Hinemoa (2007)

Hinemoa is inspired by a beautiful Maori fairytale. 

In the North Island of New Zealand there is an island called Mokoia in the middle of Lake Rotorua.  At night the moon shines in the water, which is always rippling, never rough or stormy.  Once there was a warrior named Tutanekai, who lived on the island.  Across the water on the mainland there was a beautiful young woman named Hinemoa.  One day Hinemoa and Tutanekai caught sight of each other and fell in love, but Hinemoa’s father would not permit her to marry.  Tutanekai loved to play his flute, and when he was lonely he would sit each night and play his soulful haunting sounds.  Hinemoa would hear the flute and dream of her loved one, unaware that it was him playing. 

Tutanekai came up with a plan.  Hinemoa was to wait until her tribe was sleeping, and then go down to the water and paddle a canoe out towards Mokoia, following the sounds of the flute.  But Hinemoa could not find a canoe close enough to the water.  Night after night she could not find a canoe, but all the while she heard Tutanekai’s music floating over the lake. 

So, one desperate evening, she decided to go on her own.  She gathered up some dried gourds, lay down and pushed herself out into the water.  Although exhausted, she listened to the music and kept paddling, getting colder and weaker as she reached Mokoia.  Pulling herself ashore, Hinemoa found a pool of hot sulphurous water, where she gradually became warm again and began to wonder how Tutanekai would be able to find her.  Suddenly in the darkness she heard footsteps.  Terrified, she cried, “Who is there?”  She lay hiding until she heard some more voices.  It was Tutanekai, whose servant had run back to the village saying that there was someone hiding in the hot pool. 

At last, Hinemoa and Tutanekai were able to be together, because of her brave journey across the water guided by the music of Tutanekai’s flute.

Instrumentation: Full orchestra (triple winds)

Duration: 13 minutes