Tane and the 3 Kete

04.2013

W.A.L.T Retell a story

Intro: The legend of Tane is special to the maori because it’s about how Tane put his life to get the 3 kete of knowledge to fix other peoples lives. This legend is still remembered today by the people New Zealand.

Tane and the 3 Kete

Once people on this wonderful earth did not know how to live a normal life like the people of today. They would dive carelessly onto the hard concrete and they felt the pain, but they didn’t know what the feeling was. Tane didn’t know what to say, “Oh brother Whiro, I take my anger and put it in the deepest and darkest depths of the underworld, but I take pity on how the people are living” said Tane. What should I do thought Tane to himself. “There is only one thing to do”...

“I have to get the 3 kete of knowledge” whispered Tane. “If I get the 3 kete all will be good, people will know how to live properly; there will be singing and dancing, there will be laughter and there will be joy!”. “What a marvellous idea I came up with” said Whiro with an evil grin on his face. “ You poisonous serpent you dare take my idea and put it as your own?” cried an angry Tane. Then lots of commotion started about “it was my idea” and  “I’m older” until Whiro backed down from the argument. An evil spirit was coming to Whiro now. Whiro cursed Tane’s name and any offspring he has in the future.

Tane set off on his journey to the 9th overworld. But how could he get there? He called to his brother, Tawhirimatea the god of wind to help Tane get the 3 kete of knowledge.  Tawhirimatea believed that Tane would be able to get the 3 kete of knowledge.

It was tough climbing and in the middle of his journey sandflies, owls and bats came sent by Whiro started stinging and biting Tane. He said “ Tawhirimatea come help me teach my brother and any followers of him a lesson. There was an awkward silence at that moment until a reply came from Tawhirimatea but instead of talking there was a wish and a woosh from wind and it blew all the insects away.

Tane climbed and climbed for more than 2 days, he was hungry, he was tired his legs were numb sometimes he stopped for a rest. Sometimes he would even hunt for blackberrys that were not wild or birds that he would throw his spear at and knife it open and take out the bad parts and eat it. Tane was just about to reach the top when he heard a “hoot hoot”...

Tane was now calling to Tawhirimatea again “ Oh Tawhirimatea god of wind, my brother has now become evil and foolish he has sent flies bats and owls to stop me from getting the 3 kete of knowledge, help me!!! Now that was enough Tawhirimatea blew a wind like never before and took out all the flies bats and owls. Tane thanked Tawhirimatea and retrieved the 3 kete of knowledge. At that very moment Tane heard a terrifying shout “ARGHHH” screamed the angry god of darkness Whiro who screamed “GO MY ARMY OF INSECTS, BATS AND OWLS... ATTACK!!!” Then there was a great battle against Tane and Whiro, Tane fought to the limit until he won.

He took the 3 kete back and shared it with his land he also exiled Whiro to the underworld and  Whiro’s followers the flies bats and owls were exiled to the underworld too. This is the end of the legend of Tane.