Iro-nui-ma-oata (the Master Navigator)

Rarotongan · mortal · Rarotongan traditional religion; continuing · mortal

Iro-nui-ma-oata, whose name recalls the bright moon-nights at his birth, is the great navigator of the Rarotongan learned traditions, the same voyager celebrated across eastern Polynesia as Hiro of Tahiti, Whiro of the Māori and Hilo of Hawai'i. The Rarotongan house of learning told how he was born to Moe-tara-uri and Aki-mano, grew up at Upolu among his mother's sons by another husband, was beaten to death by those half-brothers and returned to life four times, and secretly mastered the karakia of two old blind relatives before winning renown as priest and deep-sea navigator. When Tangiia fled across the ocean before Tutapu, he met Iro at sea, and Iro gave him his young son Tai-te-ariki to be ariki over his people, so binding Iro's line into the chieftainship of Rarotonga.

Children

Tai-te-ariki (the First Ariki)

Domains

ocean voyaging
priestly lore

Powers

to navigate the deep ocean between the islands
to recite potent incantations learned in secret from blind elders
to come back to life after being slain by his half-brothers

Relations

father of: Tai-te-ariki (the First Ariki)

Sources

Open in the interactive app →