King Potatau by Pei Te Hurinui

Author:Pei Te Hurinui
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Huia (NZ) Ltd

Behold! (pointing, etc.)

These, I now present unto Waikato! (pause)

Again they are returned unto me: (pause)

Do ye all now hearken unto me! (pause)

Behold! (pointing, etc.)

All these I now present unto Te Wherowhero!

With him they remain! They remain!

I retire!

As Te Wherowhero arose and strode across the marae to receive the gift of Ngāwaero and her people, Ngāwaero—who had dismounted and now stood at her father’s side—moved over and awaited her husband alongside the wooden vessel and the calabashes of huahua. Te Wherowhero greeted his wife with the hongi (touching of noses). Then he turned to face the assemblage and made the formal presentation of the gift to the chiefs and tribes. At the conclusion of his presentation he smilingly turned to his happy wife and asked her to repeat her song. Her eyes were brimming with tears of joy as she threw her head back and started her song of joy and triumph. This time Ngāwaero joined in the pūkana (posture dance), a glistening greenstone mere which Te Wherowhero had passed her quivering in one hand. Her liquid brown eyes shone brightly as her beautiful young body swung and swayed, and her waving hands moved in time to the rhythm of her song in which the whole of her party joined. All the pent-up pride of her race entered into the half-alluring and haughty turn of her aristocratic head. It was indeed a great day for Te Wherowhero’s young wife Ngāwaero.

NOTES ON CHAPTER 10

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