Ngatoro-i-rangi
Encyclopedia
In Māori tradition
, Ngātoro-i-rangi (Ngātoro) is the name of a tohunga (priest) prominent during the settling of Aotearoa (New Zealand) by the Māori people, who came from the mythical homeland Hawaiki
.
tribe and was direct successor to the high priest of Taputapuatea marae
at Rangiātea. He also had ancestral connections to Aitutaki, Rarotonga, Rangiātea (Raiatea) and other islands in the area.
He was trained at Taputapuātea marae as a priest and navigator and was renowned for his skills and status. He made a number of journeys around the islands of Hawaiki and eventually rose to become a powerful high priest with the mana (authority or right) to carry the most powerful of deities.
The people of Ngāti Ohomairangi formed two divisions. After the various battles in Hawaiki these two divisions decided to participate in the migration to Aotearoa (New Zealand), and set about building the two great waka (ships) Tainui and Te Arawa.
canoe in its journey from Hawaiki to New Zealand. The two waka were anchored together for the initial sea tests before launching.
However, Ngātoro-i-rangi was persuaded by Tama-te-kapua
to come aboard Te Arawa with his wife to perform the final rituals that would allow the waka to make for open water. While this was happening Tama-te-kapua ordered his crew to head for open water, and thus Ngātoro-i-rangi and his wife were kidnapped.
During the course of the voyage Kearoa, the wife of Ngātoro-i-rangi, had been insulted by Tama-te-kapua. So, Ngātoro-i-rangi called upon a storm to drive the Arawa into Te Korokoro o Te Parata (The throat of Te Parata), a mid-ocean whirlpool. It was only when the shrieks of the women and children moved his heart with pity that he Ngātoro-i-rangi relented, and let the canoe emerge safely.
) and headed inland. As he went about, springs of water appeared where he stamped his foot. These springs are stills seen all over the area, such as around the Rotorua
Lakes district, through to Tokaanu. He also placed patupaiarehe
(human-like spirit beings) on the hills.
As he was crossing the plains near Tarawera, Ngātoro-i-rangi came across a strange figure named Te Tama-hoi. He was a demon (atua) who was directing evil spells towards Ngātoro-i-rangi. Ngātoro-i-rangi struggled against the demon and eventually overcame him. Ngātoro-i-rangi stamped his foot opening a chasm in the mountain into which Te Tama-Hoi was buried. The chasm became the volcanic rent of Mount Tarawera
.
Ngātoro-i-rangi eventually arrived at Taupō-nui-ā-Tia (Lake Taupō
, also called Taupō Moana), and, looking southward, decided to climb the mountains he saw there. He reached and began to climb the first mountain along with his slave Ngāuruhoe, who had been travelling with him, and named the mountain Tongariro (the name literally meaning 'looking south'), whereupon the two were overcome by a blizzard carried by the cold south wind.
Near death, Ngātoro-i-rangi called back to his two sisters, Kuiwai and Haungaroa, who had also come from Hawaiki but remained upon Whakaari (White Island) to send him sacred fire which they had brought from Hawaiki. This they did, sending the geothermal fire in the form of two taniwha (powerful spirits) named Te Pupu and Te Haeata, by a subterranean passage to the top of Tongariro. The tracks of these two taniwha formed the line of geothermal fire which extends from the Pacific Ocean
and beneath the Taupō Volcanic Zone, and is seen in the many volcanoes and hot-springs extending from Whakaari to Tokaanu and up to the Tongariro massif. The fire arrived just in time to save Ngātoro-i-rangi from freezing to death, but Ngāuruhoe was already dead by the time Ngātoro-i-rangi turned to give him the fire. On this account the hole through which the fire ascended, the active cone of Tongariro, is now called Ngāuruhoe.
Ngātoro-i-rangi named a large number of places in the Central Plateau of the North Island in order to claim the area on behalf of his descendents, who would eventually return under the mantle of the tribe Ngāti Tūwharetoa. One legend tells how Ngātoro-i-rangi created Lake Taupō
itself, however the legends of the creation of Taupō Moana differ from tribe to tribe.
However, on account of a curse uttered by his brother-in-law Manaia, Ngātoro-i-rangi led an expedition to Hawaiki, and defeated Manaia in the battle of Ihumoto-motokia. Ngātororiangi also left a son at Tongareva Island.
