Māui Tinei Ahi is an ancestor who achieved a number of remarkable things in his life—from fishing up lands, to slowing the sun, to sourcing fire, and much more. The fire pūrākau details Māui’s interaction with his great aunt, the Atua of Fire, Hinemahuika. It tells the narrative of Māui sourcing fire for humankind. While this pūrākau is well-known in Aotearoa New Zealand (and in other islands of Te Moananui a Kiwa), various kurahuna are often overlooked. Based on the author’s PhD thesis, this article provides an original retelling of part of the fire pūrākau.

Māui is remembered in Māori narrative as a change maker, a challenger of boundaries and a trickster. However, in the 21st century these characteristics are likely to be frowned upon rather than celebrated in Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system. Māori students experiencing complex needs, like Māui, are known for pushing the boundaries. Rather than signalling strength of character, these characteristics are frequently viewed as deficits.

With vocation level programmes of the tertiary sector in Aotearoa New Zealand entering a new era of strategic visioning, one of the aims for educators is to seek ways to improve the educational engagement and success of Māori learners. Revitalising Māori teaching and learning pedagogies, like the tuakana–teina pedagogy, has been touted as a positive strategy for educators to achieve such interactions with their Māori learners. In doing so, we are prompted to remember the deeds of magical Māui, the teina of the Māui brothers of ancient Māori mythology.