Kupe and The First Maori Settlers.


        Here is the story of Kupe and the First Maori Settlers of Aotearoa (New Zealand). It is a story of the voyage of the great waka (canoe), Matawhaorua, and the voyage of its successor Ngä-toki-matawhaorua; journeys across vast dangerous oceans to reach this land of Aotearoa. In the words of this story, we will meet the legendary voyager Kupe and others who sailed with him or after him. Mighty taniwha (dragon-like) and great ariki (great men of descent) had roles to play in this story as well. Finally, I hope to show you how closely this story is connected with the modern New Zealand of today.

        This post was something very different for me. While researching for other Maori stories that are featured on New Zealand postage stamps, I began to realise that there were a number of stories set around the legendary Kupe. I wondered if it might be possible to put these together into a single post, illustrated with postage stamps, while still being respectful to the oral traditions of the Maori People.

        There are a few variations in the stories of Kupe so I have decided where possible to follow the versions and histories recorded by the Northland iwi (tribes), in particular, Te Rarawa, Te Aupöuri and Ngä Puhi. I have also drawn on information and stamps that can be found in other posts on this blog, but I make no apology in repeating myself here if it adds to the story we are considering.

The illustration above - Kupe and his wife Kuramärotini discovering Aotearoa.  
By Paul Lloyd - Flickr: Kupe Group Statue, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15332835.
For other posts on Maori culture visit of Index on Maori Posts.

The Beginning of Things.
         In the beginning, Papatuanuku (Earth Mother - Papa) and Ranginui (Sky Father - Rangi) were once two halves of a single entity. When the gods decided to separate them, several of their many children tried and failed. Eventually, Tane, the Forest God, pressed down against Papa while pressing his feet up against Rangi, in this way parting heaven (Rangi) from the earth (Papa), giving space and light for the people to live. When the children saw the pain they had caused their parents they were horrified at what they had done. But what was done could not be undone. Today Rangi and Papa grieve ceaselessly for each other - hence the rain from the sky, the dew and soft mists that rise from the earth. This was the beginning of things, the beginning of the world as we know it today.
This story was the feature of 2014 Matariki - Papatūānuku and Ranginui.

$1.20 - Tane Separates Rangi (Sky) and Papa (Earth).

       Then came Maui, man/god of great feats. He captured and slowed the sun's race across the sky; he captured and killed Tuna, the giant eel who had eaten his children. 
On one fishing voyage with his older brothers, Maui casts his magic hook, a jawbone of his grandmother, and pulls up Te Ika-a-Māui (The Fish of Māui). Calling for help, he and his brothers strained to haul up what we know today as the North Island of New Zealand.

$1.00 - A carved meeting house panel depicting Maui, his fish hook and Cape Kidnappers are shown on the stamp.
1997 - Millennium Series I - Discoverers.
45c - Maui pulling Te Ika-a-Māui from the depths of the ocean.
1994 - Maori Myths and Legends.


The Fish of Maui.
This story is the theme of the issue 2018 - Maui and the Fish.


Kupe Discovers Aotearoa.
50c Te Moana Nui A Kiwa.
I love this stamp! That wave breaking against the dawn sky makes for a great photograph but when the prow of the wake (canoe) is added, this stamp becomes one of those that must stand out as all-time greats. 

        The scene is Te Moana nui a Kiwa (The Great Ocean of Kiwa), the Māori name for the vast Pacific Ocean – crossed by their Polynesian ancestors who founded settlements in island groups wherever they travelled until they finally came to Aotearoa (New Zealand). Our stamp features the tauihu (decorated prow) of a waka, thrust forward into the Ocean’s mighty waves – a symbol of discovery and adventure, the human need to see beyond the horizon and the spirit that drove Māori forefathers to set out into the unknown.

        Legendary explorer Kupe left his homeland of Hawaiki aboard his waka, Matawhaorua, and travelled in search of the fish of his ancestor, Te-Ika-a-Mäui. He was accompanied by Ngake (or Ngahue) who commanded the waka called Tāwhirirangi. They chased Te Wheke Muturangi (a great octopus) that had been attacking Kupe's people and eating the fish, their food.


