Wohlers. — Mythology and Traditions of the Maori. 5 



its hold on the old gods altogether, and had taken hold on their living chiefs 

 and their surrounding tapu, or sacredness. The chief persons were tapu, so was 

 all that belonged to them; and they had the power to make anything else tn[w. 

 which then dared not be used by any person of an inferior rank, under pain of 

 death. If such an offender was not detected and killed by men, he was sure to 

 be killed by the invisible power of the tapu. Such power seems to have 

 consisted of departed spirits, perhaps of inferior chiefs, who could not attain to 

 the rank of gods, and therefore occupied desolate places, especially the ruins of 



chiefs' dwelling-houses. 



Such of the Polynesian gods as had been kings or great chiefs could only 

 belong to such districts in which they had influence during their lifetime; but 

 such as are known, not only over all New Zealand, but over all Polynesia, we 

 may regard as their original gods; and they are not many. 



p ART I. The Heathen Gods of the Maori, and Allegorical Beings 



of the same Period. 



1 . Tangaroa. 

 Tangaroa is known and worshipped by the whole Polynesian race as the 

 chief «od and creator of the world. His name is also well known among the 



Maori in New Zealand, and occurs frequently in the ancient forms of 

 invocations. Sometimes he might be seen for a few seconds standing on the 

 crest of the waves of the sea, when the sun happened to shine against some 

 misty spray, but little else is known of him. According to Sir George Grey's 

 collection he was the son of Heaven and Earth, and was the god, or 

 personification, of the sea and the fishes. But here in the south he is affirmed 

 to be the uncle of Heaven, and the first husband of the Earth, whose personal 

 name as a woman and a mother was Papatuanuku. The tale runs thus :— 



Tangaroa lived with his wife Papatuanuku. Once he made a journey to 

 Kahuipuakiaki for the treasures (or ornaments) of Whakitau (not to be 

 confounded with Whakatau, a later person). When he came back he found 

 that Rangi (Heaven) had taken his wife, Papatuanuku (the Earth), and was 

 living with her. Now there was to be a fight. The two, uncle and nephew, 

 . -j. u — «^i ™ ifU o erwukr "Rjinori threw his snear first, but missed, because 



Tangaroa bent aside. Then Tangaroa threw his spear, which pierced both loins 

 of Rangi and lamed him. Then Tangaroa left his wife, the Earth, and she was 

 henceforth Rangi's wife. This is all that is known here about Tangaroa. 



The following tale bears some marks of a later period ; also I cannot find 

 the names mentioned in it among the gods of the Pacific islanders ; yet, as the 

 old Maori here told it in connection with Tangaroa, I will put it here. It 



runs thus: — 



