By Sophronia Smith
From a Māori worldview Wairarapa Moana is a tipuna (ancestor), a taonga (treasure), a place where atua (ancestors with continuing influence / supernatural beings) are observed, and a place of mana (power) and mauri (life force). The moana is viewed in a holistic way and is an intrinsic part of te tuakiri (the identity) of uri (descendants) of the moana.
There are varying kōrero (accounts) about the moana held by whānau, hapū, iwi (families, subtribes, tribes). What is presented here is one version of the story. It is not a comprehensive overview of every pūrākau (cultural story) or kōrero, but provides a glimpse into these to provide context, understanding and meaning of the moana through a Māori worldview.
Te Kore, Te Pō, Te Ao Mārama
Reverend Māori Marsden describes the origins of the Māori world in three stages: Te Kore (the nothing), the Realm of Potential Being; Te Pō (the night), the Realm of Becoming and Te Ao Mārama (the light) the Realm of Being.
Papatūānuku rāua ko Ranginui
Papatūānuku and Ranginui were born in Te Pō, the night. Their children fought about living in the bounds of darkness. Some were against, and some were in support of it. Tāne, one of the older sons, wanted to live in a world of light. So he tore his parents apart by resting his shoulders upon Papatūānuku and driving his legs upwards and pushing Ranginui to the heavens. Through this action, Te Ao Mārama, the world of light was fulfilled.
Tangaroa Whakamautai
Papatūānuku and Ranginui gave birth to many children who became the parents of all life and all natural phenomena. Their son Tangaroa Whakamautai became the atua of the sea, rivers, lakes and all life within them.
Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga
Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, the youngest son of Taranga and Makea-Tutara, caught Te Ika-a-Māui (the fish of Māui), the North Island. He was able to do this because of special assistance from the magical jawbone given to him by his grandmother Muri-ranga-whenua.
The fish was the shape of a giant stingray. In Wairarapa the places associated with Te Ika a Māui are outlined in this kōrero:
“Te tuarā ko Ruahine, ngā kanohi ko Whanganui a Tara, tētahi kanohi ko Wairarapa, te kauae runga ke Te Kawakawa, tētahi kauae ko Turakirae”.
"The back is the Ruahine ranges, with regard to the eyes, the salt water one is Wellington Harbour the other eye - the fresh water one - is Lake Wairarapa, the upper jaw is Cape Palliser and the lower jaw is Turakirae Head”.
In align with this kōrero Te Karu o te ika, or the eye of the fish of Māui is Wairarapa Moana.
Kupe
According to the Tohunga Te Mātarohanga, Kupe was a great chief of Hawaiki whose father was from Rarotonga, and his mother from Raiatea. He was the first great Polynesian navigator to discover Aotearoa. He made many touchdowns along the furrowed Wairarapa seashore. According to one account, while Kupe was travelling at sea, he gazed over his shoulder and beheld a lake. Kupe’s daughter said “me waiho tō moana ko te rarapatanga o ōu whatu” (“let us remain here at this lake you have described, your anchor stone’). Kupe replied “E pai ana. Me waiho ko Wairarapa” (“Good, let it remain Wairarapa”.)
Haunui-ā-Nanaia
Another account of the naming of Wairarapa Moana says it was named by Haunui-ā-Nanaia, the son of Popoto and Nanaia. He named the Moana as he sat at the summit of Remutaka and saw the glistening lake in the near distance. The reflection of the sun caught him in the eye and made them water, hence these words handed down to us through waiata (song) ‘ka rarapa ngā kanohi ko Wairarapa’ (‘his eyes sparkled hence Wairarapa’). Another kōrero says rarapa can mean glance, and that describes Haunui-ā-Nanaia’s behaviour as he stood and glanced over the area.
Hekenga mai ki Wairarapa
Hekenga (migration) to Wairarapa began in the 14th century with Rangitāne. Latter migrations included Ngāti Ira, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Muaūpoko and others. Here is a brief account of Rangitāne, Ngāti Ira and Ngāti Kahungunu.
