Museum Notebook: The song of Hine Raukatauri and the utterly unique pūtōrino

Lisa Reweti with her own modern pūtōrino. Photo / Supplied

Once there was a beautiful goddess - the goddess of all flute music. Her name was Hine Raukatauri. She loved her flute so much that she changed herself into a moth and her flute into a cocoon, then moved into it. She nibbled a hole at the top of the cocoon and poked her head out. Peering into the darkness, she felt a terrible loneliness, so she began to sing.

Flying through the forest that night was Pēpepe, a male moth. He was hungry and searching for food. When he heard Hine Raukatauri singing, such was the beauty of her voice, he was compelled to sing back to her. He forgot his hunger, and flew through the forest toward the sound of her voice. Raukatauri and Pēpepe sang to one another until he finally arrived at her cocoon.

They had a conversation so odd that it could only come from moths.

"I love the sound of your voice!" Pēpepe fluttered his wings as he danced around the cocoon of Hine Raukatauri.

"I love the sound of your voice!" whispered Raukatauri into the wind. "Come and live in my cocoon with me - it's cosy and rent free. You will never want to leave."

And Pēpepe never leaves. Hine Raukatauri squashed him at the bottom of her cocoon. She laid her eggs on his head, but he didn't mind. His life ended. What remained of him was consumed by the newly-hatched caterpillars, to give them strength to nibble a hole in the cocoon and crawl out into the wide world to create their own musical families. Pēpepe made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the continuation of his species. Life in the insect world is tough.

The pūtōrino [bugle flute] is a taonga pūoro, a Māori musical instrument, shaped like the cocoon of the case moth (Oeceticus omnivorous), a moth endemic to New Zealand. It is said to possess three voices: the deep male voice of Pēpepe, the high-pitched female voice of Hine Raukatauri, and a voice that represents the children as they leave their safe cocoon and venture out into Te Ao Mārama - the world of light and possibilities.

Just like the case moth, the pūtōrino is endemic to New Zealand. It is utterly unique. It cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

There is no other taonga Māori [Māori treasure] that carries more tapu [restrictions] than taonga pūoro. They are associated with Atua Māori [Māori gods], who are the elements in our environment personified. Taonga pūoro mimic the sounds of birdsong; of rain falling in a forest, a river rushing over rocks, waves crashing on a wild West Coast beach. They are played to welcome the newborn, to farewell the dead and to heal the sick and injured. They are much more than musical instruments. They are a reo - a language. A language of this land.

You can see and hear the sounds of a traditional pūtōrino and other taonga pūoro in Ngā Waihonohono at the Whanganui Regional Museum, open every day (except for Christmas Day and Good Friday) from 10am to 4.30pm. Entry is free and all are welcome.

Lisa Reweti is the programmes presenter at Whanganui Regional Museum.