Rongo

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taro
Kūmara (sweet potato)

In the mythology of the Māori in New Zealand, Rongo (also Rongo-mā-tāne ) is the god of agriculture, who allows cultivated food crops to flourish. He is a direct son of the heavenly couple Rangi and Papa , Father Heaven and Mother Earth. Rongo's name means 'peace' in the Māori language .

Rongo himself is the god of agriculturally grown food, especially the kūmara , i.e. the sweet potato, the club lilies and others. Rongo's brother Haumia-tiketike, on the other hand, is the god of wild food. Both live under the protection of their mother papa , mother earth, after having to seek refuge from their angry brother Tāwhirimātea .

Rongo abhors bloody sacrifices. He loves singing and festivities.

Elsewhere in Polynesia

In Tahiti it is called Ro'o, in Hawaiʻi Lono. See also Hawaiian Religion .

On Mangareva he became the rain god who shows himself in the rainbow.

See also

literature

  • BG Biggs: Maori Myths and Traditions. In: AH McLintock (Ed.): Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Volume 2: H-P. Owen, Wellington 1966, pp. 447-454.
  • George Gray : Nga Mahi a Nga Tupuna. 4th edition. Reed, Wellington et al. 1971, ISBN 0-589-00431-X .
  • George Gray: Polynesian Mythology, and ancient traditional history of the New Zealand race, as furnished by their priests and chiefs. Murray, London 1855, online , (also: Whitcombe & Tombs, Christchurch et al. 1956).
  • Margaret Orbell: A Concise Encyclopedia of Māori Myth and Legend. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch 1998, ISBN 0-908812-56-6 .
  • Samuel K. Parker: Dialectics of Power in the Maori Creation Myth. In: Pacific Studies. Vol. 10, No. 3, July 1987, ISSN  0275-3596 , pp. 1-26.
  • Ailsa Smith (Ed.): Songs and Stories of Taranaki. = He tuhituhinga Tai hau-ā-uru. From the Writings of Te Kahui Kararehe of Rahotu, Taranaki. Edited with translations and commentary. University of Canterbury - Macmillan Brown Center for Pacific Studies, Christchurch 1993, ISBN 0-9583300-2-6 .
  • Teone Taare Tikao: Tikao Talks. Traditions and tales told by Teone Taare Tikao to Herries Beattie. AH & AW Reed: Dunedin et al. 1939, pp. 23-50.
  • Edward Tregear : The Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary. Lyon and Blair, Wellington 1891 (Reprinted. Cadsonbury Publishing, Christchurch 2001).