The God Tane
His Progeny. (Nga-I-Tahu.)

Tane took Maunga to wife, by whom he had Te Piere (called), and Te Matata (carried on a litter), and Toetoe (split in shreds), and Te Kawha (Ngawha) (split open).

Then Tane took To-hika (the baptized) to wife, by whom he had Hine-i-te-kukura-a-tane (daughter of the red glow of Tane), and Te-haka-matua (dwarf parent), and Te-wai-puna-hau (the water-spring of baptism), and Tahora-atea (unencumbered plain), and Tahora-a-moa (the plain of the birds), and Papani-tahora (plain blocked up), and Te Pakihi (plain of dried-up herbage), and Te Parae (open, undulating plain), and Hine-i-mata-tiki (daughter of the face of the first man).

Tane took to wife Hine-hau-one (daughter of the soil aroma), by whom he had Hine-i-te-ata-ariari (shadow of the daughter of the eleventh-day moon).

Tane took to wife Tu-kori-ahuru (standing restless with heat); but among all these were not found any worthy to bedeck his father (Rangi); therefore Tane took to wife Puta-rakau (hollow page 145 of a tree), by whom he had Hine-ti-tama (daughter of the funeral ceremony) and Hine-ata-uira (daughter of gentle lightning); and in time Tane took Hine-ata-uira, his own daughter, to wife, by whom he had Tahu-kumia (husband's breath), and Tahu-whaka-ero (husband dying away), and Tahu-tuturi (husband kneeling), and Tahu-pepeke (husband with legs drawn up), and Tahu-pukai (husband folded up). Even with the assistance of these he could not find anything to adorn his father Raki. Then he went into the heavens in search of his elder brother Rehua, and of something to beautify Raki. He journeyed on till he came where Rehua was, at Whiti-nuku (shining earth), and Whiti-raki (shining sky); then climbed up over Te-ure-nui-o-raki (the great procreative power of Raki) to Take-take-nui-o-raki (the great foundation of Raki), to Pou-tu-te-raki (the meridian of Raki), the settlement of Rehua, where he found Rehua, and was requested by him to stay. Tane replied, “You live here. I will return to our father.” Rehua then supplied Tane with food (tui, or parson-bird), which he took off his head; but Tane would not partake of it, because of the sanctity of the place whence it was taken. Tane was sad; but, surprised at the fatness of the birds, he requested leave to take some away with him; but Rehua said, “Do not take any (of the birds) below (on to the earth)—there is no food (for them there): rather take trees down and plant them.” To which Tane acquiesced. He took some of each sort of tree. Therefore trees are called to this day, “te tira o Tane i te mawake-roa” (the travellers of Tane of the south-east sea-breeze). Tane returned to the earth.

Whilst he had been absent Hine-ata-uira had put this question to the people: “O, you people! where is my father by whom I am?” The people replied, “That is he with whom you live.” Then did the woman die with shame, and hid herself and children by going into the lower world, and was there when Tane arrived at his home. Tane was so grieved at the absence of Hine-ata-uira that he forgot to plant the trees, and resolved to follow her. She had arrived at Te Po, the place of Hine-a-te-ao (daughter page 146 of the light). Hine-a-te-ao said to her, “Go back. I, Hine-a-te-ao, am here. This is the division between night and day.” Hine-ata-uira took no heed: she persisted in her endeavours to go, and prevailed over Hine-a-te-ao, and passed on. Then Tane arrived. Hine-a-te-ao asked him, “Where are you going?” Tane answered, “I am in pursuit of my wife.” Hine-a-te-ao replied, “She will not be overtaken by you. She has rushed recklessly on. She will not be overtaken by you.” Tane said, “Nevertheless let me pass.” That tipua, the goblin, Hine-a-te-ao, said to Tane, “Come on. Follow your wife.” On Tane went till he came to the Po of Hine-a-te-po. She asked him, “Where are you going?” Tane replied, “I am in pursuit of my wife.” She said, “I have spoken thus to her, ‘Return from this place, as I, Hine-a-te-po, am here. I am the barrier between night and day;’ but she would hot hearken to me.”

