Wairaka – The Woman who was Turned to Stone

This is one version of the legend relating to the prominent rock off the coast between Hongoeka and Pukerua Bay.

Long ago, a powerful chief and tohunga called Haunui-a-nanaia came to Aotearoa and beached his great ocean-going waka in Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi, the Bay of Plenty.

Hau was middle-aged but his wife, Wairaka, was both young and attractive. Wairaka was enticed from the care of Hau by a rascal named Weku who made off with her to the south. Hau flew into a dreadful rage and set out to follow and deal severely with this wife-stealer, and the unfaithful Wairaka.

He hurried right across the island and, footsore and weary, reached the west coast of Te Ika-a-Māui, the North Island. At the first river he came to, Hau saw a great flood of water spreading over the beach and called it Whanganui (which means the wide harbour). Splashing his way through this, he found he could kick the water right across to the next river which was murky and so he named it Whangaehu (turbid stretch of water).

Once through this river, Hau stood on the bank and saw the shining water of yet another river. He thought, “If I were to fell a tree right here, I could cross that river,” so he named it Turakina (to throw down).

The next river was a considerable distance away and was given the name Tīkei (the action of the legs in stretching out while walking). Now we know it as Rangitīkei.

When Hau reached the next obstacle, also a river, he found it rather wide and feared he might be unable to ford it. He became a little depressed, so Manawatū (the depressed spirit) is now the name of that river.

Further down the coast a stiff wind whistled in his ears so he called the beach Hokio (whistling wind).

Ōhau, he named for himself to celebrate the visit of such a famous chief and tohunga.

When he reached the next river he pushed his staff into the ground and so this river he called Ōtaki (from taki, to stick in).

Worried about not finding Wairaka, Hau strengthened himself by repeating karakia. The name Waimeha (from meha meha, to make sacred) was given to the stream near Waikanae.

Renewed in spirit and now confident of success, he cast his eyes this way and that looking for the lovers, but they were nowhere to be seen, although he did see mullet in the river. He called the river Waikanae (to stare about, and kanae, mullet).

Hurrying on, Hau soon came to a mass of rock blocking his way, so summoning up his magic, he blew a large hole right through it. This rock he named Te Ana-o-Hau (Hau’s Cave).

Passing through the hole in the rock, Hau became excited, because he could hear whispering and knew the runaway lovers were nearby. Round the next corner he came upon Wairaka in Weku’s arms by a fire in a cave.

Hau, in his mad rage changed Weku into a bird (a weka) and picking up a log from the fire threw it at him, singeing his back feathers.  All wekas now have brown speckled plumage. They also have a reputation for taking other people’s belongings.

Meanwhile Wairaka stood and wept in terror. She was afraid of her husband. Hau called to his wife, “Wairaka, fetch me some pāua.” Wairaka followed his command and waded into the sea up to her knees she went, but Hau told her to go further and still further until the water reached her waist. Hau ordered her further out, and then he repeated powerful karakia, full of magic, until Wairaka was turned to stone.

She stands there to this day, known as Wairaka Rock, waiting patiently for someone powerful enough to come along and undo her husband’s evil work.

Today three of the roads in Pukerua Bay are named after this mythical pursuit of the errant Wairaka by her husband Hau: Haunui Road, Weku Road and Wairaka Road.

Samuel Brees called Wairaka Rock “Gibraltar Rock” in his 1847 publication ‘Pictorial Illustrations of New Zealand’ and for decades the name Gibraltar Rock appeared on naval charts.