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Myths and Legends

Discover the connection between myths and science, history and religion. These resources cover legends from around the world from the past and include monsters, fairies, signs, ghosts, superstition, taniwha and patupaiarehe. SCIS no. 1822241

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Legend of the voyage to New Zealand

Legend of the voyage to New Zealand

This romantic oil painting of 1912 shows a fleet of double-hulled, ocean-going canoes hauling ashore in New Zealand from a still lagoon. Images such as this helped to popularise the myth of a Great...

Figure of a mythical beast

Figure of a mythical beast

Japanese mythical beast in the form of a dragon headed horse.

Icarus, from Greek mythology flew too close to the sun. As a result his wings melted and he fell into the sea.

The Fall of Icarus

The Fall of Icarus

Bill Hammond adds a touch of Greek mythology to portray his despair over colonial destruction of flora and fauns in New Zealand to make way for agriculture.

Dramatisation of Ramayana, an Indian legend.

New Zealand legends

New Zealand legends

New Zealand Māori legends

Ghosts of Gondwana

Ghosts of Gondwana

Palaeontology and Māori myth reveal these 'Ghosts of Gondwana'.

Do we use only 10 percent of our brain?

Myth or fact that we use only part of our brain.

Science and religion

Science and religion

Galileo’s dilemma, Darwinian debates and a challenge of modern myths.

The seat of King Arthur

The seat of King Arthur

Archaeologists working in Cornwall have unearthed the remains of a Dark Age royal palace which is firing fresh interest in the legend of King Arthur. We're joined by Win Scutt of English Heritage.

The fantasy world of the Hutu and Kawa books has an understanding of ecology and a strong conservationist ethos.

Manaaki patupaiarehe sculptures, 2001

Manaaki patupaiarehe sculptures, 2001

The artist Dion Hitchens, of Māori (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) and Chinese descent, has sculpted representations of patupaiarehe, the fairies of the forest. He often uses

The creature illustrated on this stamp is one of the patupaiarehe – sometimes translated as ‘fairies’ or ‘goblins’. However, these terms are not accurate as patupaiarehe were generally described as...

Children of the mist

Children of the mist

Wellington City Ballet is shown performing Children of the mist in 1960. Based on a Māori legend, and choreographed by Leigh Brewer, the ballet follows a mortal, Ihenga, who falls in love with Maia...

Mythical monster squad out to rescue a damsel in distress.

Effect of full moon on people

Effect of full moon on people

A woman discredits the myth that the full moon effects people on earth, while her husband behind her changes into a werewolf and then back again.

SUPERSTITION ABOUT GEMS. (Marlborough Express, 10 April 1894)

Adamas, amethyst or ruby, there is a myth attached to each of these jewels.

Telemachus and Calypso

Telemachus and Calypso

Painting of Calypso the Greek nymph and Telemachus, son of Odysseus.

Tall tales and true

Tall tales and true

New Zealand’s legends told in graphic novel format.

Departure of the six canoes from Raratonga for New Zealand

Departure of the six canoes from Raratonga for New Zealand

oil on canvas 1075 x 2140 mm - Kennett Watkins 1906 (l.l.) Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Mr John Marshall, 1914

Poutini and Waitaiki

Poutini and Waitaiki

Poutini is the name of the taniwha that, according to legend, swims up and down the West Coast, protecting both the people and the mauri (life force) of pounamu (greenstone) that is characteristic ...

The legend of Hatupatu and the bird-woman

The legend of Hatupatu and the bird-woman

When Hatupatu was hunting one day for birds in the forest, he met a woman who was spearing birds for herself. This woman had wings on her arms, and claws instead of fingers. Her lips were long and ...

Hatupatu’s Rock

Hatupatu’s Rock

A family stop at Hatupatu’s Rock, beside the main road from Tokoroa to Taupō. Sometimes Māori leave offerings such as leaves or sweets at the rock, which features in one of the legendary adventures...

Northland taniwha mascot

Northland taniwha mascot

This is a modern interpretation of a taniwha, known as Tāne. It is the mascot of the Northland Rugby Union.

The Kawautahi taniwha

The Kawautahi taniwha

Kawautahi is a small lake 15 kilometres up Rētāruke River, a tributary of the Whanganui. It was avoided by Māori because a ferocious taniwha was said to live in it. In 1892 a surveyor employed thre...

Māori mythologies of creation

Tales from the mythologies of creation, including Maui and Aoraki.

Audio and text versions of Greek myths.

The Phantom canoe: a legend of lake Tarawera

Just what was the ghostly, fully-manned waka gliding across Lake Tarawera?

Every area has its own urban legends.

Modern mythology

Modern myths that are based on excitement, mystery and terror.

New Zealand’s bigfoot.

New Zealand legendary creatures

Sightings in New Zealand of legendary creatures.

Atlas was one of the Greek Titans who lost their battle against the Olympians. As punishment Atlas was condemned by Zeus to eternally stand on the Gaea (Earth) holding Uranus on his shoulders.

Legend of the tea plant

Legend of the tea plant

The legend of the tea plant connects India, China and Japan. Buddhism began in India and was based on the teaching of an Indian prince Siddharta Gautama who lived around 500 BC. He became Buddha th...

