Best.— Maori Forest Lore. 1S9 



as also Ea, god of the underworld, of reproduction, of cultivation, 

 and of waters. In India we see the same thing, as of Vritra, 

 who is Ahi the strangler, and Vala, and Pani, who entices the 

 cows of Indra to leave their pastures. Westward to the setting 

 sun and eastward to the dawn one notes similar cases in the 

 mythologies of many peoples. 



Rangi also appears under many different names in Maori 

 myth, as Rangi-nui, Rangi-roa, Rangi-potango, &c. 



The first act performed by Tane was the forcing- apart of 

 heaven and earth, after which he brought light to the world, 

 by setting the sun, moon, and stars in the breast of Rangi. 

 Having performed these tasks, Tane went in search of the female 

 element. He foimd the female nature in various forms, but 

 these forms were not human. He found Apunga, by whom he 

 produced shrubs and the smaller birds. He found Mumuhanga, 

 who had the totara (a tree). He found Te Pu-whakahara, who 

 became the origin of the trees called maire and puriri. He 

 found Tu-Kapua, by whom he had the tawai, kahikawaka, and 

 other trees. He found Ruru-tangi-akau, who bore the ake and 

 kahikatoa trees. He found Rere-noa, who produced the rata 

 and all parasitic and climbing plants. He found Hine-wao-riki, 

 who bore the kahika and matai trees. He found Mango-nui, 

 who had the tawa and hinau trees. He found Punga, who be- 

 came the origin of the kotukutuku and patate trees, as also of all 

 insects. He found Tutoro-whenua, who bore Haumia (roots of 

 the rarauhe fern). He found Hine-tu-maunga, who had Para 

 whenua-mea (origin and personification of flood waters). 



Other Natives give Pani-tinaku as being the parent or origin 

 of the sweet potato, Hine-mahanga as the parent of the tutu 

 (shrub), Tawake-toro as parent of the manuka, Hine-rauamoa as 

 parent of the kiokio fern, Huna as origin of the harakeke (flax), 

 Tawhara-nui of the kiekie, Kakaho of the toetoe, and so on. 



The sim, moon, and stars were the offspring of Tangotango, 

 while Wai-nui was the origin of all waters. Hence we see that 

 in Maori myth life seems to be shared in common by men, 

 animals, treer., and plants, the heavenly bodies, and water. 



The idea of the cosmogonal or universe tree in New Zealand 

 myths seems to bear two aspects — first, that the universe ac- 

 quired form and grew as does a tree ; and again, that the sky 

 was forced upwards, and supported by a tree in the form of 

 Tane, who was the origin, personification, and tutelary deity 

 of trees and forests. 



The cosmogonic tree in Maori mythology is a conception of 

 somewhat rudimentary form when we compare it with similar 

 myths in Japan, China, India, Persia, Chaldea, Egypt, and 

 northern Europe, but a study of this conception, as also of 



