The story of Tāne and the kiwi was originally told by Sir Maui Pomare in the 1920s and was later adapted by the New Zealand writer Joy Cowley. It is a beautiful story about the creation of the kiwi, and why it cannot fly.
Here is a summary of the story:
Tāne, the god of the forest, was lonely and wished for a companion. He decided to create a bird, but he wanted it to be different from all the other birds. He made it small and round, with long, powerful legs and a sharp beak. He named it the kiwi.
Tāne was so proud of his creation that he decided to show it to the other birds. All of the other birds were amazed at the kiwi and admired its strength and agility. They wanted to know how they could fly like the kiwi, but Tāne told them that the kiwi was the only bird that could fly.
The other birds were disappointed, and they asked Tāne why the kiwi could fly and they couldn't.
Tāne explained that the kiwi was the only bird that had the mana, or strength and resilience, to fly. He said that the kiwi was a symbol of Aotearoa, and it was important for the kiwi to be able to fly so that it could protect and guide the people of Aotearoa.
The kiwi was a symbol of strength and resilience. It could do things that the other birds could not, and it represented Aotearoa's unique and resilient spirit.
Where to find it in print form
The story of Tāne and the Kiwi can be found in several books, including:
- Joy Cowley's "Tāne and the Kiwi: A Story of Creation" (1993)
- Joy Cowley's "Tāne's Last Bird: A Story of Creation" (2015)
- Margaret Mahy's "The Birthday of the Kiwi" (1989)
- Russell Hoban's "The Kiwi in the Trees" (1989)
It is also available in several anthologies of New Zealand myths and legends.