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... is hook and let it down into the deep sea. Down it went into the very bottom and caught the under world Out of the great seas the black, ragged head of a large island was rising like a fish-it seemed to be chasing them, through the boiling surf. In a little while the water became shallow around them, and their canoe finally rested on the black beach (Westervelt 12). This excerpt above comes from the legend of Maui. Theres a lot of correlation with the story of Toko.
Maui went fishing with his older brothers and bragged that he would catch a bigger fish than them. Using his magic hook, Maui hauled up a giant fish, which was Ao-tea-roa one of the large islands of New Zealand. On it were houses, with people around them. Fires were burning. He took fire in his hands and was burned. He leaped into the sea, dived deep, came up with the other large island on his shoulders.
This island he set on fire and left it always burning. It is said that the name for New Zealand given to Captain Cook was Te ika o Maui, The fish of Maui. Another connection with the story of Toko and the legend of Maui is how their death transpires. When Toko goes into the whare nui to bring back Manu who was sleeping walking, someone shoots him. In Maui's legend, Maui tried to obtain immortality for all mankind by attempting to capture the heart of the death goddess. Maui fails to do so and thus dies.
But it was when Toko pushed the swinging door open that there was a different sound, like a soft explosion, then Manu screamed out and there was a glimpse of light although the house itself was in darkness still. There were running footsteps but I could see no one by the light of the stars. No one passed my way. (Grace 163) This passage is referring to Roimata recalling the events that unfolded the night of Toko's death. Manu, Toko's brother, is a sleepwalker and on the night of Toko's death, Manu was sleepwalking towards the whare nui. Toko as always would be the one who would bring back Manu to the house.
That night Toko went to get Manu but something unusual occurred. When Toko went into the whare nui, there was a soft explosion and Manu came out screaming. An unidentified person killed Toko. Toko later on becomes immortalize as he is carved into the pompous that the old carver left unfinished and given the name Potiki.
The Tamihanas knew that Toko's life on earth would be brief and they allowed Toko to participate in all activities. They allowed Toko to speak when there were meetings in the whare nui, allowed him to work in the fields, go fishing, etc Grace ties in the legend of Maui with Toko's death for the reason that Toko life would be short on earth. This is what Westervelt's definition of Maui which was to live or subsists. Hine was sleeping soundly. The flashes of lighting had all ceased. The sunlight had almost passed away and the house lay in quiet gloom.
Maui came near to the sleeping goddess. Her large, fish-like mouth was open wide. He put off his clothing and prepared to pass through the ordeal of going to the hidden source of life, to tear it out of the body of its guardian and carry it back with him, to mankind He leaped through the mouth of the enchanted one and entered her stomach, weapon in band, to take out her heart, the vital principle which he knew had its home somewhere within her being. He found immortality on the other side of death. He turned to come back again into life when suddenly a little bird laughed in a clear, shrill tone, and Great Hine, through whose mouth Maui was passing, awoke. Her sharp, obsidian teeth closed with a snap upon Maui, cutting his body in the center.
Thus Maui entered the gates of death, but was unable to return, and death has ever since been victor over rebellious men (Westervelt 128) Toko's death is similar to the legend of Maui. The difference between them is that Toko entered the mouth of the whare nui to bring back Manu and in Maui's legend, Maui attempted to conquer death by turning into a small bird and crawling into the source of life of the death goddess in order to take her heart. Maui warned his friends who had accompanied him to refrain from making any noises while he made the supreme effort of his life. (Westervelt 128) When Maui was almost completed a fantail, or silly bird, could not contain its laughter and excitement, and woke Hine who closed her teeth which killed Maui. This is similar to Toko's story in that both entered the through the mouth. In Toko's case it was the mouth of the whare nui and in Maui's case it was the mouth of the death goddess.
In most of the book weve been reading, there has been a lot of connection to mythological icons centering the Pacific Ocean. An example is the comparison of the mythological myth of Pili to Faleasa Osovae in Pouliuli, and now there is another direct correlation with the character Toko in Potiki to the legend of Maui. In Potiki, Grace ties in the mythological legend of Maui to the character of Toko. Grace does this superbly as if Toko is really Maui. The motive for Grace tying the legend of Maui with the character of Toko is in Westervelt's definition of Maui. Westervelt describe Maui as to live, having strength, and the idea of turning to the side.
Grace does this by linking the legend of Maui's birth with the birth of Toko's. Toko's birth and Maui's birth both refer to the definition of Maui according to Westervelt. They were both born prematurely and caused their left hand to be deformed. Toko had a deformed left shoulder and Maui's left hand was shorter than his right hand. Another resemblance with the legend of Maui and Toko's story is the story of the fishing incident. In the fishing story Grace ties in the idea of Toko having a lot of strength.
Finally the death of Maui and Toko are alike. Maui died when was coming out through the mouth of the death goddess while he tried to capture the heart and Toko died while entering the mouth of the whare nui to bring back Manu to the house. In the death of Toko, Grace tied in the idea of to live. Works Cited
- Grace, Patricia. Potiki. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1995.
Westervelt, W. D. Legends of Maui: A Demi God of Polynesia and of His Mother Hina. Honolulu: The Hawaiian Gazette Co. , LTD. 1910.
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Research essay sample on Potiki Is Toko Maui
