from Rangi
Having introduced to his son the idea that he can climb to a
heavenly status as he grows older, the chief now sketches this
spiritual realm for him. Rangi, the life spirit in Rā the sun, sends
down rays that create warmth and food, both essential for good
health. Later the boy will learn more, and must learn to use Rangi's
fire to bring robust health to the tribe's people.
When the boy later attended Whariki-awatea, the whare-wananga at
Okawa, up in the hills behind Hawkes Bay, he would have learnt the
teachings that I have summarized below.
From the teaching of the
tohunga Nepia Te Ika Pohuhu (Ngati Hinepare) in 1863.
"The Heavens that stand above us are twelve in number, and the
Apa-atua messenger-gods move to and fro between them, except to
Tikitiki-o-rangi, the most sacred of all the Heavens. The Apa are
even able to come down to Earth and to Hades.
"Te Rangi-nui (the great sky) standing above, felt a desire
towards Papa-tua-nuku (the earth) whose belly was turned up
towards him. So Rangi came down to Papa. In that period the amount
of light was nil; complete darkness prevailed. Rangi-nui set
plants and animals to cover the nakedness of Papa. After the last
of all these things had been planted by Rangi-nui and Papa, they
then created their proper offspring, who were 70
minor deities.
"After lying crushed between their parents for seven æons of
darkness, a faint glimmering like the light of a star was seen.
Ue-poto went out and found a cooling breeze. And when the
menstruous time of their mother Earth came, then Tāne came forth,
and then the others, and they raised up Rangi, having to cut his
arms clasped to Papa with an axe. The red that inflames the skies
at sunrise and sunset is the blood of Rangi's arms.
"Now Io-matua the supreme god told two Apa to go down to the
Earth, stand on the great mountain and command Tāne to ascend to
them. The two Apa did so, and when Tane reached them, he was taken
to the Waters of Rongo and baptised. Thus he was purified and now
for the first time he received his full name of Tāne-nui-a-rangi,
Great Tāne-of-the-Heavens.
Nepia Te Ika Pohuhu's full
Whare-wānanga teaching of the heavens is HERE
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