Tarawhata

One of the chiefs of the Mangarara canoe, in which reptiles and insects were brought to New Zealand. Other chiefs were Wheketoro, Te-wai-o-po-tango, and Te-rau-a-riki-ao. When they came near Toka-roa, Tarawhata and his dog Mohorangi were thrown overboard. The dog struggled and made the sea rough, and the canoe upset, and drifted on shore at Pare-whero (red plume), where the canoe turned into stone.

References

Source

  • White, John. (1887). Ancient History of the Maori. 6 vols. Wellington: G. Didsbury, Government Printer, p. 2:189,