Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

pp 233-234. The canoe nearly foundered on voyage. Goods fell overboard but Whaka-oti-rangi dived for and saved the basket of kūmara. Hence the saying among Tainui "Te roki-roki o Whaka-oti-rangi". "The little basket of kūmara of Whaka-oti-rangi which planted a seed, produced the stock of kūmara for the descendents down to this day"

p. 234. Voyagers threw their "kuras", headdresses of brilliant red feathers overboard because they saw the rātā tree in bloom (December - pohutukawa). "Their appearance is like wood in some respects, but the form is just like the tāwhara-kiekie flower bracts which men eat".

p. 244 Reference to Turourou and his group arriving at Maketu from Mōtiti Island. "We"re going inland for some knots of tāwhara" Long green leaves were gathered up round the flower to protect it in carrying and tied in a knot (pona).

p.250 "On my (P. Smith) asking where he supposed Mahina, the finder of the Kuras came from seeing that he was in the country before the arrival of the Arawa canoe, he replies "About Mahina, his ancestors came to this country on board Te Ara-tawhao, the canoe of Toi-kairakau; you must understand that canoe came here in very ancient days. Toi's food was eaten raw, such as mamaku (heart of tree-fern), pikipiko (young fern shoots) and nīkau (palm tree); he did not possess fire; hence his name Toi-kairakau (the wood eater)"