PŪRĀKAU | LEGEND STORY - POUTINI WAITAIKI

The oral tradition of Māori legend has contributed a range of Pounamu creation myths and many different regions have their own, unique interpretations of how the stone first came into this world. One such myth tells of a Taniwha named Poutini, a mystical being who guards the mauri (the life force) within the treasured stone.

The story starts with Poutini discovering a beautiful woman, Waitaiki, bathing in the sea off Tūhua. Consumed by desire, he snatched Waitaiki up, claimed her as his wife and fled to the South Island. Waitaiki already had a husband however – a powerful chief named Tamaahua. Distressed at the loss of his wife Tamaahua threw a magic dart into the air. The dart pointed in the direction Poutini went, and the vengeful chief took up his pursuit of the Taniwha.

The chase continued down Aotearoa until Poutini took sanctuary on the West Coast of the South Island. Fearing the power of his pursuer, and realising that the mighty chief would never rest until he found his wife, Poutini decided on a dramatic course of action – one he hoped would forever keep his love close to him.

With Tamaahua camped close by, the Taniwha transformed Waitaiki into his essence and slipped her lifeless body into the river. He then snuck past the sleeping chief and made his escape into the night.

When Tamaahua awoke the next morning he found his wife turned to cold green stone in the riverbed. He let out a powerful tangi – a mighty song of grief. Legend has it that travellers in the region still hear the echo of this tangi through the mountains to this day.