Ārohirohi | Victoria Olt

In Māori mythology, Ārohirohi (often translated as Mirage) is the enchanting goddess of illusions, shimmering heat, and shimmering light. Particularly the kind of visual distortion seen on hot horizons. She is also described as the wife of Tama-nui-te-rā, the personification of the Sun.

One of Ārohirohi's remarkable deeds is the creation of Mārikoriko, the first woman. Using a mirage’s wavering light she shaped Mārikoriko’s form, bringing her into being from ethereal reflection. However, Mārikoriko could not speak, and so Ārohirohi asked Paoro (Echo) to grant her a voice, granting this first woman a speech and life.

This myth highlights Ārohirohi’s power as a creator, one who fashions life out of illusion, bridging the unreal and the real. She symbolizes the strength of imagination and shows how what exists in light and heat can conjure life itself.