Ngātoro-i-rangi then returned to Aotearoa
and fortified Motiti Island
, where he was attacked by Manaia, who, with all his host, perished when by mighty spells Ngātoro-i-rangi raised a huge storm called Te Aputahi-ā-Pawa.
It is said that as an old man Ngātoro-i-rangi attempted to travel to Kāwhia to visit his cousin Hoturoa who had taken command of the Tainui
waka, but he never arrived. Many years later his bones were recovered from the Waikato River
with his tāmoko (facial tattoo) still identifiable. It is uncertain where his remains were finally buried with both Kāwhia and Motiti island being possible sites.
Maori mythology
Māori mythology and Māori traditions are the two major categories into which the legends of the Māori of New Zealand may usefully be divided...
, Ngātoro-i-rangi (Ngātoro) is the name of a tohunga (priest) prominent during the settling of Aotearoa (New Zealand) by the Māori people, who came from the mythical homeland Hawaiki
Hawaiki
In Māori mythology, Hawaiki is the homeland of the Māori, the original home of the Māori, before they travelled across the sea to New Zealand...
.
Rangiātea
Ngātoro-i-rangi was the son of Rakauri and Hineruarangi and was raised at Te Vaitoa in Rangiātea. He was descended from the Ngāti OhomairangiOhomairangi
In Māori mythology, Ohomairangi is an important ancestor who lived in Hawaiki 6 generations before the migration to Aotearoa New Zealand. He is considered the major ancestor of the people of both Te Arawa and Tainui waka ....
tribe and was direct successor to the high priest of Taputapuatea marae
Taputapuatea marae
Marae Taputapuatea is a large marae complex at Opoa in Taputapuatea, on the south eastern coast of Raiatea. The site features a number of marae and other stone structures and was once considered the central temple and religious center of Eastern Polynesia....
at Rangiātea. He also had ancestral connections to Aitutaki, Rarotonga, Rangiātea (Raiatea) and other islands in the area.
He was trained at Taputapuātea marae as a priest and navigator and was renowned for his skills and status. He made a number of journeys around the islands of Hawaiki and eventually rose to become a powerful high priest with the mana (authority or right) to carry the most powerful of deities.
The people of Ngāti Ohomairangi formed two divisions. After the various battles in Hawaiki these two divisions decided to participate in the migration to Aotearoa (New Zealand), and set about building the two great waka (ships) Tainui and Te Arawa.
Journey to Aotearoa
When the Tainui waka and Te Arawa waka were constructed it was intended that Ngātoro-i-rangi should command the TainuiTainui
Tainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato...
canoe in its journey from Hawaiki to New Zealand. The two waka were anchored together for the initial sea tests before launching.
However, Ngātoro-i-rangi was persuaded by Tama-te-kapua
Tama-te-kapua
In Māori tradition Tama-te-kapua was the captain of the Te Arawa canoe which came to New Zealand from Polynesia in about 1350. The reason for his leaving his homeland was the theft by his brother Whakaturia and himself of breadfruit from a tree belonging to a chief named Uenuku. The Te Arawa canoe...
to come aboard Te Arawa with his wife to perform the final rituals that would allow the waka to make for open water. While this was happening Tama-te-kapua ordered his crew to head for open water, and thus Ngātoro-i-rangi and his wife were kidnapped.
During the course of the voyage Kearoa, the wife of Ngātoro-i-rangi, had been insulted by Tama-te-kapua. So, Ngātoro-i-rangi called upon a storm to drive the Arawa into Te Korokoro o Te Parata (The throat of Te Parata), a mid-ocean whirlpool. It was only when the shrieks of the women and children moved his heart with pity that he Ngātoro-i-rangi relented, and let the canoe emerge safely.
Central North Island
Upon reaching Aotearoa Ngātoro-i-rangi left the waka at Te Awa o te Atua (near MatatāMatata
Matata can be:*Matata, a religious figure in Georgia *Matata, a town in New Zealand.*Matata, a New Zealand bird.*Matata, a bonobo.*J.C. Matata, a hip hop musician.*The latter part of the phrase hakuna matata....
