Purakau: Legendary Maori Tales

By A W Reed

These stories in Purakau, first published in 1946 as Myths and Legends of Maoriland, help explain the traditional Māori perspective on the origins of many things - not just people - in the world around us. They help to explain the natural world and the relationships between the different elements within that world.

Successful both in New Zealand and internationally, the stories traverse the creation story, the discovery of Aotearoa, people, animals and plants, and the relationships between them.

Myths and Legends of Maoriland went on to become one of New Zealand's most recognized books of the genre, winning an Esther Glen medal for the best children's book in 1947, and enjoyed considerable popularity in London, New York and Australia. This new edition retains the work of illustrator Dennis Turner and is presented with a stunning new cover based on the Rangi and Papa mural, by highly acclaimed artist Cliff Whiting, which now hangs in the Beehive in Wellington. It has been fully revised by Buddy Mikaere.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1990003486
• ISBN13: 9781990003486
• Release Date: June 2026
• Publisher: White Cloud Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Dimensions: 5.0" x 7.8"