Auahitūroa

Auahitūroa is a personification of comets, and the origin of fire, in a legend of the Ngāti Awa, a Māori tribe of the eastern Bay of Plenty on the North Island. The name can be translated ‘long standing smoke’, a fitting description for a comet. Auahitūroa is a son of Tama-nui-te-rā (the sun god). Tama-nui-te-rā tells Auahitūroa to take a beneficial thing to humankind in the shape of fire. Auahitūroa comes down to earth in the form of a comet, and marries Mahuika, younger sister of Hine-nui-te-pō, goddess of death. The sons of Auahitūroa and Mahuika are Ngā Mānawa, the five Fire Children. Another Māori name for a comet is Ūpokoroa (long-headed one); a poetic name for fire is te tama a Ūpokoroa, (the son of Upokoroa).