Mokoia
The name of an island in Lake Rotorua, very celebrated in Māori legend. To this island, the residence of her lover, the beautiful Hine-moa swam in the night. Mokoia was at first called Motutapu-a-Tinirau by Ihenga, and afterwards named Mokoia by Ue-nuku-kopako. It was held (on the general partition of the lands) by the chiefs Mataaho and Kawa-arero, as descendants of the discoverer, Tūa-roto-rua.
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References
Sources
- Grey, Sir George. (1855). Polynesian Mythology. Auckland: Brett, p. 96.
- Tregear, Edward. (1891). Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary. Wellington: Government Printer, p. 250.
This article incorporates text from Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary (1891) by Edward Tregear, which is in the public domain.