Waiora

The Water of Life. Sometimes called Te Waiora-a-Tāne, the Living Water of Tāne. The Living Water is situated in Hau-ora, the fourth heaven (counting upwards from the earth). From this heaven the soul of a human being is sent to inhabit the form of a child when a baby is born.1 The great lake of Aewa or Aiwa (Roto-nui-a-Aewa) is also a name for this Living Water. In it the Moon bathes monthly and renews her life; she goes to it pale and wasted almost to a shadow, but comes forth with restored energy to tread her heavenly path.2

When the fairy wife of Tura escaped from death by her husband attending her in childbirth, she informed him that the bodies of other women of her race who had died in parturition were washed in the Waiora by the gods, and again came to life.3

See also Vaiola (Samoan).

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References

Notes

  1. White, John. (1887). Ancient History of the Maori. 6 vols. Wellington: G, Disbury, p. 1:Appendix.
  2. ibid., p. 1:142.
  3. ibid., p. 2:13.

Source

  • Tregear, Edward. (1891). Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary. Wellington: Government Printer, p. 591.

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