Tākitimu

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Great Māori migration waka
Tākitimu
Commander	Tamatea Arikinui
Iwi	Ngāti Ruapani, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki

In several Māori traditions, the Tākitimu was one of the great Māori migration canoes that brought Polynesian migrants to New Zealand from Hawaiki. It was one of the seven canoes in the "Great Fleet hypothesis" proposed by historian Stephenson Percy Smith.

1 Māori Traditions
2 References
3 See also

[edit] Māori Traditions

The Tākitimu appears in many traditions around New Zealand. Most accounts agree that the Tākitimu was a sacred canoe. Many also give the name of the captain as "Tamatea", although in different forms.

[edit] Traditions of the East Coast

[edit] Te Māhia accounts

Accounts from the northern East Coast indicate that the Tākitimu left Hawaiki after two brothers, Ruawharo and Tūpai, took the canoe from their enemies and escaped to New Zealand. The vessel landed on the Māhia Peninsula and the crew dispersed: Ruawharo stayed at Māhia, Puhiariki went to Muriwhenua in present-day Northland, while others moved to Tauranga.

[edit] Ngāti Kahungunu accounts

According to Ngāti Kahungunu, the Tākitimu was captained by Tamatea Arikinui, who landed and settled in the Tauranga area. Some of his descendants gave rise to Ngāti Kahungunu. Others journeyed along the east coast, including two tohungas: Ruawharo, who settled at Te Māhia; and Tūpai, who settled in the Wairarapa. Command of the vessel was given to Tahu Pōtiki, who travelled up the Wairoa River, and later to the South Island, where he became the founding ancestor of Ngāi Tahu.

[edit] Traditions of the Bay of Plenty

The tribes of the Tauranga region refer to the canoe as Takitimu. Some traditions say that the Takitimu was captained by Tamatea, father of Ranginui, the founding ancestor of Ngāti Ranginui. Ngāti Kahungunu recognise this "Tamatea" as the grandson of Tamatea Arikinui, and refer to him as "Tamatea-pokaiwhenua-pokaimoana". However, accounts in Northland and Tauranga do not incidate the existence of more than one "Tamatea" from the Takitimu.

[edit] Traditions of the South Island

South Island traditions indicate that Tamatea explored the western and southern coastlines of the South Island. The Tākitimu is said to have been turned to stone at Murihiku. From there, Tamatea is said to have built another canoe, the Karaerae, to return to the North Island.

[edit] References

Black, Te Awanuiārangi (2006-09-26). Tauranga Moana tribes. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved on 2007-04-05.
Craig, R.D. (1989). Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology. New York: Greenwood Press, 255.
Taonui, Rāwiri (2006-12-21). Canoe traditions. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved on 2007-04-05.
Whaanga, Mere (2006-12-21). Ngāti Kahungunu. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved on 2007-04-05.