Comets and Meteors

Upokoroa	Unahiroa
Auahi-turoa	Meto
Taketake-hikuroa	Tunui-a-te-ika
Wahieroa	Puaroa (?)
Auroa

Personified forms of comets. It was Auahi-turoa who brought fire from the sun to earth as a boon to mankind. Fire is termed the Tama a Upokoroa, as explained in the account of the origin of fire. The appearance of a comet was ominous—"Tetahi ingoa o Wahieroa ko Taketake-hikuroa, a ka kitea tana atua i te rangi he tohu aitua mo te iwi." A matapuru charm would be recited by an expert in order to ward off the threatened calamity. Matawhaura is a name not yet properly explained.

Rongomai
Tamarau

Personified forms of meteors. Makawe is probably another such at Rotorua and Taupo. The phenomenon known as Tiramaroa to the Tuhoe people has not been identified.