The Story of Hape

"One of our ancestors who arrived here after the Mataoho people was Hape. Hape came here from the Pacific Islands by way of a stingray. The stingray, named Kaiwhare, is the guardian of the Manukau Harbour."

"The tūpuna (ancestors) decided they would leave the shores of the Pacific Islands to find another homeland. The stipulation was that only those people who were of sound body and mind could make the journey. Although Hape was senior to everyone else, he had clubbed feet. He had to abide by the rules, so they left him behind.

"Tangaroa, the god of the sea. He prayed and asked Tangaroa to find a way to take him to the same place that his relatives were going to.

"For three days and nights he prayed. On the fourth day a huge wave came. As the wave came closer he saw the image of a stingray coming towards him. Hape knew straight away that Tangaroa had answered his prayers.

"He climbed aboard the stingray, named Kaiwhare, to make the journey.

"They traveled swiftly and arrived here ahead of the great migration. The place they came to was the Manukau Heads. The landed at Puketapapa, at a place later known as Te Ihu a Mataoho.

"Hape turned, acknowledged his friend in traditional prayers and incantation , and farewelled him. His friend Kaiwhare then went back into the sea. Hape looked inland and saw a hill. He climbed the hill so that he could see out into the Manukau Harbour. Hape lay flat on the hill to rest and wait for the arrival of his people. The day came when the waka arrived. They came to the same place Hape had left his stingray. They looked up and he acknowledged them. That welcome in Māori is karanga a Hape."

Maurice Wilson, one of the Kaumātua of Tamaki Makaura Marae, Te Wai o Hua and descendant of Nga Iwi.

Puketapapa is on the shores of the Manukau Harbour, and is part of the Ihumatao area.

Mataoho, Deity of Volcanoes

Legend has it that the 48 volcanoes of the Auckland region were a legacy of a great battle between two forest peoples, who lived in Waitakere Ranges in the north-west and the Hunua Ranges to the south-east. 

A Hunua tohunga (tribal priest) caused the sun to rise early, blinding the Waitakere warriors so many of them were killed.  As the Hunua warriors then attempted to reach the Waitakere ranges to finish the battle, they were stopped in their tracks by volcanic explosions, lava and ash, invoked by the deity Mataoho at the request of a tohunga of the Waitakere people.  Mataoho is an ancient tupuna (ancestor) of the local tangata whenua - the indigenous people of the area.

Mangere Mountain is known as Te Pane o Mataoho (the head of Mataoho) and is one of the largest and best preserved examples of Auckland's cones and craters. 

The Ihumatao area is known as Te Ihu a Mataoho (the nose of Mataoho) and the main crater of Mt Eden is known as Te Ipu a Mataoho (the bowl of Mataoho).

The collection of volcanic craters across the south Auckland region is known as Nga Tapuwae o Mataoho (the footprints of Mataoho).

The Arrival of the Tainui Waka

"In the year 1350 the great migration started.  The Tainui ancestral waka arrived in the Waitemata and made landfall.  Hoturoa, the commander of the waka searched for a way to cross from the eastern to the western sea.  He and his crew then sailed up the Te Wai o Taiki estuary (Tāmaki River).  The canoe was hauled across a narrow piece of land to reach the west coast - oral tradition tells of the waka being "90 times the length of a man.  As the Tainui waka was hauled over the land, Hoturoa and his people chanted "toa mai, toa mai tahu."

When they arrived on the shores of the western sea and hauled the waka into the water, it made a huge splash and frightened all the birds.  Hoturoa said to his warriors, 'go and find out if they are enemy out there who are frightening these birds' - so they went away ond on their return they said "he manu kau noa iho" "they are only birds".  Hence the name Manu-kau (only birds) was given for the harbour."

Maurice Wilson, one of the Kaumātua of Tamaki Makaura Marae, Te Wai o Hua tells of the arrival of the Tainui people.