From the legend of Maui catching the sun also comes the explanation of why the Tieke [Saddleback] bird has the markings on his back.
It seems that Maui had a pet blackbird, Tieke, that would sit on his shoulder while he made ropes from flax, or any other task he was engaged in.
On the fateful day, Maui and his brothers set off to catch the sun, Tieke was sitting in his usual place on Maui’s shoulder.
After the sun was caught, and as Maui went to beat the sun into submission, Tieke went with him, but Maui, being concerned for his pet's welfare, told him to go back, away from the heat.
But Tieke would not listen, and as Maui’s own hair was beginning to melt, and his skin was blistering, Maui reached up with a burned hand, and grasping the pet bird from his shoulder, he threw the bird down to the earth, where it was cooler.
Ever since the Tieke [Saddleback] has shown his burnt back.
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@len.george/children-of-heaven-and-earth-part-2
@len.george/how-this-series-began
@len.george/the-origins-of-maui-how-he-came-home-part-1
@len.george/how-maui-found-his-mothers-home
@len.george/how-maui-caught-the-sun-part-1
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