Tāwhaki

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by John Price (talk | contribs) at 18:35, 29 September 2002. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

In Polynesian mythology (specifically: Maori), Tawhaki is the god of health, lightning and thunder, and a son of Hema and Urotonga. With Hine Piripiri, he is the father of Matuku.

Hema was killed by the Ponaturi, and Tawhaki and his mother, Urotonga, and his older brother, Karihi, killed them all but two in revenge. They tricked the Ponaturi into entering a house, and then locked them in, claiming there was still time before the dawn. They then opened the door after the sun was up, the Ponaturi died at the exposure to sunlight. The survivors were Tonga-Hiti and Kanae.

Tawhiki was an expert at building houses and making floor mats.

Tawhiki recieved a vine to heaven from Waitiri (his grandmother) and he climbed it, meeting first his ancestors, then Maru (war-god), who taught him weaponry and spells which, when chanted, would paralyze his enemies. He eventually reached the sixth of twelve heavens, Nga-Atua, and was reunited with his late lover, Tangotango, and their daughter Arahuta.


Alternative: Tawhiki