page 415

List of Canoes that Reached New Zealand from the Pacific
Isles, as Preserved in Maori Tradition

"Aotea"; "Aotea-roa": Probably the same vessel. Crew settled on west coast of North Island.
"Arai-te-uru": Crew settled in South Island.
"Aratauwhaiti": Said to have been one of the earliest vessels to reach New Zealand.
"Arawa, Te": Crew settled in Bay of Plenty.
"Horouta": Descendants of crew on east coast and in Bay of Plenty.
"Houama, Te": One of Nuku's fleet. Returned to Polynesia.
"Kahutara": One of three vessels in which ancestors of Mouriuri aborigines came.
"Karaerae, Te": Said to have landed at Waipiro.
"Kurahaupo": The vessel of Whatonga, whose descendants occupied the Wellington district.
"Mahuhu": Descendants of crew in North Auckland district.
"Mamari": Descendants of crew in North Auckland district.
"Mapouriki."
"Matahorua": The vessel of Kupe. Returned to Polynesia.
"Matatua": Descendants of crew in Bay of Plenty and far North.
"Nukutere": Crew landed at Waiaua. Descendants in Opotiki district.
"Okoki": Vessel of Mouriuri aborigines.
"Oturereao": Crew settled at Ohiwa.
"Paepae ki Rarotonga": Said to be the canoe of Toi.
"Puketea-wainui": Vessel of Ruaeo. Crew settled in Bay of Plenty.
"Rangiahua."
"Rangi-matoru, Te": Crew settled at Ohiwa.
"Ririno, Te."
"Taikoria": Canoe of Mouriuri aborigines.
"Tainui": Crew settled at Kawhia, &c.
"Takitumu": Crew settled on east coast of North Island and of South Island.
"Tangi-apakura": A double canoe. One of Nuku's fleet. Returned to Polynesia.
"Tawiri-rangi": The vessel of Ngahue, companion of Kupe. Returned to Polynesia.
"Tokomaru": The vessel of Manaia. Crew settled on Taranaki coast.
"Tuwhenua," or "Waka-tuwhenua": Its proper name said to be
"Moe-te-kakara," or "Te Riu-kakara."
"Waimate": A double canoe. One of Nuku's fleet. Returned to Polynesia.

page 416

In addition to the above list there are many other names of vessels that are said to have reached these shores in past times, but about which little is known, in many cases the name only being preserved. It is quite possible that some of these craft were mere visitors that returned whence they came, manned by adventurous voyagers listing to the lure of the sea and the desire to look upon strange lands. There is much evidence to show that many such voyages were made by Polynesians athwart the Pacific area in former times. We are told in Maori tradition that two voyagers named Maku and Nuku so visited this land, only to return to Polynesia; and elsewhere in these pages the return voyages of Tama-ahua, Tumoana, and Rongo-kako are mentioned.

Tradition states that two vessels named "Punga-a-rangi" and "Whatu-ranganuku" reached this land, but another account has it that these two, as also another called "Whatu-purangi," remained at Rarotonga. In some cases confusion has arisen, as in the cases of "Te Ririno" and "Kura-hau-po." The former is said by some to have reached New Zealand, but another version is that it was lost at sea. One tradition states that the vessel of Toi was "Te Paepae ki Rarotonga," a canoe that is known to the natives of Rarotonga, according to Colonel Gudgeon. The Bay of Plenty natives tell us that a vessel of this name came to land at Tara-o-Muturangi, near Matata. It was under a chief named Waitaha-ariki-kore, and it arrived before "Matatua." (See Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, vol. 37, p. 127.) The confusion as to time of arrival also exists in the case of "Kura-hau-po."