Ra, the sun god of Egypt, is the same as Ra in New Zealand and La (sun) in Hawaii. On other islands the name is spelled Mauika, Mafuika, Mafuia, Mafuie, and Mahuika. Mauike is the same as the demi-god of New Zealand, Mafuike. It is interesting to trace the connection of these four names with Polynesian mythology. The four gods were Mauike, Ra, Ru, and Bua-Taranga. This old world bore the name Ava-iki, which is the same as Hawa-ii, or Hawaii. The Hervey Island legends say that four mighty ones lived in the old world from which their ancestors came. Elsewhere Ina, or Hina, was the grandmother, from whom he secured fire. Kanaloa, the god, is sometimes known as the father of Maui. In other groups this was the name by which his mother was known. In the Hawaiian chant, Akalana was the name of his father. The Hervey Island legends state that Maui's father was "the supporter of the heavens" and his mother "the guardian of the road to the invisible world." His mischievous pranks with the various gods would make him another Mercury living in any age from the creation to the beginning of the Christian era. But it is more probable that Maui belongs to the mist-land of time. This would place him in the seventh or eighth century of the Christian Era. In Hawaiian genealogies Maui and his brothers were placed among the descendants of Ulu and "the sons of Kii," and Maui was one of the ancestors of Kamehameha, the first king of the united Hawaiian Islands. The time of his sojourn among men is very indefinite. He lived in thatched houses, had wives and children, and was scolded by the women for not properly supporting his household. In New Zealand antiquity a Maui was said to have assisted other gods in the creation of man. He himself was possessed of supernatural powers and was supposed to make use of all manner of enchantments. His parents belonged to the family of supernatural beings. Maui was one of the Polynesian demi-gods.
The legends of Hawaii, Tonga, Tahiti, New Zealand and the Hervey group make this youngest Maui "the discoverer of fire" or "the ensnarer of the sun" or "the fisherman who pulls up islands" or "the man endowed with magic," or "Maui with spirit power." The legends vary somewhat, of course, but not as much as might be expected when the thousands of miles between various groups of islands are taken into consideration. They accomplished little as a family, except on special occasions when the youngest of the household awakened his brothers by some unexpected trick which drew them into unwonted action. Westervelt,, at įOUR BROTHERS, each bearing the name of Maui, belong to Hawaiian legend. Legends of Maui, A Demi-God of Polynesia, by W. Legends of Maui, A Demi-God of Polynesia: I.