#maori folklore

[dancflorhardkor]

Creatuanary 2026 Day 29: Taniwha

[spookcataloger]

Anon encounters a megalania (2014)

[siryl]

"Awarua o Porirua Taniwha Learns to Fly" by Alistair McDonald.

[bestiarium]

The Ponaturi [Maori mythology]

The depths of the ocean have fascinated (and terrified) humans from all over the world for thousands of years. As such, many mythologies have their own particular brand of mermaids, fishmen or mermen. As for the Maori, there are the Ponaturi: evil fishy humanoid creatures who come on land during the night. When the morning comes, they hide in the dark depths of the ocean, as sunlight is deadly to them. They are supposedly quite adept at black magic.

One story tells of the folk hero Rata (pronounced Raa-Taa, with two long a’s). When the Ponaturi stole the skeleton of his father, he secretly followed them and witnessed as the fishmen used the bones for their dark magical rituals. Rata stole his father’s bones back, killed the priest, and escaped.  But the Ponaturi planned to attack the village and steal the skeleton again, this time with an army. Rata rallied the different tribes together and gathered an army of Maori warriors, and together they slayed one thousand Ponaturi and won the battle.

(image source 1: unknown, I found it on Pinterest but there was no mention to the original artist) (image source 2: fabfolk.blogspot.com)

[djwezg]

Review: Maori Myths and Legendary Tales - by A.W.Reed

My mother is from New Zealand so therefore I’m half Kiwi. This book explores some of the Maori Myths and legends that existed mainly in oral tradition before the arrival to Aeteorora of the White European Pakeha settlers. The Maori history goes back to their ancient homes in other Polynesian Islands. The Maori heroes include Mataoroa, Niwareka, Maui, Tawhaki, Rupe, Rata and Tinirau. There are…

Review: Maori Myths and Legendary Tales - by A.W.Reed

[wezg]

Review: Maori Myths and Legendary Tales - by A.W.Reed

Review: Maori Myths and Legendary Tales – by A.W.Reed

My mother is from New Zealand so therefore I’m half Kiwi. This book explores some of the Maori Myths and legends that existed mainly in oral tradition before the arrival to Aeteorora of the White European Pakeha settlers. The Maori history goes back to their ancient homes in other Polynesian Islands. The Maori heroes include Mataoroa, Niwareka, Maui, Tawhaki, Rupe, Rata and Tinirau. There are…

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[theforgottenlibrary]

Mahuika is the Māori Fire Goddess. In some legends, she is the younger sister of Hine-nui-te-pō, Goddess of Death. It was from her that Māui obtained the secret of making fire. She married Auahi-Turoa and together they had five children, named for the five fingers on the human hand, called collectively Ngā Mānawa. The symbolism of this connection between fingers and fire is revealed in the stories where Māui obtains fire from Mahuika by tricking her into giving him her fingernails, one by one.

(Source)

[theforgottenlibrary]

In Māori mythology, the Ponaturi are a group of hostile creatures (goblins) who live in a land beneath the sea by day, returning to shore each evening to sleep. They dread daylight, which is fatal to them.

(Source)