Ponga rāua ko Puhi-huia

Nā Evelyn Clouston ngā pikitia 

I ngā rā o nehe noa atu, he iwi nui, ā he iwi toa taua iwi nei, a Ngāti-Kahukoka. I aua wā he nui ā rātou pā. He pā noho i te pukepuke ētahi, a ko ētahi he mea noho i roto i te repo, i ngā roto anō hoki. He kōrero tēnei mō te hapū o Ngāti-Kahukoka e noho ana i Awhi-tū, i Tipi-tai hoki.

I aua rā o mua he whawhai tonu te mahi a te iwi anō o Tainui i noho i aunga-whau ki ērā anō o Tainui i noho i Awhi-tū. Te take i nui ai taua whawhai nei, he whakatete ki ngā tauranga ika, me ngā tauranga mangō i waho ake o Pūponga. Ko Ngāti-Kahukoka e mea ana nā rātou taua wāhi moana, a ko Ngā-iwi, arā ko te hapū e noho ana i Maunga-whau e mea ana nā rātou taua moana.

Ā, ka haere te ope hī a Ngā-iwi, ka huakina e ngā waka o Ngāti-Kahukoka. Ka haere ngā waka o Ngāti-Kahukoka ki te hī i aua wāhi, ka huakina e ngā waka o Ngā-iwi, arā o te hunga e noho ana i Maunga-whau. He pēnei tonu tā rātou mahi, ā he tini ngā tūpāpaku ā tētahi, ā tētahi, i mate i aua huaki. Koia i mau tonu ai te mauāhara a aua hapū nei ki a rāua.

He wā anō ka puta te whakaaro pai a ngā tino kaumātua o aua hapū nei, arā ka kaha te kupu mō te noho pai a ngā tino rangatira o aua hapū. Ka houhia te rongo, ā ka hī ngātahi aua hapū i aua tauranga ika. (Otirā he wā anō ka iti te ika a tētahi o aua hapū nei, arā ka hē ngā mangō ki ngā tauranga i hiia e taua hapū, ā ka hae ki te hua o te mangō o tērā hapū, ā ka kiia e te taitamariki he mea mahi ki te mākutu i kore ai he ika mā tēnei e hī kau nei, e kore nei e kai ake te mangō. Nō reira ka roherohea taua moana, ā ka rāhuitia ēnei tauranga ika mā Ngāti-Kahukoka, ā, ko ēnei tauranga ika ka rāhuitia mā te hapū o Ngā-iwi. Ā, nā te kore ika i tētahi, koia te whakapae, nā te mākutu a tērā e hua rā te ika ki a ia, i kore ai he ika mā tēnei e hī kau nei. Ā, tētahi take a aua taitamariki nei i kino ai, he mea nā Ngā-iwi ko rātou te uri o te tuakana, ā, ko Ngāti-Kahukoka e kī ana, ko rātou te uri o te tuakana. Nā aua kupu nei i kawe te hīkaka a te hunga taitamariki rā, ā, ahakoa te rongo kua mau, nā rātou i kawe te patu, a ka hē anō te noho pai a aua iwi nei. Ā, i tētahi wā i mau nei te rongo, ka haere aua iwi nei, arā aua hapū tahi nei anō o Tainui kia kitekite i a rāua, ā, ka mahia ngā mahi o mua, arā te haka me te kanikani. Nā ngā taitamariki, nā ngā taitamāhine o aua hapū nei aua teretere haere kia kitekite i a rāua. Ka hokihoki te tira haere ā tētahi, ā tētahi; ka haere mai o Awhi-tū ki Maunga-whau, ā, ka haere a Maunga-whau ki Awhi-tū. Haere ake i aua ope he tamariki kau, otirā, ehara i te tamariki nonohi nei, kāo, he tangata kua mau i te moko, ko ngā taitamariki kaumātua o aua iwi.

Ā, i aua wā nei, ka kitekite aua taitamariki nei i a rātou. Ka kite atu ngā tane o tēnei i ngā wahine o tērā, ā, ka kite mai ngā tane o tērā i ngā wahine o tēnei. Ko te tamāhine o te tino tangata o Maunga-whau, he kōtiro pai, he wahine ātaahua, ko Puhi-huia te ingoa. Ahakoa aruaru te tāne i a ia, kīhai ia i pai. Ka hui te hui ki Awhi-tū, ka haere atu te tira o Maunga-whau ki reira, ā, ka kite ō reira taitamariki rangatira i taua kōtiro nei, i a Puhi-huia; ā, ka mea puku aua tamariki rangatira o Ngāti-Kahukoka mā rātou taua wahine rā, arā ka mea a ia, a ia o rātou, māna, māna, māna. Otirā he mea kī puku taua kī nei i roto anō i a rātou. Nā, ko Ponga tētahi tāngata rangatira o Ngāti-Kahukoka, otirā, ehara ia i te tino rangatira. Nō tētahi rā ka meatia kia haere ngā taitamariki o Ngāti-Kahukoka ki Maunga-whau. Nō te wā ka pua te kōwhai, ka pua te hutukawa, kātahi aua taitamariki rā, te tāne, te wahine, ka kohi i te hua o te miro hei hinu whakakakara. Ka kohi i te moki, i te aka-rautangi, i te kāretu, ā, ka tutua ki te hinu miro.

