Haumai-tāwhiti

An ancestral hero of the Māori, who resided at Hawaiki. His wife was named Tuikakapa. Haumai-tāwhiti's dog, Pōtaka-tāwhiti, offended the high priest, Ue-nuku, and the dog was killed by Ue-nuku and Toi-te-huatahi. This act was revenged by Tama-te-kapua and Whakaturia, Haumia's two sons; hence arose war in Hawaiki, which was the cause of the great migration of the Māori to New Zealand.

Haumai-tāwhiti appears to have attained divine honors, and was propitiated by the ceremony of "sending off a canoe with food for the gods at Hawaiki and for Haumai-tāwhiti, food both cooked and uncooked. This canoe was made of raupo (bulrush; typha). There was no one in the canoe, only stones to represent men."

References

Sources

  • Grey, Sir George. (1855). Polynesian Mythology. Auckland: Brett, p. 76.
  • Shortland, Edward. (1882). Maori Religion and Mythology. London: Longmans Green, p. 56.
  • Tregear, Edward. (1891). Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary. Wellington: Government Printer, p. 87.

This article incorporates text from Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary (1891) by Edward Tregear, which is in the public domain.