The Legend of Hau

Hau first reached a broad river which he called Whanganui (meaning expansive mouth). The next river he called Whangaehu (crested foam). He felled a tree to cross the next river which he called Turakina (turaki = to throw down). with long strides he reached the next river and so called it Rangitikei (Rangi = day, tikei = extended stride). He viewed the next river with great apprehension because it was so wide and so he called it Manawatu (Manawa = heart, tu = standing still) . As he travelled on he thought he heard the sound of the mythical Hokio bird, said to be bigger even than the moa, so he called the next river after this bird. Then he rested for the night and continued his journey at daybreak, calling his resting place Ao-o-Hau (daybreak of Hau). He suspected that Weku was not far beyond the next river and so was ready and crossed this with the help of his staff, naming the river aotaki (ao= day, taki = crossing with the assistance of a staff). He was tired now and trudged on wearily until he came to the next river where he rested, calling it Waimea (being weary). Again he travelled on wearily until he reached the next river which he called Waikanae (glittering water). He ventured over the ranges into Wairarapa naming that river too (sparkling water).

At last Hau found his faithless wife near Paekakariki (Pae= assembly place, Kakariki = parakeets). He ordered Wairaka to go into the sea. But he could not bear her to drown and to save her from this punishment he spoke a chant which petrified her into a rock which still stands today at a point to the south of Pukerua Bay.

Missionary Richard Taylor’s 1870 version of the legend:

Te wakakanohi-tanga
Ko manu, e hine, te waka i a Ruatea,
Ko Kurahaupo,
Ka iri mai taua i runga i Aotea
Ko te waka i a Turi.
Ka u mai tauate ngutu Whenua kura,
Hanga iho te whare Rangitawhi;
Tiria mai te kumara,
Ka ruia mai te karaka ki te taiao nei;
Karia iho te pou Tamawahinei,
Ka waiho i Nga tua hine, i a Nonoko-uri,
I a Nonoko-tea, ko te Hererunga,
Ko te Korohunga,
Kapua mai e Hau ko te one ki te ringa,
Ko te tokotoko.
Ka witi i te awa,
Ka nui ia, ko Wanganui;
Tiehutia te wai, ko Wangaehu;
Ka hinga te rakau, ko Turakina;
Tikeitia te wae wae, ko Tikei;
Ka tatu, e hine, ko Manawatu;
Ka rorohio nga tarianga, ko Hokio;
Waiho te awa iti hei ingoa mona ki Ohau;
Takina te tokotoko, ko Otaki;
Ka mehameha, e hine, ko Waimea;
Ka ngahae nga pi, ko Waikanae;
Ka tangi ko te mapu, e hine,
Ka kite koe i a Wairaka;
Matapoutia.
Poua ki runga, poua ki raro,
Ka rarau, e hine, ka rarapa nga kanohi,
Ko Wairarapa,Te rapapaatanga o to tupuna,
E hine - ka moiki te ao,
Ko te pai a Waitiri;
Kumea kia warea Kaitangata
Ki waho ki te moana;
Hanga te paepae, poua iho, te pou
Whakamaro te rangi, ko Meremere;
Waiho te Whanau, ko te punga
O tona waka ko te Awhema
Kati, ka waka mutu, e hine.