The Journey of Marutūahu to Hauraki: A Version by Tukumana Te Taniwha of Ngāti Whanaunga


This is a version of the story of Marutūahu's journey to Hauraki in search of his father Hotunui. This version is sourced in a manuscript written by Tukumana Te Taniwha of Ngāti Whanaunga. It was edited and translated by George Graham of Auckland Museum and published in the Journal of the Polynesian Society, Volume 50, No. 199, pp. 120-133.

KA HEKE MAI A MARUTUAHU KI HAURAKI NEI.
1. Ka mahue atu a Kawhia i a Marutuahu. Ka haere mai ki Hauraki ki te kimi i tona matua. He hoa tona i to raua haerenga mai.

2. Ka haere mai i runga i nga maunga. I te haerenga mai, ta raua mahi he wero haere i te manu hei kai ma raua, huahua ake.
3. Ka tae mai ki Waikato, ara ki Tuakau, ka whiti i te awa o Waikato. Haeremai i runga i te maunga o Tirikohua, wero haere mai i te manu, kuku, tui, kaka.
4. A tae mai ki Otau, ka whiti mai i te awa o Te Wairoa, ka piki mai i te maunga i Kohukohunui ka eke mai i te tau, ka titiro ki Tikapa, ki te moana o Hauraki. Heke tonu i runga i te tau, ka puta ki te pukepuke o Huarua, ka titiro ki te taha tai.
5. Kua kite iho i nga ahi e pu ake ana, kua mohio tonu iho ki nga pa me nga kainga noho, ka tahi ka whakaauau i a raua, ka tikina he kowhatu, ka waihotia i roto i tetehi roto.
6. Ko aua kowhatu i whakairongia; ka tahi ka timata ki enei kupu: “Kua u mai tenei tauhou ki tenei whenua tauhou.” Ka whakahauputia nga kohatu nei. Ko te mea e kitea ana he tapu tenei pukepuke.
7. I to raua putanga iho i te haumi, ka tata iho raua ki tatahi. He koawa ngahere nei i te huanui, e tupu ana te kiekie i taua wahi, ko Te Kohekohe te ingoa o taua wahi. Ko nga rakau nunui he kohe.
8. Ka kite raua i te tui e kai ana; te kohoho i te kohe. Ka haere raua ki tetehi rakau, ka piki a Marutuahu ki runga i te rakau wero tui ai, me tona hoa ka waiho i te take o te rakau hei puia ake i a raua manu.
9. I te nui koa o te tui, kaore i roa kua tu, e ngoengoe ana te tui i runga i te here.
10. Tera nga wahine ra, nga kotiro o Ruahiore te haeremai i tatahi. He haeremai ki te whawhati kiekie. Kua rongo te mea teina ko Paremoehau i te ngoengoe a te tui, kua mohio tonu he tangata. Ka mea atu te tuakana “Ehoa, he tangata, e ngoe iho nei te manu!”
11. Ka tahi ka whakarongo ano raua, kua rongo i te tui e ngoengoe ana. Katahi nga wahine nei ka mokiki haere atu, kua kite atu i te hoa e noho mai ana i raro i te rakau. Haere tonu atu, ka tukua te ihu.
12. Kua kite iho a Marutuahu i nga wahine ra, ka whakapiri i runga i te rakau. Ka karanga ake nga wahine ra kia heke iho, kia haere ki te kainga.
13. Ka tae nga wahine ra ki tatahi, ka mea atu te teina “Maku ano tera tane.” Ka mea atu te tuakana “Maku.” Ka mea te teina, ko ia kua rongo tuatahi.
14. Tae atu ki tua atu ki Waitoetoe, ka whakarerea e Marutuahu tana kakaku i reira i tua tata atu. Ka karakiatia Te Kohatu, ka puare he rua. Ka waihotia tana hinu takawai i reira. E mau nei te ingoa o taua wahi, ko Te Anakotaha, he waihotanga o te hinu me te heru o Marutuahu.
15. Ka whai atu nga tangata ra i nga wahine; ka tata ratou ki te kainga, katahi ka pa te powhiri i nga karanga mo te manuhiri. Tae atu nga tangata nei ka noho. Ka tu mai te tangata whenua ki te karanga i nga tangata nei.
