Tama-te-Kapua

Role: chief and tohunga · First appears: Chapter XV · Tihi-o-te-Rangi · Part 1

In Chapter XV · Tihi-o-te-Rangi · Part 1, Ngawai’s whare-puni bears a carving of Tama-te-Kapua, a chief and tohunga whom the text names as her ancestor. In Chapter XVII · The Coming of the Maori, Hou-mai-tawhiti is Tama-te-Kapua’s father. When the Arawa departed Tahiti for the new land, Tama-te-Kapua carried Ngatoro-i-Rangi across the ocean to serve as its priest.

While crossing the ocean in search of Ao-tea-roa, Tama-te-Kapua secretly gained the affections of Kearoa, Ngatoro-i-Rangi’s wife. Ngatoro-i-Rangi resolved to destroy the canoe and those aboard; in Chapter XVIII · Tradition--Tama-te-Kapua, he steered it into a western precipice, and darkness swallowed it. At last, Ngatoro-i-Rangi took pity and saved the canoe. Tama-te-Kapua died at Moehau, where his sons buried him.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Arawa departed Tahiti for the new land.(Chapter XVII · The Coming of the Maori · 📍 Tahiti)
  • With: Hou-mai-tawhiti
  • “And as the canoe-paddles took the water and she gathered way, a voice of Hou’ was heard crying his poroporoaki, his farewell to the crew.”
• Tama-te-Kapua carried the high-priest Ngatoro-i-Rangi off across the ocean to be the Arawa’s priest.(Chapter XVII · The Coming of the Maori · 📍 Arawa)
  • With: Ngatoro-i-Rangi
  • “He carried him off across the ocean to be the Arawa’s priest”
• Tama-te-Kapua clandestinely gained Kearoa’s affections.(Chapter XVII · The Coming of the Maori)
  • With: Kearoa
  • “Tama-te-Kapua clandestinely gained the affections of the lady Kearoa, the wife of Ngatoro-i-Rangi, who had accompanied her husband.”
• Tama-te-Kapua died, and his sons buried him on Moehau.(Chapter XVII · The Coming of the Maori · 📍 Moehau)
  • “Here Tama’ died, and here his sons buried him, on the forested ridge of Moehau.”
• Tama-te-Kapua unties Earth from the Sun and takes her to his wife.(Chapter XVIII · Tradition--Tama-te-Kapua)
  • “During the journey Ngatoro climbs up to the Height of the Midday, tying the earth to him by his sun-rays; but Tama-te-Kapua unties the sun-rays which bind the earth to the Sun--the cloud flies over the earth--and takes her to his wife.”
• Ngatoro-i-Rangi steers the canoe into the western precipice, and darkness swallows it.(Chapter XVIII · Tradition--Tama-te-Kapua)
  • With: Ngatoro-i-Rangi
  • “Wrathful over the insult Tama-te-Kapua had done to him, Ngatoro now steers the canoe into the western precipice: the Sun is setting, and night swallows the canoe; and in vain does Tama-te-Kapua call for help from Ngatoro: everything is swallowed in darkness.”
• Ngatoro-i-Rangi takes pity and saves the canoe.(Chapter XVIII · Tradition--Tama-te-Kapua)
  • With: Ngatoro-i-Rangi
  • “But at last Ngatoro takes pity and saves the canoe: the Sun ascends again in the East, and steers the canoe against the West, to Ao-tea-roa.”

Chapter XV · Tihi-o-te-Rangi · Part 1

• younger kin: Ngawai “Carved is there Tama-te-Kapua, the great Chief--Tohunga, her ancestor, who came from Hawaiki.”

Chapter XVII · The Coming of the Maori

• parent: Hou-mai-tawhiti “Her commander was Tama-te-Kapua (Son of the Clouds), the son of the venerable Hou-mai-Tawhiti.”
• admired: Kearoa “Tama-te-Kapua clandestinely gained the affections of the lady Kearoa, the wife of Ngatoro-i-Rangi, who had accompanied her husband.”
• enemies with Ngatoro-i-Rangi “Tama-te-Kapua clandestinely gained the affections of the lady Kearoa, the wife of Ngatoro-i-Rangi, who had accompanied her husband. When Ngatoro’ discovered this, he resolved to destroy the canoe and all that were on board.”

Chapter XVIII · Tradition--Tama-te-Kapua

• enemies with Ngatoro-i-Rangi (Tama-te-Kapua's insult prompts Ngatoro's hostile action.) “Wrathful over the insult Tama-te-Kapua had done to him, Ngatoro now steers the canoe into the western precipice: the Sun is setting, and night swallows the canoe; and in vain does Tama-te-Kapua call for help from Ngatoro: everything is swallowed in darkness.”

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Extracted from the original text of Te Tohunga. Made with Rho MD.