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This is the story of a taniwha called Ngarara Huarau who was also called Mokonui. The story happened near the Ruamahanga River in the Gladstone area, southeast of Masterton.

Ngarara Huarau was a huge lizard that originally lived in a cave at a place called Marokotia which is in the Pacific Ocean. He became fed up with his life and decided to visit his sister who lived in the Wairarapa valley. As he was leaving some of his scales rubbed on the rough edges of his cave and it is said that these became Tuatara.

So he ventured across Te Moana nui a kiwa in search of his sister Parakawhiti. When he knew he was close he turned up the Pahaoa River and followed it until he reached the Wainuioru River. He then turned into the Marumaru stream until he reached a place called Mauri-oho where upon he jumped to the top of the Maungaraki Mountain.

Feeling weary Ngarara Huarau found a place to hide from which he could satisfy his mighty appetite. Unfortunately for the local Ngai Tara people the taniwha craved for human flesh. Many vicious and fatal attacks occurred thereafter with the place being called Hautua-pukurau o Ngarara Huarau. Once his appetite was satisfied the taniwha moved down to Te Ana o Parakawhiti, The cave of his sister Parakawhiti.

By now the people living within the vicinity of the deaths were aware of the cause of their losses and determined to rid themselves of the vile creature. While they tried to offer the taniwha gifts their efforts were to no avail. Instead more and more people went missing.

The people employed a famous warrior named Tupurupuru to destroy the taniwha. Tupurupuru and a handpicked group of aids soon worked out that Ngarara Huarau had made himself a lair above the Kourarau stream. Upon inspection the track to the lair was found to be narrow and lined with kahikatea trees. It was time to employ a plan that would rid the people of the monster.

At the cost of a number of unfortunate warriors the trees bordering the track to the taniwha lair were cut almost through. This took some time but when the trap was set the plan was put into action. Tupurupuru sat observing the movements of Ngarara Huarau until one day the taniwha returned to his home tired from a days plundering of villages down on the flats by the Ruamahanga River. Once he was sure that the creature was fast asleep inside his lair Tupurupuru moved stealthily up to the entrance and there tethered his dog.

The brave man had immediately turned and ran as fast as he could back down the track. Upon seeing its master leave the dog raised a din that awoke the monster from a deep sleep. This disturbance incensed the taniwha so that he rose to destroy the source of the noise. As the dog was only loosely tied it broke free and ran off in the same direction as its master, with the taniwha closely behind. The monsters massive tail twitched like an angry cat swaying to and fro as he thundered down the valley. In the process the huge kahikatea began to topple all around the monster so that the great weight of many trees crushed Ngarara Huarau. While he was not immediately killed his injuries were grievous. This provided Tupurupuru and his men with the chance to chase the mortally wounded creature to the Uwhiroa swamp where he became stuck in the soft ground. Eventually he sank below the surface, breathing his last breath in the process. The remains of Ngarara Huarau the villainous taniwha lie beneath Uwhiroa to this day.

Where are some of the places mentioned in this story

Marokotia Is also referred to as a place in the Hawkes Bay

Maungaraki maunga the hills that rise to the east of Gladstone

Kourarau The Kourarau dam at the top of the first rise on the Gladstone Te Wharau Road is a well known landmark. Another version of the Ngarara Haurau story says that the cliffs near Kourarau are the bones of the taniwha

Te Ana o Parakawhiti The cliffs that can be seen south east of the Gladstone Inn or Hurunuiorangi Marae.

Uwhiroa swamp the land on the southwest corner of Longbush and Millers Road, Longbush.

Tupurupuru The land where the surge tower is on the first rise of the Gladstone Te Wharau Road as you turn left from the Masterton Gladstone Road.

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This is the story of a taniwha called Ngarara Huarau who was also called Mokonui. The story happened near the Ruamahanga River in the Gladstone area, southeast of Masterton. Ngarara Huarau was a huge lizard that originally lived in a cave at a place called Marokotia which is in the Pacific Ocean.

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This includes - History - People - Places - Environment - Resources - Curriculum.

