Karihi

Karihi is a brother or cousin of Tāwhaki in Māori mythology.

Karihi
GenderMale
RegionNew Zealand
Ethnic groupMāori
Personal information
ParentsHemā
SiblingsTāwhaki

His father Hemā was killed by the ponaturi, so Karihi, with his mother and his brother Tāwhaki, killed all but two ponaturi in revenge. They tricked the ponaturi into entering a house, and then locked them in, claiming there was still time before the dawn. They then opened the door after the sun was up, the ponaturi died at the exposure to sunlight.

According to the Ngāi Tahu account, Karihi died when, in his attempt to climb to heaven, he was blown away by the wind of Uru-Tonga.[1] In some versions, Tāwhaki then took the eyes of his younger brother Karihi to their blind grandmother Matakerepo Whaitiri.[2][3]

According to the Ngāi Tūhoe account of this attempted climb toward heaven Karihi survived. It was Karihi who suggested to his brother that they hide in the thatch of the roof of the house of the ponaturi.[4]

References
  1. White, John (1966). "Te Arawa". Ancient History of the Maori. Vol. II. Wellington: Government Printer. p. 1.
  2. Dixon, Roland B. (1916). "3, note 5". Oceanic Mythology.
  3. White, John (1966). "Horo-uta". Ancient History of the Maori. Vol. I. Wellington: Government Printer. p. 89.
  4. "The Legend of Tawhaki". Ngai Tuhoe. Retrieved 14 June 2020.


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