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Te Kete Kōrero
TIAKINA TANGAROA! Nā Awhina Henry Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Apanui Whakamāori nā Jamie Yeates Te Āti Awa, Te Pae o Rangitīkei
“Na Io matua kore a Tane Mahuta e tohutohu, ka tu ahua nei rite ki a koe, ka puta mai te wahine tuatahi. Kia tūpato kia takahi te mana o ngā wahine. Ko ratou e kai mau te ahua o ngā atua. Ko ratou e kai mau te ira o ngā atua. I ngā hē, kia tiaki i ngā matou ka mate ngā whakatipuranga.” Io matua kore te atua/god of the universe, of everything, told Tane Mahuta the god of the forest to make someone in his image. He created the first woman from the very earth clay in which we walk. It was this creation as the first human being that gave woman great mana/prestige. Io matua said that women are created in the image of the atua/god, they are perfect, do not treat their mana. Because if this happens then the population will die.