For the Students of the Twenty-First Century Learning Center. Little Valley. New York.

The Legend of Lake Wakatipu...

New Zealand's third largest lake is some 82 km long and in parts up to 380 metres deep. ..But what makes this lake unique is that it breathes.

The water level in the lake rises and falls as much as 12 centimetres every five minutes. Geologists will tell you that this is because of wind or variations in atmospheric pressure. The scientific story is that during the last ice age i.e. around 15,000 years ago, glaciers covered most of this region and a glacier coming down from the North West carved out the lakebed.

For the Maori the truth is rather different...

Lake Wakatipu was born as a result of the death of the giant Matau. Matau was responsible for carrying off a woman by the name of Manata who was the daughgter of a Rangatira (Maori Chief). Her brokenhearted father promised marriage to any man who was able to rescue her from the giant.

A brave young warrior by the name of Matakauri determined to do just that. He waited for the warm northwest wind and knowing that Matau would be asleep at this time he set out.

Towards the eve of the day he found Manata and she told him through her tears that the giant had tied her to him with a long cord that could never be cut. This cord was plaited from the hide of one of the giants two fierce dogs.

Matakauri was not scared by this and he went to the river to build a raft to carry her away. When he was ready he found that he was still unable to cut the cord. Manata began to cry all the more. Her tears fell on the cord and at once it parted. Matakauri's raft then took them off to safety and they were soon married.

The next time there was a northwest wind Matakauri returned to kill Matau. He climbed the hill where the giant lay asleep and piled bracken around him before setting him on fire.

The monster was burnt to death but the fire also burnt a deep hole in the ground in the shape of his body. The rivers filled this hole with water that formed the lake. Legend has it that the giant's heart still beats under the waters and so the lake continues to rise and fall.