Legend of Poutini

This map shows the journey of Poutini around New Zealand.  Poutini was a taniwha.  He stole a lady called Waitaiki from the North Island and fled down around New Zealand with her.  When he got to the Arahura River on the West Coast he was afraid that Tamaahua would catch up with him and get Waitaiki back so he turned Waitaiki into pounamu and laid her in the river. That is why Waitaiki is known as the mother of pounamu.