Legend of Te Mata Peak
In the village of Pakipaki there lived a chief, his daughter (Hinerakau) and his tribe. They were very happy until they meet a giant of a man. His name was Te Mata O Rongokako. Te Mata O Rongokako lived on the other side of the mountain in waimarama. Almost everyday Te Mata O Rongokako would climb the mountain and set fire to the whare and stole their food and even challenged the strong men in the village to fight him. Days later the chief was sick of Te Mata O Rongokako stealing their food and setting fire to there whare but the chief had a plan. He gathered all of the village to the meeting place and announced “Everyone I have a PLAN!!!! I will send my BEAUTIFUL daughter Hinerakau to fall in love with him. Hinerakau did not really want to go she was frightened of the giant but she respected her father's wishes and went with her father to Waimarama. When The chief and Hinerakau arrived at Waimarama she saw Te Mata O Rongokako she immediately fell in love with him and he fell in love with her. Te Mata O Rongokako loved Hinerakau so much he wished to marry her but… The people of the tribe were still angry for what Te Mata O Rongokako had done they had not forgiven what he had done the chief listened to the people and said to the giant if you want to marry my daughter you have to go through a series of tasks and the last task is the hardest. Te Mata O Rongokako thought for awhile but he loved Hinerakau so much he said “OK i’ll do it.” Te Mata O Rongokako had finished all the task but the last task so the chief said “So for your last task you must bite a path way through the hills so we can go and see Hinerakau when ever we wish so Te Mata O Rongokako jumped onto the top with his long legs and bit a mighty bite but something terrible happened a huge rock got stuck in his throat Te Mata O Rongokako swallowed and swallowed but he couldn't he just fell onto the mountain then Hinerakau was so upset she went to get a knife and climbed to the top of the mountain and killed herself you can still see Te Mata O Rongokako on top of the Te mata peak lying where he died
So that is the story of Te mata peak.