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Like the old website Akona Rangitāne II contains plenty of educational material that we hope will help visitors learn about Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Māori of the Wairarapa Region.

There is still information on a wide range of subjects including mythology, local Māori history, world views, tikanga, basic te reo, the natural world, basic needs ie food and social structure.

Documents, websites and other useful material produced by other sources have been utilized to provide a greater coverage and often to save duplication of an existing resource that aligns with understanding things Māori.

New features include
* Iti Kahurangi our first education curriculum
* A facebook feed so you can receive new information regularly and be able to interact quickly. Just send a friend request to connect.
* A section where you can find learning resources on all sorts of subjects. With teachers in mind many of the resources have teacher notes and curriculum links.
* New material to download including our children's and Rangitane o Wairarapa history books.
* Akona Rangitāne II is more visual to help find material easier. There are more photographs, paintings and murals. We are grateful to have been granted permission by artist Bronwyn Waipuka to use her beautiful paintings. See www.bwaipuka.co.nz

To learn more about Rangitāne o Wairarapa Incorporated go to www.rangitane.iwi.nz.
If you have an inquiry or would like assistance please contact:
Joseph Potangaroa email: tiri1@xtra.co.nz mobile: 027 857 4601
Mike Kawana email: mike@rangitane.iwi.nz mobile: 027 432 8825

For website design please contact: Mikis van Geffen email: info@mikis.co.nz

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Like the old website Akona Rangitāne II contains plenty of educational material that we hope will help visitors learn about Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Māori of the Wairarapa Region. There is still information on a wide range of subjects including mythology, local Māori history, world views, tikanga, basic te reo, the natural world, basic needs ie food and social structure.

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Understanding Pepeha and a form you could use for tangata tiriti developed by Keri Opai.

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Understanding Pepeha and a form you could use for tangata tiriti developed by Keri Opai.

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This is an edited extract from Tikanga: An introduction to te ao Māori by Keri Opai, $39.99 RRP,

Upstart Press (available now).
Gill has a copy you can borrow.

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Pepeha - from Rangitāne Kahurangi Iti curriculum.

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Pepeha - from Rangitāne Kahurangi Iti curriculum.

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Booklets focusing on the natural environment covering a wide range of topics eg. Insects and spiders / Play / Music / Wai etc.

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Atuatanga resources - Rangitāne o Wairarapa Education

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Naming of rivers and other places in the Wairarapa.

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Popoto and his wife Nanaia had a son called Haunuiananaia who was the ancestor of the Te Ati Hau a Paparangi people of the Whanganui region. Haunui had reason to pursue his errant wife Wairaka who had run off with a slave. He set out from his home at Te Matau a Maui following the path of Wairaka and her lover across the island and down the west coast. After exacting his revenge he decided to go home via the East Coast. Haunui named many of the landmark features that he came across during his mission.

He started back towards Te Matau a Maui. He climbed a high mountain and on reaching the top he sat down to rest. There he thought about what he had done. He named the mountain Remutaka -'to sit down'. It is now known as Rimutaka. As Haunui sat there he saw a lake before him. When he looked towards the lake the reflection of the sun caught his eyes and made them water. It was this incident that led to the name - Wairarapa. It was not so much the glistening water but the reflection of the sun that caught his eye and made them water. The full saying is found in a number of old waiata that have been left behind, 'ka rarapa nga kanohi ko Wairarapa' - his eyes sparkled hence Wairarapa.

After resting a while Haunui stood up and saw in the distance, at the northern end of the valley, a high mountain standing alone. He concentrated on this mountain as a navigational landmark and named it Rangitumau - meaning 'standing up to the sky' or alternatively 'holding up the sky'.

Haunui descended Remutaka and travelled into and up the valley. At the first river he came to he discovered a whare or maemae, the walls and roof of which were thatched with Nikau Palm leaves. He named this river Tauwharenikau -'the house made of nikau'.

