Chapter 4 6 recap
- 1. Summary of what we have read so far!
- 2. Chapters 4 – 6. Nanny Flowers gave permission for Kahu to be named after Kahutia Te Rangi, despite Koro Apirana’s objections. Rehua, Kahu’s mother, died three months after giving birth, and requested that her daughter be named Kahu, to link her to her father’s tribe. She also asked that Kahu’s birth cord be buried on Porourangi, Kahu’s father’s, marae. Rawiri and Nanny Flowers buried the birth cord near the carving of Kahutia Te Rangi. Nanny Flowers wanted to raise Kahu, but Porourangi and Koro Apirana over-ruled her, and Rehua’s mother took Kahu away to her tribe. “Never mind, boy,” she said to Porourangi. “Kahu’s pito (birth cord) is here. No matter where she may go, she will always return. She will never be lost to us.”
- 3. ‘Our ancestor was Kahutia Te Rangi who travelled here on the back of a whale. This is why our meeting house has a carving of Kahutia Te Rangi on a whale at the apex. It announces our pride in our ancestor and acknowledges his importance to us.’
- 4. The story of Kahutia Te Rangi, and the history of Whangara. Kahutia Te Rangi landed just outside the village where this story takes place. In light of his amazing journey on the back of a whale, he was given another name. Paikea. Four generations after Paikea (Kahutia Te Rangi) was born a great leader, Porourangi, for whom Kahu’s father is named. He founded the Ngati Porou tribe on the east coast of New Zealand. His younger brother, Tahu Potiki, founded the main South Island tribe, Ngai Tahu. ‘Many centuries later, the chieftainship was passed to Koro Apirana and, from him, to my brother Porourangi. Then Porourangi had a daughter whom he named Kahu.’
- 5. Ngati Porou Ngai Tahu Main South Island tribe East Coast tribe.
- 6. Rawiri, the narrator and Kahu’s uncle, considers himself Kahu’s guardian. ‘We were Kahu’s guardians; whenever I was near the place of her pito, I would feel a little tug on my motorbike jacket and a voice saying, “Hey Uncle Rawiri, don’t forget me.” Porourangi bought Kahu back to Whangara for a holiday, and because he missed his daughter. Kahu falls in love with her great- grandfather, but he will still have nothing to do with her. ‘It was surprising how much Kahu and Koro resembled each other. The only difference was that she loved him but he didn’t love her.’ “Never mind, Kahu,” Nanny Flowers crooned. “He’ll come around.” The trouble was, though, he never did.”
- 7. One day, when Koro Apirana was explaining to the men about his days of training to be a chief, he told the story of how his teacher had told him to bite his toe. During the story, we learn that Kahu has crept into the meeting and she bites Koro’s big toe. “I don’t know what’s so funny,” Nanny Flowers said sarcastically, “Kahu could have gotten poisoned. But good on her to take a bite at the old man. Pity she doesn’t have any teeth.” Koro Apirana, however, was not so amused and now I understand why.’