A Story of Te Tino o Taiamai

He was a brave, strong and very wise Rangatira.&nbsp;The people of his Rohe loved to hunt with him because he was a very clever hunter, and always brought back Kai (food).&nbsp;This kept them all well fed.

On the agreed day the put their plan into action. As Te Tino o Taimai swooped down to land, the Rangatira sprang out of their hiding spots and threw their nets towards him.&nbsp;He dived this way and that way to escape but there were too many nets and chiefs.&nbsp;Te Tino o Taimai came crashing down towards the rock.&nbsp;At the last minute he spun around and flew straight at the rock, but instead of a jumble of feathers and bones being left, there was not a trace of Te Tino o Taimai.&nbsp;He had simply disappeared into the rock.

Before long other Hapū (tribes) and Rangatira from around the Rohe came to watch Te Tino o Taiamai because of its beauty.&nbsp; Some of the Rangatira began talking about the power and mana that this manu held, and they wanted it for themselves.&nbsp; Kaitara heard these whispers and quickly chanted a magical tapu to protect Te Tino o Taiamai.

Kaitara was a Rangatira (chief).&nbsp;He lived in a beautiful land with lots of trees and maunga.&nbsp;Pouerua, Turoto and Rawhitiroa were three of these maunga that would oversee and guard his Iwi (people) and their tupuna. Pekapeka a crystal clear awa also ran through the Rohe (area) and fed and nourished both people and whenua (land).

Thanks Matua Ken for telling us this story that we could retell for a class story.

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A story of Te Tino o Taiamai

Written by Kariene Gardiner Illustrated by Team Maunga

The other chiefs grew more and more jealous, and more and more angry with Kaitara and his beautiful manu as they wanted it for themselves.&nbsp;They plotted and planned together on how they could capture Te Tino o Taiamai and keep its mana for themselves.&nbsp;They spent many days making special hao (nets) and sneaking into hiding spots around the large rock.

Kaitara returned the next day to watch the beautiful Kotuku manu again.&nbsp; It flew, sang and fluffed up its feathers before perching on top of a large rock to drink and clean itself.&nbsp; Kaitara watched and waited and soon the Kotuku manu sang another waiata specially for Kaitara.&nbsp; Kaitara felt a special connection with this manu and would sit and watch it for hours.&nbsp; In honour of this he gave the Kokopu manu a special name, Te Tino o Taiamai.

One day when out hunting in Taiamai, Kaitara came across a large and very beautiful Kotuku manu (bird).&nbsp; “Ae”&nbsp; yelled Kaitara to his hunting party.&nbsp; “This manu is too beautiful to kill, its wairua (spirit) will bless us if we protect it”.&nbsp; The Kotuku manu heard this and flew around the trees and sang a waiata (song) to Kaitara as thanks for its life.

Towards the top of Te Ika a Maui is a rock.&nbsp;A sacred rock.&nbsp;It is the rock called Te Tino o Taiamai.&nbsp;This rock has many stories to tell and this is one of them.

To this day Te Tino o Taiamai is known as a good luck charm to those in the area and those traveling in and out of the area.&nbsp; They will place a koha (food or offerings) before the rock for safe travels.

Te Tino o Taiamai’s wairua (spirit) lives on inside the rock, blessing and protecting the Tangata whenua (local people) of Taiamai.&nbsp; The rock is known as Te Tino o Taiamai.

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