Pania of the Reef

Māori legend has it that Pania was one of the 'sea people".   She left the sea to marry Karitoki, a chieftain who lived on the land in Napier.

After Karitoki went to fight in a long tribal war, Pania's original family called to her at sunset and at dawn. Eventually, unable to resist their  voices, she swam out to meet them. But when she attempted to return to Karitoki, Moana-nui-a-kiwa (Lord of the sea) was angered by her divided loyalties so transformed her into a rocky shelf - Pania Reef. 

This statue of Pania of the Reef was presented to the city of Napier in 1954.  It was stolen in 2005 but was fortunately found and reinstated.
This statue was posed for by the sister of a teacher at the school I went to when we lived in Haumoana.
Today we left Gisborne at 4 a.m., stopped in Napier for a bit of nostalgic family time on the Marine Parade, and got to Wellington just in time for the start of the Area Schools' Conference.  It's 10.30 p.m., I've just made it back to my room, and I'm only moments away from being asleep.