Whiro

Māori god of darkness, disease and death; antithesis of Tāne.

Parentage

• Ranginui
• 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

Relations

• sibling: Haumia-tiketike
• sibling: Rongo
• sibling: Tāne
• sibling: Tangaroa
• sibling: Tāwhirimātea
• sibling: Tūmatauenga

Sources

• Best, The Maori (1924)