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Hatupatu and Kurangaituku

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The legend of Hatupatu and the bird women Kurangaituku.

After arriving from Hawaiki, the Te Arawa hero Hatupatu settled on Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua. While out exploring one day hunting for birds in the Atiamuri,  Whakamaru area. Hatupatu was captured by Kurangaituku the bird women a mythical creature. Her plan was to eat Hatupatu when he had fatten up. Hatupatu escaped and the bird women chased him. He ran through the bush and hid in a rock (on the side of state highway 1 just after Atiamuri). He continued on trying to escape from the bird women. He came to Whakarewarewa and jumped over the boiling hot mud pools and Kurangaituku fell in it. 

Over the past few years our tamariki at  BestStart Lynmore have heard the story and have watched the animated version of Hatupatu on Youtube. This has passed down to our younger tamariki when they start in whare Taonga room. Our children love to reenact this play and learning of our local history. 

To help advance our children’s interest in the creative arts we have made cardboard wings to use as their props along with commercially brought wings. The importance of learning through play is an essential part of a child’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.