POUTINI WAIKAIKI
Poutini is the name of the taniwha swimming up and down the West Coast of the South Island
protecting both the people and the spiritual essence or mauri of pounamu. Poutini guards the
mauri within the treasured stone. The mana or spiritual force of pounamu comes from Ngahue
an atua.
Poutini was a taniwha, a giant water being. He was guardian for Ngahue, the atua of pounamu.
The only being that Poutini feared was another taniwha named Whatipu, the guardian for
Hinehoaka, the atua of hoaka, sandstone. Grinding with sandstone 'knives' was the only way
the tupuna could cut the tough pounamu stone.
Once, when Poutini was being pursued in the oceans by Whatipu, he took refuge in a shady
corner of a bay at TUHUA (Mayor Island). It was early morning. Lying quietly in the still
morning water, Poutini saw a beautiful woman coming down to the water's edge to bathe. Her
name was Waitaiki. He watched as she removed her clothes and slipped into the sea. He
lusted after her.
Disregarding the danger of being discovered by his enemy, Whatipu, he slipped through the
waters of the bay and with a swirl of water - and not a sound - he caught Waitaiki and fled with
her across the sea towards the mainland.
Meanwhile, back at Tuhua, Waitaiki's husband, Tamaahua, woke and called to his wife. No
answering call came and, disturbed, he went looking for her. He found her clothes at the
water's edge and knew that some dreadful fate had befallen her. Distraught, he went to his
tuahu (place of ritual) and sought to discover her fate by the powers of karakia (incantation)
and divination. He used a tekateka to gain the knowledge he sought. A tekateka is a small,
dart like spear. He hurled it in the air and it hung there quivering and pointing to the mainland
in the direction taken by Poutini and his beautiful captive, Waitaiki. rushing to his canoe,
Tamaahua paddled off in pursuit.
Poutini had stopped at TAHANGA on the Coromandel Peninsula and lit a fire on the beach to
warm Waitaiki. Then he fled across the land to WHANGAMATA on the western shore of Lake
Taupo where he lit another fire for Waitaiki. Meanwhile, Tamaahua landed on the beach at
Tahanga and discovered the fire, but the ashes were cold. Using his tekateka again to divine
Tamaahua found his beautiful wife Waitaiki. She was lying in her final bed, all grey-green and
smooth - ,nanga stone. He began to tangi for her and for himself at his loss. When his tangi
was complete he looked around him and named two hills, TOHUA after his island home, and
another TAMAAHUA after himself. He then began the long return journey whence he had
come.
Ever since those ancient times, when the winter snows melt in spring and the waters tumble
down the wild Arahura gorges, pieces of pounamu are broken off the great body of Waitaiki
and make their way down the riverbed. These are the uri, children, of Waitaiki, the mother lode
of the stone and the parent of the mauri that lies within pounamu.
the direction of his quarry, he took off in pursuit, eventually arriving at Whangamata. He
discovered the remains of the second fire and, again resorting to use of his tekateka, travelled
on in pursuit of Poutini and Waitaiki, still ignorant of what had happened or who was involved.
The chase went on - fires and tekateka at every pause. RANGITOTO or D'Urville Island, to
WHANGAMOA in the hills above Whakatu (Nelson) and to ONETAHUA or Farewell Spit. Then
down the western coast of the South Island to PAHUA near Punakaiki and on past
Mawheranui, past Taramakau and ARAHURA, right to Mahitahi where the tupuna when
travelling south left the land and took to the sea using canoes. As he crossed the mouth of the
Arahura River, Tamaahua noticed the water was not as cold as the water of other rivers he
had been crossing, but he was too hot in pursuit to waste time - the tekateka was drawing him
southwards.
By canoe he paddled south from Mahitahi to TAKIWAI at the mouth of Piopiotahi, Milford
Sound. Here he found the tekateka hovering in the air and pointing back along the route he
had just come. Frustrated and angry, he headed north again following the tekateka. It paused,
waiting for him, at the mouth of the Arahura River, where he had noted the water was warmer
on his journey south. By incantations he knew that his beloved Waitaiki was in distress up the
Arahura River valley. He prepared himself, as a warrior, for battle.
Poutini was indeed hiding in the upper Arahura River, by a stream which flows into the main
river. That stream we call today WAITAIKI. He knew, because he was of the atua, that
Tamaahua was coming up river, prepared to kill him. He knew he had little chance of escape
should he be found, but he did not want to leave his beautiful captive. Deciding that if he
couldn't have her then no-one else would either, he changed her into his own essence –
pounamu - and laid the woman-stone in the bed of the river, just by the junction of the stream
now called Waitaiki with the main river. Then he slipped silently away downstream, right past
the wrathful husband, Tamaahua, striding up intent on destruction. Poutini swam to the coast
and ever since he has cruised its waters as the kaitiaki, guardian spirit, of the land and its
sacred stone.
That is why the coast is known as TE TAI POUTINI,
'the tides of Poutini'.