$1.30 - Kupe & Te Wheke o Muturangi.
Kupe was a Rangatira (great leader & great fisherman) who lived in Hawaiiki. Surrounding Kupe's settlement was the traditional fishing grounds where Kupe and his tribe caught their fish. When the fish began to disappear, Kupe became aware the Te Wheke o Muturangi / Chief Muturangi's pet Octopus was taking all the fish.
2019 Great Navigator Kupe. 


$1.30 - Kupe sets out to Kill the Octopus.
Kupe cast a spell so that the wheke (octopus) would never be able to dive and hide in the depths of the ocean. Then he set out to kill Te Wheke o Muturangi.
2019 Great Navigator Kupe. 

Aotearoa / New Zealand.
        One day during this voyage, Kupe’s wife, Kuramärotini, saw the Southern Alps (South Island of New Zealand) from a distance. Rather than snow-capped mountains, she thought they were a long white cloud (an indication of land) and exclaimed "He ao! He aotea!, He aotearoa!" (A cloud. A white cloud. A long white cloud!). From this, the name given to this new land was Aotearoa; referring to the "land of the long white cloud" as seen by Kuramärotini. 
        Kupe had found Te-Ika-a-Mäui (the fish of Maui), the fish his ancestor Maui had pulled up out of the ocean long ago. 


Kupe's wife Kuramarotini (some accounts Hine-te-Aparangi)
Kuramarotini sees the snow-capped mountains of New Zealand.
"He ao! He aotea!, He aotearoa!" (A cloud. A white cloud. A long white cloud!).
Aotearoa - The Land of the Long White Cloud - The Southern Alps.

        The word Aotearoa is used alongside New Zealand as the name for the country we live in or maybe more correctly, the group of islands we live on. It is the word used for ‘New Zealand’ when people are speaking Māori but is often used in English conversation too. In the 1835 Declaration of Independence, the term Niu Tireni is used as the name for New Zealand, as it is in the Treaty of Waitangi. Niu Tireni is now rare in speech, while Aotearoa features on our passports and our currency. Aotearoa appeared in a Māori language newspaper as early as 1854, and as Māori had no need for a word for all the islands that now make up our country, it can also be considered a ‘modern word’, even if an old one!

Kupe arrives in the new land of Aotearoa.

        Kupe confronted the octopus, Te Wheke in many places around Aotearoa finally defeating it at the entrance to Totaranui (Queen Charlotte Sound) at Kura Te Au (Troy Channel). This battle has lived on in history and is evident in the distinctly Northern carving style, in particular, Te Rarawa and Ngä Puhi. This is easily recognisable in the smooth round head shape on carvings which, it is said, derives from the head of Te Wheke Muturangi, that so gallantly fought Kupe.
Kupe defeated the octopus, Te Wheke, at the entrance to Totaranui (Queen Charlotte Sound) at Kura Te Au (Troy Channel).

Kupe features in the traditions and place-names of the Cook Strait area (such as the landform near Cape Palliser was known as Kupe's Sail). This landform is shown on this stamp, along with a 'rock-art' style drawing of Kupe and a double canoe of the type used for long sea voyages.

         The taniwha Tuhirangi accompanied Kupe on his voyage of discovery to New Zealand. It was reputed that Kupe placed Tuhirangi in Te Moana-o-Raukawa (Cook Strait) as a guardian. Tuhirangi guided and protected canoes, and was later believed to have reappeared in the form of a well-known dolphin named Pelorus Jack, which accompanied and guided ships through this dangerous stretch of water for a number of years.
2000 - Spirits and Guardians.
(The taniwha - Tuhirangi.)

        Kupe finally returned to the harbour that became known as Hokianga. At this place he turned his son Tuputupu Whenua into a taniwha and threw him into a spring which he called Te Puna o Te Ao Marama, to act as a guardian of this newly discovered land. He then uttered the famous whakatauki from which the harbour gained its name:-  
"Hei könei rä, e Te Puna o Te Ao Marama. Ka hoki nei tënei, e kore e hoki anga nui mai."
"Farewell, Spring of The World of Light. This one is going home and will not return again."


