A new collection of short stories puts some familiar characters from Maori mythology into contemporary settings.
Tina Makereti, the author of Once Upon a time in Aotearoa, says the creation myths and the exploits of Maui can cast light on today's issues.
For example, the story of the stillborn Maui being wrapped in his mother's top knot and put out to sea is presented as a high school student hiding her pregnancy from her peers.
Ms Makereti says the mother dreams of her son in part of the story and the dreams refer to the story of Maui.
She told Waatea News: "If you know those stories, you will pick it up I think."
Ms Makereti, Ngati Maniapoto, Te Atiawa and Tuwharetoa, is doing a doctorate in creative writing at Victoria University.
