keithmataaho

Mataaho

Have you ever wondered why Auckland is surrounded by volcanoes? Well you are about to find out why.

A long time ago, probably 150,000 years ago on top of Maungawhau a man lived and slept there.

The man was named Mataaho and he was very lonely. Finally he got a wife. His wife was very nice to him. She kept him warm and fed him food. One day he was not able to get home and his wife was very angry. She packed her bags and left him.

The next day Mataaho went back and did not find his wife. He felt cold and hungry but most of all alone. Mahuika, the goddess of fire heard his cries and lit fires around him to keep him warm. So he slept on his bed which was on a crater and slept quietly and peacefully and was warmed by the fires. Now you can see the remain of the fires surrounding Maungawhau which are volcanoes.