Maui Muri and the Sun (South Sea Islands)

Maui Muri noticed that no matter how hard people worked they never had enough daylight to finish their tasks. The Sun-God, Ra, moved too quickly across the sky. He decided he needed to find a way to make Ra move more slowly.

Maui Muri and his brothers made a tough rope out of coconut fibers. Then, Maui Muri lay in wait for Ra. When he saw Ra, he threw the rope around Ra but the rope broke and Ra flew across the sky as quickly as ever.

Maui Muri made a second, stronger cord out of coconut husks which he braided into an even stronger rope, but for the second time, Ra escaped.

After much thought, Maui Muri asked his sister Hina to give him some of her hair. He cut off long strands and braided them into a very strong rope. When Ra appeared, Maui Muri threw the noose around Ra’s neck and held tight. 

When Ra realized there could be no escape, he asked Maui Muri what he wanted.

“You must move more slowly across the sky so we have more time to do our work. Promise me this and I will let you go.”

Ra promised, but just to make sure he kept his word, Maui Muri left a few strands of Hina’s hair hanging from the sun. 

You can still see them when the sun is going down and the last rays of light fill the sky. 

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*Maui Muri is a trickster figure commonly found in Polynesian mythology

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February 2024 Monthly Stories