Haka

30/9/21

Haka

Back when Maori ruled the land there was a chief named Te Rauparaha, 

The chief of a tribe named Ngati Toa.  He was a wonderful warrior and he was feared by many other chiefs.  He was fierce,brave,smart and strong.  But Te Rauparaha had a problem: many chiefs were after him! 

So he went off in search of new warriors.  While he was searching he learned that his enemy tribe’s were tracking him.  While he was visiting a tribe their leader told him to go to Lake Rotoaira.  

Te Rauparaha travelled to Lake Rotoaira and asked to see their chief Te Wharerangi and ask for protection. 

Te Wharerangi agreed and told Te Rauparaha to hide in the POTATO PIT!

Te Rauparaha agreed because his enemies would never suspect him to hide in the potato pit.  So he climbed down the stairs and the inhabitants of the tribe covered the entrance with stones.  After they had filled in the entrance they placed a powerful wahine in front of the entrance and waited.

 

Inside the pit it was dark and musty.  Te Rauparaha listened as his enemy's footsteps grew closer and closer and closer.  He muttered “Will I die? Will I live? Over and over again.  When his enemy's footsteps went away he started to feel around for the steps.  When he found them he started to ascend them murmuring “Onward, onward.”  When he reached the top he leapt out of the potato pit crying “The sun is bright and I live.”

He travelled back to his tribe and retold his story to his people.  From setting off to hiding in the potato pit to emerging. 

And that same story has been passed down generations to children to us.

                                     

                                                      Whiti te ra!