Whiro
Māori · deity · primordial · Recorded classification
Māori god of darkness, disease and death; antithesis of Tāne.
Parentage
- parent: Ranginui
- parent: Papatūānuku
Domains
- darkness
- disease death
Powers
- Send illness, decay and misfortune to humankind
- Wage perpetual enmity against Tāne of the light
- Devour the dead in the underworld
Epithets
- Whiro-te-tipua Whiro the demon; lord of darkness, disease, and the underworld TaiwhetukiElsdon Best, Maori Religion and Mythology (secondary)
Relations
- sibling: Haumia-tiketikeFull sibling — shares the same attested parentage (Ranginui & Papatūānuku) per the figures' cited genealogy.
- sibling: RongoFull sibling — shares the same attested parentage (Ranginui & Papatūānuku) per the figures' cited genealogy.
- sibling: TāneFull sibling — shares the same attested parentage (Ranginui & Papatūānuku) per the figures' cited genealogy.
- sibling: TangaroaFull sibling — shares the same attested parentage (Ranginui & Papatūānuku) per the figures' cited genealogy.
- sibling: TāwhirimāteaFull sibling — shares the same attested parentage (Ranginui & Papatūānuku) per the figures' cited genealogy.
- sibling: TūmatauengaFull sibling — shares the same attested parentage (Ranginui & Papatūānuku) per the figures' cited genealogy.
Sources
- existence: Best, The Maori (1924) (primary)