bringing a te ao Māori lens to storytelling
When demigod Māui brought fire to the world, he did so using trickery, tenacity and cheek, traits that would define his character in Māori mythology.
Fire was contained in the fingernails of the goddess of fire, Mahuika, which Māui managed to steal by cunning and deception.
Furious at his trickery, Mahuika threw a burning toenail on the ground to set the mountain on fire. Māui changed into the native hawk kāhu to escape the flames but the underside of his wings were singed a glowing red.
The kāhu, Aotearoa's majestic native bird of prey, is embodied in lore as a messenger to the gods –smart, cheeky and discerning. That made him a fitting mascot to represent NZME's online section devoted to Māori content.
Link to article and video: The story of Kāhu - bringing a te ao Māori lens to storytelling - NZ Herald
