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Maori Religion and Mythology Part 2

Rainbow

Rainbow

Uenuku Kahukura-whare
Kahukura Haere
Kahukura i te rangi Tukorako
Tuawhiorangi Pou-te-aniwaniwa
Kahukura-pango

Personified forms of the rainbow. Uenuku was the husband of the Mist Maid. Several names pertain to Kahukura; these will be explained later under Rainbow myths. We are told that there were three Haere, the brothers Haere-kohiko, Haere-waewae and Haere-atautu. Many omens were derived from the appearance of rainbows. The above names were obtained from the Matatua folk, but the name of Tukorako was given by Ngati-Porou. The former folk state that rainbows are the offspring of Imurangi and Tuhirangi, who represent some celestial colour scheme. At Hawaii the rainbow is "the path of Tawhaki".