Polynesian Mythology · Chapter
The Legend of Toitehuatahi and Tamatekapua explained
This chapter recounts the escalating conflict in Hawaiki between the families of Toitehuatahi and Uenuku on one side, and Houmaitawhiti and his sons Tamatekapua and Whakatūria on the other.
What happens
This chapter recounts the escalating conflict in Hawaiki between the families of Toitehuatahi and Uenuku on one side, and Houmaitawhiti and his sons Tamatekapua and Whakatūria on the other. The dispute begins when Toitehuatahi kills the dog of Houmaitawhiti's sons after it eats matter from Uenuku's ulcer. In retaliation, Tamatekapua and Whakatūria steal fruit from Uenuku's pōporo tree. They are caught, and Whakatūria is hung in Uenuku's house to be stifled by smoke. Through a clever ruse orchestrated by Tamatekapua, Whakatūria escapes. War follows, with initial success for Uenuku, but Houmaitawhiti and his sons ultimately defeat the attackers, committing the grave crime of eating their slain relatives. This act brings cowardice upon Houmaitawhiti's tribe, leading to the deaths of Houmaitawhiti and Whakatūria, while Tamatekapua eventually makes peace to preserve his people.
Themes in this chapter
Conflict and Reconciliation
The chapter details a cycle of offense, revenge, war, and eventual peace-making between the families of Toitehuatahi/Uenuku and Houmaitawhiti/Tamatekapua.
Social Structure and Equality
The narrative highlights the roles of chiefs (Uenuku, Toi, Houmaitawhiti) and the consequences of violating social norms, such as the crime of eating one's own relatives, which leads to the downfall of a tribe.
Characters to notice
- Tamatekapua
Son of Houmaitawhiti; orchestrates the theft of Uenuku's pōporo fruit and later engineers his brother Whakatūria's escape from Uenuku's house; leads his people in war and eventually makes peace.
- Whakatūria
Brother of Tamatekapua; caught stealing fruit, hung in Uenuku's house to be stifled by smoke, but escapes through Tamatekapua's plan; later dies in the ongoing conflict.
- Uenuku
A chief in Hawaiki; his ulcer's slough is eaten by the dog of Houmaitawhiti's sons, sparking the conflict; his pōporo tree is stolen from; he hangs Whakatūria and later goes to war against Tamatekapua.
- Toi
Also called Toitehuatahi; kills the dog Pōtakatawhiti after it eats matter from Uenuku's ulcer; his belly hides the dog's howl; joins Uenuku in war against Tamatekapua.
- Hou
Also called Houmaitawhiti; father of Tamatekapua and Whakatūria; his dog is killed; he and his sons commit the crime of eating their slain relatives, after which he and his tribe become cowardly; he dies in the conflict.
Key passages
“Then Toi' said as follows, and his words passed into a proverb, "Oh, hush, hush! I thought I had hid you in the big belly of Toi', and there you are, you cursed thing, still howling away."”
Toi's frustrated exclamation became a proverb: he thought he had concealed the dog by swallowing it, but it continued to howl from inside him.
This proverb illustrates the futility of trying to hide something that will inevitably be revealed.
“Then Tama' called down to them, "If you fell me in the water, I shall not be hurt, but if you cut me down on shore, the fall will kill me."”
Tamatekapua tricked his captors by claiming he would be unharmed if cut into the water, so they cut him down on land, allowing him to escape.
This ruse demonstrates Tamatekapua's cleverness and quick thinking in a dangerous situation.
“Then, indeed, a great crime was committed by Hou' and his family, and his warriors, in eating the bodies of those men, for they were their near relations, being descended from Tamatea-kai-ariki.”
Houmaitawhiti and his warriors committed a serious offense by eating the bodies of their slain enemies, who were actually close relatives.
This act of cannibalism against kin was considered a grave transgression, leading to the tribe's loss of courage.
