He Whiriwhiringa

Selected Readings in Maori

Bruce Biggs

• Publisher: Auckland University Press
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781869401689
• eBook ISBN: 9781775580843
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Poetry
• Index: Literature

This volume combines the Maori texts from "Selected Readings in Maori" (3rd ed 1990) and the English translations of those texts, from "Readings from Maori Literature" (1980). The texts and their English translations are published in parallel on facing pages, for ease of comparison. The Maori texts are drawn from various sources.

1 Ko Paania

Tuiri Tareha

1 KO PAANIA inaaianei he papa koohatu e whaa maaero pea te tawhiti atu ki waho o Hukarere. I kau mai ai te wahine nei ki uta i nga ahiahi, i te toonga o te raa, aa, hei te ata poo, i mua atu i te putanga mai o te raa, i hoki anoo ki tana iwi i te moana. Ko te waahi nohoanga o Paania, inaa haere mai ki uta, ko roto o teetahi puu harakeke, e tipu ai i te taha o te puna wai maaori, i te puutake o te pari o Hukarere, tata atu ana ki te moana. I teetahi ahiahi ka hiainu wai teetahi rangatira e noho paatata ana ki reira, ka haere ki te puna nei me tana tahaa, ki te inu wai. I a ia e inu wai mai ana i tana tahaa, ka kite atu ia i a Paania e noho mai ana i roto i te puu harakeke. Ko tana haerenga atu, ka mauria ki tana whare, ka moe raaua. Otiraa, i te ata poo ka hoki ano a Paania ki tana iwi i te moana. Hei te ahiahi ka hoki mai ano ki uta, ki tana taane.

2 Ka taka te waa, ka whaanau te tamaiti a Paania he taane, maheni tonu, kaahore he huruhuru o te maahunga; tapaia tonutia iho ko Moremore. I teenei waa, ka paa te aawangawanga ki te taane kei riro tana tamaiti i te iwi o te moana. Kaatahi ka haere ki te tohunga ki te ui tikanga e mau ai tana tamaiti raaua ko te whaea.

3 Ka mea te tohunga me tuku a Paania raaua ko te tamaiti kia warea e te moe, ka uta he kai maoka ki runga i a raaua, kia kore ai e hoki ki te moana. Otiraa anoo te raruraru, kaaore pea i pai te taamaoatanga o te kai, inaa hoki anoo a Paania ki tana iwi i te moana, oti atu. Ko te tamaiti i hurihia hei mangoo taniwha; ko aana waahi nohoanga ko Hukarere me Rangatira, kei te ngutuawa o Ahuriri.

4 Ko Paania inaianei, e ai ki te koorero a te hunga mahi ika, inaa purata te moana, ka kitea tonutia iho e takoto taapapa ana, pango tonu nga makawe o te maahunga, aa, ko nga ringaringa matoro mai ana ki uta. E ai ki nga koorero a oo maatou pakeke, he toka ika inaianei. Kei roto i te keekee mauii he raawaru anake nga ika o reira; kei te keekee matau he taamure anake nga ika o reira, kei waenganui o nga kuuhaa he haapuku anake nga ika o reira.

5 He tauranga tapu i te waa i a raatou. Na te Paakehaa kua noa noa iho, kua kore e rite te nui o te ika ki reira me te waa o mua.

1 Paania

Tuiri Tareha

1 TODAY PAANIA is a ledge or reef of rock, lying about four miles beyond Hukarere point. This woman used to swim ashore at sunset and return to her sea people before the break of day. While Paania was on land, she stayed in a clump of flax beside a freshwater spring at the foot of Hukarere cliff, close by the sea. One evening a chief who lived in a nearby paa became thirsty and went for a drink at the spring. As he drank from his calabash, he spied Paania sitting in the middle of the flax bush. There and then he took her to his home, and they became man and wife. But, at dawn Paania returned to her sea folk. In the evening she returned to her husband.

2 Time passed and Paania gave birth to a son, sleek-skinned and with no hair on his head — he was immediately named Baldy. Now, Paania’s husband became concerned lest the people of the sea would take his child. He went to a priest to ask for a way of keeping his child and wife.

