KIA HIWA RA!

E NGA WAKA, NAU MAI HAERE MAI - KI AOTEAROA! 

And then finally they arrived in their dozens and their hundreds upon the whenua tapu of Aotearoa. Surely the fortunate and the bravest of all those who had departed their ancient now destroyed homeland of Hawaiki. As each waka made landfall they commemorated those whose lives had been lost along the arduous and perilous way and gave thanks for the gift of a wondrous new home.

But powerful Kereru of the flame and Takahe of the ocean docked close together in the favoured land of Te Tai Tokerau. It was expected that they would battle for the right to claim guardianship over the mighty North. And over ensuing weeks they made plans to do so until scouts returned to the Ariki of both waka bearing disturbing news.

Far to the South in colder lands Kakapo the great waka of the earth people had made a solemn pact with Tui, the followers of the Air. A grand alliance to work together, to forge a strong new civilisation in a strange new land. Tuituia had spies in the far North who whispered of contentions between the two rival houses of Kererunui and Takahenuirangi.

But upon hearing news of the Southern Compact, the Red and Blue Houses united creating a grand alliance of their own. And thus war was averted, the spies of Tui were chased from the Northern lands and Half of the House of War departed for the unsettled lands of the East whilst the other half remained with their new friends of the House of Water.

Meanwhile far to the South Kakapo and Tui held many hui to decide which way they would go. They had many fears about whether their island crops would grow in this new much colder land as well as the need to not spread their numbers to thin over the vast amount of territory they now claimed. And as always they kept a weather eye on their two dangerous cousins in the far distant North and East.

And so the first chapter of the generations of Maori Explorers upon Aotearoa was written.