Title: Hinemoa and Tutanekai
The story, briefly:
Tutanekai was a handsome young warrior who lived on an
island in a lake. (Rotorua)
Hinemoa was a legendary beauty living on the mainland
with her father, a great warrior who adored her. None of the surrounding
chiefs were good enough when they made their suite.
The couple saw each other at tribal gatherings, and
fell in love, even though they had no opportunity to speak to each
other. When an opportunity to talk they declared their love and made
plans for Hinemoa to come to the Island in a canoe on a moonless night.
Tutanekai would play his flute to give her the direction.
The father suspected something and had the canoes
drawn up each night, which were to heavy for her to pull down. She
decided to swim to the island with the help of some dried gourds. It was
a long cold night and when she got there she found a hot pool to warm
her up again. She found Tutanekai and later her father relented,
realizing how his brave daughter had suffered for the love of her
warrior.
