Tane

Also known as: Tane-Mahuta / Tane-mahuta · Role: god-power of the masculine sex · First appears: Chapter II · The Creation of Hawaiki

In Chapter II, Tane was born to Rangi and Papa-tu-a-nuku. He lifted Rangi away from Papa-tu-a-nuku, separating Heaven and Earth and bringing Hawaiki into being. In Chapter IV, he set out to find adornments for his father: he brought back red colour, covered the heaven with it, then removed most of it, leaving some at Mahiku-rangi. After watching Rangi’s beauty fade and return for seven days and seven nights, he sang of his sorrow to his father.

At Te-Po, Tane found Hine-a-te-ao and slept in her house. He saw the stars Lonely South and Shore of Heaven, and she told him to take them; she then directed him to Tupu-renga-o-te-Po, who agreed to give stars to adorn Rangi. Tupu gave him four sacred stars and five more, which Tane fastened and arranged in the heavens. Tupu brought further stars, and Tane distributed them over Rangi. At last, resting on Papa-tu-a-nuku, he watched the stars shine across the sky and rejoiced in his father’s beauty.

In Chapter VI, Tane lifted Rangi high above the mountains and adorned him with stars. He became the father of the lakes and spread their glittering faces over Papa. He took Gentle Noise of Air to wife and founded the family of trees; their sons were Totara-tree, Manuka, Rimu, and Kauri-tree, and their daughters included Kahiku. He also found Wanderer in the Sky and Wanderer in the Brook, who gave him his children, the birds. Tane planted his children over Papa, where they grew and took the earth as their mother.