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Rotorua’s famous romance, based on a true story of forbidden love between a high ranking young maiden and Tutanekai - illegitimately born of an illicit affair. Mokoia Island is historical location of their union and is still cherished and celebrated today.
Hinemoa and Tutanekai beside the pool of warm water Waikimhia,
now also known as Hinemoa's Pool.
40c - Hinemoa. The Original Promotional Image.
The Movie.
Hinemoa (1914) was the first feature film made in New Zealand. Filmed in just eight days on a shoestring budget, it was directed by George Tarr and starred Hera Tawhai Rogers as Hinemoa and Rua Tawhai as Tūtānekai. The film was shot in Rotorua in eight days with a budget of £50 ($100). There are no remaining prints of the movie, but this promotional image has survived.
The Location - Lake Rotorua.
Lake Rotorua is the second largest lake in the North Island of New Zealand by surface area, and covers 79.8 km2. With a mean depth of only 10 metres it is considerably smaller than nearby Lake Tarawera in terms of volume of water. It is located in the Bay of Plenty region. The city of Rotorua is sited on its southern shore, and the town of Ngongotaha is at the western edge of the lake.The lake was formed from the crater of a large volcano in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Its last major eruption was about 240,000 years ago. After the eruption, the magma chamber underneath the volcano collapsed. The circular depression left behind is the Rotorua Caldera, which is the site of the lake.
Mokoia Island, close to the centre of the lake, is a rhyolite dome. It is probably New Zealand's best-known lake island, and is closely associated with one of the best-known Māori legends, that of Hinemoa and Tutanekai. Is said that Hinemoa swam across the lake to her lover Tutanekai who lived on Mokoia Island.
$2.40 - Lake Rotorua.
The distance Mokoia Island seen from Owhata.
This is the distance Hinemoa had to swim. You can see how at night
that island would be impossible to see.
The legend of Hinemoa and Tutanekai.
At one time there lived a
beautiful and high ranking young maiden by the name of Hinemoa, the daughter of
a very influential chief at the time. They lived at Owhata on the eastern
shores of Lake Rotorua. Because of her high rank, Hinemoa was declared
puhi (tapu or sacred). A husband would be chosen for her when she reached
maturity by the elders in her hapu (subtribe) and her family. Many people came
from far and wide to seek the hand of Hinemoa whose beauty and grace were well
known. However none of the suitors gained the approval of the tribe.
On Mokoia Island in the centre
of Lake Rotorua lived a family of several brothers. Tutanekai was the youngest
of them. Their mother had had an illicit affair with Tuwharetoa who hailed from
another tribe and of their union had Tutanekai been born. Her husband, however
agreed to take her back and to raise Tutanekai as his own son.
Each of the elder brothers had
declared their love for Hinemoa and set out to win her hand. None of them won
approval from Hinemoa's people.
There were in those times many
meetings to discuss matters of state regarding the tribe, and at these meetings
many young chiefs saw Hinemoa and fell in love with her. Such was the fate of
Tutanekai who knew because of his lowly birth would never win approval from
Hinemoa's people. Tutanekai was extremely handsome and excelled at the games of
the time which Maori used to develop co-ordination and skills for battle.
They were played at gatherings
such as this. It was Tutanekai's prowess at these games and his good looks
which caught Hinemoa's eye. She fell in love with Tutanekai also and at each
subsequent tribal meeting they would fall more deeply for one another. They
were able only to convey their feelings through furtive glances on longing and
never once had the opportunity to speak with one another.
It was such a sad state of
affairs, as neither could see any way their love would ever be requited.
Tutanekai would sit on the shores of Mokoia Island and
play sad music on his flute. The music would waft, on still evenings, across
the lake to where Hinemoa sat aching also with passion. She was filled with sadness
and knew she could never marry anyone but Tutanekai. Her people began to
suspect this was the case, and in order to prevent her sneaking away to her
secret love, they pulled all the canoes high up on to the shore, so they were too
heavy for her to move alone.
