Maori Stories

THE BIRTH OF MAUI

Maui was the youngest of the five sons of his mother Taranga. His mother believed Maui was still-born and in her grief wrapped him in a bundle of hair (tikitiki) and cast him upon the ocean. He floated in the hair knot to a beach where he was found by his tupuna Tamanui-ki-te-rangi who raised him as his own.

When old enough Maui began to question his origins and eventually set out to find his family and carve an identity for himself. Following is a very brief summary of what I was able to find out about just a few of these stories.

Story of Maui finding his mother

THE GREAT FISH OF MAUI

http://www.janesoceania.com/newzealand_maori_legends/index.htm

One morning, while it was still dark, Maui's brothers rose silently from their sleeping mats and hurried down to the beach, thinking that Maui was asleep. But their furtive movements and whispered talk had woken him, and he stole after them, and stood back in the shadows and listened to them talking, as they prepared their canoe for a fishing trip.

"It is well that we left Maui asleep," said one.

"It is indeed," said another. "But he can be a most useful fellow to have around. I have seen him grab a whale by its tail and drag it high on the beach."

"That may be so," said a third, "but we dare not have him with us when we go fishing, for he is a mischief-maker and may play tricks on us."

The brothers then pushed their canoe into the water and paddled out to sea, leaving Maui determined that next time, come what may, he would go fishing with them.

In the evening his brothers returned empty-handed and, thinking that they were unobserved, they dragged their canoe up the beach and hid it in thick bush. ?but Maui marked the place and, before dawn, he concealed himself under the seats where his brothers would not see him.

Soon afterwards they arrived, and, after the usual preparations, they put out to sea. They had paddled a long way from the land when Maui decided that it was time to reveal himself. He rose from his hiding place and greeted his brothers, who were too astonished to speak.

"It is a fine day for fishing, is it not? If you will bear with me, my brothers,? he said, "perhaps your luck may change."

The brothers were angry to find him aboard. "We are not far from land," said one, "let us turn round, and return him to shore."

They started to turn their canoe round, but while they were doing this, Maui muttered a powerful incantation, at once causing the land to become so distant that only the mountain ranges could be seen.

The brothers looked at each other in surprise. "We have come further than we realised," they said. "It is too far to go back now. what is to be done with him?"

"Why not take me with you?" said Maui. "You may need me to bail out the canoe."

They agreed reluctantly, and began to paddle further out to sea, until they reached an ancient fishing place. There they stopped, and ordered Maui to throw the anchor out.

"No," said Mau. "This is not the place. We must go further out."

The brothers grumbled, but they went on paddling, until at last they reached another fishing place, more ancient than the first.

"This is the place," they said to Maui. "Now throw the anchor out."

"No," said Maui. "This is not the place. Where the water is too shallow, the fish are not worth catching. We must go further still, and let our anchor down in the deepest part of the sea."

One more they paddled on, until their arms and shoulders ached, and it seemed they could go no further. But Maui kept urging them on.

"We are almost there, my brothers. The mountains are barely visible now. The moment they disappear, we shall know that we have arrived."

Thus Maui and his brothers reached at last the most ancient of fishing places, and there the anchor was dropped Then the brothers let down their lines, and before they had touched the bottom there was a fish on every hook. Again they let down their lines, and, after they pulled them up, the canoe was full of fish.

Excited by their wonderful catch, the brothers said to Maui, "Let us return to land."

But Maui said, "Not yet, I have some fishing to do." His brothers laughed and said, "What can a fellow like you catch? Why, you haven't even a hook!"

"What is this then?" he replied, and laughed at the astonished looks on their faces, when they saw the hook that he had taken from under his cloak.

It was decorated with paua shell and a tuft of dog's hair, and as he turned it in his hand it flashed in the sunlight. It was so fine a hook that each brother longed to own it. What they did not know was that a chip of their grandmother's jawbone, attached to the barb, gave it magical powers.

"True, that is a hook," they said. "But what use is it without bait?"

"I had hoped," said Maui quietly, "that you would give me some."

"What! Give you bait?" said the brothers. "That we shall never do."

"So be it," said Maui. He clenched his fist and struck himself on the nose and as the blood ran down, he smeared his fish-hook with it, and then let it down into the water, where it became hooked in the doorway of a meeting-house.

Then Maui braced his feet and began to pull on the line. Sweat poured from his body, as he slowly hauled up the great fish. The gable broke the surface, then the sea for miles around was disturbed, as the enormous body of the fish came into view.

Then Maui's brothers threw up their hands and began to wail. "Oh, Maui, you are to blame for our misfortunes. You brought us here, far from the land, against our wishes. Now a god rises from the depths of the sea, angry at being disturbed. He will devour us, and not even our bones will survive his anger."

