Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

Plant-related notes

Kupe and Ngake came to Te Kawakawa [Cape Palliser]. "This name was given by Kupe from the circumstance that one of his daughters here made a wreath of kawakawa leaves, and the name has ever since remained in memory of it." (p. 124)

" When they arrived at Te Rimu-rapa [Sinclair's Head] they proceeded to catch pauas (Haliotis), shell fish, besides other fish, and there dried them as sea-stores for their voyage. Then they procured the large sea-weed, and prepared them as recepticles for these sea-stores, so that they should not be spoiled by damp. Hence was that place named Rimu-rapa [sea-weed flattened; the bull-kelp is still used for bags for preserving birds, especially mutton birds]." (p. 125)

"Kupe paddled up the Whanganui river to see if any people lived there; he went as far as Kau-arapawa, so called by him because his servant tried to swim the river there to obtain some korau, or wild cabbage, and was drowned, for the river was in flood. So Pawa was drowned, and his name was applied to that place." (p. 128)

A footnote records: " My informant [Te Matorohanga] tells me that kelp was used for carrying fresh-water on their voyages. It was turned inside out by aid of sticks, and formed waterproof bags of considerable size in which the water was carried. At night time these bags were trailed overboard with a stone attached, which thus made the water deliciously cool, an important point in the tropics."

In another footnote, Smith notes: "The karaka-oturu, is described to me, as like the ordinary karaka (Coryno-carpus lævigata), but with smaller leaves and berries and fewer of them, with a low growth. There are some trees of the some species growing at Nuhaka, Hawkes Bay, the seed of which is said to have been brought here by the ‘Kura-haupo’ canoe, under Whatonga. If this karaka at Patea bore a few fruit on the west side of the tree it denoted a lean year—if on the east or inland side it meant a prolific year for all cultivated foods. The Rev. T. G. Hammond, who knows Patea and its history better than any man, does not recognise this tree. It is also related of Turi, who commanded the ‘Aotea’ canoe, and who settled down at Patea, that he brought the karaka tree with him, which he obtained, according to my idea, at Rangi-tahua, on Sunday Island."

[Sunday Island is Raoul Island in the Kermadec Island group. Corynocarpus laevigatus is native to New Zealand. Ed.]