He tautahi a Ponga, kāore ana tuāhine, ko ia anake, a, he mea ui e ia ki tana whaea ngā mea whakakakara nei. He tangata pai koa a Ponga, he tangata kupu iti, he tangata ahuwhenua.
He tangata rangatira ia ki ana taonga, arā ki ana kai i ngakia ai e tōna ringa, he mahora noa atu mā ana hoa. Anō ka rongo tana whaea i tana ui ki te hinu rautangi, ka mea atu taua whaea ōna, ki tētahi wahine hoahoa ano ōna, kia mahia e rāua he kakara mā Ponga.

Ka hua te rātā, ka tae ki te ngahuru, kua tae katoa te kūmara ki te rua. Ka kiia kia hoe te tini tamariki nei ki Maunga-whau. Ko ngā rangatira taitamariki ariki kua whiwhi i ngā mea pai katoa, he mea hoki he uri ariki. Ka kohi nei rātou i ā rātou tahā hinu, me ngā tātua kāretu, me ngā piki toroa, me ngā remu huia, me ngā hou kōtuku. Ka mau a Ponga i ana mea i mahia rā e āna whaea, ā ka eke taua tini nei i te waka. Ka mea tētahi o ngā tane ki tētahi o ngā kōtiro. "He aha te take i mahia ai e koe te hinu kakara māu? He mea pea kia tahuri mai ai he tāne māu."

Ka whakahoki mai te kōtiro rā, "He aha te take i mahia ai e koe ngā piki toroa mō tō māhunga? Hua noa koe e tahuri mai ai a Puhi-huia ki a koe." Ko Ponga ia, kāhore kau he kupu nāna. Ko tāna ipu hinu e mau rā, hei whakawāhi mā tōna māhunga, ana tū i te kapa haka. Tēnā a Ponga mā te hoe mai rā, ā, ka kitea atu e te tini wahine kohi pipi i Onehunga. Ka pōwhiria, ā, ka ū; ka haeremai, ā, ka kitea e te pā nei, e Maunga-whau. Ka pā te pōwhiri me te karanga, "Haere mai e te manuwhiri tū-ā-rangi.'' Haere tonu atu te iwi tamariki nei, ā, ka tae atu ki te pā, ā, haere tonu me te piki tonu, ā, tae noa ki te tino marae o te pā. Ka noho, ā, ka whai kōrero ka mutu. Ka tahu te kai a te pā, ka tao, a kua maoa, ka whiua te kai rā, ā, ka tahuri te manuwhiri rā, ka kai. Otirā, e kai ana, e whakaaro ana kia iti te kai, kia angiangi ai te poho o te tangata, mō te tūranga i te kapa o te haka, kia tirohia atu ai te hope o te tangata, anana, me te mea kua motu. E noho ana te manuwhiri rā, me te maharahara "Ā whea anō rā ka pō?" Me te tangata whenua e pēnā ana ano hoki. Ā, ahiahi kau iho anō, ka tūria te haka. Nā te tamariki hoki taua kai nei te haka, me te kanikani. Ā, he titiro kau atu tā te koroheke. Kātahi rā ka whakaaro a Puhi-huia ki te wā hei putanga mōna ki mua o te haka nei pūkana ai. Ki tana whakaaro e kore e pai kia rere kau ki mua o te kapa haka, engari anō kia rite te takahi, me te papaki; ko reira te pai ai, te rawe ai, te rere ki mua rā pūkana ai. I te mea ka rite te takahi, me te papaki o te haka, ka rere ia ki mua o ngā kapa o te haka. Ka titiro ngā tane taitamariki o te tira o Awhi-tū ki te kōtiro rā, a mate noa ake rātou ki te pai o te pūkana o te tamāhine nei.

