By Toni-maree Rowe
[Snip] In Maori tradition the Patupaiarehe (also sometimes referred to as turehu or pakepakeha) were the first people of New Zealand – the first Tangata Whenua. They are supernatural beings who are rarely seen, fairy creatures of the deep forests and mountains. Their houses built of swirling mists.
They have light skin, red or fair hair and unlike the Maori are never tattooed. There is some debate regarding their size, some say small, others say they are the same size as humans but then there are the traditions where they are giants. Sunlight was a curse to the Patupaiarehe, they only venture out in the night or when the mist was heavy enough to shield them from the sun.
They were hunter/gatherers who ate only raw food – cooked food is an abomination to them. In some stories albino birds and eels, red flax and red eels were considered to be the sole property of the Patupaiarehe, woe betide any Maori caught taking these.
