Te Timataka/The Creation
There are three main narratives that have been retold from the epic narrative of Matiaha Tiramorehu (Kāi Tahu, died in 1881). These are detailed narratives that could be used in the classroom. We have kept the Māori language as close to the language that was used by Tiramorehu. This includes the Southern Māori language dialect. It is important to Kāi Tahu that these are the narratives used in our schools in the Otago Region.
Tuatahi/One: TAKAROA
Retold by Tahu Pōtiki and Megan Pōtiki
I kā rā o mua, i mua noa atu i tō tāua whānautaka mai, tērā tētahi wahine, ko Papatūānuku tōhona ikoa. I hika a Papatūānuku i te aroha ki tētahi tāne, ko Takaroa tōhona ikoa. Kāhore i roa, ka puta mai ā rāua tamariki.
In ancient times, a long long time before you and I were born, lived a woman called Papatūānuku who fell in love with a man called Takaroa and together they had children.
Haere ai a Takaroa i te whānautaka mai o ia tamaiti ki te nehu i te popoki. Nō te whānautaka mai o tētahi o āhana tamariki, i kawea e ia te popoki kia nehua, ā, kua roa ia e karo ana. I noho mokemoke mai a Papatūānuku.
After the birth of each child, Takaroa would go on a long journey and find the right place to bury the placenta in the ground. On the birth of one of his children, he took the placenta to bury and was away for a very long time, leaving Papatūānuku on her own.
Pōpōroa ana a Papatūānuku ki a Takaroa ki te hoki mai. Nāwai, nāwai i mate a Papatūānuku i te aroha ki tāne kē. Ko Rakinui tōhona ikoa. Tokomaha ā rāua tamariki i whānau mai
Papatūānuku waited for Takaroa to return. He was away for some time and she was very lonely. While Takaroa was gone she fell in love with another man. Rakinui was his name. Together they had many children.
Hoki rawa mai a Takaroa, ka tūpono noa atu ia ki te honoka o Papatūānuku rāua ko Rakinui, me te aroha i waekanui i a rāua. Waihoki, kua whānau mai ā rāua tini tamariki. Ka pukuriri a Takaroa. Ka takoto te mānuka ki a Rakinui, ā, ka taumātakitahi te tokorua ki tātahi.
Eventually Takaroa returned and he discovered that Papatūānuku had fallen in love with Rakinui and that they had had many children together. He was angry. Takaroa invited Rakinui onto the beach and they fought.
Ka whawhai rāua, kātahi ka whiua e Takaroa tāhana huata, ā, i werohia te kumu o Rakinui. He kino tāhana whara, ā, i te koikore haere ia. Heoti anō, ka riro atu a Takaroa, ā, ka hoki atu a Rakinui ki a Papatūānuku.
They fought and Takaroa threw his spear at Rakinui and it pierced him through his buttocks. He was badly wounded and became ill. However, Takaroa left and Rakinui went back to Papatūānuku
Kai te haere tou te kōrero, mau tou mai!
And the story continues.........................
Rua/Two: RAKINUI
Retold by Tahu Pōtiki and Megan Pōtiki
Nō muri iho i te whawhai a Rakinui rāua ko Takaroa, i mate ai a Rakinui, ā, ka hoki atu ia ki a Papatūānuku. I te nui o kā whara o Rakinui, i puta i a rāua kā uri koikore.
After fighting with Takaroa, Rakinui was wounded badly and he returned to be with Papatūānuku. They had more children but because Rakinui was weak these new children were sick.
Ko aua uri nei, ko te whānau-tūoi, ko te whānau-takoto, ko Tānetūturi, ko Tāne-pepeke, ko Tāne-kōperu, ko Tāne-mimi-whare, ko Tāne-tūoi, ko Upoko-nui, ko Upoko-roa, ko Upoko-whakaahu, ko Tāne-i-te-waiora.
These children were The Family of Weakness, The Family Lying Down, Tāne With Bent Legs, Tāne With Legs Drawn Up, Tāne With Swollen Eyes, Tāne Who Wets Inside The House, Weak Tāne, Big Head, Long Head, Swollen Head and Tāne Of Great Health.
