 In a tradition of Ngāti Porou, Ruatapu became angry when his father Uenuku elevated his younger half-brother Kahutiaterangi ahead of him in status.Ruatapu lured Kahutiaterangi and a large number of young men of high birth into his canoe, and took them out to sea where he drowned them.He called on the gods to destroy his enemies and threatened to return as the great waves of early summer, shouting out to Kahutiaterangi that he would return to fight him