Night after night she listened
to the strains of music, made by her would be lover across the waters until her heart was overcome with sadness
and she knew she could take no more. It was then she decided, if she could not
use a canoe, she would have to swim. The next night, she told her people she
was going to watch the evening entertainment, but in fact she headed for the
lakefront, after collecting six calabashes from the cooking house.
 |
| Hinemoa clings to a stump known as Hinewhata during her legendary swim to Mokoia Island to meet her beloved, Tūtānekai. This stump was placed in Lake Rotorua as a symbol of the mana (authority) held by her father Umukaria over the area. Penguin Group (NZ) Ltd Reference: Peter Gossage, Hinemoa and Tutanekai. Auckland, Raupo Publishing, 2002. Artwork by Peter Gossage. |
She rested at the rock Iri iri
kapua (which can still be seen at Owhata) while she made the calabashes into
primitive style waterwings.
Casting off her clothes, she slipped in to the
water at a beach called Wairerewai and swam for Mokoia. It was of course very
dark, so she was reliant upon the strains of the flute played by her sweetheart
Tutanekai. She rested at a large stump in the lake briefly (now known as Hinewhata), then carried onward,
guided by the music. She finally made it to Mokoia Island, but she had become
so cold during her swim, she headed straight for the hot pool Waikimihia (also known as Hinemoa's Pool), near
Tutanekai's house.
Once she had warmed herself,
Hinemoa became conscious she was naked and was too shy to approach Tutanekai's
house without clothes. It so happened at this time Tutanekai became thirsty, so
he sent his slave down to fetch a calabash of water. The slave had to pass
quite close to where Hinemoa sat warming herself. As he passed the pool, a
gruff voice called out to him 'Mo wai te wai?' (For whom is the water?).
The slave answered; Mo
Tutanekai' (For Tutanekai) 'give it to me' demanded Hinemoa, and as soon as the
slave did so she smashed the calabash on the side of the pool. When the slave
returned to Tutanekai and told him what had happened, Tutanekai made him go
again. Again Hinemoa challenged the slave and once again smashed the calabash.
This time Tutanekai became
angry and decided to go down to the pool himself. He dressed himself, and took
his mere (greenstone
weapon) and headed for the pool. Once there, he challenged whoever was in the
pool to show themselves. No one moved. Hinemoa had moved under a hanging rock
which provided some protection for her naked body. She stayed as still as a
mouse. Then, Tutanekai felt around the edge of the rock and came to where
Hinemoa hid. He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her clear.
'Who are you?' he cried. 'Who
dares annoy me!
She answered, 'It is I, Hinemoa, who has come to you'.
Tutanekai couldn't believe his ears. And when she stepped out of the water, he
was sure he had never seen such a beautiful woman. Tutanekai took off his cloak
and wrapped it about Hinemoa and they returned to his house to sleep.
The next morning the people of
the village (pa) rose to prepare the morning meal and remarked that this day
Tutanekai was sleeping late. He always rose first. After a while, his father
began to think him ill so sent a slave to check on him. The slave went to
Tutanekai's whare (house) and as he peeked in saw four feet instead of two
poking out from beneath the covers. The slave ran back to report this to his
master and was sent back to investigate further. It was then he recognised
Hinemoa. Such was his surprise, he began to call out 'It is Hinemoa. It is
Hinemoa who lies with Tutanekai'.
The brothers would not believe
the slave, and nor did any other, but in the commotion, Tutanekai indeed
stepped from his house with Hinemoa on his arm. It was then, the people noticed
canoes heading toward the island, and knowing it would be Hinemoa's family,
they feared war and anticipated Hinemoa would be taken from Tutanekai forever.
 |
| The couple are shown here embracing on the waharoa (gateway) at the model pā in Rotorua. |
One of the qualities the Maori people admire, is bravery. When Hinemoa's father realised is daughter had swum to the island in the dark, a feat most brave men wouldn't even attempt in daylight, he realised how brave she was and how strong her love was for Tutanekai. He therefore agreed for her to remain with him and there was much rejoicing between the two tribes, and lasting peace was forged between them.
There is a popular Maori Love Song inspired by this story.
