MYTHOLOGY. 
19 
The fifth was Tawirimatea, the father of the winds; and 
the last was Tangaroa, the father of all fish, and the great god 
of the ocean. This god in Tonga, is regarded as the creator 
of all things; he is there called Tangaloa ; and in Tahaiti, 
where he is known as Taaroa, he is viewed in the same light. 
This is also the case in Hawaii,* or the Sandwich isles. 
Orongo, another of the most ancient deities at Hawaii, was 
worshipped by the name of Orono ; and Captain Cook, on his 
arrival there, was taken for that god, and he permitted the 
islanders to reverence him as such, and even to offer up sacri¬ 
fices to him, which eventually caused his death. Tane and 
Tikif were also known in Tahaiti, the latter by the name of 
Tii, so likewise was Ru,J and Hine nui te po, or Great Mother 
Night, the womb of nature. The same idea prevailed there of 
the malignant character of the Atua Potiki, or infant gods, who 
were called Hotua Pou; and supposed to delight in mischief. 
The offspring of Papa and Rangi are next represented as 
holding a council, to decide what was to be done with then- 
parents, that the earth might be rendered fruitful; for, as the 
tradition states, for a long long period “from the first night to the 
tenth night, to the hundredth night, to the thousandth night, 
all was dark, the thick opaque heaven laid on the earth, and 
rendered her barren. In vain did she seek for offspring in 
the likeness of the night, or of the day. Then they consi¬ 
dered what must be done for Rangi and Papa. Shall we 
slay them, or shall we separate them ? Tumata-uenga (this 
* At Hawaii lie is called Tanaroa; amongst the Maori he is the god who 
reveals secrets. Tangaroa piri whare, which implies that he is an eaves¬ 
dropper, listening to what others are saying, and making mischief of it. It is 
not improbable that he was the original god of the Polynesians ; perhaps before 
they inhabited these islands at all: see Buddie's Lectures .—I am inclined to 
think the same. 
f A small image of a man, cut out of the much-prized green stone, which is 
worn round the neck; its name is Tiki, the father of man. 
I Ru is also a Tahaitian god. The same tradition of the heaven being 
joined to the earth is there found, and that they were only separated by the 
Teva, an insignificant plant, Draeonitum polly phillum, till their god Ruu lifted 
it up. 
“Na Ruu i to te rai,” Ru did elevate, or raise the heavens. 
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