Te hekenga mai o Rangitāne ki Wairarapa
The Rangitāne arrival began with the Kurahaupō waka (canoe or migration). One of the principle chiefs aboard this waka was Whatonga. According to Te Mātarohanga’s account, it was Tara and Tautoko’s son Rangitāne that settled in South Wairarapa and Wellington. Rangatira of Rangitāne migrated south from Heretaunga (around Hastings) to occupy Tāmakinui-a-Rua (Dannevirke) and Wairarapa around the 14 century. Two of the rangatira were Te Whakamana and Te Rerewa.
Te hekenga mai o Ngāti Ira ki Wairarapa
The Ngāti Ira arrival began at Tolaga Bay with the Horouta waka (canoe or migration). Their leader’s name was Te Whakaumu who desired to be reunited with whānau that resided in Wairarapa. The chief, Te Whakaumu married Hineiputerangi, the daughter of the Rangitāne leader Te Whakamana, and settled in Palliser Bay.
The descendants of this union later moved to Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington).
Te hekenga mai o Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa
Ngāti Kahungunu arrival begins with the Takitimu waka (canoe or migration). They arrived after their leader Rakaiwerohia died in battle. To protect the people from further death, his son Te Rangitāwhanga led the tribe from Heretaunga (Hastings area) to whānau living at Lake Ōnoke. Wanting to settle there they offered the Rangitāne leader, Te Rerewa some waka (canoe). Their names were 'Te Ara-o-Tawhaki', 'Potaka', 'Kiriwai', 'Otauiura', and 'Kahutara'. Te Rerewa moved to the South Island with some of his people.
Te Rerewa - a political agreement
Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu lived in Wairarapa. Conflict and disputes took place between the two people. However, intermarriage and diplomacy prevailed. Te Rerewa, a political agreement was negotiated in the 1600s between the two iwi.
War and Invasions
During the 1800s, Ngāti Whātua and Ngāti Maniapoto war party penetrated Wairarapa. Later, invasions from Taranaki followed. Ngāti Tama settled on the western shore of Lake Wairarapa and later built a pā Te Tarata, located on the west side of the outlet at Ōnoke, and Wharepapa nearby, with Kahungunu help. However, the alliance was short-lived – upon hearing that Ngāti Tama planned an attack, Kahungunu attacked first. In retaliation Ngāti Tama and Taranaki penetrated Pehikatea pā, located at present day Greytown.
Rangitāne and Kahungunu return to Wairarapa
Due to war there was an exodus of the Rangitāne and Kahungunu people back to whānau at Mahia. After several years in exile and further exchanges between Wairarapa and Wellington (Taranaki) tribes, peace was declared at a historic gathering at Pito-one (Petone) in 1840. Following this, Rangitāne and Kahungunu began to return to Wairarapa.
Waka and Wairarapa Moana
Waka were integral to transporting people, war parties and goods up and down Wairarapa Moana. A waka taua rongonui (famous war canoe) to the people of Wairarapa is called, ‘Te Heke Rangatira’. Te Heke Rangatira was never used as a waka taua but a waka tīwai, used for fishing, and later used to transport people and goods across Lake Ōnoke
Tuna
Wairarapa Moana was famous for its inanga (whitebait), kōkopu (freshwater fish), and tuna (eel). The most significant was tuna. Whānau and hapū from Wairarapa gained incredible repute because of the abundance and quality of its tuna. Tuna was one of the main food sources and the backbone of the economy. It was dried for storage or trading.
During the heke tuna (eel migration to the ocean to breed), between January and April the tuna gather at the Lake Ōnoke mouth. The mouth of the lake was usually closed, the water would back up and the lake levels would rise. This was called Hinurangi. This was an important time for tuna that were preparing to migrate into the South Pacific to breed.
Rakairuru the tipua of Wairarapa Moana
Rakairuru is the name of a large tōtara log that was often seen drifting on the surface of Lake Wairarapa. He was called a Rākau tipua and had special powers and abilities. It is said that he was the kaitiaki (guardian) of Wairarapa Moana and was responsible for the closing of Lake Ōnoke. This occurred just before the great eel migration, Rakairuru would be seen going out to sea with the mouth of the lake closing behind him.