do better.
“When you are lowered, allow your body to regain its strength, ask for oil and feathers, garments befitting your rank,with all your heart, dance.
“When the people are mesmerized, inform them that you need air to breathe to continue – they will open the door, and I will be waiting for you outside.
“Choose your moment well and when you dash through the door, make like the wind; I will seal it and follow you, and then you will be free”. These instructions were followed perfectly and true to form; chief Uwenuku accepted the challenge of the young chief. He was given oil and garments befitting his rank, and when he started his dance, then truly did they realize how poorly skilled they were. For he emitted power, he was consumed with the very spirit of the wind; he was agile, nimble, fast, and strong and all actions with committed with accuracy.
Such a sight to behold. Suddenly he paused and knelt. The audience yelled at him, “continue, we want more, show us more, Whakaturia!”
He knew in his heart that he had them under his power.
“Open the door so that I may revive my lungs, so that I may be re-energized and then shall you all witness my grand finale”.
The door was opened – “wider, wider so that I may feel the winds and transfer that into entertainment for you!”
As the night breeze grazed his forehead, Up leapt Whakaturia. Elegantly as a fantail dancing through the limbs of the trees, he successfully hopped over the fire, darted across the beam of the door entrance, and disappeared into the night! Steering into the dark void, awaiting the reappearance of their star performer and without fully processing what had happened, the onlookers sat motionless.
Tamatekapua at once slid the door closed, locked it tight and fled behind his brother Whakaturia! Leaving behind them a bewildered and stunned audience.
Reg Hennessy has owned pubs, taverns and liquor stores over a nearly 50-year career.