Milford Sound or Piopiotahi?
The Maori name for Milford Sound is Piopiotahi. Like many Maori names, it is born from mythology, and the story behind Piopiotahi crafts beautiful images of nature’s ability to rule supreme. According to this legend, the Maori Maui brought a thrush with him from Hawaiki. Maui made the fatal mistake of challenging Hine-nui-te-po, the Goddess of Death, to a duel. Challenging her for the prize of eternal life for mankind if he won. When she crushed him to death between her thighs, his little thrush flew south to mourn, giving birth to Piopiotahi.
Another Maori legend involves less suffering. According to this legend, the God Tu-te-raki-whanoa made his way through the Fiordlands hammering out rocks and shapes to perfect the landscape using a powerful prayer. When he reached Milford Sound, he carried out his best work, and ended his journey there.
Whether you refer to the area as Milford Sound or Piopiotahi, there is no denying it is captivatingly beautiful. For many years, Milford Sound did not exist at all. Like much of the Southern Hemisphere, it rested under the sea, only to emerge following tectonic activity.