Tangaroa
Kia ora,
Ko Tangaroa ahau. Ko au te atua o te moana. I am Tangaroa, Atua of the sea.
My children are the fish and the sea creatures and I protect all of them that live within. I keep them safe while they hide in the sea from the winds and the storms of my brother Tāwhirimātea. In my harbour, where the waters go out, you can collect and fish for kaimoana. I also control the ebb and flow (low and high) of the tides.
People often come to visit me. They come with family and friends to splash, swim and play or to soothe, calm and relax their bodies and minds. You need to be careful though when you visit me as even though it might look calm on my surface, it may not be calm underneath. My waters can be turbulent and rough with swirls and rips that are dangerous. Sometimes our lives can be like that too, we try to show on the surface that we are calm and in control when sometimes we are dealing with many tough things that we try to keep hidden from others.
No matter what the reason for visiting me, most people usually leave ‘feeling much better now’.
Ko Tangaroa, I’m much better now.
I’m much better what? I’m much better now.