16. Ka tu atu ko Marutuahu: “Tenei te haere nei kia kite i Hauraki, i te whenua me te moana i hoe ake nei a ‘Tainui’, te waka o nga tupuna, i whakawhiti mai nei i Te Moana nui a Kiwa. Tenei te haere nei a Tainui ki a Tainui; enei tauhou kia kite i tenei whenua tauhou.”
17. Ka maoa te kai, ka mutu te kai, ka haere ki te whare, ka noho te manuhiri i te taha ki te kuaha. Ka whaohina te whare e te tangata.
18. Ko nga tamahine ia a Ruahiore, a te rangatira o te iwi nei, kei te whawhai tonu. E mea ana te teina “Maku te tane.” Ka mea atu te tuakana mana. Ka mea atu te matua ki te tuakana: “Tukua atu ta korua tane ma to mokai.” Ka ki te tuakana, “Ma maua tahi—me tiki a Marutuahu kia haeremai ki to tatou whare.”
19. I te taenga mai o Marutuahu, ka tohe ki to raua matua kia haria tonutia mai ta raua tane, kia kite rawa ake te iwi, kua uru ki te whare o to raua matua. Ka whakaae a Ruahiore, ka tikina a Marutuahu.
20. Tae mai ki te whare, ka moe i ana wahine i a Hine-urunga raua ko Paremoehau. I te ata e titiahotia ana, kua moe nga tamahine a Ruahiore i a Marutuahu.
KO MARUTUAHU ME TONA MATUA.
21. Ka korerotia e nga tangata whenua te tere o Hotunui ki te ta kukuti, ara kupenga. Ka mea a Marutuahu. “Ko taku matua te tangata e korerotia nei.” Ka patai a Maru “No hea tena tangata?” Ka mea mai “No konei ano, kei runga ake nei.” Engari he tangata haeremai no Kawhia, moe tonu i tana wahine o konei, ko Waitapu te tamahine a Te Whatu; kei Whakatiwai e noho ana.”
22. Kua tino mohio a Marutuahu, ko tana matua. Ka patai a Marutuahu, “E mau ana ranei tana tere ki te ta kupenga?” Ka mea mai “Ae, kaore he tangata e tae i taua kaumatua ki te mahi kupenga.” Ka mea atu a Maru “Kaore ia e tae i au mo tena mahi mo te kupenga. Ka hiahia ahau kia kite i a ia.”
23. Ka haere te korero nei, ka tae ki nga iwi o Whakatiwai mo te tangata nei, he hunaonga na Ruahiore, e ki ana ko ia te tangata ta tere ki te kupenga. Ka mea te iwi katoa kua kite nei i te tere o Hotunui ki te kupenga, ka mea “E pai ana kia karangatia. Akuanei he rupahu noa iho na taua tangata.” Kua rongo hoki te tere o Maru ki te whai takahi.
24. Ka tae mai te korero mo Marutuahu kia haere atu ki Whakatiwai. Ka haere te iwi nei ki te hari i to ratou toa i a Marutuahu.
25. Ka tata ki Waiari, ka tuku mai nga tangata wero. Tuomatia atu e Marutuahu i muri. E hara! mau katoa nga tangata wero.
26. Ka tae te rongo ki Pukekaroro, te tangata e haeremai nei te tere ki te whai i nga tangata wero; kore rawa e puta, ahakoa he maha nga horo, mau katoa i taua toa nei.
27. Ka patai, “No hea tena tangata?” Ka mea “No te hauauru, kua moe i nga tamahine a Ruahiore.”
28. Ka haere katoa nga tangata o Waiari ki te hari i ta ratou horo. Ka tae ki Pukekaroro, ka haeremai nga tangata wero, ka tuomatia atu e Marutuahu i muri, kua mahue nga horo katoa. Kaore i tae atu ki te pa, kua mau katoa nga wero i a Marutuahu.
29. Ka tae te rongo ki Whakatiwai, te tangata e haeremai nei, kaore rawa he tangata e rere, ka mau katoa.
30. Kua patai a Marutuahu ki te whare o Hotunui, kua korerotia ki a ia, “Ko te whare o Hotu kei waenganui tonu i te pa, kaore he whare e tata ake.
31. Ka ao te ra, ka haere katoa te iwi o Pukekaroro o Puwhenua ki Whakatiwai. Ka hui katoa nga iwi o etahi pa ki Whakatiwai kia kite i te tangata e ki nei kaore he tangata tere atu i a ia ki te ta kukuti, ara kupenga; kia kite hoki i te horo ki te oma ki te whai i nga tangata wero.
