Page:Maori Religion and Mythology.djvu/89

CH. vi. As he was eating the food Kahu exclaimed "Ha! ha! food sent from the sky, food of Aotea-roa. Why that land of yours is Hawaiki. Food falling into your mouth."

"Yes, yes," said Ihenga, "first kindle the oven. When it is heated you fetch the food from that sea in baskets full."

Then said Kahu "Ah! that land is a land for you, and for your wife, and for your offspring."

"Let us all go there," said Ihenga. To which Kahu consented.

Then Ihenga said, "Let the mana of that land go to you. You are the Ariki of that land—you and your offspring."

"Yes," replied Kahu. "Since you, my Ariki, are so great a gentleman as to bid the younger brother's son dwell on that land of yours. Yes—I consent that we all go."

Then the food brought by Hinetekakara was portioned among the whole tribe.

Ten days afterwards they left Maketu, twenty in number, ten of the rank of chiefs, and ten men to carry food. When they reached the small lake, discovered by Ihenga, he said to Kahu "You are the Ariki of this lake." Hence the song of Taipari—

Thence they went on to Ohou-kaka, so named by Kahu from a parrot-feather hou-kaka, which he took