Tane said to Hine-a-te-po, “Let me pass,” and the goblin gave him permission. When Tane had arrived at the Po of Hine-ruaki-moa (daughter of the vomiting moa) his wife had some time before gone into the house of Tu-kai-nanapia (Tu the eye-consumer). He scratched on the outside of the door of the house, but could not succeed in obtaining admission, for the door had been securely barred. Tane asked his wife, “O mother! Come, let us two return to our place above.” She replied, “Return you to the world (day) and nourish some of our progeny, and leave me down below, so that I can drag some of them down here.” She would not agree to what Tane proposed. She again called to him and said, “You go to the world (light); I will for ever dwell in the house of Tu-kai-nana-pia, in Pou-te-rere-ki (words are all in vain).”

Then Tane was grieved for his wife, and sang this song of love to her:—

Are you a child,
Am I a parent,
That we are severed
By Rohi-te-kura (trembling red bloom)?
Throbbing is my lonely heart,
page 147 Being left by you.
In Te Rake-pohutukawa (dry-summer tree; name of a house and home of Tane)
I will enter and cry;
I will pass out of sight through the door
Of the house called
Pou-tere-rangi (gone in the swimming heaven). O me!

Hine-ata-uira also sang a song to Tane, to express her great love. These are the words of her song:—

Are you called Tane,
And are you my father,
Great provider of food
At Hawaiki (hawa, gills of a fish; i ki, were filled),
The priest of the sacred ceremony
Of the kumara crops,
Left by me in Rake-pohutukawa?
I will pass out of sight
Through the door of the house
Of Pou-tere-rangi. O me!

Another Version of Hine-Ata-Uira. (Nga-I-Tahu.)

Hine-ata-uira inquired of Papa-tu-a-nuku, “Who is my husband?” to which Papa-tu-a-nuku replied, “O young woman! (do you ask) who is your husband? (He is truly) your father.” She was so ashamed of the fact that she went to the Po (darkness), and hid herself.

This is the song of Tane to his wife Hine-ata-uira:—

Are you a child,
That you discard the fondlings of years?
The house Kura-ma-hukihuki (trembling red colour)
Is now my road to Raki (heaven).
You left me in Te Rangi-pohutukawa.
I will depart and weep
At the door of the house
Pu-tere-rangi. O me, O!

This is the song of Hine-ata-uira for Tane:—

Are you Tane,
And are you my father,
The provider at Hawa-i-ki
Of the red, sweet aroma (the kumara)?
This is now my road to Rangi.
You have left me
In Te Rangi-pohutukawa.
I will depart and weep
At the door of the house
Pu-tere-rangi. O me, O!