) and headed inland. As he went about, springs of water appeared where he stamped his foot. These springs are stills seen all over the area, such as around the Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
Lakes district, through to Tokaanu. He also placed patupaiarehe
Patupaiarehe
In Māori mythology, Patupaiarehe are pale spirit beings that live in deep forests and mountaintops in New Zealand, and are sometimes hostile to humans...
(human-like spirit beings) on the hills.
As he was crossing the plains near Tarawera, Ngātoro-i-rangi came across a strange figure named Te Tama-hoi. He was a demon (atua) who was directing evil spells towards Ngātoro-i-rangi. Ngātoro-i-rangi struggled against the demon and eventually overcame him. Ngātoro-i-rangi stamped his foot opening a chasm in the mountain into which Te Tama-Hoi was buried. The chasm became the volcanic rent of Mount Tarawera
Mount Tarawera
Mount Tarawera is the volcano responsible for New Zealand's largest historic eruption. Located 24 kilometres southeast of Rotorua in the North Island, it consists of a series of rhyolitic lava domes that were fissured down the middle by an explosive basaltic eruption in 1886, which killed over...
.
Ngātoro-i-rangi eventually arrived at Taupō-nui-ā-Tia (Lake Taupō
Lake Taupo
Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of , it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray ....
, also called Taupō Moana), and, looking southward, decided to climb the mountains he saw there. He reached and began to climb the first mountain along with his slave Ngāuruhoe, who had been travelling with him, and named the mountain Tongariro (the name literally meaning 'looking south'), whereupon the two were overcome by a blizzard carried by the cold south wind.
Near death, Ngātoro-i-rangi called back to his two sisters, Kuiwai and Haungaroa, who had also come from Hawaiki but remained upon Whakaari (White Island) to send him sacred fire which they had brought from Hawaiki. This they did, sending the geothermal fire in the form of two taniwha (powerful spirits) named Te Pupu and Te Haeata, by a subterranean passage to the top of Tongariro. The tracks of these two taniwha formed the line of geothermal fire which extends from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and beneath the Taupō Volcanic Zone, and is seen in the many volcanoes and hot-springs extending from Whakaari to Tokaanu and up to the Tongariro massif. The fire arrived just in time to save Ngātoro-i-rangi from freezing to death, but Ngāuruhoe was already dead by the time Ngātoro-i-rangi turned to give him the fire. On this account the hole through which the fire ascended, the active cone of Tongariro, is now called Ngāuruhoe.
Ngātoro-i-rangi named a large number of places in the Central Plateau of the North Island in order to claim the area on behalf of his descendents, who would eventually return under the mantle of the tribe Ngāti Tūwharetoa. One legend tells how Ngātoro-i-rangi created Lake Taupō
Lake Taupo
Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of , it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray ....
itself, however the legends of the creation of Taupō Moana differ from tribe to tribe.
Later journeys
Ngātororiangi eventually left the Central North Island and returned to Maketū to conduct the rituals to bring Te Arawa waka to rest, before finally settling at Motiti Island.However, on account of a curse uttered by his brother-in-law Manaia, Ngātoro-i-rangi led an expedition to Hawaiki, and defeated Manaia in the battle of Ihumoto-motokia. Ngātororiangi also left a son at Tongareva Island.
Ngātoro-i-rangi then returned to Aotearoa
Aotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
and fortified Motiti Island
Motiti Island
Motiti Island is located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is north-east of Tauranga and north-east of Papamoa. There were 18 homes occupied by 27 people on the island in the 2006 Census....
, where he was attacked by Manaia, who, with all his host, perished when by mighty spells Ngātoro-i-rangi raised a huge storm called Te Aputahi-ā-Pawa.
It is said that as an old man Ngātoro-i-rangi attempted to travel to Kāwhia to visit his cousin Hoturoa who had taken command of the Tainui
Tainui
Tainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato...
waka, but he never arrived. Many years later his bones were recovered from the Waikato River
Waikato River
The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand. In the North Island, it runs for 425 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and emptying into Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake. It drains Taupo at the lake's northeastern edge, creates the...
with his tāmoko (facial tattoo) still identifiable. It is uncertain where his remains were finally buried with both Kāwhia and Motiti island being possible sites.