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This
is the story of our mountain. |
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Long
ago in the forests of Hautere there stood three mountains.
The chief, Otanewainuku, the lovely Puwhenua, and the nameless
one. |
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The
nameless one was in love with Puwhenua, but she was in love
with the mighty Otanewainuku. He had captured her heart with
his tall majestic trees. The nameless one was heartbroken.
He decided to drown himself in the sea. |
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He
asked the Patuparaihe (bush fairies) to drag him down to the
sea to drown. One night they tied ropes around him and dragged
him from the forest. His tears left rivers behind him, and
channels formed where he was dragged. |
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As
he was dragged nearer to the sea the sky began to lighten.
Then with a great jump up leapt Te Ra the sun. The Patu dropped
their ropes and fled back to the darkness of the forest. Before
they left the gave him a name. Mauao - caught by the dawn. |
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Many
years later when people came to live here they gave him another
sacred name. Maunganui (big mountain) To this day he proudly
guards the entrance to our beautiful harbour and watches over
his people. No longer nameless, forever proud. |
