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Maori had circumnavigated and thoroughly explored the islands now called New Zealand. It is a very mountainous country and vast areas of the coastline can be seen from a single mountain. In passing on descriptions of the islands it would be natural to liken them to familiar objects and use the imagery in mythology. The Maori name for the North island was te Ika a Maui, which means 'the fish of Maui' - and relates to the legend that the North Island was fished up by Maui.

The South Island was called Te waka A Maui (the canoe of Maui)

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Q: How did maori people know that the south island was shaped as a fish and the north island was shaped as a conoe?
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