Hatupatu

Say it: HAH-too-pah-too

The youngest brother, underestimated by his own family, who got the better of a creature far stronger than him. Hatupatu is what quick thinking can do when strength has already failed.

Te Kāwai (Line of descent)

Te Kore → Te ira tangata → Hatupatu

Te Kōrero (the story)

Teased and left behind by his older brothers, Hatupatu was caught by the bird-woman Kurangaituku and kept in her cave, watching over her flocks of birds and lizards while she was away. He waited for his moment, then killed her prized birds one by one and ran. She gave chase, closing the distance fast, and just as she was about to catch him a great rock split open on the roadside near Ātiamuri and let him hide inside before sealing shut again. Kurangaituku ran on past, lost him, and eventually died in the boiling mud near Rotorua. The rock still stands today, exactly where it opened for him.

Te Whakapapa (the genealogy)

Of the Te Arawa line, the younger brother who proved himself away from his whānau; held captive by, and finally outwitting, the tipua Kurangaituku.

Ngā Mana (domains and influence)

Cunning under pressureEscape and survivalRocks and land that shelter peopleProving yourself against low expectations

Kei Kōnei Rātou (they are present here)

A hiding place that turns up exactly when you need it.
Getting out of a bad situation through wit rather than force.
Being underestimated by people who should know better.
A roadside rock or landmark with a story attached to it.

Ngā Huarahi Hono (ways to connect)

Passing Hatupatu's rock, or any storied landmark

Slow down and acknowledge it, even briefly, rather than driving straight past.

You are cornered or out of options

Look for the quiet way out before the loud one. He never fought Kurangaituku head-on.

Someone underestimates you

Let the result speak instead of the argument.

A Common Misunderstanding

This profile holds one telling of Hatupatu. Pūrākau and whakapapa can differ between iwi and whānau, so it should not be read as the only account.

Ngā Uara (values)

Quick-witted

A quality carried in the kōrero of Hatupatu.

Patient

A quality carried in the kōrero of Hatupatu.

Underestimated

A quality carried in the kōrero of Hatupatu.

Resourceful

A quality carried in the kōrero of Hatupatu.

Ngā Pūrākau (the traditional stories)

Told in full, the way they would be shared out loud. Versions differ between iwi (tribe), hapū (sub-tribe) and whānau (family).

Te teina i mahue — the younger brother left behind

Why Hatupatu's brothers left him behind, and what that says about how families decide who counts.

About 4 min read

Te hopukanga a Kurangaituku — caught by the bird-woman

How Hatupatu came to live in Kurangaituku's cave, tending her birds while she was away.

About 4 min read

Te kōhatu o Hatupatu — the escape and the rock that opened

How Hatupatu got free of Kurangaituku, and the rock near Ātiamuri that still marks where he hid.

About 4 min read

Te māramatanga me te pono — cleverness under fear, honesty at home

What Hatupatu's story says about the difference between outwitting a threat and being honest with your own people.

About 4 min read