3 The priest told him to let the mother and child fall asleep, and then to place cooked food on them so that they would not go back to the sea. But, this plan went wrong — perhaps the food was not properly cooked — for Paania returned to her people in the sea forever. The child, Moremore, became a demon shark that haunted the waters around Hukarere and at Rangatira,1 at the mouth of the river called Ahuriri.

4 Now, according to fishermen Paania can still be seen when the sea is clear, lying face down, her hair still black and her hands stretching out towards the shore. According to our elders, she is now a fish reef. Within the hollow of her left armpit only raawaru may be caught; from her right armpit only snapper, while between her thighs haapuku is the only fish.

5 In our elders’ time, this fishing ground was ritually protected. It has been desecrated by the Pakeha, and fish are not as plentiful as they used to be.

2 Te Kiore me te Kaakaariki

Kaakaariki: E Kio’ e!

Kiore: Oo!

Kaakaariki: Piki ake taaua ki runga.

Kiore: Ko te aha taaua i runga?

Kaakaariki: Ko te kohi pua raakau.

Kiore: He aha te pua raakau?

Kaakaariki: He miro, he kahikatea.

Kiore: No raro nei hoki taaua, e tama ra e-e!

2 The Rat and the Green Gecko

Gecko: Hey, Rat.

Rat: What?

Gecko: Let us climb up above.

Rat: What are we to do up there?

Gecko: Gather the seeds of the trees.

Rat: The seeds of what trees?

Gecko: Of the miro and the kahikatea.

Rat: We belong here below, mate!

3 Ka Kimi a Maaui i oona Maatua

1 KO WAI koutou kaahore anoo kia rongo ki nga koorero mo te tangata nei, mo Maaui, naana nei hoki i here te raa kia aata haere ai, naana anoo hoki i huhuti ake te ika e kiia nei e taatou ko te ika a Maaui? Ko te ahi anoo hoki he mea tiki naana i toona tupuna, i a Mahuika. Na, ko Maaui te tamaiti whakamutunga a Makea-tuutara raaua ko toona hoa wahine, ko Taranga. Tokorima oona tuaakana, aa, kotahi o raatou he wahine. I te whaanautanga o Maaui kiihai i piirangi toona whaea ki a ia. Kaatahi ka whiua e ia tana pootiki ki te moana. Otiraa na nga ngaru o te moana i whakahoki mai ki uta. I a ia e takoto ana i te one, ka kitea e toona tupuna, e Tama-nui-ki-te-rangi, ka haria e ia ki toona whare. Naana i whakatupu te tamaiti nei, aa, naana hoki i ako ki te waiata, ki te haka, ki te whakapapa.

2 Ka pakeke haere a Maaui. Ka tae mai ki a ia te hiahia kia kite i oona tuaakana, i oona maatua hoki. Na toona tupuna i whakaatu ki a ia ko wai oona tuaakana. No reira ka haere ia ki to raatou whare.

3 Ka paatai atu ia, ‘Ko wai to taatou matua, aa, kei hea e noho ana?’

4 Ka kii mai raatou, ‘Aua hoki.’

5 Ka mea atu ia ki a raatou, ‘Maaku e kimi.’

6 Ka kata mai oona tuaakana ki a ia.

7 Te haka nga tuaakana i roto i to raatou whare. I reira ka kite a Maaui i a Taranga. Moohio tonu ia ko toona whaea teenei, engari kaahore te wahine nei i moohio ki a ia. No te tataunga o Taranga i ana tamariki, tokorima kee raatou, kaahore i tokowhaa. Ka tatau mai to raatou whaea i ana tamariki taane, ka mea, ‘Ko Maaui-taha, ko Maaui-roto, ko Maaui-pae, ko Maaui-waho. Ha! No whea to koutou tokorima?’

8 Ka mea atu a Maaui-pootiki, ‘Naau anoo au.’

9 Ka puta mai te kupu a taua wahine, ‘Tokowhaa aaku tamariki. Ehara koe i te tamaiti aaku. Na te tangata kee koe. Haere atu koe i roto i teenei whare!’

10 Ka mea mai a Maaui, ‘Aae, me haere kee atu au. He tamaiti pea au na te tangata kee. Engari ko taku whakaaro, naau anoo au, inaa hoki i whaanau au i te taha o te moana, aa, i whiua atu au e koe ki roto ki te tai. Na nga ngaru ahau i whakahoki mai ki uta. Ka puta mai hoki tooku tupuna, a Tama-nui-ki-te-rangi, ka whaangaia ahau e ia.’