Ko Ponga i mihi puku ki a ia, me te tino mate anō o tana manawa ki te aroha ki taua kōtiro. Otirā kīhai ia i whaikupu ki ana hoa. Ka mutu te haka o te iwi whenua kei runga ko te ope manuwhiri, ā, uru katoa atu ana rātou ki ngā kapa o te haka, kia haruru ai te tioro o te taringa i te haka. E whakataretare ana a Ponga kia puta ai ia ki mua o te kapa, ngāngahu ai. Ko te iwi whenua katoa o te pā nei kua mene mai ki te marae titiro ai i te haka o te ope tamariki nei. Te tino putanga o Ponga ki mua. Anā! tā te tama pai hoki! Ko Puhi-huia e noho mai rā i roto i taua iwi, e titiro mai rā ki a Ponga e mahi nei i te mahi, ā, wairangi noa ai te ngākau o Puhi-huia, kua mate noa ake ana mahara i te aroha ki a Ponga. Ahiahi pō kau anō, ka moe nei te iwi whenua, me te tira tamariki nei. Ko te moe ia o Ponga, he moe whakatorouka kau tāna, he wawata hoki nāna, e pēhea ai e tata atu ai ia ki a Puhi-huia. Takoto nei, takoto nei, ā, ka ara ia ka puta ki waho ki te marae noho ai. Me te haere atu anō tana mōkai i muri i a ia noho ana. Ka mea a Ponga, "Ko wai tēnei?" "Ko au, ko to kaitonotono." Ka mea a Ponga ki a ia, "Kua mate noa ake au i te aroha ki a Puhi-huia. Engari, ki te mea ka riro ia i a au ka waiho hei take ngaki mate mō tātou. He puhi ia, he tapu hoki." Ka mea atu te mōkai, "E kī ana au, he tapu te tapu. Otirā, e kore te tapu e kiia he tapu i te wā o te aruaru wahine." Ka mea atu a Ponga, "Kei te raruraru kau noa iho aku whakaaro. E kore au e mōhio ki te aha, ki te aha."

Ka mea atu te mōkai rā ki a Ponga, "E koro, tēnei te whakaaro kua kitea e au. Whakarongo mai iana, ā, mau e pai, e pai ana, a, māu e kino, e pai ana. Hei te ahiahi ka maminga koe he mate wai tōu, ā, ka karanga koe ki a au. Otirā, ko au kia mamao noa atu i a koe, hei te whare kē noa atu au, ā, me whakatuturi e au. "Kia nui ai tō karanga i a au ki te wai māu kia kawea e au. Mā reira pea te matua o te kōtiro rā ka tono ai i tana kōtiro ki te kawe wai māu, e mea ana, 'E kō! He aha i waiho ai te manuwhiri rā, a Ponga, kia karanga noa ana ki tana mōkai ki te kawe wai māna. Kawea atu he wai māna.' "Ā, ka rongo pea te kōtiro rā, ka haere ki te kawe wai māu, ā, hei reira koe ka whai atu ai i muri, ā, kia tae ki te puna rā, hei reira kōrua noho ai, whaikōrero ai. E kite koe ka whakatika te kotiro rā ki te tiki wai māu, hei muri tata koe ka whakatika ai anō hoki, ka haere ki waho. Me pēnei nā e koe he kupu māu, 'Kei whea rā te pononga turi nei? Tukua atu au ki te kimi i a ia. Kia pēnei rawa ake te upoko, wahia ana i kons. Ā, tae te whakatuturi o te taurekareka nei!' "

Nō tērā pō, i a rātou e moe ana i te whare, ka karanga atu a Ponga ki tētahi wai mōna. Karanga tonu a Ponga ki tana mōkai, ā, tē rongo mai. Ka hōhā ia, ka mea, "Ka hei tāu! Kia pēnei rawa ake koe āpōpō, hei kai koe mā te rango!" Ka takoto anō a Ponga ki te moe, me te ngunguru puku ki a ia anō. Ka rongo te whaea o Puhi-huia ki te tangata rā e karanga nei. Ka oho ake ia ka mea atu ki tana kōtiro, "E kō, he tuturi anō hoki koe, tē rongo koe ki te manuwhiri e karanga kau nei ki tana mōkai. E kore koe e aroha atu ki tana mate, ā, ka haere koe ki te kawe wai māna?" Ka mea atu te kōtiro rā ki tana whaea, "He pōuri te pō. He wehi tōku ki ngā kēhua o te ara." Otirā ka whakatika ia, ka mau ki te tahā, ka puta ki waho.
Nā, e moe ana ia i tētahi pito o te whare, rātou ko ana mātua, a, he kūaha anō tō taua pito o te whare. Ko Ponga e moe ana i tētahi pito ano o taua whare, ā, he kūaha anō tō tērā pito. Puta kau anō te kōtiro rā me te rama kāpara i te ringa, ka whakatika atu anō hoki a Ponga ki runga, ka mea ki ana hoa, "Tukua atu au ki taku mōkai e hoi nei ki a au. Ākuanei ka takahi tana wairua i te ara ki Pae-rau!"