At the next river crossing he sat down on a bank to rest and as he looked down into the water he imagined he could see Wairaka's face which made him sad. This river he named Wai o Hine Wairaka -'water for his woman' referring to the tears he shed. We know it today as 'Waiohine'.

He named the river we know as Waingawa - Waiawangawanga, awangawanga meaning uncertain or troubled because the river appeared to go in all directions with many bends. It did not look like it knew where it was going.

At the next river he tested the depth with his tokotoko/walking stick and gave it the name Waipoua. Another term for tokotoko is pou and wai is water.

The final river that Haunui named was Ruamahanga meaning 'twin forks' which can refer to the many tributaries that join the river or also to a waka-inuwai (bird snare trough) that he found placed in a fork in a tree by the river.

Haunui returned home on his god Rongomai, a giant eagle that is today seen in the form of a meteor, but before doing so visited Rangitumau to look back over the land he had come from.

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Popoto and his wife Nanaia had a son called Haunuiananaia who was the ancestor of the Te Ati Hau a Paparangi people of the Whanganui region. Haunui had reason to pursue his errant wife Wairaka who had run off with a slave.

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Long ago a giant taniwha named Ngarara Huarau lived in a cave under the ground at Makorotai on the Heretaunga Plains (Hawke Bay). His family had all left, or died, and he was by himself. He was lonely and tired of living by himself in a cave so he decided to visit his sister Parikawhiti who lived in the Wairarapa.

With a great roar he came out of his cave and, with his mighty talons, split the land open leaving a huge chasm. In doing this some of his scales fell off and became Tuatara Lizards.

Setting out for the ocean he burst the land open and cut a big channel. This channel and the chasm filled with water and became the Tiraumea River.

Arriving at the great ocean of Kiwa he began his journey south to the Wairarapa. On his way he stopped at every river, lifting his head up high and sniffing to see if he could smell his sister. On arriving at the mouth of the Pahaoa River he became very tired and decided to rest there for a while.

He continued his journey south and swam up the Pahaoa River, into the Wainuioru River and finally the Marumaru stream. When he reached the far side of the Maungaraki hills behind Gladstone he was stopped by a very high steep hill. By this time he could smell his sister and knew she was near. He was very excited. He tried to jump to the top of the hill, but he kept slipping back. He tried again and again. At last he managed to get his feet on a ledge and jumped to the top leaving the marks of his footprints at a place called Hautua Pukurau o Ngarara Huarau.

He rested for a long time at the top. He could smell humans down in the valley below and hid himself from them. Later, he moved on down into the Kourarau Valley where he made a lair among the Kahikatea trees. From there he finally reached sister Parikawhiti, who lived in a cave in the side of the hill at a place near the present Gladstone Hotel. This place is named Te Ana o Parikawhiti.

Ngararau Huarau was happy to see his sister and decided to make a new lair in the Kourarau Valley where, soon after, he terrorised the local people. He caught and devoured any unsuspecting person who passed near. He also raided further affield. It became obvious to the people there that they would have to kill the taniwha before he devoured them all.

A young warrior called Tupurupuru, who lived in a nearby pa took it upon himself to kill this beast by setting a trap. Along with three of his friends he worked out a plan to take the taniwha by surprise.

Working quietly, while the taniwha was asleep, the men partly cut through the huge kahikatea trees around his lair. Then Tupurupuru crept up to the entrance and loosely tied a dog to a tree. As he crept away the dog began to bark and soon Ngarara Huarau appeared from inside his lair. With a great roar he rushed out of his lair thrashing his tail about. The dog broke free and ran through the trees where Tupurupuru and is friends were waiting. Ngarara Huarau was very angry and began to chase after the dog - roaring and thrashing his tail about. As the beast neared the trap his thrashing tail brought the partly cut trees crashing down on top, hurting him so badly that he was weakened by the injuries. The warriors immediately rushed up and began to kill the taniwha with their spears and clubs.

Ngarara Huarau managed to survive the brutal attack only to be driven into the swamp at Uwhiroa where he later drowned.

