How to lay a Hangi

Tangaroa and the Taniwha

The day was very dreary and also very stormy. “Splash” big waves crashed against each other. The wind was very powerful. The sky was filled with That dark cloud. The Maori had left Hawaiki in their wakas in search of a new land.

Suddenly from the bottom of the ocean rose a bad taniwha. The taniwha looked like a green sea dragon, had scary eyes and a big scary face. The terrible taniwha ate some of the wakas.

Hearing the sound of destruction brought Tangaroa to the surface to see what was happening. Tangaroa was the god of the sea. Tangaroa was a strong god and had a moko on his face. He had long hair and was a giant. He was a sea warrior, he was muscular and he was fearless. Tangaroa held his taiaha in his strong hands.    

Tangaroa whacked angrily and shouted “what are you doing in my moana?”. Tangaroa again whacked angrily his razor sharp patu into the taniwha’s enormous flesh. The taniwha growled out in agony “Arghhh’’. The taniwha was bleeding so much that the ocean turned red and all the wakas were whero. The ocean looked like a sea full of blood. The taniwha lay in three pieces.      

And over time the three pieces of the taniwha became the three islands of New Zealand

Wahaika

Waka

Splash! the oars quickly submerge. The warriors look very strong and fierce. The warriors are energetic and powerful and ferocious. The warriors shout “tahi ,rua ,toru ,wha”. Some of us have tattooed arms and some warriors have tattooed faces. We are ready for war.

The waka’s bow is like a knife. The waka has red lines that represent blood. The waka is very long and big like a taniwha.

        

Powhiri Process