Black Horse

Māui Fishes Up the Land

In short: Compare Māori, Hawaiian, Vanuatu and Cook Islands tellings about Māui drawing land from the sea.

Māui Fishes Up the Land · Land pulled from the sea FAIRY TALE ATLAS · № 32 Māui Fishes Up the Land Compare Māori, Hawaiian, Vanuatu and Cook Islands tellings about Māui drawing land from the sea. Origin Polynesia. Told in several traditions, including Māori and Hawaiian traditions. Atlas record 1907 First appearance Exact date unknown SIGNATURE MOTIF Land pulled from the sea Reach¹ 4/10 Suggested age² 8+ Member rating No votes yet 4 records · 4 countries or regions blackhorsestories.com

¹ Based on the number of Atlas countries, capped at 10. ² Editorial suggestion for reading this page. Discover Black Horse’s question

Origin and tradition

Polynesia. Told in several traditions, including Māori and Hawaiian traditions.

Māui’s line does not catch the same thing in every telling. In the Vanuatu account the line breaks, and footprints remain on the reefs. The telling associated with the Cook Islands brings Manahiki out of the water. The dashed lines on the globe connect these shared motifs.

Dated records and sources

  1. 1907 · Aotearoa / New Zealand · Māori tradition
    Wilhelm Dittmer · Te Tohunga · Maui Fishing New Zealand Out of the Ocean
  2. 1910 · Manahiki, Cook Islands
    W. D. Westervelt · Legends of Ma-Ui · Maui the Fisherman · Manahiki · Published collection
  3. 1910 · Hawaiʻi · storytelling tradition
    W. D. Westervelt · Legends of Ma-Ui · Maui the Fisherman
  4. 1910 · Vanuatu · collection region
    W. D. Westervelt · Legends of Ma-Ui · Maui the Fisherman · Published collection

Country pages

Related tales

Origin
Black Horse. Māui Fishes Up the Land. https://blackhorsestories.com/en/atlas-tale-maui-fishing/