Tāne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tāne |
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| Māori god of forests and birds, Tahitian god of beauty and peace |
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A carving of Tāne-nui-a-Rangi sited at the entrance to the Auckland Zoo's forest aviary.
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| Other names | Tāne-mahuta, Tāne-nui-a-Rangi |
| Gender | Male |
| Region | Polynesia |
| Ethnic group | Māori, Tahitians |
| Personal information | |
| Consorts | Hine-nui-te-pō, Rangahore |
| Offspring | Hine-nui-te-pō, Tiki, Haumia-tiketike (southern Bay of Plenty and parts of the east coast) |
| Parents | Rangi and Papa |
| Siblings | Haumia (Arawa), Rongo, Tangaroa, Tāwhirimātea, Tū, Rūaumoko, Whiro |
In Māori mythology, Tāne is a very important god. He is known as the god of forests and birds. You might also hear him called Tāne-mahuta or Tāne-nui-a-Rangi. Tāne is the son of Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūanuku, the earth mother. In the beginning, Rangi and Papa were held in a tight hug. Their many children lived in the dark space between them.
In Tahiti, Tāne was seen as the god of peace and beauty.
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Separating the Sky and Earth
The children of Rangi and Papa felt very cramped. They lived in darkness between their parents. Tū, who would become the god of war, thought they should kill their parents. But Tāne disagreed. He suggested a different plan. Tāne believed it was better to separate them. Rangi, the sky father, would go up into the sky. Papa, the earth mother, would stay below to care for them.
Tāne's brothers tried to separate their parents first. Rongo, then Tangaroa, Haumia-tiketike, and Tū all tried. But they could not do it. After many tries, Tāne lay on his back. He pushed with his strong legs. Finally, he forced his parents apart. Rangi rose high into the heavens.
After separating his parents, Tāne wanted to make his father look good. He searched for lights to decorate the sky. He found the stars and threw them up. He also added the moon and the sun. At last, Rangi looked handsome and bright.
The Storm God's Anger
Tāwhirimātea, the god of storms and winds, was very angry. He did not like that his parents had been pulled apart. He joined his father in the sky. From there, he punished the earth and sea with strong storms.
Tāwhirimātea attacked Tāne's forests. He snapped the tree trunks. He shattered the trees to the ground. They became food for decay and insects. Then he attacked the oceans. Tangaroa, the god of the sea, had to flee.
Two of Tangaroa's children were very scared. They were Ikatere, the father of fish, and Tu-te-wehiwehi, the ancestor of reptiles. The fish swam into the sea to hide. The reptiles ran into the forests.
Ongoing Conflict
Ever since that time, Tangaroa has been upset with Tāne. He blames Tāne for hiding his runaway children. So, Tāne helps the people by giving them canoes. He also provides fishhooks and nets. These tools help them catch the fish, who are Tangaroa's descendants.
Tangaroa gets his revenge too. He overturns canoes in the sea. He sends floods that wash away houses, land, and trees. This shows the ongoing struggle between the land and the sea.
The First Human
Some stories say that Tāne created the first man. This man was named Tiki.
Another well-known story tells how Tāne wanted a wife. At first, he only found non-human females. He became the father of insects, birds, and plants. One of these was Rangahore. She gave birth to a stone, and Tāne left her. Then, Tāne decided to create a woman. He shaped her from the soil of the earth.
The Baskets of Knowledge
Other traditions tell of a great journey Tāne made. He went up to the heavens. From there, he brought down three special baskets. These baskets held all the knowledge of the world.
