Maori Myth of the Origin of Fire
Appliqué Quilt by Ku Bailey
110cm x 134cm

Companion 6-page fabric book sewn by the artist, with the myth sewn into the pages.

NZ$3,500

Maori Myth of the Origin of Fire

Fire had disappeared from the world of light. Mahuika, the mother of fire, lived in the underworld, each of her fingers being children of fire.

Maui, however, didn't wish for fire to return to the world of light, so he tricked Mahuika into giving him one of her fingers of fire. Retuning to the world of light, Maui extinguished the flame by pouring water onto it.

Returning to Mahuika, Maui tricked her into giving him a second finger saying he had lost the first. Maui returned to the world of light again with the second finger and extinguished the flame.

Returning again and again, Maui eventually tricked Mahuika into giving him each of her fingers except for the last one. At this point, Mahuika realized she had been deceived and flew into a rage throwing her last finger into the forest of the world of light causing a great fire to spread through the forest.

Mahuika pursued Maui into the burning forests. Fearing for his life, Maui took the form of a forest eagle and prayed to Tawhiri-matea, the god of storms, to bring forth rain, and a great flood fell upon the earth.

Knowing that she would perish if the fire were to be extinguished, Mahuika ran into the world of light to save her child. Realizing that she was losing the battle against the great flood, Mahuika hid in the kaikomako tree with her last remaining finger. There she perished while her finger slept.

To this day, Mahika's sleeping child can be woken by rubbing together the dry wood of the tree, bringing forth once again the fire of Mahuika.

Maui and the Fingers of Fire