Te Tihi (te ˈti.hi)

Te Tihi is the highest point on the island of Atu Motu, and in the Atuao'umi archipelago. It is a central feature in the mythology of the Tāngata, and is also known as Maunga o ngā Atua, the Mountain of the Gods.

Legend has it that Te Tihi was built by the Atua of the land and sky, to have a place where they could meet. The Atua of the land reached upwards, carrying the whole of the Kohu Maunga with them, while the Atua of the sky reached down, crowning the mountains with perpetual clouds. Te Tihi is the point where their two realms are joined, and the Atua placed a temple there to maintain the connection in perpetuity.

The power of Te Tihi has drawn spirits out of the land, and it is a home to a host of patupaiarehe and taniwha, who are of the lesser Atua. The forests that grow on the mountainside are alive with creatures both mundane and magical, and they are guarded by the Nuku-mai-tore, a group of headless woodland spirits. The streams and waterfalls of Te Tihi shimmer with spiritual power, and drinking directly from them is known to lift the heart and heal wounds of the soul.

Shrouded in the clouds at the peak of Te Tihi is a house of white stone. This is the temple placed by the Atua to connect the realms of earth and sky, and those who enter it may address the Atua directly. It is not a safe place for mortals to visit, but those who survive may be granted their greatest desires if the Atua judge them worthy.

Geography

Te Tihi is a difficult mountain to climb, with unforgiving cliffs and no easy path to the summit. Sudden storms are common, and high winds have ripped climbers from the mountainside. The upper slopes are covered in ice and snow, bridging deep crevasses only to collapse under a person's weight.

Alternative Name(s)

Maunga o ngā Atua

Type

Mountain / Hill

Location under

Kohu Maunga

Geographic Details

Location: Southern Region
Latitude: 3.15 degrees South
Longitude: 0.19 degrees East 
Elevation: 9,800 ft