03 The Tawhaki Myths March 1992

The theme of brother-in-law treachery outlined in the Maui myths is reiterated in the Tawhaki myth when he was almost killed by his brother-in-law

His wife Hinepiripiri who was pregnant at the time, warmed Tawhaki back to life by burning a long log of wood on the fire. Her son was named Wahie-roa (long long) to commemorate the event thus reiterating the cultural pattern established in the Maui myth. The name also served as a reminder to avenge the misdeed by his uncles.

Tawhaki, as befits a legendary hero, avenged the death of his father at the hands of the Ponatauri a powerful goblin-like people. He reiterates the canons of warfare laid down in the Maui myths of gathering intelligence on the enemy, identifying his weaknesses and devising military strategy on the basis of that intelligence.

Tawhaki's liason with Tangotango a woman from the celestial realm intorduces the theme of women initiating the love affair.

Tangotango's desertion of Tawhaki and his subsequent search for her indicates the pivotal nature of the husband-wife bond.
Previous searches in the Maui myth were for parents and siblings.

On the journey to the celestial realm, the incident where Tawhaki's slave perished after being warned not to gaze on the tapu (sacred) citadel of Tongameha dramatised two principles. Firstly the injunctions of superiors must be obeyed and secondly the penalty for breaching the law of tapu is death.

The theme of a culture hero on a lone exploit fraught with danger exemplified in the Maui myths, was repeated in Tawhaki's climb up the hanging vines into the tenth heaven. There he was put through a further trial at the hands of his brothers-in-law to test his humility in expiation to his wife and their child. Eventually, Tawhaki triumped and was deified.

In the next generation Wahieroa was killed by the demonic Matukutakotako who emerged from under the ground on the phase of the new moon to wander abroad devouring humans.

Wahieroa's Son Rata sought to avenge the death of his father thus reinforcing the theme of utu laid down in the Maui myths.

As did other culture heroes before him, Rata went on a lone exploit to search out and kill his enemy. From the keeper of the entrance to the Underworld he learned about Matukutakotako conducting his ablutions and dressing his hair at two pools. He found out that it was dangerous to approach his enemy at the Mirror pool because he would be easily detected. But Matukutakotako was vulnerable while in the bathing pool because the muddy water would not give him early warning of an approaching enemy.

Matukutakotako was in due course killed by Rata but his mission was incomplete untill he recovered his father's bones.

Wahieroa's bones had been removed to a place across the water and so Rata needed to build a canoe to fulfill his sacred duty of recovering them.

The myth of Rata felling a tree and building a canoe only to find the next day that the tree had been re-erected by the Hakuturi (insects, birds and spirits of the forest) dramatises certain spiritual beliefs and cultural practices of the Maori. Firstly, Rata had committed an offence against the Gods by felling a tree without performing propitiatory rituals to Tane. Secondly, the myth teaches respect for nature, because when Rata expressed shame for neglecting his duty, the Hakuturi fashioned a fine canoe for him.

Rata launched his canoe Riwaru and manned it with 140 warriors which is generally recognised as the size of a taua (war party). Although he had a strong force with him, in keeping with the behaviour of a culture hero, Rata went on a lone exploit to spy out the land and gather the appropriate information on his enemies which he turned to his advantage to defeat them.

In the next generation, Rata's descendant Whakatau becomes the culture hero famed for his military prowess.

Whakatau was engaged by Hineteiwaiwa to avenge the death of Tinirau's son Tuhuruhuru. The myth of Whakatau's conduct of his campaign against the enemy serves as a model codifying the canons of warfare in a manner that was tantamount to a military manual.

Whakatau emerges as a heroic figure engaging the enemy in single combat or conducting a lone reconnaisance into the very heart of enemy territory to gather intelligence on which he devised tactics to defeat them.

The myth teaches that bravery alone is not sufficient to ensure victory. War is a dangerous game in which both protagonists are likely to be killed. Therefore, appropriate tactics and strategy have to be devised to ensure the enemy dies and the hero lives. It was on this basis that Whakatau defeated ten enemy champions in single combat. Without his advance preparations the outcome might not have been so certain.

Finally, enemies are not anonymous. It was the Popohorokewa who killed Tuhuruhuru and their house Te Tihi o Manono was the symbolic heart of their power. Whakatau's destruction of Te Tihi o Manono by fire signified his victory and the attainment of utu.

Reading:
Grey Polynesian Mythology
Walker, R Relevance of Myth and Tradition

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