Editing Tangaroa (section)

== Māori traditions ==
Tangaroa is son of [[Rangi and Papa|Ranginui and Papatūānuku]], [[Sky]] and [[Earth]]. After joining his brothers [[Rongo]], [[Tūmatauenga|Tū]], [[Haumia]], and [[Tāne]] in the forcible separation of their parents, he is attacked by his brother [[Tāwhirimātea]], the {{lang|mi|atua}} of storms, and forced to hide in the sea.{{efn|In the traditions of the [[Taranaki]], it is Tangaroa who forcibly separates Rangi and Papa from each other.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=A.|year=1993|title=Songs and Stories of Taranaki from the Writings of Te Kahui Kararehe|location=Christchurch|publisher=MacMillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies|pages=1–2}}</ref> In the traditions of most other regions of New Zealand, Rangi and Papa were separated by Tāne, {{lang|mi|atua}} of the tree.}}

Tangaroa is the father of many sea creatures. Tangaroa's son, [[Punga (mythology)|Punga]], has two children, [[Ikatere]], the ancestor of [[fish]], and [[Tū-te-wehiwehi]] (or Tū-te-wanawana), the ancestor of [[reptiles]]. Terrified by Tāwhirimātea's onslaught, the fish seek shelter in the sea and the reptiles in the forests. Ever since, Tangaroa has held a grudge with [[Tāne|Tāne Mahuta]], the {{lang|mi|atua}} of forests, because he offers refuge to his runaway children.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Grey|first=George|author-link=George Grey|year=1971|orig-year=1854|title=Nga Mahi a Nga Tupuna|edition=Fourth|location=Wellington|publisher=Reed|pages=1–5}}</ref>

[[Image:CarvingWakaTaua.jpg|thumb|left|A carving on a Māori war canoe. As Tangaroa was the god ({{lang|mi|[[atua]]}}) of the sea, it was important to offer him before setting out for travel or fishing.]]
The contention between Tangaroa and Tāne Mahuta, the father of [[birds]], [[tree]]s, and humans, is an indication that the Māori thought of the ocean and the land as opposed realms. When people go out to sea to fish or to travel, they are, in effect, representatives of Tāne Mahuta, entering the realm of Tāne Mahuta's enemy. For this reason, offerings need to be made to Tangaroa before any such expedition.<ref>{{cite book|last=Orbell|first=Margaret|date=1998|title=Concise Encyclopedia of Maori Myth and Legend|location=Christchurch|publisher=Canterbury University Press|pages=146–147|isbn=0-908812-56-6}}</ref>

The [[Ngāi Tahu|Kāi Tahu]] version of the origin of Takaroa maintains that he is the son of [[Temoretu]] and that Papatūānuku is his wife. Papatūānuku commits adultery with [[Rangi and Papa|Rakinui]] while Takaroa is away, and in the resulting battle on the beach, Takaroa's spear pierces Rakinui through both his thighs. Papatūānuku then marries Rakinui.<ref>{{Cite book|last=White|first=John|author-link=John White (ethnographer)|year=1887|chapter=Mythology of Creation. (Nga-I-Tahu.)|title=The Ancient History of the Maori, His Mythology and Traditions: Horo-Uta or Taki-Tumu Migration.|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Whi01Anci-t1-g1-t1-body-d1-d2.html|volume=I|location=Wellington|publisher=Government Printer|pages=22–23|language=en}}</ref>
 
In another legend, Tangaroa marries [[Te Anu-matao]] (chilling cold). They are the parents of the {{lang|mi|atua}} ‘of the fish class’, including [[Te Whata-uira-a-Tangawa]], [[Te Whatukura]], [[Poutini]], and [[Te Pounamu]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Shortland|first=Edward|authorlink=Edward Shortland|date=1882|title=Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary|location=London|publisher=Longman, Green}}</ref>  In some versions, Tangaroa has a son, [[Tinirau]], and nine daughters.<ref name="Tregear">{{cite book|last=Tregear|first=Edward|authorlink=Edward Tregear|date=1891|title=The Maori-Polynesian comparative dictionary|url=https://archive.org/details/maoripolynesian01treggoog/page/n28/mode/2up|location=Wellington|publisher=Lyon and Blair}}</ref>{{rp|463}}