HE
ATUA E TIPUA HE TANGATA
In Maori whakapapa
(ancient narratives), the most important formative culture hero is Maui. So,
when daughter Arena invited me to the movie, ‘Moana’, Disney’s portrayal of
Maui, it came as no surprise that I was reluctant to go. Maui
Tikitiki-a-Taranga, a name that evokes the magic of the voyaging spirit.
I was reluctant because ill informed
journalism has been has been relentlessly cruel and costly for Maori. The truth about Maori origins is encoded in the
Maori narratives that breathe of sea, land and voyaging that put life into a
vibrant landscape. The Bible is to
Christians as these ancient stories are to Maori. As with The Book of Genesis, layered whakapapa
provide a rationale for unfolding the wonder of a new world.
He aha koa a Maui? Maui is a trickster hero found in stories the
world over. He is potiki, the last born who
outshines tuakana (older siblings) in daring, rascality and mischief always
challenging his elders for a better society. As the Greeks alluded to Homer in
their founding culture in philosophy, ethics, religion, architecture and law,
and so with Maui who lived with these narratives for maybe longer.
Thus Maui is the Maori counterpart to Hercules. He is, as well their Odysseus and
Archilles. These can draw parallels to
Prometheus and Icarus. I make no apology for the comparison to Christ.
Maui stories, of which there are nine,
can be seen as representing man, Adam seeking to achieve equality with the atua
(immortal beings) for him and for society.
He represents the free male faced by choice between continual daring and
achievement in the face of overwhelming odds, to achieve on the one hand and
acceptance of non-achievement (failure) on the other. He is always having to prove himself to
maintain and increase his mana. He is
the representative tohunga, the man of mana (power) and able to tap into the
source of atua. He is the representative
potiki (last born), the haututu (mischief-maker) without proper respect for established
conventions. Maui is regarded with
indulgence and even with pride because a wilful child, one on the wild side a
bit is tolerated because haututu children are seen as potential leaders, sometimes
arrogant always seeking change. Then there is the conflict of interest between
the individual (Maui) and the group (Maui’s brothers).
Maui is restless for change.
As time passed, a thought came to the restless Maui impatient to prove
himself once more.
Once Maui acquired the jawbone of his great grandmother,
Murirangawhenua he fashioned it into the magic hook and planned to use it as a
tool to achieve many great deeds. After
fashioning small jewellery and gardening utensils he then made spears to catch
birds. And last of all, he made the many types of hooks to catch fish. He also
fashioned ropes that tamed the sun.
These tasks finished, he turned his attention to fine lines and
nets for fishing. His brothers did not know that Maui had taken their great
grandmothers jawbone and used a part of it to make special hooks. And with the
jawbone he was able to make many conquests to change for a better society.
” My son, I know that you are indeed a very brave young man,
and that you have achieved much. Yet, I
fear that there is one who will bring you down.”
“Who might that be?”
“Your
ancestor, Hinenuitepo, the Great kaitiaki (protector) of the spirits at
Rarohenga..”
“Where can
I fund her?”
“You
can see her flashing there where the sky meets the earth to the west.”
“I am
Maui. I have achieved many things. Is her strength that of the sun? Yet I trapped and beat him.”
“Is she
greater than the sea which is greater than the land? Yet, the land yielded to me?”
“I am Maui, my task is not over. Now, let us now seek life or death.”
“Let it be, my son.”
So he prepared himself to enter the body of the great
lady. He told his friends, the birds not
to laugh or even murmur a sound. And with the tiniest birds of the forest, Maui
travelled to the place of the setting sun.
“Now. When I enter
the body of this great lady, I want you all to remain silent. Wait until I reappear again, then you may
laugh all you wish.”
“You’ll surely die.”
“If you laugh too soon, then I will indeed die. But, if I pass through her body I shall live.
And you shall all live.”
Divesting his loin garment, he prepared. Winding the cord of his embattled jawbone
firmly round his wrist, he stood erect and quivering.
Katahi ia
Ka hoki atu ki te kainga
Ka mea atu ona matua ki a
ia
“Kua rongo koe ki te ako
atu
A haere ana koe ki te
tinihanga
I ou tipuna ana, ana”.
Ka kite koe i te huhi
Ka mea atu ona matua ki a
ia
E
pai ana nau te whakaaro ora
Ki
te ora
Ki
te mate ranei
Penei
ka rongo koe
I
taku ako atu
Ka
ora koe e tama
Noho
kau te iwi
His naked body mottled and glistening in the setting light, he
stepped resolutely forward, erect, firm and quivering.
Thus Maui began the odyssey of life. Slowly, bit by bit he pulled himself into the
body of Hinenuitepo. First his head then
shoulders disappeared until only his waist and legs could still be seen. The cheeks of the watching birds puckered
trying to hold back their mirth.
Watching Maui’s legs kicking around, the fantail could hold back no
longer, and burst into laughter.
Hinenuitepo awoke. Her eyes flashed like sharp obsidian. She clapped her legs together.
Now Maui was the first being to die. Maui failed in this self-appointed final task
to gain immortality for humans.
The guardian of mortal souls, Hinenuitepo remains at the
entrance to Rarohenga in the spirit world.
Moana
Waialiki is a sea voyaging yarn around Maui.
She is the daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her
island's fishermen can't catch fish and the crops fail, she learns that a
tangata tipua named Maui caused the blight for ailing the heart of Te Whiti.
The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Whiti's
heart. She answers the call of her
grandmother, Tala to seek Maui and restore the mana (prosperity) of the island. Tala tells Moana, “In
your heart you hold the greatest power
ever known.” On the way she encounters Te Ka
(Teka), the fiery atua of fire (reminders of Mahuika and the encounter with
Maui). Then there’s the sentient coconut
pirates called Kahawai.
In the movie, for
me Maui appears to be stupid. It is
Moana Waialiki that exemplifies the true spirit of Maui
Tikitiki-a-Taranga. Not infrequently,
potiki succeeded where those of senior descent failed. He had no scruples about using his acquired
powers of magic.
At the end of the scrolling credits, I, with others
applauded the movie. Maui, “I can explain every phenomenon, the tides, the grass, the
ground, the sea. I am Maui.” Then
there’s Heihei (absent minded chicken), and Poaka, and the Sea Crest with loads
of personality. Another prize goes to
the musical clam. Dwayne Johnson failed
the pronunciation breath-test a little.
The
primal language of ancient stories tells us that these stories should not be
relegated to mere ‘faery tayles’ as they are as ‘Myths and Legends.’ Ambiguity and ambivalence are not only common
but are the essence in all fine art – like dreams there are elements of fact
and elements of fiction merged seamlessly together into one.
To
know Whenua and Moana is to know the richness of our corner of Earth – Te
Ika-a-Maui (The North Island).
Post script: ‘Moana’ is a happy, fun
story and can be seen as the typical role model for teina and young women. There
are few things more powerful than hard work, a single-minded focus against the
odds to do what must be done and to prove everyone wrong. If you’re good and work hard, don’t look for
luck. Luck will find you.