Story: Traditional Māori warfare – Riri

This carved figure is of the famed Te Arawa ancestor, Houmaitawhiti. Houmaitawhiti's dog Pōtaka Tawhiti was killed by a chief, Uenuku, who had witnessed it breaching tapu. Houmaitawhiti's sons Tamatekapua and Whakatūria became involved in a number of skirmishes with Uenuku. Ultimately, this led to Tamatekapua leaving the island along with his people as captain of Te Arawa waka.