A very young Manaia (Tuwharetoa) was once left in the care of his grandparents Waitaha Ariki Kore and Hine Te Ariki at Waitahanui Pa, while his parents Hahuru and Mawake Taupo were visiting relatives in the surrounding areas Putauaki, Tuhepo, Otamarakau, and Omataroa. They were away for quite some time, Manaia started crying for nourishment. Hine Te Ariki instructed Waitaha Ariki Kore to fetch some water from a certain area to feed the child. She had an intimate knowledge of the area that she had used as her playground.
He went in to the upper reaches of the gully, to a rocky outcrop and struck the rock with his taiaha to produce beautiful clear spring water. He filled his calabash (hue) and took the water back to Hine Te Ariki who in turn, fed it to young Manaia. The baby's crying stopped. That spring is known as 'Te Wai u o Tuwharetoa" (The life giving water of Tuwharetoa) as it has the same temperature and was likened to his mother's breast milk.
This spring exists today and is stilled used by Ngati Tuwharetoa.
Tomairangi Fox (WAI 21 (a) Evidence)