Polynesian Mythology
Polynesian Mythology: The Complete Guide to Maui, Pele, Tangaroa, and the Sacred Stories of the Navigator Cultures
From Hawaii to New Zealand: The Gods Who Shaped the Pacific
The trickster Maui who fished up islands, Pele's volcanic fury, Tangaroa's ocean realm, and the separation of sky and earth. The mythology that sailed 10 million square miles of Pacific.
$14.99
Instant PDF download
Inside this book
What you will read
- 11 chapters, primary sources
- Instant PDF download
- Original ink illustrations
- Inline citations to original texts
- Designed for print quality
See all chapters +
- 01Te Kore: The Void Before Creation
- 02Rangi and Papa: The Separation of Sky and Earth
- 03Tane and Tangaroa: Forest Against Ocean
- 04Maui the Trickster: Fishing Up Islands
- 05Maui Slows the Sun: The Snaring of Ra
- 06Pele and Kamapua'a: Fire and Water in Hawaii
- 07Hine-nui-te-po: The Gateway to the Underworld
- 08Tawhaki's Ascent: Climbing to the Sky Realm
- 09The Kumulipo and Sacred Genealogies
- 10Navigators and Star Paths: Mythology at Sea
- 11The Living Tradition: Polynesian Mythology Today
About this book
About this Polynesian mythology guide
The mythology that sailed from Hawaii to New Zealand: Maui's tricks, Pele's fire, and the gods who separated sky from earth.
Polynesian mythology is the navigator-mythology: stories carried by voyagers who settled Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island, Tahiti, Samoa, and hundreds of archipelagos across the largest ocean on Earth. At its heart is Maui, the trickster-hero who snared the sun to slow its passage, fished up islands from the sea floor with his magical hook, and stole fire for humanity. Alongside him: Tangaroa, god of the ocean and all its creatures; Tane, lord of forests and birds; Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess whose lava still flows; Hine-nui-te-po, the death goddess of the underworld; and Rangi and Papa, sky father and earth mother, torn apart by their children to let light into the world.
This book draws on the oral traditions recorded in the 19th and early 20th centuries by scholars working with native informants: Grey's Polynesian Mythology, Fornander's Hawaiian collections, Best's Maori cosmogony, the Kumulipo chant, and the Tahitian creation accounts. Each chapter cites the specific chants, genealogies, and island variants so you can trace how a single story changed as it crossed 4,000 miles of open water.
Eleven chapters with original ink illustrations and inline citations to primary sources.
What you will discover inside
- How Maui slowed the sun with a rope made from his sister's hair
- Why Rangi and Papa were torn apart by their own children
- What Pele's rivalry with Kamapua'a the pig-man reveals about Hawaiian ecology
- The journey of Hine-nui-te-po from goddess of dawn to ruler of death
- How Tangaroa and Tane divided the world between ocean and forest
- Why the same stories appear in Hawaii, Tahiti, and New Zealand with different names
Polynesian mythology book at a glance
| Tradition | Polynesian mythology |
|---|---|
| Chapters | 11 chapters |
| Length | 150 pages |
| Sources | Drawn from the primary sources, cited inline |
| Reading level | Beginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch |
| Format | Print-quality PDF |
| Delivery | PDF within 24 hours |
Formats and editions
| Edition | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Instant PDF | Print-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours. | $7.99 |
| Paperback | A paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon. | Coming soon |
About the author
Guillaume Henry
Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis
Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.
More about the authorKeep exploring Polynesian mythology
Prefer to read before you buy? These free, fully sourced guides cover the same gods, myths and sources you will meet in the book.
Read the complete Polynesian mythology guideQuestions about the Polynesian mythology book
When will I receive my PDF?
Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.
Is this book based on primary sources?
Yes. The book cites Grey's Polynesian Mythology (1855), Fornander's Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folklore, Best's Maori cosmogonic traditions, the Kumulipo creation chant, Beckwith's Hawaiian Mythology, and the Tahitian accounts recorded by Henry and Orsmond, with references to the standard published translations so you can read further.
How long is the book?
Eleven chapters, around 150 pages depending on the final layout. Designed to be read in evenings or in one long sitting.
Is this book for beginners or specialists?
Beginners welcome. The book explains every name, place, and concept from scratch. Specialists will find the source citations and translation notes useful for further reading.
Will there be a paperback on Amazon?
The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.
Why are there different versions of the same story across islands?
Polynesian mythology traveled by canoe across thousands of miles of open ocean. Each island group adapted the stories to local geography, ecology, and history. Maui appears in Hawaii, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Samoa, but his deeds and his parents' names shift with each telling. The book maps these variants so you can see both the shared core and the creative divergence.
What formats is this book available in?
Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.
What is the return policy?
The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.
Can I order from outside the United States?
Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.
You might also like
See the full library
Norse
Norse Mythology: The Complete Guide to Odin, Thor, Loki, Ragnarok and the Sagas of the Vikings
$7.99
Greek
Greek Mythology: The Complete Guide to Zeus, the Olympians, the Heroes, and the Sacred Stories of Ancient Greece
$7.99
Egyptian
Egyptian Mythology: The Complete Guide to Ra, Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and the Sacred Stories of the Pharaohs
$7.99
Roman
Roman Mythology: The Complete Guide to Jupiter, Mars, Venus, the Aeneid, and the Sacred Stories That Built an Empire
$7.99
Japanese
Japanese Mythology and Yokai: The Complete Guide to Amaterasu, Susanoo, Yokai, Kami, and the Sacred Stories of Japan
$7.99
Hindu
Hindu Mythology: The Complete Guide to Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, the Mahabharata, and the Sacred Stories of India
$7.99