Witi Ihimaera Defends the Octopus

Witi Ihimaera Smiler, a New Zealand author, challenges a proverb that equates the octopus with giving up. He argues the wheke—the octopus in Māori—is actually highly intelligent and fights for its family’s survival. Ihimaera details how the octopus possesses nine brains and employs varied defensive strategies, unlike the hammerhead shark which acts solely on hunger.

He notes Polynesian mythology often portrays the octopus as a primeval, female creator and guardian of knowledge. Early Māori navigator Te Rangi Hīroa even used the octopus as a metaphor for Polynesian voyaging, recognizing the intelligence within each tentacle. Ihimaera also recounts a myth where the octopus, named Tumu-rai-fenua, protected her children and survived an encounter with explorer Kupe.

The author connects the octopus to modern Māori concepts of health, with each tentacle representing a dimension of wellbeing. He suggests revising a traditional proverb to celebrate resilience through the octopus’s example, and continues to explore these themes in his latest book.