Rarotonga Legend Nunu and Nana On top of the mountain Te Kou, in Rarotonga, there is a pool of water. A long time ago this pool had two guardians called Tongaiti and Rangatira who claimed ownership of the pool and fishes. Inside the pool were two fishes called Nunu and Nana the guardians of the water. Every day Tongaiti and Rangatira went down the mountain to Takuvaine Valley to gather food but before they set out Rangatira told the two fishes to tell anyone who visited that the pool belonged to the guardians of the pool and at the end of the day they would return. One day while Tongaiti and Rangatira were away gathering food, Toutika of the Kainuku tribe climbed to the top of the mountain through Ngatangiia Valley. On reaching the top of the mountain he saw the pool and admired it greatly. As he drew nearer to the pool he saw the two fishes inside and asked them who they were. Both replied that they were Nunu and Nana whose guardians were Rangatira and Tongaiti, their master and mistress and the owners. Toutika wanted the pool for himself and claimed ownership by planting a cat-tail plant in the pool. Then he threatened to kill the fishes if they ever disobeyed him whenever he should call "Nunu and Nana, uproot the cat-tail." When they did this the water would flow down through the Ngatangiia Valley. When the two guardians returned they were shocked to see Toutika and became angry when they saw the cat-tail plant in the pool. They had a fierce argument over the ownership of the pool, each saying that they owned it. Toutika challenged both Rangatira and Tongaiti to prove that it was their pool. So the guardians pointed to the fishes, Nunu and Nana in the pool and challenged Toutika. Toutika pointed to the cat-tail plant in the pool and he asked them for further proof. I E KO KO! So with a shout, both Rangatira and Tongaiti called out, "Nunu and Nana, let the water flow." Three times they said this and three times nothing happened. Then Toutika walked confidently up to the pool and shouted, "Nunu and Nana, uproot the plant." When they did this the water fell, cascading down Ngatangiia Valley while Rangatira ran around the pool crying and trying to scoop the water up into her skirt and throw it back into the Takuvaine Valley. However, she was not successful and sat down and wept. Since then, and to this day, the Avant stream still flows from the top of Te Kou and is the longest running stream in Rarotonga.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 05:51:55 +0000
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