Story: Te Ao Mārama – the natural world
The sun disappears below the horizon at Te Kaha. The daily cycle of sunrise and sunset featured strongly in the Māori world view. The rising of the sun and the east were linked with life, and the setting of the sun and west with death. The sun was known as Tamanui-te-rā.
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How to cite this page
Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, Te Ao Mārama – the natural world – The traditional Māori world view, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7944/sunset-at-te-kaha (accessed 27 October 2025).
Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 1 March 2009.