the creation of the Whanganui River

The Whanganui Information Centre had a long white wall that was like a blank page. The story they wanted to tell was that of the creation of the Whanganui River. The legend – a tale of quarreling volcanoes, jealousy and flight – is often told, but seldom the version of local iwi.

I kept the story long and linear, like the river itself, but less twisty, as it follows its path from the mountains to the sea.