Story: Tāwhirimātea – the weather

Genealogy of the winds

Genealogy of the winds

This whakapapa or genealogical chart is from the South Island tribes Waitaha and Ngāi Tahu. Such charts extend the idea of human kinship to explain the origins of natural phenomena – in this case, the different winds of Canterbury. Rakamaomao was the group of winds that blew from the south and north. All iwi (tribes) have their own versions of the origins of and names for aspects of the weather.

Whakapapa from information provided by Te Maire Tau.

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How to cite this page:

Basil Keane, 'Tāwhirimātea – the weather - Wind and storms', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/whakapapa/8274/genealogy-of-the-winds (accessed 5 May 2024)

Story by Basil Keane, published 12 Jun 2006, updated 1 Mar 2022