Gods and heroes of the islands
Across the islands of the Pacific, people told wonderful tales of gods and heroes, and this puzzle gathers them. You'll be finding the famous demigod MAUI, the fiery volcano goddess PELE, the sea god TANGAROA, and the sky father RANGI and earth mother PAPA whose children shaped the world.
Because every new puzzle reshuffles the legends, no two Polynesian mythology word searches are the same. One round a backwards TANGAROA hides in a corner; the next a diagonal TANIWHA appears across the middle.
Across the great ocean
Polynesian myth is tied to the sea, the land and the sky, and the words are here. There are the great gods KANE, KANALOA, LONO and the war god TU's brother RONGO, the forest god TANE and the wind god TAWHIRI. You'll meet the moon goddess HINA, the goddesses HAUMEA, LAKA, NAMAKA and the ancestor WAKEA, plus magical KUPUA tricksters and the water creature TANIWHA. All of it is filled with MANA (spiritual power), remembered by the MAORI and other peoples, who trace their journeys back to the ancestral homeland of HAWAIKI — and carved a TIKI to honour the gods.
It's a great fit for a mythology topic. Tracking down T-A-N-G-A-R-O-A turns spelling practice into a Pacific voyage.
How to play
Drag across a word, or click its first and last letter — both work. Each word you spot locks in with its own colour and ticks off the list, so you always know what's left to find.
Want a real challenge? Switch to Medium or Hard for a bigger grid with diagonals and reverse words. Stuck on one? Tap Hint for a nudge, or Solve to reveal the whole grid at once.
Print a Polynesian mythology word search pack
Tap Download for a printable PDF of fresh Polynesian mythology puzzles, with optional answer keys. Choose how many you want and how many per page — perfect for a mythology topic, a classroom, or a quiet afternoon.
Teachers love these for a world-mythology or Pacific theme. Add a name-and-date line and you've got ready-to-print worksheets in seconds, free and account-free.
Frequently asked questions
What's in the Polynesian mythology word search?
Gods and heroes of the Pacific islands — the demigod Maui, the volcano goddess Pele, the sea god Tangaroa, the sky father Rangi and earth mother Papa, plus gods like Kane, Kanaloa and Lono, and the idea of mana. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
Is the Polynesian mythology word search free to print?
Yes. Play free online or download a printable PDF pack with optional answer keys — no sign-up required.
Is it suitable for kids?
Absolutely. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words, perfect for a mythology lesson and young learners.