Maori > Myths & Legends

Faced with too short days and long nights Maui comes up with a plan to slow the sun's passage through the sky. With the help of his brothers, Maui sets out for the home of the sun to catch it and make it move more slowly.

Te Rauparaha was the chief of Ngati Toa during the 1820s, when Ngati Toa was driven from Kawhia by the allied forces of Waikato and Maniapoto. Under the leadership of Te Rauparaha, Ngati Toa walked southwards. They traveled many kilometers over swamps, rivers, mountains, valleys, forests and foreshore. They eventually made Kapiti Island their new home. This story has been beautifully retold by Maureen Cavanagh, and illustrated by Bruce Potter.

Maui's jealous brothers don't want him to come fishing with them. But clever Maui catches the best fish of all.

After he is found washed up on the beach as a baby, Maui is brought up by his powerful uncle. But one thing bothers him - other children have mothers, where is his?

Among the fourteen stories from around New Zealand are old favourites like

Tongariro is forced to battle three strong mountains, Taranaki, Tauhara and Putauaki, to keep his wife, Pihanga, safe from them. This is the story of how he successfully banishes them to the positions where they stand today. You can make the mountains using the outlines in the back of this book, and fight your own battle of the mountains!

Now reprinted for a new generation, Peter Gossage's books bring these ancient maori stories to life. In this tale Maui wants to slow down the sun, who moves too quickly through the sky. With the help of his brothers he implements a plan to catch the sun with ropes and tie it to the earth. Maui succeeds and lengthens the hours of daylight.

Peter Gossage?s Maui series is well-known and loved. New editions of the six titles in the series have been redesigned for a new generation of readers, without losing the integrity of the initial artwork. The books follow Maui?s birth, his abandonment by his mother and his search for her, his search for his father and discovery and eventual owners of his grandfather?s magic jawbone, and his fishing up of Te Ika a Maui (the North Island).The Fish of Maui is the story of how Maui fished up the North Island of New Zealand (Te Ika a... read more

Reprinted for a new generation, Peter Gossage's illustrated books bring these ancient maori tales to life.In this tale Maui is happy to have found his mother but wants to find his father. He follows his mother into the underworld and discovers his father and grandfather. This is where is obtains the magic jawbone from his grandfather. The magic jawbone with which he tames the sun and fishes up land from the sea...

Maui wonders what it would be like to live forever. He enters the Goddess of Death and discovers stars, heavens and the gods. Missing his people, he is sent home by the highest god, Rehua, who gives him the special gift of being able to transform himself. Peter Gossage's brilliantly illustrated retelling of the traditional Maui saga is set in the Maori concept of the cosmos, heavens and underworlds.

The Maori have a rich and colourful tradition of myth and legend - many of their most important and popular tales are retold in this classic, bestselling book. Written with the general reader in mind, the stories range from the creation of the world and the coming of life, death and knowledge. They incorporate the great god Tane, Maui who tamed the sun, the woman on the moon, monsters, fairies, wondrous birds and moving mountains.About the author:Born in Auckland in 1908, A.W. Reed (Alexander Wyclif) was educated at Mt Albert Gramm... read more

The Reed Book of Maori Exploration is a revision of A.W. Reed's Treasury of Maori Exploration (1977). It presents Reed's lively retellings of the classic stories of waka, voyaging and discovery. The stories gathered together here are central to Maori.

First published at two volumes in 1972 and 1977 and combined in 1983, this collaboration between the Maori lore and legend of A.W. Reed and the creative vision of artist Roger Hart was at the forefront of a wave of renewed interest in the ancient Maori world.<br><br>The book ranges over the most widely recognised myth and supernatural stories from the ancient Maori world including the Creation cycle, legends of Maui, the moon, pounamu, kumara, fertility, denizens of the sea and sky, restless mountains, giants, ogresses,... read more

A.W. Reed’s classic collection of myths and legends from around the Pacific has been beautifully illustrated by Jennifer Cooper. Jennifer has thoroughly researched art forms from each island group, giving her illustrations cultural integrity. Included are legends from The Caroline Island, Chatham Islands, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Britain, New Guinea, New Zealand, Niue, Palau Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga and Vanuatu. First published in 1969, the legends were reissued in 2000 w... read more

A sequel or companion book to 'Taming the Sun', Gavin Bishop's latest stunning book contains four more Maori myths, including two well-known legends (Maui finds his family and Maui and the goddess of fire) and two less well-known legends (Hatupatu and the birdwoman and Rata and his waka).Aimed at children 3-10 years, these myths are simply and yet elegantly written. Gavin's characteristic sense of humour is evident in all of the stories, and while each story is exciting and often a little bit scary, they are resolved beautifully. G... read more

How Maui defied the Goddess of Death is the story of how Maui wonders what it would be like to live forever. He enters the Goddess of Death and discovers stars, heavens and the gods. Missing his people, he is sent home by the highest god, Rehua, who gives him the special gift of being able to transform himself.
Peter Gossage's Maui series is well-known and loved. The six titles in the series have been repackaged and redesigned for a new generation of readers, without losing the integrity of the initial artwork. The books f... read more

Hinemoana’s grandmother has a special gift. She is a weaver of beautiful baskets, made with an almost magical skill. Her grandmother has decided that the time is right for Hinemoana to hear the story behind the gift. Jodi van Boxel lives in the coastal town of Oamaru with her husband and eight children. The inspiration for this story was a patupaiarehe named Hine-rehia, and the love of a good fairytale.

In this beautiful book Warren Pohatu introduces us to special members of our animal family and shares their stories with us. He retells legends of the past in which animals played a special part, and emphasises the bond we can all share.

Taniwharau is a collection of stories about the mythical creatures and special guardians of Mâori legend. Taniwha were seen as a good omen by local people, yet any stranger to the area saw them as dangerous creatures that would kill to protect their territory. Each story is accompanied by Warren Pohatu’s dazzling imagery of the taniwha.

Written and illustrated by well-known children's writer and illustrator Gavin Bishop, Taming the Sun contains four stories - two well-known legends (Maui and the Sun and, Maui and the Big Fish) and two less well-known legends (Rona and the Moon and, Kahu the Taniwha). Aimed at children with reading ages 3-7 years, these myths are simply and yet elegantly written. Gavin's characteristic sense of humour is evident in all of the stories, and they are exciting and resolved beautifully. Gavin allows the essence of the original myths to... read more