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Long ago a giant taniwha named Ngarara Huarau lived in a cave under the ground at Makorotai on the Heretaunga Plains (Hawke Bay). His family had all left, or died, and he was by himself. He was lonely and tired of living by himself in a cave so he decided to visit his sister Parikawhiti who lived in the Wairarapa.

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Wairarapa places that are named after parts of te ika (the fish) of Māui.

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"Te tuara ko Ruahine, nga kanohi ko Whanganui a Tara, tetahi kanohi ko Wairarapa, te kauae runga ke Te Kawakawa, tetahi 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"
(Source: Riley 1990: 78-4)
Maui Tiki a Taranga, Maui the coiled hair of Taranga (Taranga being his mother) the mischievous demi-god, caught Te Ika a Maui, the fish of Maui which is now known as the North Island of New Zealand. The fish was the shape of a giant stingray whose tail is in Muriwhenua (North Cape) with the wings extending to the eastern and western extremities of the island. In the Wairarapa the places associated with Te Ika A Maui are:

Wairarapa Moana - Lake Wairarapa - This is known as 'Te Whatu o Te Ika a Maui' or 'the eye of the fish of Maui'. This is the freshwater eye, the other eye is Wellington Harbour or Te Whanganui a Tara which is the saltwater eye.

Kawakawa - Palliser Bay is known as 'Te Waha o Te Ika a Maui' or 'the mouth of the fish of Maui'.

Turakirae Head and Matakitaki a Kupe (Cape Palliser) are known as 'the jaws of the fish'

The combined Rimutaka, Tararua and Ruahine ranges that pass up the middle of the North Island are referred to as 'the spine of the fish'

The Tararua Mountain Range lake called Hapuakorari is known as 'the pulse of the fish'.

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"Te tuara ko Ruahine, nga kanohi ko Whanganui a Tara, tetahi kanohi ko Wairarapa, te kauae runga ke Te Kawakawa, tetahi kauae ko Turakirae".

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A story about Double Bridges

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Kupe and the Giant Wheke at Rangiwhakaoma.

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Kupe and the Giant Wheke at Rangiwhakaoma.

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A story from Castlepoint

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Kupe was a rangatira, a great fisherman who lived in Hawaiiki. Surrounding Kupe's settlement were the traditional fishing grounds where Kupe and his tribe caught their fish. When the moon and tides were right, the fishermen

headed out to sea and always returned with waka laden with fish of all colours and sizes- gifts from Tangaroa and Hinemoana which the whole tribe celebrated. The people gathered at the shoreline to greet them when they returned, to divide the catch so that each whanau had an even share.

One morning when the fishermen lowered their lines at one of their favourite fishing grounds, they didn't get the expected tug on their lines. Instead, when they pulled their lines from the water, their bait had vanished. This continued through the morning and into the day, and not one fisherman caught a single fish. This had never happened before. Many of the tribe were upset when they returned. They secretly accused the fishermen of disrespecting Tangaroa and therefore causing their misfortune.

Once Kupe had considered the happenings of the day, a hui was called. The whole island gathered around the evening fire to discuss the fate of their village. Kupe firstly spoke of his respect for the sea, of Tangaroa and Hinemoana, and how they had sustained their village since time began. Kupe also spoke of the fishermen who had generously fed and looked after their tribe since he was a young man, and how respected they were within the whanau. He committed himself to finding out exactly what had happened.

Early the next morning, Kupe and the fishermen lowered their lines at their favourite fishing grounds only to have their bait taken as had happened the day before. Kupe tried reciting a karakia that would draw fish to his line, but when he pulled it from the depths of the ocean, his bait was gone.

Kupe noticed a slimy substance covering his hook and recognised it as belonging to an octopus. He knew it would be useless to continue fishing and ordered the others to pull their lines from the water. Once more they headed back to shore empty handed.

That evening Kupe set out to the other side of the island where a chief called Muturangi resided. Kupe knew that Muturangi had a pet octopus renowned for its huge size and influence in the sea world. Kupe described to Muturangi what had been happening at their fishing grounds, stating that it was the work of an octopus. He asked if perhaps Muturangi's pet could possibly know who was responsible.

