"Aotea"

This was another vessel of the fleet that arrived here about twenty generations ago. The crew settled in the Taranaki district, and their descendants are among the Taranaki Ruanui, and Rauru Tribes, with others of the Whanga-nui district. This canoe is said to have called at Rangitahua (Sunday Island, in the Kermadec Group). It is probable that other voyagers called there, and that it has been occupied in past times. Sling-stones, and stone adzes of Polynesian form, have been found there. The Rarotonga natives knew of its existence, and its Maori name, Rangi-tahua. An account of "Aotea" and her voyage to these shores was published in vol. 9 of the Journal of the Polynesian Society, in which occur some brief notes of a former voyage or migration from a place called Te Paparoa i Hawaiki, which looks like a descriptive name. During that voyage the following islands were visited: Whanga-paraoa, Tutuhira (Tutuila, Samoan Group), Rarohenga (Olosenga), Kuparu (Upolu), Wawau-atea (?Vavau, Society Group), and Maiteka (Maite'a, east of Tahiti).

Turi, commander of the "Aotea," is remembered by the natives of Tahiti, and also by those of Mangaia. The latter say that he returned to Tahiti from New Zealand, calling at Mangaia on his way.

Tradition states that seeds of the karaka tree (Corynocarpus laerigatus) were brought from Rangi-tahua, or Sunday Island, to New Zealand on "Aotea." This tree is found at Sunday Island, also in New Zealand, but whether it was indigenous at the latter place cannot now be proved. It is certainly not found here growing as a forest-tree, but only at or near places occupied or formerly occupied by natives.

One tradition states that "Aotea" was decked and had a house amidships. According to the Rev. T. G. Hammond, our best authority on "Aotea" traditions, this vessel was an outrigger canoe, not a double canoe. She may have had some form of awning or small cabin. As to a deck, all these vessels had a deck or floor fixed just page 403below the level of the top of the hull, below the side boards, such as we see in the larger Maori craft, but they were not decked over as are our boats. Partial decking at the bow and stern ends is a well-known Polynesian usage, but the middle part of the hull is in such cases left open. Elevated platforms are occasionally alluded to as decks.

The "Aotea" canoe is supposed to have sailed from Raiatea Island (known to the Maori as Rangiatea) for New Zealand, and the natives of that isle say that, though its commander, Turi, never returned there, his spirit did so, and used to trouble them much. Curiously enough, the Maori of this land say that nothing is or was known of the death of Turi, and that his spirit is supposed to have returned to Polynesia.

In connection with the subject of Polynesian knowledge of Maori traditions, we may note that the Ngati-Kuia Tribe, of the Pelorus district, has preserved a tradition that the "Kura-hau-po" canoe, of which Whatonga was chief, was originally known as "Tarai-po." In vol. 19 of the Polynesian Journal is mentioned a Rarotongan tradition that "Tarai-po" was the name given to a canoe built by the brothers of Atonga (Maori, Whatonga).

The traditions of the vessels named "Kura-hau-po," "Te Ririno," and "Te Karaerae" are confusing, as they are said in some versions to have arrived at New Zealand at about the same time as "Taki-tumu," while in others they reach these shores some two hundred years or more before that time. As such vessels could not survive for such a period, it is possible that the old names were reapplied to vessels constructed at the later period.

Turi, the commander of "Aotea," is shown in the accompanying table to have been a descendant of Toi, leader of the first party of Polynesians to settle in New Zealand. "Aotea" is sometimes styled "Aotea-roa," and is said to have been named after this land of Aotea-roa, or New Zealand. This vessel was left at Aotea Harbour, her crew proceeding by land to Taranaki, where they settled among a folk of mixed aboriginal and Polynesian descent.

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