Hatupatu & The Bird-Woman
An imposing waharoa (gateway) stands tall at the entrance of the Te Ara Ahi Hemo Gorge trail. The carvings on this waharoa depict the story of Te Arawa ancestor Hatupatu and his encounter with Kurangaituku, the fearsome bird-woman. It tells the tale of Hatupatu dodging and jumping over the hot springs of Whakarewarewa to escape Kurangaituku. After Hatupatu lept a geyser, Kurangaituku attempted to do the same in order to capture Hatupatu. The geyser however threw itself at Kurangaituku and took her down into the boiling waters under the earth. Hatupatu watched the geyser bubbling and heaving but Kurangaituku never appeared again.
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