Te ika a maui

Kupe and the giant Tuna

Kupe was a great fisherman who lived in Hawaiki.  All around Kupes settlement were traditional fishing grounds Where Kupe and his tribe went fishing.  

When it was the the full moon and the tides were right the fishermen headed out to sea and returned with treasures from tangaroa which the whole tribe celebrated.  Everyone waited on the shore line for their return so they could divide the catch into even shares for the whanau.   

One morning kupe and his mates dropped their lines in one of their favorite fishing grounds. Instead of the tug tug that they expected, they felt a huge tug and a big pull. So they pulled their lines in and found their hook and sinker had vanished. This continued throughout the day, not one of the fishermen caught any fish so they headed back in.

This had never happened before Many people were sad and upset that the fishermen returned without their catch.  Once Kupe considered what happened that day a hui was called. The whole island gathered around the fire to talk about the fate of the village. Kupe talked about his respect for the ocean of tangaroa, and how he had understood their village since the dawn of time.

 Early the next morning Kupe and the fishermen lowered their lines in their favorite fishing grounds but their lines just kept on getting snapped like the day before. Kupe noticed some slime on his hook this belonged to a conger eel. So they pulled their lines in and headed back to the island with no fish.  

Kupe set off to see chief Muturangi. Kupe knew Muturangi had a pet conger eel that was known for its huge size and influence over the sea.  Kupe told Muturangi what had been happening when they were fishing. But Muturangi laughed at Kupe at and sent him away.

Kupe made a crew of warriors and fishermen to help Kupe build a huge waka to hunt down Te tuna nui (the giant eel). Harakeke weavers made the strongest line they could make and a carver was told to make a huge hook. Once the waka was finished they loaded supplies onto it for a long journey out at sea.

Kupe and the other fishermen of the village jumped aboard the waka and began their journey out to sea when they reached the spot where they last encountered the conger neel. They baited their huge fishing line using a whole octopus that they caught in a net on there way out because Kupe new that octopus is a favorite food of the conger eel.  

Kupe threw his hook to the bottom sea. As soon as the line hit the bottom of the sea it was struck by Muturangis conger eel. Kupe almost fell into the sea but lucky one of his mates grabbed him and the rest of the fishermen helped Kupe hall the giant eel in.  It was a 26 hour game of tug of war, 10 fishermen vs a colossal conger eel. But eventually they got the fish to rise. The conger eel was so big they needed to drag half the eel behind the waka.

When they were close to the shore they saw everyone cheering for Kupe and the fishermen. That night there was a huge celebration for the record conger eel and that eel made a lot of fillets.

That is the story Kupe and the giant tuna

Ngahere Greaves

I am really proud of this writing because I worked hard to finesh it with good sentences and I done a good job of it.

Something that challenges me when writing is adding detail

I was in the learning pit with my writing but I have persevered to get myself out of the learning pit.