This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of how there were three mountains that lived in the Hautere forest overlooking Tauranga Moana. One was Otanewainuku who still stands there today. There was also the female mountain Puwhenua, a beautiful hill. The other was a maunga pononga or a nameless mountain. The nameless mountain was in love with Puwhenua. But her heart already belonged to Otanewainuku. The nameless one decided to end it all by drowning himself in the Pacific Ocean, Te Moananui a Kiwa. Calling on the patupaiarehe, the people with magical powers, the nameless one asked them to weave a rope and then haul him down towards the ocean. Chanting, they began to haul the nameless one slowly towards the sea, marking out the valley where the Waimapu River now flows. The name means 'weeping waters' and is so named after this journey to the sea. By the time they reached the ocean it was very close to daybreak. The sun rose, fixing the nameless one to that place. The patupaiarehe fled back to the forests but not before giving the name Mauao to this mountain which marks the entrance of Tauranga Moana.
