![]() Enchanted by her beauty, Poutini captured Waitaiki and fled south with his treasure. One day, as he rested in the northern seas of the Bay of Plenty, Poutini watched a beautiful young woman named Waitaiki come down to the water to bathe. In New Zealand, pounamu can only be found in the South Island, mainly on the West Coast – which is why the island is also known as Te Waipounamu, which translates to “the waters of greenstone”. One story of the origin of pounamu, is that of Māori legend and the tale of a taniwha named Poutini - the guardian of pounamu. To this day, they are believed to live in our lakes, rivers and the sea, and are considered to be protectors of specific locations, representing the mauri (life essence) of the place in which they roam.Ī well-known Māori legend involving a taniwha is the creation story of pounamu. ![]() Taniwha are supernatural creatures that are thought to take many forms from ferocious water monsters to reptiles, sharks and whales. In this blog, we look at some of these legends and uncover how our artists use Māori mythological creatures as inspiration for their designs. Fascinating tales of magical creatures including taniwha, whales, sharks and manaia tell of the observable world for pre-European Māori and provide insights and understanding into Māori worldview and the spiritual connection Māori had to the natural world in which they lived. As pre-European Māori had no written language, they relied on oral retellings and symbolic meanings embodied in carvings, knots and weavings to pass their histories, traditions, knowledge, and mythologies from generation to generation. ![]() Māori culture is rich in pūrākau (legends), and within these legends, mythological, supernatural, and magical creatures are featured prominently, often acting as kaitiaki (guardians) of people or places worth protecting. ![]()
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