__NOTOC__ Motu o Kura / Bare Island is a small island located in the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

in the southern

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay () is a region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region is named for Hawke Bay, which was named in honour of Edward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings, while the more rural ...

on the eastern shores of the

North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...

of New Zealand. It is located off the North island coast, near

Waimārama Waimārama is a seaside village in Hastings District, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Waimārama is a popular surf beach, known as a beach break on a sandy beach, with a rocky point. It offers both left and right handers and conditions are often sui ...

, south of

Cape Kidnappers Cape Kidnappers, known in Māori as , and officially named Cape Kidnappers / Te Kauwae-a-Māui, is a headland at the southern extremity of Hawke Bay on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is at the end of an peninsula that protr ...

. On the south-west side of the island, there is an

aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing material, consisting of permeability (Earth sciences), permeable or fractured rock, or of unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Aquifers vary greatly in their characteristics. The s ...

exuding fresh water (called Nga Puhake-o-te-ora or "the burp of life"). From the shore Motu o Kura is bare, but from the seaward side, there is enough cover to provide resting sites for blue penguins and

sooty shearwater The sooty shearwater (''Ardenna grisea'') is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. In New Zealand, it is also known by its Māori language, Māori name , and is harvested by Māori people for muttonbirding, muttonbird, l ...

s. When

Jules Dumont d'Urville Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville (; 23 May 1790 – 8 May 1842) was a French List of explorers, explorer and French Navy, naval officer who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. As a botanist an ...

sailed past in 1827 he reported houses and boats on the seaward side. Following the passage of the Heretaunga Tamatea Claims Settlement Act 2018, the name of the island was officially altered to Motu o Kura / Bare Island.

The legend of Motu-o-Kura

The New Zealand

Ministry for Culture and Heritage The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH; ) is the department of the New Zealand Government responsible for supporting the Creative New Zealand, arts, Culture of New Zealand, culture, New Zealand Historic Places Trust, built heritage, Sport Ne ...

gives a translation of "island of Kura" for ''Motu-O-Kura''. According to Māori legend, Kura was a mighty woman who, during times of

siege A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...

, would dive down to obtain fresh water from the

behind the island under the ocean in the place called Te Puhake o te Ora (well of living waters) as there is no fresh water found on Motu o Kura.Hastings District Council

References

External links

University of Auckland
Hastings District Uninhabited islands of New Zealand Islands of Hawke's Bay {{HawkesBay-geo-stub

The legend of Motu-o-Kura

See also

References

External links