Tapō
A crew member of the Aotea canoe at the time of the Migration from Hawaiki to New Zealand. The canoe's commander, Turi, threw him overboard for his insolence. Tapō calmly swam around the vessel, making jokes. Believing that Tapō was under the influence and protection of the god Maru, the crew took him aboard again.
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References
Sources
- Grey, Sir George. (1855). Polynesian Mythology. Auckland: Brett, p. 133.
- Tregear, Edward. (1891). Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary. Wellington: Government Printer, p. 472.