Mt
Maunganui is situated in the city of Tauranga in the Bay of
Plenty region of New Zealand. Mt Maunganui is New Zealand's
favourite summer holiday destination with its white sandy suurf
beach on the ocean side, and a safe sheltered inner harbour
beach. Mount Maunganui is also the name of the extinct volcano
which rises above the beautiful Mount Maunganui surf beach.
Long ago
in the forests of Hautere there stood three mountains. The
chief, Otanewainuku, the lovely Puwhenua, and the nameless
one.
The nameless one was in love with
Puwhenua, but she was in love with the mighty Otanewainuku.
He had captured her heart with his tall majestic trees.
The nameless one was heartbroken. He decided to drown
himself in the sea.
He asked the Patuparaihe (bush
fairies) to drag him down to the sea to drown. One night
they tied ropes around him and dragged him from the forest.
His tears left rivers behind him, and channels formed
where he was dragged.
As he was
dragged nearer to the sea the sky began to lighten. Then
with a great jump up leapt Te Ra the sun. The Patu dropped
their ropes and fled back to the darkness of the forest.
Before they left the gave him a name. Mauao - caught by
the dawn.
Many years later when people came
to live here they gave him another sacred name. Maunganui
(big mountain) To this day he proudly guards the entrance
to our beautiful harbour and watches over his people.
No longer nameless, forever proud.
MOUNT
MAUNGANUI NEW ZEALAND ACCOMMODATION TRAVEL TOURISM INFORMATION
GUIDE