Puta kau atu anō ia, ā, i whai atu ia i te ahi kāpara, me te reo o te wahine rā, e waiata haere ana, kei mataku ia i ngā wairua o te pō.
E tae ana te kōtiro rā ki te puna wai, ehara, e tū tahi atu ana a Ponga i tana tuarā. E utua ana te tahā ki te wai, arā, ka tae tana ringa ka pēhi i te tahā rā ki roto i te wai, ā, ka tahuri noa ake te kōtiro rā, arā, he tangata e tū ana i tana taha.
Ka mea atu ia ki a Ponga, "He aha tāu, i haere mai ai koe?"
Ka mea atu a Ponga, "I haere mai au ki te inu."
Ka mea atu a Puhi-huia, "Ha! I haere mai nei hoki ahau ki te kawe wai māu. He aha koe te noho atu ai i te kāinga, ā, māku e kawe atu he wai māu?" Kātahi ka ki atu te tangata rā, "Ko koe tonu te wai i haere mai ai ahau." Ka rongo te kōtiro rā i aua kupu, ka mahara ia, "Ha, kua hiahia te tangata nei ki a au." Ka noho rāua ka kōrerorero. Āhuareka noa iho ā rāua kōrero ki a rāua. Ka mea a Ponga, "He kainga mātaitai toku kāinga, a Awhi-tū. Tēnā ko tōu kainga he aroha tōna kai." Ka mea te kōtiro rā, "He ika anō rā te kai o tēnei pā. He ika nō te tai-hauāuru, ā, he ika nō te tai-tamawahine. E kite ana tēnei pā i te tini o te mātaitai o hea, o hea."
Anō ko Ponga, "Āe, he tika te kai, he pai te noho o tōu pā. Ko te kore māu, mā tō hinengaro."

Anō ko Puhi-huia, "Āe, kei tōu kāinga pea te tini o te uri ariki."
Ka mea atu a Ponga, "He tika. Hoake tāua ki reira titiro ai."
Ka mea atu te kōtiro rā, "Titiro hoki ki hea? Kua kite nei au i a koe."
Ka mea atu a Ponga, "Ki te rite tāu ki tāku me hoki tāua ki tōku nei kāinga."
Ka mea atu a Puhi-huia, "Kei a koe te whakaaro. Otirā a te rā e hoe ai tātou, māu e unga i ō hoa kia haere ki ō mātou waka ki Onehunga, kia kotikotia ngā herehere o ngā rauawa. Ā, ka tuku ai i tō koutou waka ki waho mānu mai ai. Ā, ka riro tātou te ai he waka hei whai mai i a tāua."
Ā, ka hoki te wahine rāua ki te whare, me te tahā wai anō ki te ringa o te wahine mau atu ai. Ka kī atu a Puhi-huia ki a Ponga, "Hohoro te haere. Ko koe o tāua kia tae wawe ki te whare."
Ka tae a Ponga ki te whare ka ui ki ana hoa, "Kāore anō te wai nei?"
Ka kiia mai, "Kāo."
Ka mea a Ponga, "Taku mōkai tē kitea, kei whea rānei. He ngaro nona i ora ai tana upoko, te pakaru ai i a au."
I a Ponga e kōrero ana ka puta mai a Puhi-huia me te wai.
Ka mea atu te whaea, "Te roa ōu!"
Ka kī atu a Puhi-huia, "He ara tata koia? Ā, he rā e whiti ana?"
Ka kī atu te whaea, "Kawea tō wai mā tō teina, mā Ponga, ka mate i te taringa atu ki a koe."

Ka tae ki te rā e hoki ai te tira rā ki Awhi-tū, ka mea a Ponga ki tana mōkai, "Haere ki ō hoa, ka mea atu i taku kupu. Hei te pō nei ka whakatika, ka haere ki Onehunga. Ka noho, ka tahu kai, ka tatari mai i a mātou. Kia ao ake ana te rā āpōpō, e tae ki ngā waka o te iwi nei, ka tapatapahi i ngā herehere o ngā rauawa. Kaua te waka kotahi e mahue. Ā, ko tō tātou waka me kawe ki waho mānu mai ai."

Ka tae te mokai rā ki ana hoa, ka rongo rātou. Ka whakatika rātou ka haere ki Onehunga, moe ai ki reira. Ao kau anō te rā kei te mahi i ngā waka, ā, ka rite rawa te kupu ako atu a Ponga ki tana mōkai. Ka rewa tō rātou waka, ka noho mai, ka tatari i a Ponga mā.

