According to an ancient Māori legend, Pania was a local maiden who married a chieftain named Karitoki. She gave birth to a hairless son named Maremate. Pania was lured by siren voices to swim across the bay. She met her demise when Moana-nui-a-kiwa, the lord of the sea, converted her into an underwater reef at Napier Breakwater. This bronze statue located at Marine Parade Gardens was a gift of the Thirty Thousand Club in 1954. The facial likeness of Māori college student Mei Robin has become a treasured landmark in Napier.
