WALT: We are learning about the Myths and Legends of Matariki.
There was once an adventurous old man named Manu who lived with his 7
brothers in a place called Forest. Manu was the oldest brother, he had
been raised by his uncle that was named Maku, from him he had learnt
much Magic. One day Manu and his brothers were hunting out on Mount
Camel and they heard people singing. They were curious so they followed
the sound over the hill and they saw the most beautiful women they had
ever seen. They had long golden hair, and skin so white they shone like
stars. When the brothers caught the eye of the women Manus brothers
instantly fell in love all except Manu. He said “these women are not of our
kind, they are patupaiarehe or fairy women” his brothers took no notice
they were to distracted by the patupaiarehe and brought them back to their
village to make them their wife's. One day Manu decided to hide outside his
youngest brothers whare. He waited and waited! Manu had almost given up
when he noticed 6 Tuis sitting close to the whare and he saw a seventh
one to join the others. Manu transformed himself into a Fantail and
followed the birds to Kaimoumou when the Tuis reached the Top, Manu
perched on a tree and watched as they changed form back into women.
Listening to the patupaiarehe Manu heard of their plan to starve their
brothers to death. Manu quickly went back to the village to warn the
brothers of their wife's terrible plan. At first they refused to listen. The
tohunga gave the brothers a magic net to catch the patupaiarehe. He told
Manus brothers that they will have to cast the women far far Away in the
heavens. The next day the brothers hid behind a tree, waiting for the
women and as the Tuis flew out the whare each brother sneered the
patupaiarehe in the net, the heart broken brothers gave the net to Manu
and he turned into a Albatross carrying the net Manu went to the heavens
to cast the women far far away from the earth.
It was easy to recreate the story because I could keep going back to the video.
Do you like Matariki and why.