Purerehua (or bullroarers) are instruments that are spun in a circular motion. They produce a whirring sound that varies depending on the size, shape and materials of the instrument and the speed with which it is spun. Purerehua can be made from a variety of materials including Pounamu (NZ greenstone), bone and wood.
The flight pattern of some Purerehua resemble that of the Purerehuhu moth, from where they take their name. Rangorango is another name for the Purerehua, taken from a special blowfly with the same name. The song of the Purerehua is likened to the whirring sound of Rangorango's wings as it hovers and darts. In Te Waka a Aoraki (the south island) they are named Hamumu Ira Garara, which means 'the sounds that stirs the lizards to life.' When played, the sound can attract lizards, possibly because the vibrations are similar to a blowfly's flight, suggesting food for the lizard. Purerehua are well known as rain makers, causing tears of love to fall from the sky father Ranginui on his beloved Papatuanuku, the earth mother. They are said to have been used in times a scarcity to attract lizards as a source of food and they are also used by some to sing a farewell to the dead.
Purerehua are 'wind voices' and come from Tawhirimatea, god of the winds. The sometimes eerie sounds of the winds are acknowledged as messages from the spirit world. In Maori tradition, the spirit of the person playing the Purerehua travels up the cord to create the sound, which then travels with the wind to take the words and dreams of the player to the listeners of the world. Sometimes Purerehua produce unexpected sounds which are considered special as they are perceived as spirit voices joining in with the song.
