Tane obtaining the baskets of wisdom

MAORI MYTHS and LEGENDS 8

Whānanga

Tane brought down the three baskets of knowledge (esoteric learning) from the highest heaven (the twelfth heaven, Tikitiki-o-rangi), where the Supreme being dwells. With Him live twelve male beings employed as messengers, and twelve female beings who welcome the spirits of the dead when they enter this heaven. No one can enter without his permission. The beings of the uppermost heaven can go and visit any realm they choose; the eleven heavens below, the earth, the underworld, or the heavenly bodies.

When the time was right for the knowledge to be passed on to the offspring of the primal parents, for their welfare and that of mankind, Io send for Rehua and other messengers with the instruction to go down to their abodes with the invitation that they choose one of their numbers to come and vetch the pūtea wānanga. Whiro volunteered himself to go, but at the house Wharau –rangi Tane was selected. Tane proposed to wait until summer for the visit as now the winds were violent, disturbing the heavens.

When the time came, Tane asked his brother Tawhiri-matea for help and this was granted. The wind offspring were send for, all the different kind of winds. These children live in the third heaven, where they enjoy themselves. The party went up to the eleventh heaven where they stopped. Tane and his party underwent a process of purification before Tane could proceed on the last stage. He was on the way to the entrance of Tikitiki-o-rangi when he was attacked by the hordes of Pepetua, which is the name of hostile, unruly ones. They had been send by Whiro to kill or harm Tane. However, the wind offspring prevented them to come near, so the hordes of Whiro were defeated by the Wind Children.

Whiro’s horde attacking Tane on the way to the uppermost heaven.

When Tane entered the uppermost heaven, he had to be purified again by emersion in Moana-I-Orongo (sea at Oronga). This means the removal of tapu. Tane was committed to carry out the will of the Supreme Io, and so had to be cleansed of the results of any evils or negative actions he had committed in action or thought. That is because Io is all Good, all Love, the opposite of anything negative. Once the spirit is purified, the Supreme God can be met.

After his interview with Io, Tane had to undergo the lifting up of tapu again. He was then taken to the house where the wānanga was deposited. There are three baskets of knowledge: kete tuauri, kete tuatea, and kete aronui.

Kete tuauri is the basket of ritual chants pertaining to the conduct of all matters connected with Rangi and Papa, as also of the control of all things desired to be performed by their offspring.

Kete tuatea is the basket of evil. All evil acts dissentions, strife among men and gods. Evil actions are actions doing our own will, rather then actions carrying out the will of Io.

Kete aronui is the basket of love, sympathy, compassion, of peace making, of the condition known as permanent peace, and of all actions pertaining to the knowledge of arts by means of which are benefited men, land, trees, water, earth, herbage, food supplies, animals, birds, fish, insects, and all other things seen by men.

	On his descent with the three baskets, Tane was again attacked by Whiro’s hostile horde, this time on reaching the tenth heaven. Tane was accompanied by Io’s messenger Rehua, who summoned boisterous and blowing winds, as well as snow to defeat this force. On arrival, Tane was again submitted to a ceremony of removing tapu by Rehua and instructed to deposit the three baskets in a special building, Whare-kura (school of learning). He was also instructed to appoint twelve guardians, including himself, before returning to the uppermost heaven.
Tane carrying the 3 ketes		Tane carrying the 3 ketes (front)