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Koro & Moko Fishing,

Part two:

The naming of para te hoata

eel basket.png

From their vantage point on the lake Koro points to where the cave of Tūnohopū is.  The cave is now covered over with vegetation and barely visible. Koro relates the story of Tūnohopū, who lost his son Taioperua - taken by Tūwharetoa when Tūnohopū and his family took refuge in the cave.

Koro and his mokopuna row further south around the promontory of kawaha. They gaze upon the sleepy village of Ōhinemutu.  Seeing the steam rising in the distance, Moko asks why there is so much steam. Koro tells her that when Ngātoroirangi was climbing Tongariro he became so cold he thought that he was dying.  He called to his sisters to bring him fire to warm him up. His sisters sent two deities,

 

Te Hoata and Pūpū back to Aotearoa carrying baskets of fire to warm up their brother. On the way there the fire fell out of their baskets creating the geothermal belt from Hawaiki to Tongariro. However, some of Te Hoata’s fire fell in Ōhinemutu and mixed with the cold water of Parawhenuamea, (Goddess of Cold Water)  creating the vast amount of steam that rises daily in the village.

 

The land where this phenomenon takes place within the village of Ōhinemutu was then named Para Te Hoata to commemorate this.

Koro then closes his eyes and recites the chant:   

 

“E Para (Parawhenuamea) E;  Titoko o te ao mārama, 

Tukua au kia puta ki tāwhangawhanganui nō Rangi, nō Papa

He āio, tū atu te makariri!  Hara mai te werawera,

Hika rā taku ahi ki a Kautetetu,

hHika rā taku ahi ki a Te Pupu,

Hika rā taku ahi ki a Te Hoata,

Ki a Te Moremore-o-te-rangi e”

The clouds are disappearing from the head of Moerangi. So, to take advantage of the weather, Moerangi, Koro rows further out towards the middle of the lake. The sun is shining, the fish are biting, the mokopuna is basking in the warmth of the sun and Mokoia Island is looming ever closer.

Moko asks her koro if they could land on the island, as they have done so often before, and bathe in Waikimihia, Hinemoa’s Pool.

A story as told by Norma Sturley

Qualities: identity, wellbeing

More to watch:

Learn about Parawhenuamea here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsw-33jf_JQ

More to read:

https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/15013/waikimihia-hinemoas-bath

http://www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Ngataroirangi-and-the-Coming-of-Fire.pdf

More to listen to:

Hear a waiata about Ngātoroirangi and his sisters here:

https://teara.govt.nz/en/music/6733/te-hoata-and-te-pupu-bring-fire

This entry is related to these other entries:

Koro & Moko Fishing, Part One; Koro & Moko Fishing, Part Three; Koro & Moko Fishing, Part Four

Sources:

https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/

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