The legendary Great Barrier Island giants.

Myths, fairy-tales and legends:

Lesson plans to interpret and develop ideas on myths and legends.

World myths and legends in art

Extensive curriculum resource about how artists have been inspired by myths and legends.

Monster halts highway construction

A swamp-dwelling taniwha has forced workers to stop construction

Myths & legends

A gallery of items related to myths and legends.

Top 10 most popular mythical animals

Mythical animals from dragons to mermaids.

Chinese zodiac story

Slideshow based on the myth of the Chinese zodiac calendar.

The hunt For NZ’s big cats

Are some of New Zealand’s missing trampers victims of leopard or cougar attacks in the South Island?

Top 10 Irish myths and legends

Irish mythology covering beasts, fairies and changelings etc.

Two men say they have found the body of a Bigfoot.

What made Rip van Winkle fall asleep for so long

What made Rip van Winkle fall asleep for so long

Rip Van Winkle was written by Washington Irving. Even though the story is set in America, it roots are from European myth and legend.

Pandora’s box in Greek mythology was a large box given to Pandora containing special gifts from the Gods. Pandora was forbidden from opening the box. Unfortunately, unable to contain her curiosity ...

What we do in the shadows

What we do in the shadows

Trailer about a group of vampires flatting in Wellington.

The legend of Hatupatu and the bird-woman

The legend of Hatupatu and the bird-woman

The Māori legend of Hatupatu, the son of a Māori chief, is told by the use of plasticine puppets. Hatupatu’s people lose their mauri and Hatupatu finds it in the lair of Kurangaituku, the Bird Woma...

Myth lesson plans

Pdf with mythology lesson plans, flowcharts and worksheets.

Taniwha related images on Pinterest.

Oban’s myths & legends

The difference between myths, legends, fables and folktales.

King Arthur’s knights

King Arthur – hero, and historical figure.

How did our legends really begin?

A theory about similarities in myths suggests common origin.

Myths and legends

This page on Many Answers has links to reviewed websites and databases about myths and legends.

The legend of Boilerplate

Boilerplate was a mechanical man developed by Professor Archibald Campion.

European legends

Legends from Europe that have inspired movies and attracted.

Myths, folktales & fairy tales

Explore myths from different countries or create your own.

What is an urban legend?

Urban legends are a type of folklore.

Totara Grove school

Art work based on Māori myths and legends.

Legend vs. myth

Meaning and comparisons about myths and legends.

Scary and funny urban legends from America that could have some truth.

Legend of the Indian paintbrush

Classic children's book "Legend of the Indian Paintbrush" by Tomie de Paola.

Myths and legends poems

Poems on some of the popular myths and legends.

Tales of strange otter-like creatures from the South Island of New Zealand.

Adventures of Ulysses

Greek mythical adventures about Ulysses.

Scottish myths & legends

The Scottish landscape is rich with myths from loch to glen.

Top 10 mythical things that likely existed

10 mythical things that at first were thought to be figments of our imagination.

Greek mythology

The origins of Greek mythology.

New Zealand artists

Some of artist John Welsh’s paintings re-present Māori myths.

Mythological symbols

Mythological symbols that help understand a culture and their diverse concepts.

The mythology behind Moana.

The real mythology that inspired the characters Moana, Māui, Te Ka and the adorable Kakamora.

BBC myths and legends

A selection of myths and legends from around the world.

Myths and legends

Lesson plans and activities to help students understand and construct their own myths and legends.

Plato’s Greek city of Atlantis – was it a myth or did it exist?

‘The phantom canoe: a legend of Lake Tarawera’

‘The phantom canoe: a legend of Lake Tarawera’

Eleven days before Mt Tarawera erupted a number of people reported a disturbing sight: a ghostly, fully-laden waka (canoe) being paddled across Lake Tarawera, in the shadow of the mountain. The sig...

Flight mythology

Characters from legends and fairy tales often have the surprising ability to take off from the solid Earth.

Norse mythology

A crash course in Norse mythology.

Myths and legends in art

Be inspired by myths and legends – or create your own!

Ten ancient stories

Ten ancient myths and the geological events that may have inspired them.

The myth surrounding Helen of Troy.

Myths and legends

This page on Many Answers has links to reviewed websites and databases about myths and legends.

The magic of myths

An online teaching guide for Māori myths and legends.

The Chinese legends of the discovery of tea..

The Bunyip is a monster from Aboriginal mythology .

From mermaids to manatees

The truth behind the myth of the mermaid.

How fire came to Samoa

The Samoan legend of how Ti'iti'i conquered the fire god.

The mystery of the sea serpent .

Seven sisters dreaming star

The star dreaming legend of the seven sisters from Aboriginal Australia.

Greek Mythology

The stories of the Ancient Greeks about their gods and heroes.

The Chinese unicorn

A hybrid creature from Asian mythology.

Image depicting Mimi spirits from Australian Aboriginal mythology.

A collection of common superstitions.

The Legend of Sina and the eel

The story of the coconut tree.

What was the mysterious ghost canoe?

The story behind the Phantom Canoe of Lake Tarawera.

Find more items about myths and legends from around the world on EPIC. Databases recommended: Britannica School, Books and Authors (Gale), Gale eBooks. School login may be required.

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