Story: Te Whakatōhea
The first carving tells the story of Tarawa, who sailed with his brother Tāwharanui from Hawaiki. They brought two pet tānahanaha fish and released them in a small spring close by. The spring became known as Ōpōtiki-mai-tawhiti, ‘two pets from afar’, and the name of Ōpōtiki township recalls the event. The carving also shows the two voyaging canoes, Te Arautauta and Te Tohorā.
About this item
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Shirley Williams
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