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The saddleback
takes its English name from the band of colour running across the
adult bird’s back. According to Maori tradition the saddle marking
was caused by the man–god Maui, Maui–Potiki. This happened shortly
after he and his brothers had snared the sun as it emerged from its
cave. Maui beat the sun so mercilessly as it lay imprisoned close to
the ground that it was greatly enfeebled. When the sun could take no
more and pleaded for mercy, Maui released it, its energy all gone,
so that it was able only slowly and wearily to make its way across
the sky. Thus to this day we have longer daylight hours.
The heat of the sun and his exertions made Maui very thirsty so he
asked the saddleback to bring him some cold water but the bird
pretended not to hear and took no notice. This irritated Maui so
much that he seized it and in doing so singed its feathers with the
heat of his hand. The markings on his back are a permanent reminded
of how it incurred his displeasure. Maui then threw the bird away
from him into the water that he had been unable to reach.
This is the reason that the tieke became known to Maori as water
bird. It was mentioned in invocations recited when rain was needed,
when calling on Rangi, the sky father, to give assistance through
his many offspring who control the weather.
In Maori myth, it was the
kokako that gave Maui water as he
fought the sun. The kokako filled up his wattles and took it to
Maui. His thirst quenched, He rewarded the kokako by making its legs
long and slender so it could bound through the forest with ease in
search of food |
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