Patience and unity bring greater rewards than greed and haste.

How does the Maori version differ from other Polynesian versions?

In the Maori version, the fish becomes the North Island of New Zealand (Te Ika a Maui), while his canoe becomes the South Island.

Maui is a Polynesian demigod and trickster-hero credited with fishing up islands, slowing the sun, and discovering fire. He appears in the myths of New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga, and other Pacific cultures.

What does Maui's fishhook represent?

Made from the jawbone of his ancestor, the fishhook symbolizes the power of heritage and ancestral wisdom. It represents how the tools of the past can shape the world of the future.

What other feats is Maui known for in Polynesian mythology?

Beyond fishing up islands, Maui is credited with slowing the sun to lengthen the day by beating it with his jawbone, discovering the secret of fire and bringing it to humanity, and lifting the sky so humans could stand upright. His stories collectively portray him as a culture hero who reshaped the world for human benefit.

Folklore

Maui and the Great Fish

#Creation

#Heroism

#Cleverness

What is Maui and the Great Fish?

The demigod Maui uses an enchanted fishhook to pull islands from the sea floor, creating the lands of Polynesia.

Available Variants

New Zealand, Oceania

At a Glance

Oceania / New Zealand

7 min read

Easy

Creation

Heroism

Cleverness

Maui and the Great Fish

Annotations Enabled

Maui was the greatest of Polynesian heroes, a demigod born prematurely and thrown into the sea, then rescued by sea spirits and returned to his family. He possessed a magical jawbone from his ancestor and a fierce determination to make life better for humankind.

One day Maui hid in his brothers' fishing canoe. Far out at sea, he revealed himself and cast his fishhook made from the ancestral jawbone into the deepest waters. He felt a tremendous tug and hauled with all his might. Slowly, land rose from the ocean floor. His brothers, greedy, chopped the great fish into pieces, creating the islands of Polynesia. Had they waited, the land would have been one vast continent.