Muturangi looked at Kupe and laughed, "I don't tell my pet when to eat or what to eat. If it chooses to eat your bait or your fish for that matter, then that's what it does." Muturangi asked Kupe to leave.

"Then I will slay your pet, Te Wheke o Muturangi, and it will never trouble my people again," Kupe stated as he left.

"Unless it kills you first," was Muturangi's reply.

Kupe gathered his people and began to build a canoe, a large ocean going canoe, which he called Matahorua. When the vessel was complete, Kupe stocked it with supplies, readying it for a lengthy sea journey. Kupe's wife, Hine-te-Aparangi, their whanau, and many warriors and fishermen from the tribe boarded the new canoe and set out on their journey.

Te Wheke o Muturangi's tentacles broke the surface of the water first searching blindly for food, each one of its arms much longer than Kupe's waka. A tentacle with huge suckers gripped onto the side of their waka, threatening to capsize it. Kupe grasped his mere and slashed at the tentacle, cutting a huge hunk from its flesh. The wheke thrashed its arms in agony but Kupe struck out again. Te Wheke o Muturangi's enormous head emerged from the sea looming over the waka, as the warriors continued to attack the huge tentacle. Kupe pointed his mere at the wheke and chanted a spell, ensuring it would never again be able to dive to the depths of the ocean and hide.
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Te Wheke o Muturangi was forced to flee across the surface of the sea. Kupe ordered his warriors into their sailing positions and the chase was on. The chase continued for weeks, across the vast Pacific Ocean. Kupe was running out of supplies and still Te Wheke o Muturangi managed to keep a distance between them. Finally, one morning Hine-te-Aparangi saw a long cloud in the distance, a sign that land was near. Hine-te-Aparangi named the land, Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud.

Hine-te-Aparangi, Kupe, and the whole whānau were amazed by the beauty of the new land they discovered. The stories they'd known as children of Maui fishing a great land from the sea were true.

Kupe landed his waka on the east coast of Aotearoa. His people explored the new land and gathered much needed supplies. Kupe took his dog, Tauaru, across land to the Hokianga harbour. They left footprints in the soft clay while walking around the shoreline. Over many years the footprints turned to stone and have remained there to this day.

When Kupe returned, the pursuit resumed down the east coast of the North Island to Rangiwhakaoma (Castle Point), where Te Wheke o Muturangi sought refuge in a cave known as Te Ana o te Wheke o Muturangi.

Kupe realised the wheke was trapped, but because it was late in the evening, he decided to wait for dawn before launching an attack. During the night Te Wheke o Muturangi slipped, undetected, through the black water of the night and back out into the open sea.

Kupe continued the chase, down the east coast until arriving at a huge open harbour, Te Whanganui-ā-Tara ( Wellington Harbour). Kupe's whānau rested at the head of the fish, as Kupe and his warriors continued on the wheke's trail.

Kupe sailed into Te Moana o Raukawa (Cook Strait), a turbulent and potentially dangerous stretch of water between the North Island and South Island of Aotearoa. Knowing the turbulent waters would be an advantage to the wheke, Kupe chased it into the calmer waters of Totaranui (Queen Charlotte and Tory Sounds). Because of the many waterways and islands around those areas the pursuit continued for many days.

Kupe finally caught Te Wheke o Muturangi at the entrance to Te Moana o Raukawa from Totaranui, and the great sea battle began. The wheke lashed out with its huge tentacles at Kupe's canoe. Kupe and his warriors manoeuvred their canoe to avoid being overturned. Bracing himself with his legs, Kupe struck at the tentacles with his mere, but the giant wheke fought back, smashing another of its arms into the side of the canoe causing a huge gaping hole in the hull. Kupe threw a bundle of gourds overboard which the wheke mistook for a person and attacked. Kupe then jumped from his canoe onto the back of the giant wheke and struck a fatal blow to its head. Te Wheke o Muturangi was finally defeated.

The eyes of Te Wheke o Muturangi were placed on a rock nearby, which to this day is called Ngā Whatu (The Brothers).

