Kuru – The Bird Woman | A Māori-Inspired Art Print
Powerful. Mystical. Unforgettable.

Kuru is a breathtaking and thought-provoking artwork inspired by the legend of Kurungaituku — the Bird Woman — a towering, majestic figure from Māori mythology.

This striking piece reimagines the age-old tale of Kurungaituku and the warrior Hatupatu, inviting viewers to explore the deeper stories and symbolism woven into Aotearoa's cultural fabric.

The Artist’s Interpretation
In this interpretation, Kuru is envisioned as a formidable and graceful being—part woman, part bird, standing over nine feet tall.

She is human, she is Kea, she is Huia, she is Māori.

Her armed wings, powerful and wide, echo the strength of the Kea.
Feathers sprouting from her scalp glow a deep, burnt orange—mirroring the Kea’s underwings and the vibrant wattle of the now-extinct Huia.

Her intelligence and curiosity are distinctly Kea-like, while her long bird-like legs and cloak mimic the sleek lines and grace of the Huia.

Her cloak, crafted from leathery seaweed, shimmers with delicate illustrations of Pikopiko (fern fronds) and Mānuka blossoms—her primary sources of nourishment. It is both her disguise and her shield, protecting all she holds dear.

A greenstone eye embedded in the hood glints with ancestral strength, catching the dappled light as it filters through the Whakarewarewa Forest.

The Story Behind the Print
Perched high upon a Tōtara branch, Kuru gazes downward in sorrow. Below, Hatupatu hunts her children—the birds and insects she fiercely protects.

Kuru is not just a character.
She is a guardian, a symbol of femininity, strength, and nature’s sacred balance.
This print is a tribute to her legacy—and an invitation to learn more about the myths that shape our understanding of land, life, and identity in Aotearoa.

Artist Heritage:
Te Arawa te Iwi - Tuhourangi te Hapu
Ngāti Porou te Iwi

*Frame & Accessories not included, used for display purposes only.