Tuhoe legends around the stars

  • Wainui = Tangotango produced children

Te raa (sun) was first

Te marama (moon) was second

Ngaa whetuu (stars) was third

Hiinaatore (phosphorus light/light with a faint glow) was last

• Tane was the highest ranked

• Three baskets were created: First = sun, second = moon, third = phosphorus light (Te Kupenganui)

• Tane sought out his descendant Tamarereti, told him that they had a huge task ahead and also have a canoe

• According to mataatua and tuhoe this canoe is called Puna Ariki

• Tane palced the phosphorus light first but it made no difference

• After placing stars he performed a haka

While perforimg the haka he kicked the basket and the stars fell out hence why the stars look scattered and do not conform a deisgn

• Tane then placed the moon but the world still remained dark

• Lastly he placed the sun then light entered the world

• Pleiades is the star of the year which is a sign of the maori new year

• Atutahi (canopus) is the eldest and most sacred of the stars and wasnt included in the basket of stars

• Atutahi is the brightest star outside of the milky way

• Rehua (Antares) is the chief who lies near the canoe of Tamarereti (scorpius)

• Rehua has two wives who are on either side of him - Ruhi and PekeHawani

• Rehua signals the arrival of summer

• Rehua is closely asociated with tanemahuta

• Tamarereti stands in the sky in his canoe, Puna Ariki when turned upside down another canoe, Mairerangi, appears

• Puna Ariki = canoe only for chiefs

• Pleiades sets between may-june

• Pleiades cluster are tupu-a-nuku, tupu-a-rangi, waiti, waita, waipunarangi, ururangi and matariki

• Tupu-a-nuku personifies cultivated foodsn (potatoes and kumara)

• Tupu-a-rangi personifies the offspring of the sky (birds)

• Waita personfies the offspring of fresh water

• Waita personfies the offspring of the ocean

• Ururangi personifies the wind and rain

• Waipunarangi personifies humankind

• Matariki is the leader