32. Ka kite a mai e te pa e haere atu ana te tangata i te taha tika, ka haere iho nga tangata wero, tupoupou mai ai, ka hokia mai ano ko te rakau mutu. Haerenga o nga horo, kua kite a iho e te pa, e whakatipi atu ana a Maru.
33. Kite rawa mai nga horo ra, ko Maru e whakatopa atu ana me te manu, ka tangi te umere a te pa, ka mahue katoa nga toa ra.
34. Haere tonu a Maru, ka peke i te wawa te pa, kua kite tonu atu i te whare o Hotunui; haere tonu atu, ka tupeke, noho iho ana i runga i te whare. Kua mohio a Hotu, ko tana tamaiti.
35. Ka patai a Hotu, “Na wai Koe?” Ka mea atu a Marutuahu, “Kaore koia koe i ki atu i mua i to wehenga mai, ki te whanau to tamaiti he kotiro, waiho i Paretuahu. Ki te whanau he tane, waiho i Marutuahu? Ko au tenei, ko Marutuahu.”
36. Haria tonutia atu a Marutuahu e Hotunui ki runga i te tuahu, tohia tonutia ki te wai. Kua mohiotia he tamaiti na Hotunui. Ka tiahotia ko te tamaiti a Hotunui ra. Heoi ano.
THE MIGRATING OF MARUTUAHU HITHER TO HAURAKI.
1. Marutuahu departed from Kawhia. He came hither to Hauraki to seek for his father. He had a companion with him when they both came hither.
2. They came hither over the mountain ranges. As they came, their occupation was the spearing of birds as food for them, preserving them by cooking them.
3. They arrived at the Waikato, that is at Tuakau, and crossed the Waikato river. Coming on hither over the mountain of Tirikohua, they speared the birds, the pigeon, the tui, and the kaka.
4. Arrived at Otau, they crossed the Wairoa river and came on over the mountain of Kohukohunui. Ascending the ridges, they viewed Tikapa, the sea of Hauraki. Then descending along the ridges, they came out on the hills of Huarua, and came in sight of the seashore.
5. They saw the smoke of fires ascending—and so knew there were the pa and the dwelling places. They then prepared themselves with certain karakia. Taking some stones, they placed them in a certain lagoon.
6. Those stones were engraved with carved scrolls. They were incantated over with these words, “Reached and entered hath this stranger this strange land.” Then these stones were piled in a heap. Thence it is that this mountain is found to be sacred.
7. On coming forth to the forest outskirts—they were nigh to the sea-side. There is a forested gully at the forest edge where grows the kiekie. The larger trees there are the kohekohe, the name of that place being Te Kohekohe.
8. They saw the tui feeding on the fruit of the kohe. So they went to one of the trees. Marutuahu climbed up the tree to spear tuis, and his companion he left at the foot of the tree to tie their birds up in bundles.
9. Because indeed such was the plenty of tuis—it was not long ere the tuis, being impaled, were screeching out as they were being tied together.
10. Then it was that those women, the daughters of Ruahiore, came from the fore-shore. They came to pluck kiekie.The younger one, Paremoehau, heard the screeching of the tuis, and knew that a man was there. She said to the elder sister, “Oh friend, there is a man, for the birds are screeching.”
11. They then again listened, and heard the tuis screeching. Then the women furtively came forward, and saw the companion sitting under the tree. Going up (to him) they greeted him (with the hongi).
12. Marutuahu saw the women, and held clasped close upon the tree. The women called to him to come down, and to come to the village.
13. When the women came to the sea-shore, the younger said, “Mine is that man as a husband.” Said the elder, “Mine is he.” The younger said that she had been the first to hear (the birds).
14. Arrived beyond Waitoetoe, Marutuahu left his clothing near thereabouts. Having made an invocation over “The Rock,” 19 there within an open cleft, he left his gourd of oil. Still is retained as the the name of that place—Te Anakotaha (The cavern of the head-dress), because of the leaving there the oil and the hair-comb of Marutuahu.
15. Those men followed on after the women. When they were nigh to the village, there rang forth the welcoming calls to the newcomers. Having arrived there, the men sat down. Then the men of the place stood up to welcome these men.
