 Ruatapu and his father Chief Uanuku Rakeiora lived at Taputapuatea on Ra'iātea some 30 or so generations ago, and were descendants of Iro-nui-ma Oata.A fond canoeist, Ruatapu had dreamed since boyhood of traveling to his own island to become ariki like his father.For this he crafted the canoe "Te Kareroaitai" out of a tamanu tree before setting out to the ocean upon reaching adulthood.