11 Kaatahi toona whaea ka karanga atu ki a Maaui, ‘Ko koe ano taku pootiki. Ko Maaui-tikitiki-a-Taranga.’

12 Ka moe raatou. Te ohonga ake o Maaui i te awatea kua ngaro kee toona whaea. Peenei tonu, ia ra, ia ra. Poo iho anoo ka hoki mai a Taranga, aa, ao ake te ra, ka haere.

13 Ka ui atu anoo a Maaui ki oona tuaakana, ‘Kei whea te waahi i to taatou matua taane, matua wahine?’

14 Ka mea mai raatou, ‘Aua hoki. Ahakoa ko Maaui-taha, ko Maaui-roto, ko Maaui-pae, ko Maaui-waho, kaahore noa iho i te kite.’

15 No teetahi poo kei te purupuru a Maaui i te whatitoka, i te matapihi o to raatou whare, kei puta mai hoki te haeata o te awatea ki roto i te whare. I poo, i poo, aa, ka maarama. Ka rere te raa, ka moorunga noa atu. Kaatahi te wahine ra ka mahara, ‘Ha! he poo kee hoki teenei, inaa hoki te roa.’ Ka mutu, kei te moe anoo.

16 Oho ake anoo ia, ka rongo i te tangi mai o nga manu. Kaatahi ia ka maranga ake. Ka huakina e ia te tatau, ka oma ki waho. Ka maranga ake anoo a Maaui, kei te titiro rawa atu ia. Ka tae a Taranga ki teetahi puu wiiwii, ka tangohia ake e ia. He rua i raro. Te hekenga iho o Taranga ki roto i taua rua, ngaro tonu atu. Ka mea a Maaui ki oona tuaakana e moe ana. ‘E hoa ma, e oho! Kaati te moe! Maranga! Ka waiho tonu taatou hei tini-hangatanga ma to taatou whaea.’

17 Kaatahi a Maaui ka haere ki te ngahere. Toona putanga mai, kua oti ake ia te whakaahua ki te aahua kereruu. Ka haere ia ki te puu wiiwii ra, ka tangohia e ia, ehara, kua ngaro kei roto. Ka roa e rere ana, aa, ka noho ia i teetahi raakau e noho nei he taangata i raro. Ka mahara ia, ‘E! ko aku maatua tonu eenei e noho ake nei.’ Ka tango ia i teetahi hua o taua raakau, ka pangaa iho. Ehara, ka paa tonu ki te rae o toona matua taane.

18 Ka mea teetahi tangata, ‘Na te manu pea.’

19 Ka mea te matua taane o Maaui, ‘Ehara. He mea makere noa iho.’

20 Ka tango anoo taua kereruu ra i te hua raakau. Anaa! paa tonu ki te rae o toona paapaa. Ka tango te tangata ra i te koowhatu hei kuru i a ia. No te roanga kua paa, ka taka ia ki raro.

21 Te whakatikanga a nga taangata ki te tango mai, anana, kua whakatangata taua manu. Ka wehi taua iwi, ka mea, ‘Koia anoo i roa ai te noho i te raakau. Me he manu, kua rere noa atu. Kaahore, he tangata anoo. Ka mea eetahi, ‘He atua, inaa te aahua.’

22 Ka mea atu a Taranga ki a Maaui e tuu ra, ‘No hea koia koe? No te uru?’

23 ‘Kaao.’

24 ‘No te raki?’

25 ‘Kaao.’

26 ‘No te marangai?’

27 ‘Kaao.’

28 ‘No te hau tonga?’

39 ‘Kaao.’

30 ‘No te hau koe e puu mai nei ki taku kiri?’

31 Kaatahi ia ka mea. ‘Aae.’

32 ‘E, ko taku pootiki teenei, ko Maaui-tikitiki-a-Taranga. I takaia ia e au ki roto ki tooku tikitiki, aa, whiua ana e ahau ki roto ki te hukahuka o te tai. Aa, i muri iho ka kitea e toona tupuna, e tama-nui-ki-te-rangi, ka haria ake ki te rangi.’ Aa, peenaa tonu ana kupu me nga kupu i koorero ra a Maaui ki a ia.

