Maui: The Demigod
The Hero of the Pacific
Maui is the shared Superman of the Polynesian triangle (Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa). He is a demigod—born of a god and a mortal, or abandoned by the gods and raised by the ocean. He is a Trickster Hero. Unlike Hercules who uses strength, Maui uses cleverness (mana and wits). He is the champion of humanity, constantly annoying the gods to make life better for mortals.
The Three Deeds
His resume is geological.
- Fished Up The Islands: Using his grandmother's magical jawbone as a hook (Manaiakalani), he went fishing. He hooked the ocean floor and pulled up the islands (New Zealand's North Island is Te Ika-a-Māui, The Fish of Maui).
- Snared the Sun: The sun moved too fast. Days were too short to dry cloth. Maui climbed the mountain (Haleakalā), waited for the sun to rise, and lassoed its rays. He beat the sun until it agreed to slow down.
- Stole Fire: He tricked the Fire Goddess Mahuika into giving him her fingernails of flame, bringing fire to humanity.
The Final Trick
Maui's only failure was his last one. He tried to conquer death. His plan was to crawl into the body of Hine-nui-te-pō (The Goddess of Death) while she slept, pass through her, and emerge from her mouth to reverse the cycle of life. He failed because his companion, a Fantail bird, laughed at the sight. The goddess woke up. She crushed him. Maui died, and thus humans remained mortal.
The Constellation
Look at the sky in the Southern Hemisphere. The constellation known as Scorpius in the West is known as Maui's Fishhook. It hangs in the Milky Way, a reminder of the night he pulled the land from the sea.
The Final Warning
Do not aim for the possible. Maui slowed the sun and pulled up mountains. If you have enough mana, you can change the world, so hold the line.
