
Maoriland Fairy Tales
by Edith Howes
'Maoriland Fairy Tales' Summary
One of the amazing things to listen to is a person's whakapapa (family line). My son's father can tell his whakapapa right back to first landing in the canoe Aotea. It takes hours with the stories of battles, moving and resettling and then the invasion of British soldiers and settlers. Those pale fairies in one of the recent stories would most probably have been Malaysian or Portugese fishermen/explorers.
The Tikanga (way to behave/live) is quite strict and the stories support keeping people in line. This strictness is a kind of policing I think because it doesn't matter what time in history or what country, human nature doesn't change. There are greedy, silly, great and strong leaders and followers throughout time.
A Taniwha is often found in a tapu (sacred or restricted place) That might be a dangerous bend in a river, a place where currents catch people and drag the out to sea or a place in the forest that is sacred so the elders don't want people wandering around in there. There taniwha could be from a spirit of someone or put there by the Atua as a guardian. A taniwha can also be friendly it depends on the place and it's history.
It is interesting to think about the origins and reasons behind these stories. Some like Hatupatu are based on fact but also retold to tell people about abuse of power and underestimating people. Maori are great strategists. If you can find the DVDs 'The Maori Wars' you will see the difficulty the British had when trying to beat these mighty warriors. Tha'ts why they finally had to sign the Waitangi Treaty .
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1913Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Authors

Edith Howes
New Zealand
Edith Annie Howes was a New Zealand teacher, educationalist, and writer of children's literature. She was a Member of the Order of the British Empire and received the King George VI Coronation Medal f...
Books by Edith HowesDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

The Children of Odin by Padraic Colum
Master storyteller Padraic Colum's rich, musical voice captures all the magic and majesty of the Norse sagas in his retellings of the adventures of th...

Early Cave-Men by Katharine Elizabeth Dopp
This book takes us back to the time when our ancestors lived in caves, and explores the challenges and rewards of living alongside larger animals. It...

Nature Myths and Stories for Little Children by Flora J. Cooke
Nature Myths and Stories for Little Children is a collection of stories and myths from around the world that are perfect for young children. The stori...

Original Stories from Real Life by Mary Wollstonecraft
“Original Stories from Real Life” by Mary Wollstonecraft is a didactic children's novel that follows the re-education of two young girls, Mary (15) an...

Indian Why Stories: Sparks From War Eagle's Lodge-Fire by Frank Bird Linderman
Delightful fables, collected by a devotee of Indian lore, recounts many of the legends told to him by tribal members, among them intriguing explanatio...

More Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs
This collection, compiled by Joseph Jacobs, presents a captivating array of Celtic fairy tales from the early days of the British Isles. Each tale we...

The Faerie Queene Book 4 by Edmund Spenser
"The Fourth Book of the Faerie Queene contayning the Legende of Cambel and Telamond or of Friendship." The Faerie Queene was never completed, but it c...

Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry by William Butler Yeats
Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry is a collection of enchanting stories from the heart of Ireland. Gathered by renowned poet William Butler...

Mongan's Frenzy by James Stephens
The book is a retelling of traditional Irish myths and legends, featuring mythical heroes and gods, as well as enchanting creatures like leprechauns a...

Stories from Virgil by Alfred J. Church by Alfred J. Church
Alfred J. Church created 26 stories from the original Greek version of Virgil's Aeneid. He included well-known ones, such as "The Horse of Wood" and "...
Reviews for Maoriland Fairy Tales
No reviews posted or approved, yet...