'Nga Tai' - the meaning of Tāngaroa

I found the following fragment in the papers of John White in the Alexander Turnbull Library. It presents a very interesting perspective on the meaning of 'Tāngaroa' (note macron) who is popularly described as 'the god of the sea'. Unfortunately, I did not record the actual location of this item within the John White collection, but it is there. It is written below just as the text appears in the original. I have not marked vowel length. The text explains that the tides ebb and flow because of the actions of an atua called 'Te Parata'. S/he sucks the water of the ocean and hence causes the tides to ebb. S/he opens his/her throat and forces the water to flow, hence, the flowing tides. The name of Tangaroa, or more properly 'Tāngaroa' concerns the length of the breath (te tānga roa o te manawa).

Nga tai
(Nga Puhi)

Te take o nga tai, he mea na Kawiti?, ana na
Te-parata, e momi ana i te wai o te moana,
Koia te taitimu, a ka puhania? mai ano eia
Koia te tai pari

He korero ano a a motu Kawheke? e mea
ana, na Te parata te take o nga tai; ka timu
atu te tai, e ha ana taua atua nei, i taua ha
ki tana Kopu, a ka timu, e whakaha mai ana
ana i taua ha ki a tona Kopu.

Tera atua a Te Parata koia te tino atua
o te moana, a ko Tangaroa te tahi o ana ingoa
he mea i tanga roa ai taua ingoa, he roa
no taua taanga manawa i aia e ha ana i te
ha o tana kopu, e rua ano haanga ona i te
ra i te po, koia ra te take o taua ingoa.

The 'reason' for the tides, according to Kawiti?
is because of Te Parata who sucks the water of the ocean
Hence, the ebbing tide, he opens his throat again
hence, the flowing tides.

Kawheke? also explained
As Te Parata is the reason for the flow of the tides
He draws breath into his belly
when the tides flow, he is forcing breath
out of his belly.

(My draft translation)
Te Parata is the most important 'god' of the ocean
He is also known as Tangaroa.
There is a reason for this name. It relates
to the length of the breath (taanga manawa)
he draws breath twice each day and nighht
This is the meaning of the name.

Comments

  1. MatatokiNovember 5, 2010 at 5:11 PM

    Tena Koe Te Ahukaramu, TAU KE ano e hoa. E hoki nga mahara ki to akomanga i twor, i reira matou e wanangahia i tenei kaupapa.
    Anei taku patai e hoa, he whanaunga a Parata ki a Rona???
    He aha o whakaaro.

    ReplyDelete

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