Tangaroa
In Māori mythology, Tangaroa is one of the great gods, the god of the sea. He is a son of Rangi and Papa, Sky and Earth. After he joins his brothers Rongo, Tu, Haumia, and Tane in the forcible separation of their parents, he is attacked by his brother Tawhirimatea, the god of storms, and forced to hide in the sea.[1] Tangaroa is the father of many sea creatures. Tangaroa's son, Punga, has two children, Ikatere, the ancestor of fish, and Tu-te-wehiwehi (or Tu-te-wanawana), the ancestor of reptiles. Terrified by Tawhirimatea’s onslaught, the fish seek shelter in the sea, and the reptiles in the forests. Ever since, Tangaroa has held a grudge with Tāne, the god of forests, because he offers refuge to his runaway children (Grey 1971:1-5).
The contention between Tangaroa and Tāne, the father of birds, trees, and humans, is an indication that the Māori thought of the ocean and the land as opposed realms. When people go out to sea to fish or to travel, they are in effect representatives of Tāne entering the realm of Tāne's enemy. For this reason, it was important that offerings were made to Tangaroa before any such expedition (Orbell 1998:146-147).
Another version of the origin of Tangaroa maintains that he is the son of Temoretu, and that Papa is his wife. Papa commits adultery with Rangi, and in the resulting battle Rangi Tangaroa’s spear pierces Rangi through both his thighs. Papa then marries Rangi (White 1887-1891, I:22-23).
In another legend, Tangaroa marries Te Anu-matao (chilling cold). They are the parents of the gods ‘of the fish class’, including Te Whata-uira-a-Tangawa, Te Whatukura, Poutini, and Te Pounamu (Shortland 1882:17). In some versions, Tangaroa has a son, Tinirau, and nine daughters (1891:463). As Tangaroa-whakamau-tai he exercises control over the tides.
In the South Island, his name can take the form Takaroa.
Elsewhere in Polynesia
Similar deities in other Polynesian cultures include:
- In Samoan mythology, Tagaloa is the father of Losi and Fue.
- In Mangaia (Cook Islands), Tangaroa is a child of Vatea (daylight) and Papa (foundation), and the younger twin brother of Rongo. Rongo and Tangaroa share food and fish: Tangaroa's share is everything that is red (the red taro, red fish, etc.) Tangaroa is said to have yellow hair, and when Mangaians first saw Europeans, they thought they must be Tangaroa's children (Gill 1876:13, Tregear 1891:464).
- In Manihiki (Cook Islands), Tangaroa is the origin of fire. Māui goes to him to obtain fire for humankind. Advised to reach Tangaroa's abode by taking the common path, he takes the forbidden “path of death” enfuriating Tangaroa who tries to kick him to death. Māui manages to prevent this, and insists that Tangaroa give him fire. Māui kills Tangaroa. When his parents are horrified, Māui uses incantations to him back to life (Tregear 1891:463-464).
- In Hawaii, Kanaloa is associated with the squid. He is a guardian of the underworld.
- In Tahiti, by the goddess Hina-Tu-A-Uta, Ta'aroa is the father of Oro.
- In the Marquesas Islands, the equivalent deities are Tana'oa or Taka'oa.
Notes
References
- W.W. Gill, Myths and Songs of the South Pacific (Henry S. King: London), 1876.
- G. Grey, Nga Mahi a Nga Tupuna, fourth edition. First published 1854. (Reed: Wellington), 1971.
- M. Orbell, The Concise Encyclopedia of Māori Myth and Legend (Canterbury University Press: Christchurch), 1998.
- E. Shortland, Maori Religion and Mythology (Longman, Green: London), 1882.
- E.R. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary (Lyon and Blair: Lambton Quay), 1891.
- A. Smith, Songs and Stories of Taranaki from the Writings of Te Kahui Kararehe (MacMillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies: Christchurch), 1993.
- J. White, The Ancient History of the Maori, 6 Volumes (Government Printer: Wellington), 1887-1891.