Maui
/ˈmaʊ.i/noun
A major Hawaiian deity and culture hero known for trickster feats and feats of creation in Polynesian tradition.
Did you know?In Polynesian myth, Maui is a culture hero whose exploits vary by island tradition, but he is consistently portrayed as a magical trickster who reshapes the world through cunning rather than force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*Mauiki / *Maui
“A mythic hero/trickster figure reconstructed across Polynesian traditions”
Ancient Polynesian
Polynesian
Maui
“The name of a culture hero and demigod in oral tradition”
18th Century
English
Maui
“The Hawaiian island name and the mythic figure’s name recorded by European explorers and missionaries”
19th Century
English
Maui
“Standard English spelling for the Hawaiian deity and island name”
Modern English
English
Maui
“A Hawaiian island, county, and a celebrated Polynesian mythic hero”