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New Zealand · Religion & Belief · Hard
In Māori tradition, what is the pōhutukawa tree at Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) believed to be?
Answer: The last earthly point where departing spirits pause before descending into the underworld — The ancient pōhutukawa clinging to the rocky headland at Cape Reinga is believed to be over 800 years old; in Māori belief, spirits of the dead travel north to this tree, slide down its roots into the sea, and emerge at the Three Kings Islands for their final journey.
- A A marker of the summer solstice
- B The tree from which the first woman was created
- C The last earthly point where departing spirits pause before descending into the underworld ✓
- D A navigational marker for returning waka
The ancient pōhutukawa clinging to the rocky headland at Cape Reinga is believed to be over 800 years old; in Māori belief, spirits of the dead travel north to this tree, slide down its roots into the sea, and emerge at the Three Kings Islands for their final journey.