During Kupes long absence, Hine-te-Aparangi and her whanau were worried that Kupe had been slain by Te Wheke o Muturangi and would never return. Matiu and Makaro, his two mokopuna, slashed their breasts with shells as a mark of mourning. Their blood stained the rocks where they stood. These rocks are near the entrance to Te Whanganui-ā-Tara harbour, and are now named Pariwhero (Red Rocks).

Kupe did return safely to his whanau at Te Whanganui-ā-Tara after successfully defeating Te Wheke o Muturangi. They all travelled further up the west coast of Te Ika a Maui (The North Island) naming many places as they went, finally settling in the Hokianga to replenish their supplies and to ready themselves for their return to Hawaiiki.

Te Wheke o Muturangi, which was thought of as a bad omen, had lead them to a new land they now called Aotearoa, a land Kupe knew future generations would call home.

This is the story of Kupe and the Giant Wheke.

(c) Wiremu Grace
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Kupe was a rangatira, a great fisherman who lived in Hawaiiki. Surrounding Kupe's settlement were the traditional fishing grounds where Kupe and his tribe caught their fish. When the moon and tides were right, the fishermen headed out to sea and always returned with waka laden with fish of all colours and sizes- gifts from Tangaroa and Hinemoana which the whole tribe celebrated.

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Summary and Comment about 4 Wairarapa stories.

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Summary and Comment about 4 Wairarapa stories.

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From Rangitāne Atuatanga Series - Kupe, Haunui-a-nanaia, Double Bridges, Ngarara Huarau

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From Rangitāne Atuatanga Series - Meanings of place names in the Wairarapa.

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Ngake and Whātaitai the Taniwha of Wellington Harbour

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Ngake and Whātaitai the Taniwha of Wellington Harbour

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Once long ago, before the time of Kupe, when Te Ika-a-Māui was just fished from the depths of the ocean, there lived two taniwha, Ngake and Whātaitai.

In those times, Wellington Harbour, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, was a lake cut off from the sea, and abundant in fresh water fish and native bird life. Ngake and Whātaitai lived here in the lake at the head of the fish of Māui (Te Ika-a-Māui).

Ngake and Whātaitai had a great life in their special lake, with all the time in the world to do as they pleased. Ngake was a taniwha with lots of energy. He liked to race around the shores, chasing fish and eels and leaping after birds that came too close. Whātaitai was the opposite, he preferred to laze on the lake's shores, sunbathing and dreaming taniwha dreams.

When Ngake and Whātaitai were close to the south side of the lake, where the cliffs came down to the waters edge, they could hear the crashing waves of the ocean falling on the shores nearby so when sea birds flew overhead, Ngake and Whātaitai often yelled to them, "Tell us, sea birds, what is so special about the sea?"

And the birds would always reply, "The sea is deep, it's vast, it's wide, it's where many different fishes hide. The sea is the home of Tangaroa, of Hinemoana and many others."

Whātaitai and Ngake could only imagine what secrets the sea held. Whātaitai would loll on his back in the middle of the lake dreaming, imitating the sea noises in his throat. Ngake would swish his tail furiously, making huge waves that crashed against the lake's shore.

As the years went by the two taniwha grew bigger, and the boundaries of their lake seemed to grow smaller.

Ngake was adamant he had outgrown his home and soon convinced Whātaitai that they both needed to break free from the lake that imprisoned them.

One summer morning when Whātaitai was enjoying the morning sunshine at the north end of the lake, Ngake began circling around at high speeds yelling, "Today is the day that I will break free of this lake and swim in the endless sea!"

Whātaitai began to be excited at Ngake's suggestion.

Ngake crossed to the north side of the lake and coiled his tail into a huge spring shape. He focused his sights on the cliffs to the south and suddenly let his tail go. With a mighty roar Ngake was thrust across the lake up over the shore and smashed into the cliff face.

