Creation Stories

Creation is a fundamental story across cultures, religions, and landscapes. All human society has found a way to explain how the natural elements, mankind, values and beliefs came to be and Māori in the southern most outpost of Polynesia were no different. The southern Māori account of creation is recognisable as an Eastern Polynesian story that incorporates the activities of the gods such as Raki (the Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (the Earth Mother) and their myriad offspring who created and shaped the natural world that make up the earthly environment, the heavens and mankind themselves.

The southern people are fortunate that very early missionary interaction meant that oral records were kept quite intact. Of particular interest are the teachings of Matiaha Tiramorehu recorded by the Reverend Charles Creed during the 1840s while he was responsible for the Methodist Mission based at Waikouaiti (modern Karitāne). A comprehensive account has been preserved that has been pored over by some of the most prolific scholars of Māori tradition. It explains the origins of the mountains, the winds, outer space, life, death, stellar bodies, flora, and fauna, as well as core human values.

Aoraki and Tūterakiwhanoa

Te Waka o Aoraki and Tūterakiwhanoa feature as the oldest stories that connect to Otago.

Waka Tipua

Māui

Tākitimu

Rākaihautu