But Maui did not hear them He was chanting an incantation which caused the fish to become placid and he waves to subside. Then he continued hauling on the line, until the fish lay still on the surface, with the canoe raised high and dry on its back. Maui had fished up the North Island of New Zealand, traditionally known for this reason as Te Ika a Maui (The Fish of Maui). If you look at a map you will see that is shape resembles that of a fish.

Maui stepped out of the canoe and looked about him. He saw a small village nearby, a group of people standing round a fire, and children playing.

He turned to his brothers and said proudly, "This is fine fish I have caught. Now I must go and make an offering to the gods. When I come back, we shall cut up the fish and share it equally among us. But meanwhile, my brothers, do nothing to injure the fish."

The brothers promised to obey him, but no sooner had he left them than they began to cut up the fish and eat it. The fish writhed and twisted, but the brothers never let u. They sliced, they hacked, they chopped, until the entire surface of the fish had become jagged and mutilated.

Thus, though the greed and disobedience of the brothers, were formed the cliffs, valleys, plains and mountain ranges of North Island. If they had listened to their brother's words, the island would have been smooth and level to this day - as smooth and level as Maui's fish had been.

TINIRAU AND HIS PET WHALE

Tinirau was a great chief, famous throughout the land for his handsome looks and his noble bearing. But he was even better known for his school of whales.

When he called them, they would come and play off shore, cruising round in circles and blowing spray through their vent holes. His favourite was Tutunui, the largest of his whales. Tinirau liked nothing better than to climb upon his back and ride him through the breakers, and out into the stormy sea. He would look down on the flying waves and feel safe, as if he were on an island.

Now Tinirau had a son and, when the boy came of age, he wished to have him properly baptised, so that he would grow into a great warrior, like himself.

His people made special preparations for a feast, and friends from miles around arrived to take part in the celebrations. Kae, who was a priest of the highest rank, was invited to conduct the service, and on the day of the feast he and his followers arrived in a canoe.

After the service was over, there was much feasting and merriment, but at last the supplies of food ran out. Kae was about to depart when Tinirau rose and said, "Wait, there is more to eat."

Then Tinirau stood on the shore and began calling, "Tutunui, Tutunui! Come at once. I need you."

"Who are you calling?" said Kae, shading his eyes and looking out to sea. "There is nobody out there."

But Tinirau went on calling, until the sea heaved and swirled, as the huge bulk of Tutunui, streaming with water, rose into view. Tinirau went up to him and, to Kae's astonishment, cut off a large slice of his flesh.

"He is so big," said Tinirau, "he will never miss it." He gave the flesh to the women, and they cooked it, and gave a piece to Kae, who swore that he had never eaten flesh that had tasted better.

But now it was time to go. Kae, who had an evil plan in his mind, went up to Tinirau and said, my home is far away, and my friends must miss me. Lend me your whale so that I can get home quickly."

When Tinirau looked doubtful, Kae said, "Who baptised your son? Was it not I? Lend me your whale. It is but a small favour that I ask of you."

Tinirau was very reluctant to lend his whale, but he did not wish to offend Kae by refusing, for as well as being a priest, Kae was a magician who had the power to harm him, if he chose to.

"Very well," he said, "but you must be careful, especially as you approach land. The whale knows when it is not safe for him to go further. As soon as he gives a shake, you must get off. If you stay on his back, he will keep going until he becomes stranded in shallow water, where he will die."

"I understand," said Kae. "I shall do nothing to exchange him."

Then he climbed on to the back of the huge beast, and it seemed no time before he was approaching the shore of his village. There was his carved meeting-house looking handsome in the sunlight. There were his children running down to the shore, shouting and pointing their fingers at the strange sight of their father on the back of a whale.

He felt the whale give a shake, but he took no notice. The children were close now, and were coming closer. The whale gave another shake, but now it was too late. He had gone to far and was well and truly stranded.

What a feast was held that night in Kae's village! The rich smell of cooked flesh rose from the ovens, and was carried by the wind far along the coast to where Tinirau was standing, waiting for his pet to return.

"Alas!" he said. "That is the sweet smell of Tutunui that the north wind brings to me." And he went to his house and wept, and his sisters gathered round and wept with him.

When he had recovered from his grief, Tinirau resolved to avenge the treacherous killing of Tutunui. He ordered his sisters to go in search of Kae.

"Search every village, if you must," he said. "But find him, and bring him to me alive. Travel as entertainers, and no one will suspect the true purpose of your mission."

"We shall gladly go," said his sisters. "But you must tell us how to recognise him, for in his country there are many people."

"Kae has such crooked teeth that he is ashamed of them, and rarely opens his mouth. Therefore, to recognise him you must make him laugh."

Tinirau's sisters left by canoe. They travelled through Kae's country, performing at each village that they came to, but nowhere was there any sign of Kae.

