Hawke's Bay | Te Matau a Māui
Hawke’s Bay is rich in Māori culture and mythology, none more so than in the formation of the region’s defining coastline. Māui, the most famous of the Māori gods, hauled up the North Island with a hook made from the jawbone of his grandmother. Māui’s hook was instantly transformed into the cape that forms the southernmost tip of Hawke Bay – otherwise known as Cape Kidnappers. Viewed from above, you can still see its hooked shape, which is why Hawke’s Bay is sometimes referred to as ‘Te Matau a Māui’ – The Fishhook of Māui.
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