In marine-based Maori culture the sea and its creatures have always had much significance. Especially whales, turtles, and dolphins were highly respected. According to legends, dolphins helped the first Maori canoes navigating the South Pacific to the new homeland. This could fairly well be based on true facts because such incidents are still reported. More on this in a bit.
Other stories report about dolphins attacking sharks near Maori canoes. It’s only logical that the dolphin became a symbol of protection, a good omen, particularly for travellers. The Maori dolphin …

Maori culture has historically been oral. This means they had no written language to pass on cultural heritage. As a result carvings and other art forms flourished as a means to pass on ancestry, major historic events, beliefs, legends, and other cultural elements. Even upon today the designs and their symbolism still tell the wonderful Maori tales. That’s why Maori symbols form such a substantial part of the national Maori identity and culture.
The elaborate artistic traditions of the Maori have in common that the large deal, if not all, make …