3 Maaui Looks For His Parents

1 WHO ARE YOU who have not heard the stories about this man Maaui, who bound the sun so that it might proceed more slowly, and who pulled up the fish we call the Fish of Maaui? And fire, too, i...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction and acknowledgements
• 1 Ko Paania
• 1 Paania
• 2 Te Kiore me te Kaakaariki
• 2 The Rat and the Green Gecko
• 3 Ka Kimi a Maaui i oona Maatua
• 3 Maaui Looks For his Parents
• 4 Te Haerenga ki Roto-rua
• 4 A Journey to Roto-rua
• 5 Ko te Rerenga Wairua
• 5 Spirits’ Leap
• 6 Ko Rona
• 6 Rona
• 7 He Tahaa Wairere!
• 7 A Leaky Calabash!
• 8 Ko te Wheke a Muturangi
• 8 Muturangi’s Octopus
• 9 He Waiata
• 9 Set, oh sun, in the dark abyss
• 10 He Miiti Poaka te Kai
• 10 Pork is the Food
• 11 He Paanui
• 11 Notice
• 12 Ko Moeahu
• 12 Moeahu
• 13 Te Rironga o te Paaua
• 13 The Taking of the Spinner
• 14 Ko Taa-minamina
• 14 Taa-minamina
• 15 Ko te Ngaarara-huarau
• 15 Te Ngaarara-huarau
• 16 Ko Wairaka
• 16 Ascending Wairaka
• 17 Te Koorero o Pootaka-tawhiti
• 17 The Story of Pootaka-tawhiti
• 18 Ko te Moenga a Pare-arohi
• 18 The Marriage of Pare-arohi
• 19 Ko Hine-koorangi
• 19 Hine-koorangi
• 20 Ko Uenuku
• 20 Uenuku
• 21 Ko nga Tamariki Kaahore anoo kia Rima nga Tau
• 21 Children Not Yet Five
• 22 Te Waiata a te Poopoko-rua me te Taatara-kihi
• 22 Song of the Ant and the Cicada
• 23 Te Waeroa Raaua ko te Namu
• 23 The Mosquito and the Sandfly
• 24 Ko te Haerenga mai o Kupe
• 24 Kupe’s Journey from Hawaiki
• 25 Paateriki Kahikura
• 25 Patrick Kahikura
• 26 He Piko he Taniwha
• 26 A Chief at Every Bend
• 27 Ko Hinemoa
• 27 Hinemoa
• 28 Nga Inoi
• 28 Prayers
• 29 He Reta
• 29 A Letter
• 30 Te Tatau-o-te-Poo
• 30 The Door of the Night-World
• 31 Te Hui ki Oo-Maahu
• 31 The Meeting of Oo-Maahu
• 32 Ko te Whetuu-Matarau
• 32 The Many-Pointed Star
• 33 Te Taainga Ngutu
• 33 Lip Tattooing
• 34 He Reta
• 34 A Letter
• 35 Ko te Ara Taawhao
• 35 The Driftwood Path
• 36 Te Mahi Ahu-whenua
• 36 Farming
• 37 He Waiata
• 37 An action song
• 38 Ko te Amuamu te Tino Rongoa
• 38 Protest is the Best Remedy
• 39 Nga Ture mo nga Whenua Maaori
• 39 Maori Land Laws
• 40 Te Kaareti o Waerenga-a-Hika
• 40 Waerenga-a-Hika College
• 41 Te Riipoata-a-Tau a te Poari Kaitiaki Maaori o Tainui
• 41 The First Annual Report of the Tainui Maori Trust Board
• 42 Te Poowhiri a Te Arawa
• 42 The Welcome of Te Arawa
• 43 Ko to Taatau Aahua Inaianei
• 43 Our Present Situation
• 44 Ko nga Hoa kei te Ngaro
• 44 Absent Comrades
• 45 Te Mahi Rapu Whare
• 45 In Search of a House
• 46 Ko Wairangi
• 46 Wairangi, An Ancestor of Ngaati Raukawa
• 47 Te Atua Raaua ko Hinga-mairangi
• 47 Te Atua and Hinga-mairangi
• Footnotes
• Back Cover