Maori God Pourangahua And His Flying Bird Traversing The Ancient Skies

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - Once upon a time, the god Pourangahua flew from the legendary dwelling place of Hawaiki to New Zealand on a magic bird. The name of his bird was Manunui-a-Ruakapanga, which means 'The Big Bird of Ruakapanga.

God Pourangahua was brought to New Zealand on an enormous  firebird. Photo credits: woodgroupsa.org.au/

Hawaiki is a compound word that comes from Old Indian and can be translated as "from the Milky Way."

Most important, Hawaiki is a significant concept in Māori culture and mythology. It serves dual roles as both a physical and spiritual place of origin. In Māori tradition, Hawaiki is considered the ancestral homeland from which the first Māori people sailed to New Zealand. This migration is a crucial part of Māori history and the peopl's cultural identity.

In the realm of Māori mythology, Hawaiki holds even greater significance. It is believed to be the place where Io, the supreme being in Māori cosmology, created the world and its first inhabitants. This aspect of Hawaiki connects it to the very foundations of existence in Māori belief.

Hawaiki also plays a vital role in Māori spiritual beliefs about life and death.

According to tradition, it is the place from which each person's spirit originates before birth and the destination to which it returns after death. This cyclical concept of spiritual journey adds depth to the cultural importance of Hawaiki.

An imaginative reconstruction to illustrate a legend titled The coming of the Maori, showing the Maori legendary country of origin, Hawaiki, with rocks, palm trees, several large canoes and a host of people waiting to embark in the distance. Art by Dittmer, Wilhelm, 1866-1909. Source

It's important to note that while Hawaiki holds immense cultural and spiritual significance, its physical location remains a subject of debate and interpretation among scholars and cultural experts.
Pourangahua made his journey from the legendary dwelling place of Hawaiki to New Zealand. The oldest Maori prayer is attributed to this Pourangahua and is as follows:

"I come, and an unknown earth lies below my feet.
I come and a new heaven turns above me.
I come on to this earth and it is a peaceful resting-place for me.
O spirit of the planets! The stranger humbly offers you his heart as nourishment."

What was this silver bird that was given to Pourangahua by Tane, the god of man and forests?

Tane led Pourangahua to ‘Te Manunui a Ruakapanga’ (The Great Bird of Ruakapanga) his flying moa. “Here is your canoe of the skies,” Tane said. “Be gentle with your ancestor who bears you so bravely.”

More Myths And Legends

Legend has it that the firebird with Pourangahua sitting on its the bird's back, took off.  Pourangahua was away for some time and when he came back he advised he knew of a new wonderful place . This place was covered in bush and that they all should go there to live.

This is an ancient Maori myth. What did the ancient Maori see that they wanted to preserve for future generations?  Whatever it was, the carving made by the Maori ancestors still exists and has a story to tell.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Updated on August 13, 2024

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