229: Manipulated Legends?

Sometimes I've wondered about legends... like the Korotangi, where no such legend was ever recorded until an old Maori woman declared the Indonesian jade carved bird that was found........... (wait for it)....... was in fact a real bird that turned to stone in a story that seemingly had been altered just to fit the evidence. You can read those stories here...

Now we all know the legend of how the land became to be because we all learned it at school so it must be true right? Maui (one of the 7 legendary Maui's - figure that one out) was in a waka and hauled up a fish. All that seems reasonable as a legend when European modern maps seem to suggest the north island could look like a fish. Once one sees an early, but not wholly accurate, representation of NZ, azs below, any Maori would say it matches the legend or make one up to fit - like the Korotangi. Maybe I'm being a little harsh but let me continue. All I'm questioning here is the integrity of old stories, legends and claims. Like there was no one else here when Maori arrived etc. So here's the early map that supports the Maori legend of the wka and the giant fish.

But here's the thing. This Maori 'legend' was based purely on what Maori knew before Europeans ever arrived here, right? Unless they made up the legend after seeing the European map. No? Ok, so the legend was pre-European and Maori knew the true shape of the islands with the top one being a fish and the bottom on being a waka (and the third being the anchor). So, Maui was in a canoe and dragged a fish up which became the north island. It would look like a fish and south would look like a waka right? and there would be an anchor right? Of course it would....

Now here is the reality. The earliest Māori map to have survived was drawn by Tukitahua of Ōruru in 1791. Tukitahua and Ngahuruhuru were taken from their home in Northland to Norfolk Island, where it was hoped that they would be able to teach the convicts about flax weaving. But as both were men, their knowledge of flax preparation was minimal. While trying to explain where they would like to be returned to, Tukitahua drew a map of New Zealand on the floor in chalk, which was then transferred to paper. At least that is the story as recorded by Europeans. So Maori did have an idea of how to express a land mass.

Now, Do you see a waka and a fish and an anchor that supports the legend spoken 'after' Maori saw an accurate map of the land?

Or am I being too harsh