It seemed that their search would be fruitless, and then one evening they came to a village in a remote part of the coast. As they passed through the gate, they heard the rattle of bones. Something told them that they were the bones of Tutunui rattling in recognition of their presence.

The sisters were made welcome by the people of the village, and asked to perform for them. They went into the meeting-house and there they saw a man whom they suspected was Kae himself. He was sitting at the foot of the main post that supported the ridge-pole. He was covered to the chin with mats, and his head was lowered.

Determined to make laugh, the sisters performed their comic dances and told bawdy jokes. The audience roared with laughter but Kae's head remained lowered. They then put on their most grotesque performance, full of comic eye-rollings, grimaces, indecent gestures and contortions of the body, until even Kae could not contain himself, but burst out laughing.

The search was over! Kae's crooked teeth had given him away.

The sisters at once ceased their dance, and began to utter a powerful incantation. It grew louder and louder, until it sounded like a rushing wind, and when it died away everyone had fallen asleep - everyone, that is, except Kae. His eyes were still glinting in the flickering light from the dying fire.

But the sisters were not deceived. They went forward and shook Kae gently by the shoulder, and his head slumped forward, and two pieces of iridescent paua shell fell on to the ground. He had placed them in his eyes to make them believe he was still awake.

The sisters lost no time. They tied him up in a mat and carried him down to their canoe, and paddled back to their village. They took him to Tinirau's house, and placed at the foot of the main post that supported the ridge-pole, so that when he awoke he would think he was still in his own house. Then they woke him up.

"Kae," they said, "where are you?"

Kae woke up and said, "Why, in my own house! Where should I be?"

"Kae, look about you, and tell us again where you are."

And Kae looked about him, and nothing that he saw outside was familiar. Then he knew he was doomed, and he hung his head and began to wail. When he looked up, Tinirau was standing before him, a club raised in his hand.

Before he brought it down, he cried, "Did Tutumui make so loud a noise when you slaughtered him?"

Then Tinirau killed Kae, and afterwards ate him. And thus was Tutunui, his pet whale, amply avenged.

RONA

http://craccum.ausa.auckland.ac.nz/?p=1542

Rona was the daughter of the sea god Tangaroa.

In a Māori legend Rona was the daughter of the sea god Tangaroa. She was the Tide Controller. One night when she was carrying a bucket with stream water home to her children the path suddenly became dark. The Moon had slipped behind the clouds making it impossible to see anything. As Rona was walking, she hit her foot against a root that was sticking out of the ground. She was so upset that she couldn›t see the root, she made some unkind remarks about the Moon. The Moon heard her and put a curse on the Māori people. The Moon grabbed Rona and her water bucket. Many people today see a woman with a bucket in the Moon. It is said that when Rona upsets her bucket, it rains. This Māori story symbolizes the influence of the Moon on the rain and on the waters of the Earth, and especially on the tides. In a different Māori myth, Rona is a man whose wife has run away. He travels everywhere looking for her and eventually finds her on the moon.

Rona still remains missing to this day.

Rona in the Moon.

Hugh Wyles, December 20th. 2006

http://allpoetry.com/poem/2532760-Rona_in_the_Moon_-_a_Maori_Legend.-by-hugh_wyles

By the lake called Te Waiora

lived a woman of great beauty

in their whare by the lakeside

with her husband and two children

dearly loved and quite contented

Rona seemed the perfect wife

but their peace was sometimes spoiled

by her quick and fiery temper

and the sharpness of her tongue.

Came the day her husband said:

“I will take the children fishing

for tonight the full moon favours

fishing near the offshore island

where the fish are plentiful.

We will go and catch some fish there.

We will not return tonight

but tomorrow night expect us

when our nets are full of fishes

with a goodly catch returning

hoping you will have a meal

cooked and ready for us waiting.

We will all be tired and hungry.”

So he sailed off with the children

leaving Rona all alone

in the whare by the lakeside.

On the next day Rona gathered

twigs and firewood for the umu,

carefully prepared the oven,

set the wood around the stones

placed the twigs between the boulders,

set the hangi oven right.

covered it with leaves and branches

wrapped the food in puki leaves

placed it ready in the umu.

When the evening shadows lengthened

Rona lit the cooking fire,

took a calabash for water

from the nearby gushing spring.

Needing water for the hangi

when the stones were red and glowing,

when the boulders in the hangi

heated by the burning wood

gave off steam when doused with water

then that steam would cook the food.

As she lit the twigs and firewood

she could hear the sound of singing

songs of the returning fishers.

Quickly covered up the umu

with a layer of fresh earth

tramped it carefully to firm it

so the oven was made ready.

Now she hurried down the pathway,

hurried with her calabash

to the spring of gushing water

water which would douse the hangi.

