Legends of Maui

The Maui story probably contains a larger number of unique and ancient myths than that of any other legendary character in the mythology of any nation. There are three centers for these legends, New Zealand in the south, Hawaii in the north, and the Tahitian group including the Hervey Islands in the east. In each of these groups of islands, separated by thousands of miles, there are the same legends, told in almost the same way, and with very little variation in names. The Maui legends form one of the strongest links in the mythological chain of evidence which binds the scattered inhabitants of the Pacific into one people. W. D. Westervelt was also the author of Legends of Old Honolulu and Legends of Gods and Ghosts: Hawaiian Mythology. He was president of the Hawaiian Historical Society for some time.