Whakawhitiwhiti

In 1642 Abel Tasman the Dutch sailor and commander of two ships rounded the top of Mohua and heard the sound of ‘trumpets’. He thought they were welcoming and celebratory sounds coming from the people of the area. He called members of his ships band to make a reply. To the Tumatakoriri people living in the area they sounded their pūtātara as a challenge, a warning and when the reply came back they felt as though they were being challenged in return. The coding within the sounds have different connotations depending on the cultural background of the people concerned. The physical attributes of the instrument itself shows the conflict between the sea (Tangaroa) and the Land (Tāne) bound together by Pīngao. She was given by Tāne to Tangaroa to cement peace after the separation of Rangi and Papa. The voices of this taonga have also the male and female sounds - Robin

There is discontent as we are taken to a heavy sea (Tangaroa) and there is conflict between the pūpakapaka and pūtātara. Pāua shells join in the cacophony before the female voice of the pūtatara starts to calm the storm - Bob