In
Māori mythology, Apakura is the wife of
Tūhuruhuru, the son of
Tinirau
In Polynesian mythology, stories about Tinirau are found throughout the islands of Polynesia. He is a guardian of fish. Many themes recur in the various versions. Often he travels to another land in search of his wife, or his wife travels to anot ...
. She had several children, among whom are
Tūwhakararo
Tūwhakararo was a chief in Hawaiki in Māori mythology. His murder and the subsequent war led to one of the reasons for the Māori's emigrating from Hawaiki.
Tūwhakararo went on a visit to the Āti Hāpai (or Raeroa) people, whose chief, Pop ...
, Mairatea, Reimatua, and
Whakatau
(or ) was a supernatural person in Māori mythology.
One day Apakura threw her apron into the sea, and a sea named Rongotakawhiu took it and worked it into human form, and Whakatau was born. The taught him the arts of enchantment. As the ...
. In another legend, Apakura is said to be the wife of Tūwhakararo, who was the son of
Rātā and father of Whakatau. Whakatau was born in a miraculous manner, from the girdle or apron which Apakura threw into the ocean which was made into a child by a sea deity (Tregear 1891:15).
References
*E.R. Tregear, ''Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary'' (Lyon and Blair: Lambton Quay), 1891.
Māori mythology
Women in mythology
Legendary Māori people
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