THE WARRIOR OF NGATIPANEKAKA

by Maude Smith (Form II)

Many years ago when the Maoris were still declaring war among themselves a tribe from Waikaremoana called Ngatipanekaka came to attack the people of Hereheretau known as Ngatihinepu Fortunately the Ngatihinepu were prepared and waiting for the attack. Taken by surprise the enemy turned and fled over the hills towards the beach, and as they realized Ngatihinepu was close on their heels, the enemy quickly dug a creek from the lagoon to the sea which was divided by a narrow strip of land. As the water rushed into the sea the creek began to widen into a big channel thus preventing the Ngatipanekaka surrendering to the Ngatihinepu. Unfortunately for the enemy one of their warriors was left on the other side of the channel and he began to cry. When the Ngatihinepu tribe came upon him, one of the tohunga turned him into a log. When the Ngatihinepu tribe turned to go back to Hereheretau they noticed the lagoon and the little creeks around it had gone dry and to their amazement they saw many different kinds of fish known as eels, and inanga lying about. As food was scarce in those days the Hereheretau people decided to live near the lagoon, naming their new settlement Whakaki which means plentiful. As time went by a sand storm arose which blocked up the dam and the rain filled the lagoon and the creeks.

The Whakaki people decided to dig a creek through the sand to the sea. As this was being done it began to shower and this is known to be the tears of the Ngatipanekaka warrior who was left behind by his comrades. When the sea goes down a totara log is seen jutting up. Today the people think that when the bar is opened he weeps and it is said that it is this log. A bar is a sand bank which separates the lake and the sea.