Te Whai Wawewawe a Maaui

A thread between fingers becomes a story.
In this string game, hands shape figures passed down through generations—stars, canoes, mountains. Each form may be guided by a pūrākau (story), karakia (prayer), or waiata (song).
Named for Māui, the shape-shifting hero of Māori legend, this game is rhythm, memory, and creativity woven into one. Still played today, it links people across time, through hands, stories, and shared understanding