page 148

Tane returned from the Po of Hine-ruaki-moa to the Po of Hine-a-te-ao, where he slept, and in the night he saw some of the offspring of Ira [these were a host of stars], called Toko-meha (lonely South) and Te-pae-tai-o-te-rangi (the shore of heaven), with whom he was delighted. He joyfully contemplated the sight, and admired their beauty, and said to the goblin (Hine-a-te-ao), “There are beautiful things standing up yonder.” Hine-a-te-ao asked, “What would you do with them?” He answered, “Clothe and beautify my father: he is standing naked.” She asked, “Have you a desire to go to where they are?” “Yes,” he said; “my heart throbs with joy at the beauty of those objects.” The goblin said, “O young man! there is no road thither; but go you by the way you made when you went to sew up the rents in Rangi—that is the road to Te pae-tai-o-te-rangi. But, O Tane! you may catch all the stars, but one you will not catch, as it rests on the very lip of the cave.” Tane said, “The reason I wish to go where they are is because those things appear so very good.” She said, “Go. But I do not know whether they are kept in houses or not.” Tane asked, “What are the names of the houses?” The goblin said, “Koro-riwha-te-po (cracks of the night) is the name of one, and Koro-riwha-te-ao (chinks of the day) is the name of the other; and the mountain on which these stars rest and display their light is called Mahiku-rangi (end of heaven).” Again she said to Tane, “O young man! go; and if you catch the stars, keep fast hold of two of them to be a sign for winter.” Tane came back to his settlement, called Te Rake-pohutukawa, and, having slept two nights there, he left and went out to see the offspring of Te-pae-tai-o-te-rangi, and of Ira, and of Toko-meha; but on his arriving there his younger brother, Wehi-nui-a-mamao (great dread of a distance), had arrived some time before him, and had already caught the stars, and placed them as ornaments on the outside of his houses called Hira-uta (many on shore), and Hira-tai (many on the sea), and Pari-nuku (precipice of the page 149 earth), and Pari-rangi (precipice of heaven). Tane said to Wehi-nui-a-mamao, “O friend! I have come for the things I saw here.” His younger brother said, “I have caught them.” Tane said, “I have come for those things to beautify our father, who is standing naked.” His brother answered, “Yes; I am willing that you should take those stars away.” Tane brought them away, and distributed them on Te Pae-taku-o-roko (rongo) (the rim of the mountain-range of Rongo). He saw that those stars were good, and his heart was glad with their beauty. He threw up to the heaven Te-ika-matua-a-taka-roa (the parent fish of Taka-roa) (Great Magellan Cloud), and after this he threw Nga-patari (the inviters) (Lesser Magellan Cloud), and Manako-uri (anxious darkness), and Manako-tea (anxious light); after which he adorned all the heaven with stars, thus making use of all that he had procured except five. These were Puaka (Puanga) (blazed-up) (star Rigel), Taku-rua (rim of the pit) (star Sirius)—these two stars were to preside over planting and harvest time; Wero-i-te-ninihi (arouse the absconding), and Wero-i-te-kokoto (arouse the expanse)—these stars were to preside over winter; and Wero-i-te-ao-marie (arouse the quiet world) was to preside over summer. Tane saw that the heaven was good which he had made.

He then planted the trees which he had obtained on his first going to Rangi. He planted them in his garden. In the second year all the trees had grown greatly, and in the third year the kahinga-tea (kahika-tea—white pine) began to bear fruit, and the birds of heaven alighted on it, because of the abundance of fruit, and did eat.

Tane then thought he could make man; so he formed of the earth a model of that which he contemplated making. He formed it at Ha-i-ki (breath that was full). The arms stood forth, and the head, and the feet, and the thighs, and the whole body; and all were fashioned to the design he had formed in his mind—made to resemble the body of man. He patted it with his hands into form from the soil of Hawa-i-ki (the gills that page 150 were full). When he had completed it, he raised it up and stood it erect. Rua-tai-epa (pit of the objection) had the tara (clitoris), and Whatai (stretch out the neck) had the kiko (labia minora), and Puna-weko (spring dammed up) had the huruhuru (capilla), and Mahuta (spring forth) had the ure (membrum virile), and Tarewa (hung up) had the tona (glans clitoridis). These Tane obtained from the gods, and he fastened some of them to the model he had made of the earth.

Then he prayed his prayer thus:—

Pi-haea (flow dreaded),
Ko Haea (it is dread inspired),
Ko Re-naia (stretch out),
Hae-hae Tu (inspire Tu with dread),
Hae-hae-pae (inspire the horizon with dread),
Hae-hae-ki-runga (inspire above with dread),
Hae-hae-raro (inspire the depths with dread),
Hao-hae-ki-roto (inspire inside with dread),
Taina-te-rangi (Rangi is younger brother),
Ka kore ua, i a koro ua (not raining, no rain),
Io Torenga (Tore-ka) (god-heat, burn),
Makiki (filled up tight),
Torenga (Tore-ka) (god-heat, burn),
Makaka (crooked),
Kai-nga-nene (with the sport),
Ka-reka (is delightful),
Ko Tiki (it is Tiki).

Tiki, or Tiki-au-a-ha (brought forth the stream of breath), was the name Tane gave to the form he made of the earth, which was the first inhabitant of the world. Tane was delighted with the man he had made to live in the world.