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Tāwhirimātea
13 / 5 / -2.5 / 2
US$31.56 excl GST
In stock
Please specify which colour you want in order notes.
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Tāwhirimātea
13 / 5 / -2.5 / 2
US$31.56 excl GST
In stock
Please specify which colour you want in order notes.
Product Gallery
Tāwhirimātea
Designing the Tāwhirimātea Stamp
The haehae designs following the edges of the stamp design are symbolic of ngā hau e whā (the four winds) of which Tāwhirimātea has dominion over by harnessing said winds and releasing them at his whim. Tāwhirimātea is symbolised here with four arms and four hands, again strengthening the connection to ngā hau e whā and his ability to harness all four winds.
In this design Tāwhirimātea is also depicted as blind, tying into the matariki narrative where Tāwhiri was defeated in single combat by his brother Tūmatauenga ( The God of War and Mankind). And after the battle, in his rage Tāwhirimātea clawed his eyeballs out and crushed them within his hands. He then tossed them into the sky where they became the cluster of stars known as matariki – “Ngā mata o te ariki Tāwhirimātea”
The Connection to the Kāhu
There is only one bird when I think of the weather and the winds and that is the Kāhu, the way it rides the wind and the speed really connects to Tāwhirimateā.
– Jaye Pukepuke
The Story of Tāwhirimātea
The Māori word for weather is rangi (also meaning sky). In Māori tradition, the deity who controls the weather is Tāwhirimātea.
In the creation story, the children of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the earth mother) wished to separate their parents so that light could come into the world. The only brother who did not agree to this was Tāwhirimātea, the god of wind and storms. When Ranginui and Papatūānuku were separated, he ascended to the sky to be with his father. Together they plotted revenge against the other brothers. Tāwhirimātea began to produce numerous offspring.
The Four Winds
Tāwhirimātea sent away his wind children: one to the north (tūāraki), one to the south (tonga), one to the east (marangai) and one to the west (hauāuru). The direction in which each child was sent became the name of the wind from that direction.
Clouds
Tāwhirimātea then sent forth a variety of clouds, including Aonui (dense clouds), Aopōuri (dark clouds), Aowhētuma (fiery clouds), Aowhēkere (clouds which precede strong winds), Aokanapanapa (clouds reflecting glowing red light), Aopakakina (clouds coming from all quarters and wildly bursting), Aopakarea (thunderstorm clouds), and Aotakawe (clouds hurriedly flying).
Tāwhirimātea Attacks His Brothers
To take revenge on his brothers, Tāwhirimātea first attacked Tāne Mahuta – the god of the forest, who had separated Rangi and Papa. The mighty trees of Tāne’s domain were snapped in two and fell to the ground. Then Tāwhirimātea attacked Tangaroa, the god of the sea, causing the waves to grow as tall as mountains. After this he turned on Rongomātāne, whose domain was cultivated food and the kūmara (sweet potato), and Haumia-tikitiki, god of fern root and uncultivated food. To escape, they hid within their mother Papatūānuku. That is why kūmara and fern root burrow into the earth.
Rain, Hail and Dew
During this time, Tāwhirimātea also released Uanui (terrible rain), Uaroa (long-continued rain) and Uawhatu (fierce hailstorms). Their offspring were Haumaringi (mist), Haumarotoroto (heavy dew), and Tōmairangi (light dew).
Tāwhirimātea and Tūmatauenga
Tāwhirimātea finally attacked Tūmatauenga, the god of war and of humans. Tūmatauenga stood firm and endured the fierce weather his brother sent. He developed incantations to cause favourable winds, and tūā (charms or spells) to bring fair weather. Because neither brother can win, Tāwhirimātea continues to attack people in storms and cyclones, trying to destroy them on sea and land.
About the Kāhu
Kāhu Professional Review & Information
THE KĀHU AS A HIGH SPEED DRIVER
The Kāhu is a great high speed driver with gentle turn good glide and a hard fade. It is also makes for a great forehand disc. The strata blend is a little harder and has a domey top which adds glide. This is arguably the longest driver in the RPM range. Watch Jacko's Kāhu review for more information.
Kāhu XG Variant (Tāwhirimātea):
- Speed: 13
- Glide: 5
- Turn: -2.5
- Fade: 2
- Plastic types: Cosmic XG / Atomic XG / Glow XG / Platinum XG
THE KĀHU – NZ SWAMP HARRIER
Kāhu is the Māori name for the New Zealand Swamp Harrier, a large, tawny-brown bird of prey that occurs throughout New Zealand. It is an opportunistic hunter that searches for food by slowly quartering the ground with its large wings held in a distinctive shallow V-shape.
Adapted to hunt in open habitats, its numbers have benefited from widespread forest clearance and the development of agriculture. Although carrion is a major component of the harrier’s diet, it also actively hunts live prey such as small birds, mammals and insects.
Capable dispersers, birds from New Zealand visit islands as far north as the Kermadec Islands and as far south as Campbell Island. Known for their dramatic ‘sky-dancing’ courtship display the swamp harrier is the largest of the 16 species of harriers found worldwide.
