In MÃÂori mythology, TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea (or TÃÂwhiri) is the god of weather, including thunder and lightning, wind, clouds and storms. He is a son of Papatà «ÃÂnuku (earth mother) and Ranginui (sky father). TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea is the second oldest of 70 children, all of whom are boys. In his anger at his brothers for separating their parents, TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea destroyed the forests of TÃÂne (god of forests), drove Tangaroa (god of the sea) and his progeny into the sea, pursued Rongo and Haumia-tiketike till they had to take refuge in the bosom of their mother Papa, and only found in Tà «matauenga a worthy opponent and eternal enemy. To fight his brothers, TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea gathered an army of his children, winds and clouds of different kinds â including Apà «-hau ("fierce squall"), Apà «-matangi, Ao-nui, Ao-roa, Ao-pà Âuri, Ao-pà Âtango, Ao-whÃÂtuma, Ao-whekere, Ao-kÃÂhiwahiwa, Ao-kÃÂnapanapa, Ao-pÃÂkinakina, Ao-pakarea, and Ao-tÃÂkawe. Grey translates these as 'fierce squalls, whirlwinds, dense clouds, massy clouds, dark clouds, gloomy thick clouds, fiery clouds, clouds which preceded hurricanes, clouds of fiery black, clouds reflecting glowing red light, clouds wildly drifting from all quarters and wildly bursting, clouds of thunder storms, and clouds hurriedly flying on'.
Other children of TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea are the various kinds of rain, mists and fog. TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea's attacks on his brothers led to the flooding of large areas of the land. The names of the beings involved in this flooding include Ua-nui (great rain), Ua-roa (long-continued rain), Ua-whatu (fierce hailstorms), and Ua-nganga (sleet); after these, their children in turn took up the fight: Hau-maringi (mist), Hau-marotoroto (heavy dew), and TÃ Âmairangi (light mist). Tregear mentions Hau-maringiringi as a personification of mists.
TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea lives on the sky with his father Rangi and brother, the star Rehua.
Eons ago, Rangi, the Sky Father, and Papa, the Earth Mother, were in an eternal embrace because of their love for each other. Their union gave rise to many powerful sons, who lived in between their parents.
As their sons grew up, they soon began to grow tired of living in a cramped up space, forever in darkness. One brother, Tà «matauenga, the God of War and Humans, suggested that they slay their parents. However, his brother, TÃÂne, the God of Forests, suggested that they separate their parents forever.
Except for TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea, all other brothers accepted the proposal. The brothers individually tried to separate their parents, but TÃÂne put his head on the earth and feet in the sky and pushed them apart.
TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea was enraged, as he saw it as a move to usurp his kingdom. So the god flew to the sky and communed with his father. Rangi reluctantly agreed to help his son wage a brutal war on his siblings. They were the spirits of winds, storms, and rain. TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea assembled his huge army and set out to conquer his brothers.
TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea first attacked TÃÂne, and razed his forests, causing TÃÂne to flee. Next, TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea attacked his brother, Tangaroa, the Sea God. He caused huge storms and waves, spreading panic in Tangaroa. Tangaroa was himself helpless before TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea, as the sea was in such a chaotic rage, harming all living beings. Having never seen such chaos at sea, many of Tangaroa's children deserted their father and took shelter with TÃÂne. Since then Tangaroa is at war with TÃÂne.
TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea pursued his brother, Rongo, and Haumia, the gods of cultivated and uncultivated food, but they were cleverly hidden by their mother, Papa, who still loved her children. Finally, TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea began to fight Tà «matauenga.
This time, however, Tà «matauenga firmly embedded his feet in the earth, saving him from TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea's storms. He cast spells, which turned the storms into gentle weather, suitable for humans. But neither brother could prevail against each other. TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea slowly withdrew.
To punish his brothers for cowardice, Tà «matauenga invented the arts of hunting, woodcutting, agriculture, cooking, and fishing, to subjugate their respective denizens as food for humans. However, Tà «matauenga and TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea still fight each other to this day. Another result of the war was that most of the land was submerged into the ocean, because of TÃÂwhirimÃÂtea causing heavy rains and thunderstorms. He was maybe the only brother out of all of them to want their parents together.