Māui and the theft of fire

In Māori tradition, the story of Māui and the theft of fire does more than just explain how fire came into the world — it also teaches practical knowledge about which woods could be used for making fire.

• In the story, Māui visits his grandmother Mahuika, the goddess of fire. She gives him her fingernails made of flame, one by one, which Māui hides in different trees.

• These trees include rimu, māhoe, tōtara, patete, and kaikōmako species that can be used to create fire by rubbing sticks together (traditional fire-making, or hika ahi).

• Through the story, this knowledge was remembered and passed down — people could recall which trees “held” Mahuika’s fire.

This story explains the origin of fire, but it also served as a teaching tool, helping people remember the practical science of fire-making, which woods to use, and why.