16. Marutuahu stood up (saying) “This coming hither (of ours) is to see Hauraki, the land, and the ocean here whereon was navigated the “Tainui,” the canoe of our ancestors, which crossed hitherward the Great Ocean of Kiwa. Here we of Tainui come to Tainui—these strangers (come) to see this stranger land.”
17. Food having been cooked and the meal finished, they went to the house. The visitors sat by the door way, and the house became filled with the people.
18. The daughters of Ruahiore, the chief of this tribe, kept on quarrelling. The younger said, “Mine is that man as a husband.” The elder said he was for her. The father said to the elder, “Allow your man to be her's, your pet one.” The elder replied “Let him be for us both, and send for Marutuahu to come hitherto to our abode.”
19. When Marutuahu arrived, they importuned their father to then conduct their husband, so that the people might see that he had entered the house of their father. Ruahiore agreed, and Marutuahu was taken along.
20. Coming to the house, he slept with his wives, Hineurunga and Paremoehau. When the day was dawning, the daughters of Ruahiore had become the wives of Marutuahu.
MARUTUAHU AND HIS FATHER
21. The people of the place told of the deftness of Hotunui in weaving seines or nets. Marutuahu thought “The man thus spoken of is my father.” Maru asked, “Whence came that man?” The reply was “Of this place, indeed, just to the southward of here. But he is a man who came here from Kawhia, and then married his wife here, Waitapu, a daughter of Te Whatu. He dwells at Whakatiwai.”
23. Marutuahu then well knew that (man) was his father. Marutuahu asked, “Does he still retain his skill and speed at net weaving?” The reply was, “Yes, there is no man the equal to that old man in making nets.” Maru replied, “He cannot equal me in such work of net-making. I desire to see him.”
23. This gossip spread and reached the people of Whakatiwai concerning this man, the son-in-law of Ruahiore, who said he was a man skilled in net-weaving. The people all said that they had witnessed the speed of Hotunui in net-weaving and said, “It is well that (he) be invited. Perhaps it is mere boasting on the part of that man.” There was also rumoured the speed of Maru in making snares (for birds).
24. The request came concerning Marutuahu, for him to go to Whakatiwai. These people went along to conduct their champion Marutuahu.
25. When they were nigh to Waiari, then were sent forth the challengers. Marutuahu pursued after (them). See! he caught all the challengers.
26. The report reached Pukekaroro that this man now coming was swift in pursuing the challengers. They could not escape; however many were the swift runners, all were caught by this toa (champion).
27. They asked, “Whence is that man?” The reply was, “From the west—he has taken as wives the daughters of Ruahiore.”
28. All the people went to Waiari to conduct their swift runners. Arrived at Pukekaroro, forth came the challengers. Marutuahu pursued them, and left behind him all those swift runners. Not yet arrived at the pa, all the challengers had been caught up to by Marutuahu.
29. The news then reached Whakatiwai that from this man who was coming thither, no man might escape; he would catch all.
30. Marutuahu enquired as to the house of Hotunui. He was informed: “The house of Hotunui is right in the middle of the pa. There is no house close to it.”
31. Next day, all the people of Pukekaroro and of Puwhenua went to Whakatiwai. All the people of the other pas gathered at Whakatiwai to see the man spoken of, that there was no man swifter than him in weaving seine or nets; to witness also his speed in running in pursuit of the challengers.
32. The people in the pa saw the man coming along the shore. Then went forth the challengers to posture in defiance. The spear cast in challenge was returned. As the runners came on, the people in the pa saw that Maru glided past them.
33. Then it was seen that the runners were soared past by Maru as if he were a bird. Then resounded the applauding shouts of the pa, as he left behind him all those champions.
34. Going right on, Maru vaulted over the palisading of the pa. He saw the house of Hotunui and went straight on. He jumped up and sat on the house. Then Hotunui knew it was his son.
35. Hotunui asked: “Of whom are you?” Marutuahu replied: “Did you not indeed say before your departure hence, ‘Should a female child be born, bestow as its name Paretuahu. Should a male child be born, be it named Marutuahu.’ This am I, Marutuahu.”
36. Hotunui at once took Marutuahu to the ceremonial place and there initiated him with the purification ceremony by water. Thus he was made known as a son of Hotunui, and he was acknowledged ceremonially as the son of that Hotunui. Finis.

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