Nā konei a Rakinui i kī atu ai ki a Tāne rātou ko ōhona tāina, “E tā, me waha ahau ki ruka kia tū kē ahau, kia takoto kē tō koutou hākui, kia tipu ai te whaiao i a koutou.”
This was the reason that Rakinui said to Tāne and his younger brothers, “Son, you must lift me up so that I am standing above and your mother is lying below and daylight will shine upon you.
Nā Tāne tōhona hākoro i whakawaha ki ruka. Ka tokoa te toko a Tāne, ko Tokomauka. Ka tokoa te toko a Paia, ko Ruatipua. Ka taki a Paia i tāhana karakia
Ko toko nā wai?
Ko toko nā Tokomauka.
Ko toko nā wai?
Ko toko nā Ruatipua.
He turuturu tēnā tokotoko, ka eke ki tēnei raki.
Tāne lifted his father upon his back. Tāne raised his pole Tokomauka. Paia raised his pole Ruatipua. Paia then said his karakia:
Ko toko nā wai?
Ko toko nā Tokomauka.
Ko toko nā wai?
Ko toko nā Ruatipua.
He turuturu tēnā tokotoko, ka eke ki tēnei raki.
Ka rewa a Rakinui ki ruka. Ka takoto a Papatūānuku ki raro. Ka poroporoaki a Rakinui ki tōna wahine, “E Papa , hei konei rā koe. Tēnei taku aroha ki a koe. Kai te waru ka taki au ki a koe.” Koia hoki te haukū, te tōmairaki ka tupu ai i te raumati.
Rakinui was lifted to the sky. Papatūānuku lay on the earth below. Rakinui farewelled his wife. “Papa, goodbye. This is my love to you. Every year I shall cry for you.” This is the dew and mists that arrive every summer.
Toru/Three: WEHI-NUI-A-MAMAO
Retold by Tahu Pōtiki and Megan Pōtiki
Nā Tāne rāua ko Paia ō rāua mātua i weherua. Ko tō rāua hākoro te raki ki ruka. Ko tō rāua hākui te whenua ki raro. Kātahi a Tāne ka maharahara kāhore ō rāua weruweru.
Tāne and Paia had forced their parents apart. Their father became the sky and their mother became the earth. Now Tāne was worried that Rakinui and Papatūānuku had no clothes.
I kohikohi a Tāne i kā rākau me kā otaota kia whakauwhia ai i a Papatūānuku. Ko ētahi he tiketike rawa. Ko ētahi e tupu hakahaka ana. Ekari he pai katoa kā rākau hai whākai i kā manu me te āwhina i te iwi.
He gathered trees and shrubs to cover Papatūānuku. Some were very, very tall. Some grew close to the forest floor. All were useful for feeding the birds or to help the people.
Kātahi a Tāne ka haere ki te tiki i te Rāhuikura kia whakapiri ai ki a Rakinui hai weruweru mōhona. Ko te raru anake o tēnei ka piri noa te Rāhuikura ki a ia i te awatea, kāore i te pō.
Then Tāne gathered the Rāhuikura to adorn Rakinui. The only problem was that the red colours would only stick to him at dawn. At night they would not rest upon Rakinui.
I hīkoi a Tāne i tētahi haereka roa, ā, ka tūtaki ia ki tōhona tāina, ko Wehi-nui-a-mamao, te kaiwhatu weruweru. I te wā i hui ai rāua ka kite a Tāne i tētahi tūpuni ātaahua i waihaka ki te kāhui whetū, ā, i tono atu a Tāne ki te taina kia homai taua tūpuni mō tōhona hākoro.
Tāne then went on a long journey and he met with his young brother Wehi-nui-a-mamao the weaver. When he saw him Wehi was weaving a beautiful cloak of stars and Tāne asked him to give him the cloak for his father.
Nā Tāne i hora atu te tūpuni ki te raki kia tau ai te haka a Rakinui. Kua ūhia a Rakinui ki kā tātai whetū ko Puaka, ko Matariki, ko Takurua, ko Poutu, ko Meremere, ko Aotahi-mā-Rēhua nei. He ariki o te tau ka kitea i te pō, i te tau katoa.
Tāne cast the cloak into the sky and Rakinui looked handsome. He now wore the most important stars Pūaka, Matariki, Takurua, Poutū, Meremere and Aotahimā-rēhua and they can be seen at night time throughout the year.