Ngā manu a Tānemahuta

Manu – along with trees and mankind – are descendants of Tāne and therefore related to each other. 

Another group name for manu is te aitanga kapakapa a Tāne – the wing-flapping children of Tāne. The forest trees are also called te hua a Tāne – hua meaning both children and the fruits and berries of the trees. 

While manu is a generic word for bird, it is also used for other flying things like bats or kites. 

In some situations, manu were seen as messengers from spirit worlds carrying warnings or reassurances either from atua sources or from deceased loved ones.

Learn more about ngā manu a Tānemahuta in this article.

Image: Kererū in flight.