It is often sung for many occasions and included in the concerts performed for visitors and tourists.
Maori Verse 1
|
English Verse 1
|
Pokarekare ana
|
They are stirred
|
Nga wai o Rotorua
|
The waters of Lake
Rotorua
|
Whiti atu koe hine
|
Cross over to me
girl
|
Marino ana e
|
For now they are
calm
|
Chorus
|
Chorus
|
E hine e
|
Oh girl
|
Hoki mai ra
|
Return to me
|
Ka mate ahau
|
Or else I will die
|
I te aroha e
|
Because of my love
for you
|
Verse 2
|
Verse 2
|
Tuhi tuhi taku reta
|
I have written my
letter
|
Tuku atu taku ringi
|
I have sent you my
ring
|
Kia kite tou iwi
|
So that your people
can see
|
Raru raru ana e
|
That I am troubled
|
Chorus
|
Chorus
|
E hine e
|
Oh girl
|
Hoki mai ra
|
Return to me
|
Ka mate ahau
|
Or else I will die
|
I te aroha e
|
Because of my love
for you
|
Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
You can visit their web site and On-line Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/
Well done Allan.
ReplyDeleteYou have covered a number of aspects of this courageous and inspirational story.
Moa
Thank you, Moa.
DeleteWhen I do a post like this I can break away from just talking about stamps and do something different.
Just telling the story would have been fine but digging a bit deeper I was rewarded with much more.
Allan.
I am pleased you said that. I observe your changing realisation that things in Maoridom often run deeper than they first appear. My people have deep memories of the long time past. This is a more recent story but others go back to the beginnings of things. I see your understanding of this in your writing.
DeleteI do not know if you got all this from somewhere or wrote it yourself. To me that is of little importance. What is important is that you selected these words yourself, to appear before me, your reader. That is what speaks to me of both your spirit and heart.
1) You captured the status of Hinemoa as a Princess of a powerful iwi while Tutanekai was of lowly birth from a illicit affair. The role and status of a person was valued by my people. Sadly, today much of that has been broken.
2) You captured her father's desire to marry his daughter well, not just for the mana of the tribe, but from love for his own daughter too. Isn't that what most men want for their daughters.
3) Finally in that ending, below the entrance way photo, you say her father recognised her bravery and courage. Qualities that run strong and are upheld among my people too.
Again, thank you for presenting my people in a positive and respective manner.
Moa (I prefer not to give my name online.)
Wow! Thank you so much for that Moa,
DeleteYou say so much about this poor pakeha boy trying to understand.
My only goal is to present these Maori stories to my readers in a way both Maori and Pakeha will be comfortable with.
One question:- Is Hinemoa really a Princess? I feel maybe that is not the correct title.
Thanks again.
Allan
Good evening Allan,
DeleteWe seem to be exchanging a lot. I have your email and will use it but personally feel these discussions are better left open for your readers. In this way others might learn more of the ways of my people.
Ah! You got me. No she should not be called a Princess. That is a Pākehā term and conceit. I know Hinemoa is often known as a Princess but this is mainly for the tourist and should not concern us. A woman of rank, born of a high family, holds great respect and mana within an iwi. This is partly from her birth parents but mostly from how she conducts herself.
You could place me in a similar position. The daughter of a higher chief, a well known leader of our people. On occasions I sit beside my father, replacing our late mother. At other times I sit at the back of the room, my right to speak lower than any man. It is the way of my people, set deep within our ancient traditions.
Moa
Interesting reply.
DeleteI sort of thought it was something like that.
Allan
You told that story well Allan. Hinemoa is a classic love story in any culture.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the discussions you are having with Moa. I believe you are more than this poor pakeha boy trying to understand. I think you might have began like that but with an open mind to things Maori you learning fast.
I have also found an index to all you posts on Maori. I intend to go exploring when I get time.
Rangi Mari
I've always known a version of this story as I think it is embedded in popular New Zealand culture. In your post, it was good to see the Maori side of this story.
ReplyDeleteThat song is famous too but I've never seen it translated into English before.
I've learned something here which proves the success of your blog, Allan.
Rita.