Hetaraka Tautahi

Ngā Rauru



Of Tauranga-a-ika near Watotara. According to S. Percy Smith, Hetaraka Tautahi was about 70 when this was dictated; he was "quite blind, but [still retained] all his faculties."

    Non-fiction

  • "Ko ‘Aotea’ Waka: Te Haerenga Mai A Turi Ki Aotea-Roa Nei/The ‘Aotea’ Canoe: The Migration Of Turi To Aotea-Roa (New Zealand)." Dictated by Hetaraka Tautahi, assisted by Werahiko Taipuhi. English trans. and annotated by S. Percy Smith. Journal of the Polynesian Society 9.36 (Dec. 1900): 200-210 (Māori Text): 211-233 (English translation).
  • S. Percy Smith writes that after T. Tarakawa’s visit to the Nga-Rauru tribe and discussion concerning Smith’s research on the East Polynesian origins of the Māori, Nga-Rauru decided to present their version of the "Aotea" story and Tautahi dictated this text to Smith in November 1900. In this detailed account of Aotea’s journey to New Zealand Tautahi discusses the origins of humankind in Te Paparoa-i-Hawaiki, recounts the exploits of Turi and Kewa and their battles with Uenuku, and Turi’s migration to Aotearoa. Details are provided of the Aotea crew, the embarkation of the Kurahaupo crew after their canoe was destroyed, the names of the major and minor gods, the mana, whatu, and tipuna protecting the Aotea, the texts of the tribe’s awa or karakia for securing safe travel by sea, the landing of the canoe between Kawhia and Aotea, the planting of the karaka seed and settlement around Patea as well as a list of the tribal whare-wananga from the time of Turi to Tautahi’s parents’ generation and whakapapa from Turi. At the conclusion is an Appendix containing a translated and abbreviated account by Wiremu Kauika entitled "The Finding of Te Awhio-Rangi Axe" which was originally published in Te Korimako 71 (1888).