Paikea

Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Infobox deity

Template:Lang is a notable ancestor who originated in Hawaiki according to Māori tradition. He is particularly known to tribes with origins in the Gisborne District such as Template:Lang, and Template:Lang.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Template:Lang is the name assumed by Template:Lang because he was assisted by a whale to survive an attempt on his life by his half-brother Template:Lang.

On the island of Aitutaki, he is also known as a brother of Ruatapu, but is not as famous as him.<ref name="PolySoc06-75">Template:Cite journal</ref> In an account, probably from the Kāti Kurī hapū of Ngāi Tahu, the family lived on Mangaia.<ref name=Kiwi>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Lang's shame

Template:Lang became offended when his father Template:Lang elevated his older half-brother Template:Lang ahead of him. When Template:Lang was about to use a sacred comb belonging to Template:Lang, Template:Lang rebuked him, pointing out that Template:Lang was of high rank while Template:Lang was of low birth, because his mother was a slave wife.<ref name="Craig1989">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Reedy1993">Template:Cite book</ref>

Some tellings also say Uenuku had built a canoe for his 70 sons and set about to do their hair with sacred combs for the first voyage,<ref name="TeAo">Template:Cite journal</ref> or that Ruatapu was about to use Uenuku's own sacred comb rather than Kahutia's.<ref name=teara-ngaitahu>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Either way, Ruatapu is told he cannot use any sacred comb because of his heritage, and is shamed.

In other accounts, the rebuke came when Template:Lang dared to walk on the roof of Template:Lang's house.

Template:Lang's revenge

File:Humpback Whales - South Bank 1.jpg

Humpback whales at the South Bank of the Dominican Republic. This species is closely associated with the ancestor Paikea.

Angry and ashamed at his father's disparaging comments, he lured Template:Lang and a large number of the other noble sons of Template:Lang into a canoe the next day and took them out to sea. He had hid the bailer somewhere onshore prior,<ref name="TeAo"/> and as soon as they were far enough he unplugged a preformed hole on the canoe flooring, drowning all members aboard - apart from Template:Lang who recited an incantation invoking his ancestor Tangaroa,<ref name="TeAo" /> or the goddess Moakuramanu, to call forth a whale (usually considered to be a southern humpback whale - Template:Lang<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> to carry him ashore. Template:Lang was the sole survivor of his brother's evildoing and assumed the name Template:Lang as a memorial of the assistance he received from the whale.<ref name="Reedy1993"/><ref name="Reedy1997"/>

In some versions, Template:Lang himself transformed into the whale. In some tellings Ruatapu simply slays everybody with a spear once they're out at sea - again with the exception of Paikea who takes to the oceans and is saved by the gods.<ref name=teara-ngaitahu/>

The waves of Template:Lang

The episode where Template:Lang threatens to return as the great waves of the eighth month may explain other accounts which portray Template:Lang as having invoked a great flood which destroyed Hawaiki. Such accounts or conclusions may result from Christian influence. According to Template:Lang's account in the Template:Lang accounts, Template:Lang shouted out to Template:Lang that he would return to fight him: "The great waves of the eighth month, they are me! I am then approaching!"<ref name="Reedy1993"/><ref name="Reedy1997">Template:Cite book</ref> In an endnote, Reedy writes:

In the eighth month of the Māori calendar, in the early summer, large waves known as Template:Lang, Template:Lang's waves, sometimes break upon the shore on the East Coast. In this episode Template:Lang announces that in the eighth month he will take this form, and follow Template:Lang.<ref name="Reedy1993"/>

The eighth month of the Māori calendar is Kohitātea (December-January) according to Ngāi Tūhoe.<ref name=teara-lunarmonths>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Lang connection

Template:Lang is the Ngāti Porou hapū that is closely associated with Whāngārā,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a small settlement located between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay. Oral traditions of the Template:Lang state that Template:Lang came to New Zealand from Template:Lang on the back of a whale following an event known as Template:Lang,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a slaughter of the first born sons of Template:Lang at sea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to tradition, the whale turned into stone, and is now the island of Template:Lang (also known as Template:Lang or Template:Lang), immediately offshore.

Kāti Kurī version

In a version probably recorded from Kaikōura, Paikea was the youngest of Uenuku's sons, and his favourite, which made the other siblings incredibly jealous of him. His brothers plot to kill him, intending to slay him out on a fishing trip and tell Uenuku that he drowned. Paikea, through feigning his sleep that night, learned of the plan, and so deliberately sunk the canoe the next day himself, killing his brothers. Paikea alone remained alive, clinging to the remains of the canoe for survival, awaiting his death. Suddenly, a tohorā came to his aid, and carried him all the way to Whāngārā.

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Lang, a Māori folk song, with English translation and discussion.