Tāwhaki
Videos
In Māori mythology, Tāwhaki is a semi-supernatural being associated with lightning and thunder.
Carving from a Māori waka.
Whaitiri
Videos
Whaitiri is a female atua and personification of thunder in Māori mythology. She is the grandmother of Tāwhaki and Karihi. Whaitiri is the granddaughter of Te Kanapu, son of Te Uira, both of whom are
Tāwhaki
…being associated with lightning and thunder. The genealogy of Tāwhaki varies somewhat in different accounts. In general, Tāwhaki is a grandson of Whaitiri, a cannibalistic goddess who marries the mortal Kaitangata (man-eater), thinking that he shares her taste for human flesh. Disappointed at finding that…
Thunder and lightning are signs of Whaitiri