Ngake hit the cliffs with such force that he shattered them into huge hunks of rock and earth, effectively creating a pathway through to Te Moana o Raukawa (Cook Strait). Ngake, cut and bruised, slipped into the sea, finally free to explore as he had dreamed.

Whātaitai was shocked at the devastation that Ngake had caused, but also glad that his brother had safely made it to the other side. Whātaitai knew he would have to follow.

Whātaitai retreated from the north side of the lake to wind his tail into a spring as he had seen his brother do. He said a prayer to the taniwha gods, then let his tail go. But Whātaitai hadn't been very active in the past, and he wasn't as strong or as fit as Ngake, so his take-off was much slower than his brother's.

As Whātaitai entered the gap forged by Ngake he didn't realise the tide was out. His stomach dragged on the ground, eventually slowing him to a stop. Whātaitai was stranded, stuck between the sea and the lake, desperately lashing his tail and trying to move, but to no avail.

Whātaitai could do nothing but lie there hoping that the incoming tide would lift him high enough to carry him across to the other side. But when the tide finally came in, it only helped to dampen his scaly skin and provide fish to sustain his hunger. Whātaitai was stuck without a hope of ever moving.

As the years passed Whātaitai became accustomed to his life stranded between the lake and the open sea. The tides would come and go providing him with food and keeping his skin healthy and moist. Whātaitai made many friends with birds and sea creatures, and these companions helped him deal with his fate.

One morning there was a dreadful shudder beneath the ocean floor. A huge earthquake erupted. Whātaitai was lifted out of the shallow water and high above sea level. Whātaitai could do nothing, he was stranded high above the water and he knew his life would end. Whātaitai bade farewell to his many bird friends and animals and soon after gasped his final breath.

As he died, Whātaitai's spirit transformed into a bird, Te Keo, and flew to the closest mountain, Matairangi (Mount Victoria). Te Keo looked down on the huge taniwha body that stretched across the raised sea bed and cried. She cried for the great friendships Whātaitai had made, shown by the huge numbers of birds and sea life that had gathered around, and for the freedom of the sea which Whātaitai would never experience. When Te Keo had completed her lament, she bade farewell to Whātaitai, then set off to the taniwha spirit world.

Over the years Whātaitai's body turned to stone, earth and rock and is known to this day as Haitaitai. Matairangi still looks down on the body of Whātaitai and the very top of Matairangi is still known as Tangi te Keo.

When Ngake let the spring in his tail loose he used so much force that he created a great gash in the earth and a river was formed. This river is now called Teawakairangi or the Hutt River.

The remnants of rock smashed aside when Ngake exited into the sea are visible today and Te Aroaro o Kupe (Steeple Rock) and Te Tangihanga o Kupe (Barrett's Reef) have long been known as dangerous rock formations to mariners entering the Wellington harbour.

Although Ngake was never seen again it is still believed that he resides in the turbulent waters of the Te Moana o Raukawa (Cook Strait). When the sea is calm Ngake is off exploring Te Moana Nui a Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean). When the sea is turbulent and rough, Ngake is at home chasing sea life to satisfy his taniwha appetite.

And this is the story of Ngake and Whātaitai, the taniwha of the Wellington harbour.

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Ngake and Whātaitai the taniwha of Wellington harbour

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Once long ago, before the time of Kupe, when Te Ika-a-Māui was just fished from the depths of the ocean, there lived two taniwha, Ngake and Whātaitai. In those times, Wellington Harbour, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, was a lake cut off from the sea, and abundant in fresh water fish and native bird life.

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First Flight - Kahungunu - Huia Publishers

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First Flight - Kahungunu - Huia Publishers

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This is a collection of short stories for children and young adults about people and events of Ngāti Kahungunu. The majority of the stories focus on key events in the life of Ngāti Kahungunu chief Nukupewapewa.

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Ngārara Huarau - Kahugnunu - Huia Publishers

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Ngārara Huarau - Kahugnunu - Huia Publishers

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This graphic novel tells the story of Ngārara Huarau, a taniwha, that travels from Hawke’s Bay to Wairarapa in search of his sister, Pari-kawhiti. As he journeys, his movement shapes the landscape, and his hunger leads him to eat birds, seals, seafood and people, causing terror as he travels south.

