By deevaa [deevaa@paradise.net.nz]
Date: 23 November 1999

Hinemoa and Tutanekai

Many generations long ago on Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua,  lived Tutanekai who was of high rank but illegitimate birth. His mother was Rangiuru, wife of the leading rangatira [chief] Whakaue, but Tutanekai's father was Tuwharetoa, a rangatira who had visited the island during Whakaue's absence.  Whakaue forgave his wife, reared the boy as his own son and grew very fond of him. Nevertheless, Tutanekai had to contend with the jealous animosity of his three elder half-brothers.

Every year the people living around Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti gathered at Owhata, on the eastern shore of the lake, to discuss issues of importance. At these meetings the young men would gaze from a distance at the beautiful Hinemoa,  a high-ranking daughter of two great rangatira, Te Umu-karia and his wife Hine-maru. This girl had been made a puhi at birth; she was tapu, set apart, and lived in a special house with female attendants. Many men had sought to marry her, among them Whakaue's elder sons, but her people had not yet chosen a husband for her.

Like his brothers Tutanekai was in love with Hinemoa, although he did not imagine that she could ever return his love. But Tutanekai was a handsome man and a fine dancer and athlete, and soon Hinemoa fell in love with him. Glances were exchanged, then messages.
They did not tell their relatives, because Hinemoa's people would not have accepted such a marriage and Tutanekai's brothers would have strenuously objected. When the meeting ended, Whakaue and his sons returned to Mokoia. Tutanekai told his father that he wanted Hinemoa and that his love was returned. He built himself a platform [atamira] on a rise behind his father's house, and every evening he and his friend Tiki sat there and played their flutes.

In the still air their music floated across to Owhata, four kilometer's away, and Hinemoa knew it came from Tutanekai. Every evening she sat listening on the great rock Iriiri-kapua, wanting  to go to him. But her people by now were suspicious, and every evening they dragged up their waka [canoes] so that she could not paddle across to her love.

One night she could stand it no longer, and despite the distance she made up her mind to swim to him. She found six gourds in a cookhouse, rested for a while on Iriir-kapua, them took off her clothes and entered the water, three empty gourds tied together under each arm. It was getting dark, but the sound of the flutes told her the way to go. After a while she came to a post, known as Hine-whata, to which her father tied his fishing nets. She rested there, then swam on, still guided by the flutes.

At last she reached Mokoia and found Waikimihia, a warm pool near the shore;  she knew that Tutanekai's home was on the slope above. She was shivering with cold, so she got into the pool to warm herself. She was filled with shame, wondering what Tutanekai would think about what she had done and ashamed to be without clothes.
Just then it happened that Tutanekai felt thirsty and sent his slave with a gourd to draw water. On the way back, the slave had to pass the pool where Hinemoa sat. The darkness concealed her identity so she asked in a gruff voice, 'Who is that water for?'
The slave told her, 'Tutanekai.'
Hinemoa asked for the gourd, drank from it then broke it. He asked why she had done this, but she gave no answer. So he went and told his master, and was sent back again. Again Hinemoa took the gourd, drank from it, then broke it.
When the slave returned a second time, Tutanekai was furious at the  deliberate insult. He put on fine cloaks, took his mere  [a short flat weapon made from green-stone] and went forward to fight this stranger who had infringed his tapu.

At the pool's edge he called out, but Hinemoa hid under a ledge of rock. Tutanekai felt around the edge, found her and pulled her out saying, 'Who is this?'
She told him, 'It's me Tutanekai.'
Tutanekai said, 'But who are you?'
'It's me - Hinemoa.'
Tutanekai led her from the pool and in the moonlight saw how beautiful she was. He placed one of his cloaks around her, and they went to his house and slept together. This, signified their marriage.
At daybreak everyone was up and working, but Tutanekai did not appear. His father worried if he was ill and sent someone to see. The messenger slid aside the shutter on the window and saw four legs inside, not two. He rushed back and told what he had seen, he was sent again, and this time he recognized Hinemoa.
When he shouted the news, the elder brothers would not believe it. But then Tutanekai came out of his house with Hinemoa beside him. At the same time, across the lake, several large waka were seen approaching from Owhata. They knew it was Te Umu-karia and they expected war, but instead peace was made and there was much rejoicing. Tutanekai's elder brothers were the only ones who continued to resent the marriage.
Hinemoa and Tutanekai lived together happily and had many distinguished descendants.
 

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