Page:Maori Religion and Mythology.djvu/90

76 from the hair of his head, and stuck in the ground to become a taniwha or spirit monster for that place. When they reached the place where their canoes had been left they launched two, a small sacred canoe for Kahu, and a large canoe for the others. Then they embarked, and as they paddled along coming near a certain beach, Kahu threw off his clothes, and leaped ashore, naked. His two grandsons, Tama-ihu-toroa and Uenuku, laughed and shouted "Ho! ho! see, there go Kahu's legs." So the place was named Kuwha-rua-o-Kahu. In this way they proceeded, giving names to places not before named, till they reached Lake Rotorua. They landed at Tuara-hiwi-roa, and remained there several nights, and built a whata, or food-store raised on posts; so that place was named Te Whata.

Then going on by way of the Hot Springs, they arrived at Te Pera-o-tangaroa, and Wai-o-hiro, the stream where Tu-o-rotorua formerly dwelt. Next they came to Ngongotaha, which Kahu named Parawai, after his garden at Maketu.

After they had dwelt two whole years at Parawai Kahu determined to visit his nephew Taramainuku. Taramainuku and Warenga, the elder brothers of Ihenga, had abandoned the land at Moehau. The former had gone to the Wairoa at Kaipara, and the latter to the Kawakawa at the Bay of Islands, and had settled there. So Kahu set out with his son-in-law Ihenga, and his son Tawaki, and some travelling companions. He left behind at Parawai his daughter Hine-te-kakara, and her son Tama-ihu-toroa. He also left Uenuku, the son of Tawaki, and his wife, Waka-oti-rangi, to keep possession of Parawai as a permanent abode for them.