In Hawaiki, Paikea was one of seven-score sons of the great rangatira Uenuku. Another of these young men, Ruatapu, considered himself insulted by his father and determined to gain revenge by murdering his brothers. A new ship had been built, and the sons set out on its first voyage in ignorance of the fact that Ruatapu hed bored a hole in the bilge and was covering it with his foot. Far out on the ocean he let the water rush in and the vessel capsized. The Ruatapu drowned all his brothers except Paikea, who escaped.
Paikea recited a long chant, and a taniwha in the form of a whale came and carried him on his back. His journey ended at Ahuahu (Great Mercury Island) in Aotearoa where he began a new life and a new story.

Timber is Macrocarpa weighing approximately 2.2 tons.

Carved by Jeff Bryan and Tim Wraight.