Nukutäwhiti and the Great Waka Ngä Toki Matawhaorua.
        On arrival of Kupe back in Hawaiki, there was a great war raging and Nukutäwhiti asked his grandfather Kupe for the great waka Matawhaorua to take his people away to safety in the new land of Aotearoa. Kupe agreed and Nukutäwhiti asked that the waka be re-fitted to take more people.
Toki pounamu (greenstone tool from Aotearoa).

        Two toki pounamu (greenstone tools from Aotearoa) were used on the waka Matawhaorua to re-fit it for its return journey to Aotearoa. At the completion of the refit, karakia (incantations) were done to release the mana of Kupe from the Matawhaorua and to replace it with the mana of Nukutäwhiti. The waka then became known as the Ngä Toki Matawhaorua (Ngätokimatawhaorua) to recognise the original name and the contribution of ngä toki (greenstone tools) in its re-fit.
        The Ngätokimatawhaorua was made tapu (sacred, restricted) by Kupe and was not able to carry kai (food) and so a sister vessel to accompany it on the journey was found. This was the Mämari, commanded by Rüänui.
        Kupe also gave four great taniwha to Nukutäwhiti and Rüänui to accompany them on their journey to Aotearoa: Puhi Moana Ariki, Rangi Uru Hinga, Araiteuru, Niua.



40c - Polynesian Ocean Double-Hulled Canoe.

Kupe also gave instructions on how to find the Hokianga. 'Lay the bows of the waka to the cloud pillar that lies to the south-west. At nightfall steer towards the star Atua-tahi (Canopus). Hold to the left of Mango-roa (the Milky Way) and at daybreak continue towards the cloud pillar.' 
Kupe instructions were to steer towards the star Atua-tahi (Canopus). Hold to the left of Mango-roa (the Milky Way)

        When the two waka departed, Nukutäwhiti did a karakia to call up Ngaru-nui (large wave) to travel on. The two waka travelled to Aotearoa on Ngaru-nui with the taniwha Puhi Moana Ariki wandering back and forth in front to protect them.



        As a result of the wandering of the taniwha Puhi Moana Ariki across Ngaru-nui and the early warning that he was able to give the waka, Nukutäwhiti gave Puhi the new name of Puhi Te Aewa (Puhi the wanderer). Descendants of Nukutäwhiti took on these names as iwi (tribe) names generations after their arrival in Aotearoa - Ngä Puhi and Te Aewa. Te Aewa, generations later became known by the iwi name of Te Rarawa.
(The arrival of Maori settlers in New Zealand.)
It has been said that after such a long ocean voyage, the people would arrive in an almost starving condition as is depicted on this stamp. Even if they did carry sufficient food the voyage would have still been physically hard for those on board.

The Arrival of the People in Aotearoa.
On their arrival in Hokianga, Nukutäwhiti sent the taniwha Puhi Moana Ariki (Puhi Te Aewa) and Rangi Uru Hinga back to Hawaiki to let Kupe know that they had arrived safely. He then sent Ara-i-te-uru and Niua to the entrance of the Hokianga to protect them. To this day Araiteuru guards the south and Niua guards the north at the mouth of the harbour.
(The taniwha - Araiteuru.)

