2. (adjective) be awesome, impressive frightening, alarming, fearsome.
He wehiwehi rawa te āhua o ngā kōrero o te matenga o ētahi kāinga e toru kei Mahatuheti (he porowini o Amerika) i te pakarutanga o ngā puna wai nunui (TWMNT 30/6/1874:165). / The details of the destruction of three villages in Massachusetts (one of the American States) by the reservoirs bursting, are very alarming.
3. (modifier) awesome, impressive frightening, alarming, fearsome.
I a rātou i roto i te ngahere ka rongo i ngā reo wehiwehi o te pō. / While they were in the forest they heard the frightening voices of the night.
4. (noun) dread, fear, something awesome, awe.
Ko te wehiwehi kau ki te Pākehā (TMT 15/7/1861:10). / Fear of the Pākehā for no particular reason.
5. (noun) spines (e.g. of a dorsal fin).
Tū-te-wehiwehi
1. (personal name) atua of reptiles.
Nā Tangaroa tonu hoki ko Punga, nā Punga tokorua o āna, ko Ika-tere, ko Tū-te-wehiwehi, ko tētahi ingoa ōna ko Tū-te-wanawana, e rua ōna ingoa (NM 1928:2). / From Tangaroa came Punga and Punga had two children, Ika-tere and Tū-te-wehiwehi, also called Tū-te-wanawana. He had two names.
See also Tū-te-wanawana, atua
Punga
1. (personal name) an atua, son of Tangaroa and ancestor of reptiles and some fish such as sharks, lizards and stingrays. He had two sons, Ikatere and Tū-te-wehiwehi. Ikatere fled to the sea to escape the wrath of Tāwhiri-mātea and is the ancestor of fish, while Tū-te-wehiwehi took refuge with Tāne-mahuta in the forests and is the ancestor of such reptiles as lizards.
Nā Tangaroa tonu hoki ko Punga, nā Punga tokorua o āna, ko Ika-tere, ko Tū-te-wehiwehi, ko tētahi ingoa ōna ko Tū-te-wanawana, e rua ōna ingoa (NM 1928:2). / From Tangaroa came Punga and Punga had two children, Ika-tere and Tū-te-wehiwehi, also called Tū-te-wanawana. He had two names.
See also Ika-tere, atua, Tū-te-wehiwehi
