Te whakatauki a Nukutāwhiti

Kau ki te tai e kau ki te tai e kau ra e Tāne
Wahi atu ra te ngaru hukahuka o Marerei - ao
Aupiki atu te aurere kura o Taotaorangi
Tapataparuru ana te kakau o te hoe
E au heke ana, e tara tutu ana I te huka o Tangaroa
Ka titiro ahau ki te pae o uta, ki te pae o waho
Piki tu Rangi ana te kakau ote hoe
Kumea te uru o Taku waka
Ki runga ki te kiri waewae o Papatuanuku e takoto mai nei
Ki runga ki te uru Tapu a Tāne e tu nei
Whatiwhati rua ana te hoe a Poupoto
Tau ake ki te hoe na Kuru - he Ariki whatumanawa
To manawa e Kuru - ki toku manawa
Ka irihia - ka irihia ki Waionuku
Ka irihia - ka irihia ki Waiorangi
Ka whiti ahau ki te Whaiao ki te Ao marama
Tupu kerekere tupu Wanawana, e hara mai taku Toki
Haumi ee - Hui ee Taiki ee

This Ngāpuhi whakatauki tells of a dangerous and seemingly impossible journey by courageous Ngāpuhi explorers as they piloted their waka through turbulent waters into the safety of the Hokianga Harbour.

On seeing the boiling water at the entrance to the Harbour Nukutāwhiti, the Captain of the Waka Ngātokimatawhaorua, asked his Tohunga to offer this incantation on their behalf to calm the waters and allow them to cross the notorious sandbar of the Hokianga Harbour.

The work ahead will see some turbulence and perhaps there will be whitewater - yet with powerful karakia we will conquer adversity and continue our vision for Ngāpuhi as a nation.