 Indeed, he proved to be no match in a contest of wrestling, and went home ashamed.This defeat, which Ruatapu could not correct himself as he was too old, depressed him so much that it sent him into bad health, and before long he had passed away, making Kirikava the new ariki of Aitutaki.In the Māori traditions of Ruatapu's life, he is always a son of Chief Uenuku, ariki of Hawaiki, and is belittled by him for being his only son born of a slave wife, and therefore being unable to use a sacred comb in his hair.