Rākeiao and His Beloved Kapowai

Ngāti Rongomai

There was once a young chief named Rākeiao, the eldest son of Rangitihi and Manawakotokoto, who was famed for never losing a battle.

It was during his younger days, when he lived in Ōkataina at Te Koutu Pā, on the headland, that Rākeiao first made contact with his beloved kapowai, dragonflies. It was here that Rākeiao developed a kinship with the kapowai that would deepen their bond; the kapowai dedicating themselves as Rakeiao’s loyal warriors for all eternity.

The kapowai are said to be a specific species of dragonfly that are unique to Lake Rotoiti and the surrounding areas.

When he was older, Rākeiao had a great war party and, in the midst of fearsome battle, he would conjure the kapowai to help him secure the defeat.

The kapowai appeared in their thousands, getting into the eyes, ears, noses and faces of the enemy who had dared to overthrow Rākeiao and his dynasty. Rākeiao never lost a battle. It was impossible to do so, when he had his fearsome warriors who would come in droves to save their chief.

The kapowai are still seen, even today. When there are special functions on at the marae, the kapowai will appear again. Whenever they appear (only at Tapuaekura/Rākeiao Marae), the elders speak to them still, as descendants of Rākeiao, telling them everything is okay.

However, when the people of Rākeiao see the kapowai lingering, it is a warning to them to question the reason they are appearing. Is the visiting party honest? Are there hidden agenda that the Rākeiao people should be aware of? Are the Rākeiao whānau in immediate danger?

It was said, that during a hui at Rākeiao in recent years, there were great arguments being had in the wharenui (meeting house). Kapowai appeared on the verandah, so the elders took the hui outside and stood before the Kapowai and warned the manuhiri: ‘’This will end! I runga i te tika i te pono”

Within 30 minutes, the hui subsided, the kapowai disappeared, and the result was favourable to all.
This is the power of the alliance between the descendants of Rākeiao and his ever-loyal kapowai.

This story comes from the original Great Te Arawa Stories website created by Ngā Pūmanawa e Waru (NPeW) Education Trust in 2018. To ensure consistency, minimal updates were made to the text before it was transferred to this new site.