Oti kau anō te kai o te ata o te pā rā, ka mea atu a Ponga ki ana hoa, "Ka haere tātou, kia whiti ai tatou i Manukau, kei raru ai tātou i te taniwha i te wā o te pō." He taniwha hoki i te wahapū o Manukau, ko Kai-whare te ingoa, ā, e pau ana te waka i a ia te horo. Koia te kupu a Ponga i whakaaetia ana e ana hoa.

Ka whakatika te ope tamariki nei ka tatua i a rātou mo te haere. Ka hui atu te tangata whenua ki te poroporoaki i a rātou. Ka haere taua tira nei, ka haere mai te nuinga o te pā ki ngā kūaha o te pā, karanga ai, "Haere, haere, haere ki tō kāinga."

Ka whakatika ētahi o ngā tamariki me ngā kōtiro o te tangata whenua ki te pōwhiri i waho o te pā, ā, ka haere hoki a Puhi-huia rātou ko ana hoa. Ka titiro atu te matua tāne o Puhi-huia, ka pā tana karanga ki tana kōtiro, ka mea, "E kō, hoki mai, hoki mai. Nā te wairangi tēnā tū haere ki tawhiti. Ka kiia koe e te tira rā, he tūtūā."

I rongo anō pea te kōtiro rā i te reo o tana matua, ā, me aha hoki. Kua takoto rā tana hiahia. Kīhai ia i hoki mai. Ka torere tonu ia ki te haere, ka rere āmanu rā hoki, he kawanga nō tana ngākau ki te whai i tana whai--ipo.

Ka kite mai ngā hoa o Ponga i te haere o te kōtiro nei, he takakino te haere, he whai mai i a rātou. Ka mea atu a Ponga ki ana hoa, "E, he aha tēnei? He aituā pea, inā hoki te tino o te kaka-pounamu o te pā nei e whai mai nei i a tātou." Ka tae noa anō te wahine rā ki a Ponga mā, haere tonu atu ia, tū ana i te taha o Ponga. Me te manu e kakapa ana te manawa o te kōhine rā i te whainga mai i a ia. Ka kī atu ia, "Kia tere te haere, kia tae wawe atu ai tātou ki te waka." Te tino haerenga o rātou, koia anō me te huruhuru manu e rere ana i te hau, me te weka ka motu i te māhanga. Kua kitea e te tangata whenua kua riro a Puhi-huia i te tira rā. Kātahi te mano o te pā nei ka oho, ka oma a ia, a ia, ki tana patu, ki tana patu. Ka whai rātou i tō rātou kotiro. Haere te tāne, haere te wahine, haere te tamariki. Na te ururua koa o te ara, a, nā te tini o rātou, hinga noa ētahi i ētahi. Ā, tae rawa atu a mua o taua whai nei ka titiro ki te one i Onehunga, kua eke a Ponga mā ki tō rātou waka. Ka titiro ake te tira tamariki nei ki te kaiwhai i a rāou, te tino maunga ki te hoe, te tino pounga ki te wai. Anā, me te pere e rere ana tō rātou waka. Ka kite te iwi rā ka riro tō rātou puhi, kātahi ka rere ki ō rātou waka, ka to ki te wai. Tēnā e pā te karanga a te kaihautū, "Turuki, turuki! Paneke, paneke!" Ā, te tino kumenga a te kaitō, kua motu ngā herehere o ngā rauawa. Te tino maunutanga o ngā rauawa, te tino kōkiritanga ki mua o ngā kaitō, te tino papahorotanga o te iwi e tō rā, pūranga ana i te whenua. He tangata i takoto whāroro ka pēhia iho a runga ōna e tētahi. Ko te tamariki ka tāia ki tawhiti noa atu. Ko te wahine takoto tangi ana.

Ko te nuinga i pēhia e ngā rauawa, ko te upoko i whara, ko te ringa i pēhia. Maranga rakuraku ai ētahi i ngā upoko. Ko ētahi kīhai i whara ka karanga atu ki te iwi o te waka e hoe rā, ka mea, "Haere, haere, tēnā au te whai atu nā. He rā ka whiti, he rā ka tō, tēnā rawa au." Heoti anō, ka pahure te iwi rā, ka hoki ora atu ki tōna kāinga, me tana taonga nui e haere tahi atu ana i a ia. Heoi anō ko te iwi i uta rā, raruraru kau noa iho i te kore waka māna hei whai i te tira tamariki nei.

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