Day Forty Four

In the beginning……..

Maori myths and legends are a rich heritage source in Aotearoa-New Zealand.  

Like all Creation stories, they begin with nothing, a void, Te Kore.

Gradually, through many stages, the light arrives and  then the earth and sky: Papatūānuku the Earth Mother and Ranginui, the Sky Father.  Often shortened to Rangi and Papa.

In contrast to many other cultural myths, there’s a great deal of humour in Maori legend, which nearly always seeks to explain ‘why things are’.  

For instance, in Maori legend it’s not the face of the man in the moon you can see, but woman.

Rona, on her way by moonlight to fetch water is hurrying down the path to the river when the Moon (Marama) goes behind a cloud. 

The sudden darkness causes her to trip over a root of the Ngaio tree and break the pot she was carrying.  

Angrily, and probably in quite un-ladylike language she yells at Marama, who scoops her up.  So that’s why we see a face in the moon, it’s Rona.  

But back to the beginning.

Rangi protects Papa,  his partner by holding her close and between them, live their 70 children.

As all children do eventually, they want freedom.

The sons discuss this and impetuous, warlike Tu-matuenga (Tu) wants to kill his parents but Tane-mahuta (Tane)  the god of forests, argues against this unnecessary violence, saying they should simply push them apart.

Tumatuenga - god of war

All agree except Tawhiri-matea, god of the winds and weather who thinks his parents should be allowed to stay together.

But the parting goes ahead and after many of the brothers try and fail, Tane succeeds by lying on his back and pushing upwards until Rangi,  weeping with grief at the loss of his darling, is far above.

Tane separates his parents

Tangaroa - god of the oceans

Tawhirimatea is so angry he sends hurricanes to knock down Tane’s trees, harries  his other siblings and drives Tangaroa, god of the sea and his progeny into the ocean. 

For every aspect of the natural world, there is a god, a child of Rangi and Papa but it’s  Maui the Trickster who is beloved by children and adults alike.   

Maui is a rascal, a demi-god. His exploits are often humorous and usually to the benefit of humans.

When he decides the days need to be longer, he throws a net over the Sun to slow him down and stop him sinking into the sea.

He tricks his grandmother, Mahuika, goddess of fire,  into giving him a flame from her fingers, so everyone can have cooked food and warmth in winter.

When Maui goes fishing, his waka (canoe) is the South Island (Te Wai Pounāmu) and during this epic trip, his catch is the North Island, forever after known as The Fish of Maui (Te Ika ā Maui)

However, his daring and cheekiness are his undoing.

In his desire to help humans  become immortal, he decides to crawl into the body of Hine-nui-te-po, the goddess of the night who receives souls after death.  

 By doing this, he hopes to stop death itself.

He waits until she is asleep and then crawling between her legs, disguised as a worm, he starts his journey upwards.

The fantail, seeing this comical sight cannot help but laugh and this wakens Hinenui who is so angry she crushes Maui with the obsidian teeth in her vagina. 

 

But Maui lives on, immortal and beloved in the many Maori legends.