Research source

There is hardly a more interesting specimen of vulcanism in New Zealand, for example, than the strange wall of…

Date of account: Published 1923
Source: Maori folk-tales of the Port Hills, Canterbury, New Zealand
Reference: Maori folk-tales of the Port Hills, Canterbury, New Zealand · selected passage 4
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-25

Record summary

Published source text

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Source passage

Source text · mention only

There is hardly a more interesting specimen of vulcanism in New Zealand, for example, than the strange wall of grey-white lava rock which Europeans call the Giant’s Causeway and the Maoris “The Fire of Tamatea,” which protrudes from the hilltop just above Rapaki, and which may be seen again on the far side of the harbour, a volcanic dyke that the ancient people--with surely some perception of geological truth--connected in their legends with the internal fires of the North Island. Along the craggy hill faces again, and particularly well in such places as Redcliffs and the Sumner end of the range, it is easy to read the history of the rocks in the alternate strata of solid volcanic rock and the soft rubble that seems almost to glow again with the olden fires.

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

This material belongs to a folklore tradition. Story type, collector, community, transmission and literary editing matter when comparing it with other sources.

Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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