Roiho

A denizen of the heavens. He and Haepuru and Roake directed Tāne to the female element needed to fashion a human female. They said to him, "Proceed to the Strand at Kura-waka, for at that place exists the female element in its virginity; that element is in a state of tapu, for it is the very seed of man. Fashion the female at the puke (Mons Veneris) of Papa the Earth Mother."

When woman was created, Roiho and Roake repeated a karakia to endow Tāne with the necessary powers to enable him to beget men, the ira tangata.

References

Source

  • Best, Elsdon. (1924). The Maori. Wellington: Harry H. Tombs, pp. 115, 116.