The tradition of the hongi recalls the Māori legend of the creation of the first earthly woman, Hineahuone. She was formed from clay by the creator god Tāne, who then breathed life into her nostrils. This 1976 illustration by Ngāpuhi artist Pauline Kahurangi Yearbury shows them at that moment.
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Russell Museum
Artwork by Pauline Kahurangi Yearbury
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