         Te Araiteuru (Araiteuru/Arai-te-uru) is the famed taniwha represented on this stamp above. Āraiteuru was a female taniwha, believed to have escorted the Māmari canoe on the voyage to New Zealand from Hawaiki.
        She arrived at her new home pregnant, and she gave birth very shortly after her voyage. She had eleven taniwha sons, all of whom turned out to be high-spirited and rather competitive in nature. Her eldest, Waihou, boasted that he could burrow farther than any of the others. Upon hearing his claim, she asked all of her children to go and see the new country in which they lived, burrowing as far as they could. Then they were to return and report what they had seen.  
         Each of her sons made a journey, but not all of them returned to tell the tale. However, on the way, they dug trenches and valleys – creating the many branches of the Hokianga Harbour and surrounding geography as part of their borrowing quests. Waihou burrowed far inland and lashed his tail about to form Lake Ōmāpere. Another, Ōhopa, was angered by a large number of rocks he encountered, his body throwing up the mountains and he came to hate all living things. He terrorised the people near the Panguru Mountains.
        Nukutäwhiti and Rüänui set about building whare wänanga (meeting houses). Rüänui, who built on the north side of the harbour, finished first and was asked by Nukutäwhiti, who was building on the southern shore, to delay the opening until both were complete. Rüänui agreed to this, but by the time Nukutäwhiti was finished all the food that Rüänui had stored up for the opening of his whare had been used up.
        Rüänui then decided to do a powerful karakia (incantation) to lure a tohora (whale) into the harbour for their häkari (feast). Nukutäwhiti took exception to this and recited another powerful karakia to send the whale back out to sea. Rüänui countered this with another karakia and this was again countered by Nukutäwhiti.
        This contest went on for many hours until both ariki (great men of descent) had exhausted all their karakia. From this incident, Hokianga has often been referred to in old whakatauki (proverbs) as "Hokianga Whakapau Karakia" (Hokianga which exhausts incantations).
How does this story link with today?
        The decent from Kupe, Nukutäwhiti and Rüänui are important because they represent a rejection of the "great migration fleet" theory, largely created by Päkehä (European) anthropologists last century. Although Te Rarawa accepts that waka migrated to these shores in groups of two or perhaps three, there is no talk among Te Rarawa kaumätua (elders) about a great migration fleet. The iwi groups are descended largely from individual waka and tüpuna on those waka; ie mana tüpuna and mana tängata (authority and influence of ancestors).
         Powerful ariki, mighty taniwha, potent karakia and internal conflict are all integral parts of traditional Te Rarawa oral history and have become part of the iwi character of today. There is much pride in the abilities and mana of these great ariki who migrated to the Hokianga, their supernatural powers which manifested themselves in potent karakia and the guardian taniwha they brought with them and were able to command.
         The mana that those tüpuna possessed has been handed down to form part of the mana that is Te Rarawa and is remembered with great affection by this iwi.

Ngatokimatawhaorua Rebuilt.
        The waka taua Ngatokimatawhaorua (Ngā Toki) was named after the original and built for the centennial of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi held in 1940. The inspiration for its construction came from Princess Te Puea Hērangi, an influential leader in the Maori King movement, who in 1936 organised the salvage of the hull of the waka Te Winika from the mouth of the Waikato River. Te Puea saw the revival of waka on the river as a way of strengthening her peoples’ (Tainui) long-standing spiritual and worldly ties to the river. The reconstruction of Ngatokimatawhaorua was directed by Pita Heperi (of Te Tai Tokerau) and Piri Poutapu (Waikato).
         The new Ngā Toki can carry 80 paddlers and 55 other passengers. It is the largest canoe in Aotearoa in current use, measuring 35.7 metres long and up to 2 metres wide. It can be viewed in the grounds of the Treaty House at Waitangi. Note that Ngatokimatawhaorua (Ngā Toki) is not a replica of the original Ngatokimatawhaorua. The former canoe was believed to have been a doubled hulled, ocean-going vessel while this modern one is of the traditional single hull Maori design.

Cover carried in the Waka 'Nga Toki Matawhadrua'
In 1973 this waka (war canoe) 'Nga Toki Matawhadrua' was restored and re-launched for the 1974 celebrations. A bag containing mail, including this special cover, was carried on New Zealand Day, 6th Feb 1974. If you look closely you can see it was cancelled in Paihia on the 5th Feb 1974.

We have come to the end of this story following the voyages of some great men. We have met some mighty taniwha who journeyed with these men and helped them along the way. During the tale, I have diverted away to chase a few rabbits before returning again to my story. I enjoyed putting this post together and I hope those who take the time to read it will enjoy it too.

This post is based on the story of Kupe and the First Maori Settlers as told be Hector Matthews on his website below. While I do not claim this to be the only account, it appeared to me to be one of the most complete and readable I could find.
http://www.angelfire.com/me/matthewsfamily/Ngatoki1.html


Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
You can visit their website and On-line Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/