How to lay a Hangi

Tangaroa and the Taniwha

On the dark night, it was gloomy and it was cold. There was a big flash of lightning above the wakas, the moana was cold.The Maori had left Hawaiki in their waka in search of the land.

Suddenly from far below the sea rose a ginormous Taniwha. The Taniwha had scary yellow eyes, a moko on his face and a long pointy tail. The monstrous Taniwha ate three waka.

Hearing the sound of destruction brought Tangaroa to the surface to see what was happening.  Tangaroa was the god of the sea. He had a big moko on his face and he had long hair. He had a muscular body and held on tightly to a patu.

Tangaroa was angry and whacked the Tangaroa “What are you doing in my moana?”. Tangaroa again whacked angrily his razor sharp patu into the taniwha’s enormous flesh. The taniwha screamed out in agony “Stop!” The wretched taniwha squirted whero blood into the ocean. The ocean looked like a dark red sea. The taniwha lay in three pieces.

Over many years the three pieces of the taniwha turned into the islands of Aotearoa, and thanks to Tangaroa it is safe for the Maori to walk on the sand and fish.

Patu

The Waka

Waka

“Ka mate, ka mate”, is bellowed tremendously loudly from the rowing warriors. Holding tightly onto the oars they feel cold. The tough, tattooed warriors are hard working. They look like will never give up rowing the waka.The warriors open the their eyes and poke out their tongue.

The waka is like a sharp knife cutting the water. The oars go in the inky black water, the front of the waka there is a koruru. We are ready to fight. 

Powhiri Process