Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Maori Religion and Mythology Part 2

Water

Water

Parawhenua Parawhenuamea
Hine-parawhenuamea Wainui

Here we have two personified forms of water, or differing names for such a personification. Parawhenuamea was a daughter of Tane and Hine-tu-pari-maunga, the Mountain Maid, she was taken to wife by Kiwa, the guardian of the ocean. She is the "parent" of water, as shown in the following statement—"Na ko Parawhenuamea koia te matua o te wai." She was born of the Mountain Maid as most streams are. One recital shows her as mother of Rakahore, who is the personified forms of rock. In the following line taken from a song we have the personified forms of mist, rain, and water: "Ka heke koe i a Hine-kohu, i a Hine-te-ihorangi, ka tau ana koe ko Hine-parawhemea." Wainui represents water, including the ocean, this among the Matatua tribes, and Nga0ti-Awa state that Wainui was a member of the primal offspring, while the Turanga people give Wainui-atea (vast water expanse) as a second wife of Rangi, she produced Moana-nui or Great Ocean (see Genealogy Through Kiwa, p. 112, vol. 7, of the Journal of the Polynesian Society).