Thousands of years ago, the sky was as black as coal except for a blanket of stars. There was a chief named Moehuri who was sailing from Hawaiki. The sea was as calm as a gentle flowing waterfall. Some time later, Moehuri chanted a karakia to call a enormous shark to guide them into the harbour. Before very long they landed on shore and Moehuri named the place Mangonui after the huge shark.
Moehuri and his children starting to make a living on Rangikapiti pa. They decided that the waka was getting to old so they sunk it as a home for the shark that had led them into the harbour. The shark loved her home very much as there were always lots of fish for her to eat and became a tapu place.
