Maru (mythology)
Maru is a Māori war god, especially well known in southern New Zealand, where he replaces Tūmatauenga (commonly shortened to Tū), the war god of the rest of New Zealand. In the Hawaiian Islands he is an evil and restless god who has no time to grow his own food and nonetheless rewards his priests' services.[1]
| Maru | |
|---|---|
Māori god of fresh water, Kāi Tahu god of war | |
| Gender | Male |
| Region | Polynesia |
| Ethnic group | Māori, Hawaiʻi maoli |
| Parents | Rangihore |
Maru is the son of Rangihore (god of rocks and stones) and the grandson of Māui. Maru's image was brought to New Zealand by Manaia's daughter Haungaroa.
He was also known as the god of wai maori (fresh water) like streams and rivers.
In some tribal instances, Maru was considered a personified deity attributed to warfare, but of a lower ranking than Tū.
See also
References
- Taylor, Richard (1870). Te Ika a Maui. 2nd ed. London: Macintosh. p. 138.
- R.D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology (Greenwood Press: New York, 1989), 160.
- Elsdon Best, The Maori as he was, 1924
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