Ngā Mānawa, in a

tradition A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

of the

Ngāti Awa Ngāti Awa is a Māori iwi (tribe) centred in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. It is made of 22 hapū (subtribes), with 15,258 people claiming affiliation to the iwi in 2006. The Ngāti Awa people are primarily located in towns ...

, a Māori tribe of the eastern

Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaw ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

's North Island, was the collective name for the Fire Children, the five sons of

Mahuika Mahuika is a Māori fire deity. Generally, Mahuika is female and wife of the god Auahitūroa. Myths In some versions, she is the younger sister of Hine-nui-te-pō, goddess of death. It was from her that Māui (in some versions he is her grands ...

and

Auahitūroa Auahitūroa is a male Māori deity, personification of comets, and the origin of fire. His consort is Mahuika Mahuika is a Māori fire deity. Generally, Mahuika is female and wife of the god Auahitūroa. Myths In some versions, she is the yo ...

. The names of the Fire Children are the names of the five fingers of the human hand: # Takonui (thumb) # Takoroa (forefinger) # Māpere (middle finger) # Mānawa (ring finger) # Tōiti (little finger) The names of the fire children differ in the various regions of New Zealand, simply because the name of the fingers differ. For example, to the

Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke's Bay and Wairārapa regions. The tribe is organised into six geographical and administrative ...

people of the East Coast of the North Island, they are: # Konui (thumb) # Koroa (forefinger) # Māpere (middle finger) # Mānawa (ring finger) # Kōiti (little finger)

References

* E. Best, ''Māori Religion and Mythology, Part 2'' (Dominion Museum Bulletin No.11. Museum of New Zealand: Wellington, 1982), 244–245. Legendary Māori people {{Māori-myth-stub