There is no story more romantic than that of Pania, the beautiful maiden of the sea people and Karitoki, her handsome Maori lover.

Pania was a woman of the sea and one day she meet a man of the land, whom she married.

Pania lived with her husband in a whare (house) at a spot now known as Sturm's Gully, near the foot of the Napier breakwater.

But the sea people were forever calling her. She resisted their call for a long time, but the lure of the sea people became irresistible and she swam out to meet them, just once.

The sea people came from the depths and surrounded her, they drew her down into the caverns of the sea, never to return to the land of mortals.

And now, if you pass over the reef where the kingfish shoal and gaze in to the depths, you will see Pania with arms outstretched, ever striving to return to the lover she left on that fateful day.




An interesting aside was an item in our local paper a few years back, on the now elderly Maori lady who was the model for the sculptor of the statue.

Sounds like a version of the Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, Michael.

(Or perhaps the Little Mermaid was a version of Pania).

Just what went through my mind Hazel.

Lovely tale though Michael and sometimes it helps to live in dreamland to get away from everyday atrocities.

Nice wee tale, a bit like "The Little Mermaid" as the others said. Nice photy as well.

She is very beautiful, the guy stood next to her ain't so bad either

the world needs more romantic tales, lovely photo Michael