Darkness fell before she reached it

for the path was long and winding

but the silver moon was shining

and it lit the winding pathway

so she saw the track quite clearly.

Suddenly the moon was hidden

by a passing cloud obscured.

Rona could not see the pathway

stubbed her toe against a tree root

fell against a rock in darkness

grazed her shin and cried in pain.

In her pained exasperation

Rona cursed the moon in anger

Cursed the moon for light withholding

shouted out “Pokokohua”

meaning “cooked head” as an insult.

Then the moon was very angry,

hearing that malignant curse

angry at that shouted insult.

She descended from the heavens

seized rude Rona by her hair

lifted Rona from her footing

bearing her towards the heavens.

Rona seized a branch of Ngaio,

clung to it with all her might

desperately gripped the ngaio

but the goddess was the stronger

and the ngaio tree pulled loose

from the earth, from Mother Papa,

all its roots were torn apart.

Rona then was borne far skywards

upwards to our Father, Rangi,

carrying her calabash

holding firmly to the ngaio

carried far into the heaven

far into the starlit night-sky

carried by the angry moon

placed upon the silver moon face

where she can be seen whenever

full-bodied the moon is shining.

Oh! It was a sad homecoming

for the father and the children!

Not a sign of mother Rona

not a trace of her they found.

When they opened up the umu

all the food was burned and toasted

none of it was cooked or steamed.

Then they looked into the night sky

saw upon the moon’s full face

Rona, wife and mother held there

holding still her calabash

holding still the ngaio tree

and they realised that Rona

with her hot and fiery temper

and the sharpness of her tongue

somehow tempted gods too far.

Sometimes, when the night is still

you can hear a woman crying

calling, calling in the moonlight.

Some say it’s Ruru the morepork

others, Matuku the bittern,

or the crying of karoro

or the sounding whale, tohora,

but I think that it is Rona

calling for her man and children.

Hugh Wyles, December 20th. 2006.

THE STORY OF PAIKEA AND RUATAPU

There once lived in Hawaiki a chief called Uenuku, who had seventy-one sons. Seventy of these sons were chiefs, for their mothers were of noble birth. But Uenuku had one wife who was a slave, and because of this, her son Ruatapu was of no importance.

One day Uenuku decided to build a great canoe. A tall tree was felled, and for a long time his men worked at hollowing and smoothing and carving it. When it was finished it was painted red and hung with strings of feathers.

Then Uenuku brought together all his sons, so that their hair might be combed and oiled and tied into top-knots. This was so that they would look well when they sailed for the first time in the great canoe. Uenuku himself combed and oiled and tied their hair, for this was tapu, a sacred thing.

When all but Ruatapu were ready, Ruatapu said to his father, ‘Are you not going to comb my hair as well?’

But his father said, ‘Where could I find a comb for your hair? These combs are sacred. They cannot be used on the hair of people of no importance.’

Then Ruatapu said, ‘But indeed, I thought I was your son.’

His father said to him, ‘Yes, you are my son. But your mother is only a slave woman, so you are not a chief like your brothers. I cannot comb your hair.’

Then Ruatapu was very ashamed, and ran away and planned to revenge himself. He ate no food that night, but went down to the canoe and cut a hole in its bottom. Then he filled the hole in again with chips of wood.

In the morning all the noble sons of Uenuku launched the canoe for the first time, and Ruatapu went with them. The canoe was a beautiful sight, with its feathers and tall carvings, and it went very fast over the waves. They paddled a long way out to sea, and Ruatapu kept his heel over the hole so it would not be seeen. When they were out of sight of land, Ruatapu pushed away the chips from the hole and water rushed into the canoe.

‘Where is the bailer?’ his brothers shouted.

‘Quickly, bail out the water, or we are lost!’

But Ruatapu had hidden the bailer, and the canoe filled with water and sank. Then Ruatapu had his revenge, for all his noble brothers were drowned, excepting one. Ruatapu swam after his last brother, whose name was Paikea, but he could not catch him. Then Ruatapu said to Paikea, ‘Which one of us will carry back this news to land?’

‘It is I who will do so,’ Paikea said. ‘I will not drown. I am descended from Tangaroa, the god of the sea, and he will help me.

Tangaroa heard Paikea, and sent a whale to take him to land. So Paikea escaped from Ruatapu on the back of the whale.

Then Ruatapu recited a magic incantation, and sent five great waves rolling across the ocean after Paikea. But Paikea was too far away, and he came to land just before the waves reached him. The waves hit the shore and bounced off again, and went back across the ocean. They rushed over Ruatapu, who was still in the sea, and Ruatapu was drowned through his own magic.

But Paikea was safe. It was the East Coast of the North Island to which the whale had brought him, and his children's children live there still. The whale became an island, and you can see it there today.