Tū-te-wehiwehi

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A young adult male tuatara, a native New Zealand reptile, one of the children of Tū-te-wehiwehi

Tū-te-wehiwehi (also Tū-te-wanawana) is the father of all reptiles in Māori mythology.

Family

He is a son of Punga and brother of Ikatere.<ref>Grey 1971:1–5</ref><ref>Ika-tere</ref> Punga's father was Tangaroa, atua of the sea.

When Tāwhirimātea made war against his brothers for separating Rangi and Papa, Ikatere and Tū-te-wehiwehi had to flee, and Ikatere fled to the sea and became an ancestor of fishes, while Tū-te-wehiwehi took refuge in the forest and fathered lizards. Before Tū-te-wehiwehi and Ikatere fled, they disputed together as to what they should do to escape from the storms.

One of Tu-te-wanwana's offspring was Uenuku, a lesser reptile atua. His mother was Mairangi, who was the daughter of Kauika, son of Wareware, son of Murirangawhenua and Mahuika.<ref name="Tregear">Template:Cite book</ref> This Uenuku should not be confused with Uenuku, a more prominent atua.

References

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