Last week we have had the pleasure of hosting Te Kura o Hirangi from Tūrangi below Pihanga maunga. Ngati Tūwharetoa are directed descendants to Ngatoroirangi.

To celebrate our first kura a iwi exchange we spent the day at Rapaki doing a bit of whakawhanaungatanga and sharing our stories of the area. On Thursday, Te Puna Karikari also joined Te Kura o Hirangi on a haerenga ki Whakatakaka o Te Ngarehu o Ahi Tamatea, which means the falling of the embers of the fire of Tamatea. They enjoyed a hikoi up Conical Hill and also a dip in the Hanmer Pools.

A bit about Te Kura o Hirangi…

Te Kura o Hirangi is based in Turangi below Pihanga maunga. It was one of the first kura to establish Ngā Kura ā Iwi. They are Māori medium special character kura whereby their special character pertains to Ngā Tapuwae o Ngatoroirangi. The tumuaki (Henarata Ham) is the sister to Wayne Ngata (Mātaiao) and the lovely Linda from Ngā Hau e Whā marae.

Ngatoroirangi is the tohunga who travelled on Te Arawa waka to Aotearoa. Ngāti Tūwharetoa are directed descendants to Ngatoroirangi. When Ngatoroirangi reached Taupō he climbed Tauhara maunga to get a better view of the landscape. He threw a totara into the large crater knowing that if it landed correctly then the crater would be filled with forest but if it landed upside down then the crater would fill with water. This is what Ngāti Tūwharetoa believes this is how Taupō moana was created. Ngatoroirangi laid some feathers from his korowai into the lake and this is how koura and inananga were released into the waters. He tried for tuna but these didn’t survive - hence the lake does not have tuna to this date. When he looked further he saw Tongariro maunga…

When Ngatoroirangi climbed Tongariro maunga he became frozen due to the snow. He called out to his sisters Kuiwai and Haungaroa in Hawaiki to send him fire to help him. His sisters sent Te Hoata and Te Pupu to help him. Each time they popped up is indicated by the trail of geysers and geothermal activity that exists today. It is a direct line from White Island to Tongariro.

At Rapaki, Tamatea climbed what is now known as Te Poho o Tamatea. When he reached the top he called out to Ngatoroirangi to send him fire to keep warm. Once again, Te Hoata and Te Pupu travelled in response to this call. Obvious hot spots such as those found in Hanmer Springs were created. There still remain warm water spots at Rapaki beach as well.

The Tau 9 & 10 uri from Te Kura Hirangi will be going to Rapaki to walk in the footsteps of the kōrero pertaining to Ngatoroirangi.