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Story: Te aitanga pepeke – the insect world

Whakapapa of the hīhue (kūmara moth)

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Whakapapa of the hīhue

This whakapapa (genealogical chart) shows the ancestry of the kūmara moth or sphinx moth. Whānui (the star Vega) is the parent of the kūmara (sweet potato), which was stolen from the heavens and taken to earth. As punishment, Whānui sent three caterpillars – ānuhe, Toronū and Moko – to attack the kūmara. The most rapacious of these was Anuhe. His child is Tūpoupou (or Tūngoungou), the pupa of the moth, whose child is Hīhue (the moth).

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: ‘Te Ao Turoa‘ education kit, Auckland Museum, p. 24

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

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How to cite this page

Bradford Haami, Te aitanga pepeke – the insect world – Moths, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/whakapapa/12617/whakapapa-of-the-hihue-kumara-moth (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bradford Haami, published 1 March 2009.