‘Kopu, the lone star of dawn. Here she
shines in all her glory, solitary, still and
silent’
I am Kopu, known as ‘tohua ata’ (the
sign of dawn) or the ’dawn star’. Seen on
the horizon, in eastern skies, just before
sunrise, my great beauty was much
admired and acknowledged, hence the
well-known whakatauki (proverb) - ‘Me
te mea ko Kopu, a rere i te pae ... like
Venus (a beautiful woman), as she
appears above the horizon’. Many poetic
lament or waiata (song) were composed
and dedicated to my presence which
generally expressed an awe of my
solitary bearing, but quite often in
reference to the love of a beautiful
woman, or a love lost.
I am also known as the companion of
Tama-nui-te-ra (the Sun) because I help
give warmth to the coming of dawn. I
am the Kaitiaki (guardian) who watchers
over the skies and all of mankind.
(Excerpt from NIU - He Tangata Matauhi, Voices of our Ancestors)