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Ngāti Kāhugnunu Matauranga

Concepts and how to apply in the classroom

People

Places

Events

Who was Kahugnunu

Whakatauki

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Rangitāne Education Curriculum  - Kahurangi Iti

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Rangitāne Education Curriculum  - Kahurangi Iti

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Atuatanga and Kahurangi Iti

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Like the old website Akona Rangitāne II contains plenty of educational material that we hope will help visitors learn about Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Māori of the Wairarapa Region.

There is still information on a wide range of subjects including mythology, local Māori history, world views, tikanga, basic te reo, the natural world, basic needs ie food and social structure.

Documents, websites and other useful material produced by other sources have been utilized to provide a greater coverage and often to save duplication of an existing resource that aligns with understanding things Māori.

New features include
* Iti Kahurangi our first education curriculum
* A facebook feed so you can receive new information regularly and be able to interact quickly. Just send a friend request to connect.
* A section where you can find learning resources on all sorts of subjects. With teachers in mind many of the resources have teacher notes and curriculum links.
* New material to download including our children's and Rangitane o Wairarapa history books.
* Akona Rangitāne II is more visual to help find material easier. There are more photographs, paintings and murals. We are grateful to have been granted permission by artist Bronwyn Waipuka to use her beautiful paintings. See www.bwaipuka.co.nz

To learn more about Rangitāne o Wairarapa Incorporated go to www.rangitane.iwi.nz.
If you have an inquiry or would like assistance please contact:
Joseph Potangaroa email: tiri1@xtra.co.nz mobile: 027 857 4601
Mike Kawana email: mike@rangitane.iwi.nz mobile: 027 432 8825

For website design please contact: Mikis van Geffen email: info@designunlimited.co.nz

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Like the old website Akona Rangitāne II contains plenty of educational material that we hope will help visitors learn about Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Māori of the Wairarapa Region. There is still information on a wide range of subjects including mythology, local Māori history, world views, tikanga, basic te reo, the natural world, basic needs ie food and social structure.

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Ngāti Hāmua Environmental Education Sheets 

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Ngāti Hāmua Environmental Education Sheets 

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Wairarapa Glistening Water (Moana Wetlands) Website (2023)

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Wairarapa Glistening Water (Moana Wetlands) Website (2023)

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Pūrākau - Taonga Rēpō, Tangata Kōrero, Tangata Whenua Kōrero, Whakapapa Kōrero - Education resources written for year levels

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Wairarapa Glistening Water

This website is provided to help build a deeper connection to the diverse and beautiful repo ( wetlands) of the Wairarapa in the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. It was co-designed by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and researchers from the SpatialThink lab at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Drawing on mātauranga Māori, Indigenous science, and Western science, this website weaves together strands and layers of kōrero ( stories) from different wetlands to uncover meaning and develop understanding.

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Very informative on all aspects of Wairarapa Moana including mana whenua stories from many perspectives.

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Stories of Wairarapa Moana — Wairarapa Moana Wetlands Project

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Stories of Wairarapa Moana KO NGĀ KŌRERO O WAIRARAPA MOANA

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Wairarapatanga  - Whakaoriori Kahui Ako - Action plans and resources

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Wairarapatanga  - Whakaoriori Kahui Ako - Action plans and resources

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This is a comprehensive resource for schools in the Wairarapa. Aligning mahi with Te Tiriti and bringing together resources from manawhenua to support kaiako and ākonga.

About:

We work together to ensure that all Whakaoriori ākonga are successful and achieve to their potential.

“Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōnā te ngahere. Engari ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōnā te ao.”

The one who partakes of the flora and fauna, that will be their domain. The one who engages in education, opportunities are boundless.

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About
We work together to ensure that all Whakaoriori ākonga are successful and achieve to their potential.
“Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōnā te ngahere. Engari ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōnā te ao.”
The one who partakes of the flora and fauna, that will be their domain. The one who