The Restless Mountain

The Restless Mountains - 7 part series. (Nga maunga tarewarewa. See 30352 for full series)
A series based on Māori mythology. Part 1.

Many years ago there were mountains clustered around the centre of the North Island, Ruapehu the tallest of them all, Ngaruahoe, Tongariro and others, among them Taranaki mountain, Tauhara, and Putauaki, and it is said that these mountains were all male, and the only female was Pihanga who was widely sought after. There was fighting over Pihanga, especially between Tongariro and Taranaki, however Tongariro was the winner and Pihanga accepted Tongariro as her lover, even today Tongariro wraps her in soft clouds of love, there, where she stands beside the township of Turangi. Tongariro drove the other moutains away and gave Taranaki a vicious kick, and today the mark of his foot is still seen on the southern slope of Taranakis peak.

Legend tells us that Tauhara is the son of Taranaki. Patauaki is known as Mt. Edgecumbe, and stands at the edge of the Kaingaroa plains,a hundred miles from his former battle ground

The Lakes near Pihanga and Tongariro show where the Restless Mountains stood, Tauhara and Patuaki left a hole which filled with water became Rotoaira, and where Taranaki uprooted himself became the round lakes, Nga Puna and Tamatea.