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Story: Te aitanga pepeke – the insect world

Haumia

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Haumia

Haumia is the god of bracken fern and its edible root, aruhe. Among other creatures, a large number of insects are said to descend from him.

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National Library Gallery

by Cliff Whiting

Permission of the National Library Gallery, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Bradford Haami, Te aitanga pepeke – the insect world – Mosquitoes and sandflies, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/12621/haumia (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bradford Haami, published 1 March 2009.