Stories of the legendary Maui, half man, half god, are common to the folklore of most Pacific peoples. New Zealand is no exception and the Maoris treasure many tales of Maui's great feats.
Legend has it that the hero, result of a miscarriage, was tied in his mother Taranga's hair and cast into the sea but was preserved and cared for by supernatural aid. Eventually he found his way to the House of Assembly where were his mother and four elder brothers. Taranga was astounded to find a fifth boy when she counted her children – there was Maui the eldest, Maui the second, Maui the third, and Maui the fourth, and then this fifth revealed himself as Maui the baby, Maui-tiki-tiki-a-Taranga (Maui formed in the topknot of Taranga). Overjoyed at the discovery, Taranga invited her youngest to sleep next to her, but the little fellow's curiosity was soon aroused by his mother's disappearance at dawn each day. Determined to find out where she went and where his parents lived, Maui one night hid his mother's clothing and blocked up the chinks in the walls of their room so that no light could get in and awaken her. Next morning, when Taranga fled in great agitation well after dawn, Maui espied her pull up a clump of reeds and disappear into a hidden cave. Later, changing himself into the form of a pigeon, the hero followed that route and located his parents in their underworld village. Perching in a tree above them, the pigeon started to drop down berries and this set people throwing stones at him. He eventually contrived to be hit by none other than his own father, Makea-tu-tara, upon which he revealed himself as a man, as Maui himself. In the baptismal ceremonies following this reunion, Makea-tu-tara inadvertently omitted a portion of the prayers and thus Maui was accursed. He nevertheless wrought great deeds with the aid of the enchanted jawbone of his great ancestress, Muri-ranga-whenua, before fate caught up with him.
Maui found the days too short, for the sun moved too fast across the sky. With the assistance of his brothers he therefore made stout ropes and a noose. Then the five hid themselves far to the east, by the edge of the world whence the sun was wont to rise, building on each side a long, high clay wall with hides at each end. The noose was stretched and, when the sun rose well up into the snare, the ropes were pulled tight. Thereupon the hero rushed forward with his enchanted jawbone and belaboured the unfortunate captive so sorely that, when released, the sun could merely hobble slowly across the sky.
Uneasy and suspicious because of Maui's magical powers, his brothers were loathe to have him accompany them fishing. Notwithstanding, Maui hid himself in the bottom of their canoe armed with an enchanted hook which had been shaped by the famous jawbone. He did not emerge until they were well out to sea and then urged his companions to go yet further and still further. At length a halt was made, the fishing began, and soon the canoe was filled with the catch. The brothers now wished to return but Maui desired to try his luck. He had no bait and the others refused to give him any; however, undeterred, he struck his nose and smeared the blood which gushed over the magic hook. This hook caught the home of Tonga-nui, grandson of Tangaroa, god of the ocean, and the fish that was hanging from the line of Maui was no less than a portion of the earth. The canoe came aground and Maui left his brothers with strict instructions neither to eat nor cut up the fish until he had made appropriate prayers and offerings to the gods. But the brothers disregarded these warnings, with the result that the fish started to toss about – hence the unevenness of the land today. This is now known as the North Island of New Zealand or Te Ika a Maui, the fish of Maui. The fish hook, according to legend, became the cape which now forms the southernmost tip of Hawke's Bay.
To steal fire from his ancestress, Mahuika, Maui slipped out in the night and extinguished all the cooking fires. In the morning he demanded cooked food, but when his mother ordered the slaves to go to Mahuika to beg her to give fire to the world again, they were too frightened to go. Wily Maui thereupon volunteered to undertake the task and was welcomed by the ancient as her grandson. She drew out one of her fingernails and fire gushed forth. This flame she handed to her young descendant who, however, did not go far off before putting it out and returning for more. This Mahuika supplied from a second fingernail, and the performance was then repeated until all the fingernails and all but one of her toenails had been used. The old lady, finally becoming suspicious, dashed the last nail to the ground, setting fire to everything. Maui fled from the blaze, taking refuge as a hawk, but even so he might have perished had he not invoked the aid of his ancestors, including the thunder god, who supplied so much water that Mahuika herself almost perished in her turn. Before all was lost Mahuika did succeed in saving a few sparks which she threw into such trees as the kaikomaka, whose wood is still used for firing.
In evil mood Maui one day changed his brother-in-law, Irawaru, into a dog, and this drove that unfortunate man's wife to suicide.
According to Maori tradition, Maui's last adventure caused death to come into the world – due to his effort to destroy yet another ancestress, Hine-nui-te-po, goddess of death. For this venture Maui selected all the little birds as his companions. They found the goddess asleep and Maui ordered his friends not to laugh while he crept inside her. Unfortunately the tiny Tiwakawaka could not contain his merriment. He began to laugh and this woke the goddess who promptly killed the hero.
by Judith Sidney Hornabrook, M.A., National Archives, Wellington.