Welcome to the 2022 A to Z Blogging Challenge! My theme this year is Gemstone Folklore. Because I love stories about shiny things. Read the introduction to the project here.
POUNAMU
Pounamu (sometimes translated as greenstone) is the Maori term used for green colored stones found in New Zealand that play an important role in its indigenous culture. It includes more than one type of mineral - usually nephrite jade, and bowenite (see the letter B earlier).
Rata and the First Greenstone Axe
Maori legend
Rata's father, a chief, is killed by another chief called Makutu before the boy is born. When he grows up, Rata decides to set out and seek revenge on Makutu. First he needs to make a canoe for the quest, and for that, he needs an axe sharp enough to fell a giant tree. He seeks out a mythical being called Kahué to ask for a stone axe. Hearing Rata's story, Kahué agrees to split some rocks and provide the strongest greenstone for the axe. However, the axe thus formed is not sharp yet. Rata has to take it to the Whetstone Goddess, and sharpen it over her backbone. Rata seeks out the goddess, prays to her, and she allows him to sharpen his greenstone axe.
(In another variant of the story, the greenstone axe is left to Rata by his ancestors, buried underground until he needs it.)
With the use of the axe Rata manages to create a giant canoe (although he fails at it multiple times, because he doesn't show proper respect to the deities of nature). He sets out to the far east, and reaches the land of the Ponaturi, beings who hide underwater in the day and come to land at night. With the help of a captive woman Rata and his men manage to trap Makutu, cut him, and transform him into a bittern bird. They return home victorious, carrying the bones of Rata's father so they can give him a proper burial.
Rata becomes a famous chief, and teaches all his people how to make pounamu axes. The red-blossoming rata tree is named in his honor.
Sources: Read versions of this story here, here, here, and here. Read more Maori legends about pounamu here.
Have you ever been to New Zealand? Have you read any literature from there?
Posts
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ReplyDeleteI like the part about sharpening the axe over the goddesses backbone - a very strong image.
ReplyDeleteI have never been to New Zealand but I remember the moment I learnt about Pounamu necklaces from a friend who has. I was fascinated.
I would love to go to New Zealand one day, it looks and sounds like a fabulous country. Such a pretty stone.
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings: YouTube - What They Don't Tell You (and free fiction)
It would be so lovely to visit New Zealand and see tbe Pounamu in person. Given its depth and inner glow, I'm not surprised it contains nephrite. I looked up the Rata tree as well - and it's lovely too.
ReplyDeleteLove the colour! Interesting story.
ReplyDeleteRonel visiting for the A-Z Challenge My Languishing TBR: P
I like the idea of having to sharpen your blades on the backbone of the whetstone goddess!
ReplyDeleteP is for Pygmyism
I've never been to New Zealand, but I'd love to visit someday. And I do love distinctive shades of green!
ReplyDeleteI was in New Zealand for a few weeks in the late 1980s. I brought home the book The Bone People by Keri Hulme, a Booker-prize winning novel. Reading it had such an impact. I remember almost no details of the story, but I still remember how I felt when I read it.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be one of those blogs I am going to want to come back too after the challenge and read all of the posts for. So much going in the challenge that I don't want to give this blog any half-attempts at reading and focusing on it.
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Tim Brannan
The Other Side | The A to Z of Conspiracy Theories
Another interesting post :)
ReplyDeleteThe stone is so beautiful.
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