page_title: Folk memory
section_title: Events
hierarchical_section_title: Folk memory / Purported folk memories / Events
caption_attribution_description: A model of a Haast's Eagle attacking a moa on display at Te Papa.
context_page_description: Folk memory is a term sometimes used to describe stories, folklore or myths about past events that have been passed orally from generation to generation. The events described by the memories may date back hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years and often have a local significance. They may explain physical features in the local environment, provide reasons for cultural traditions or give etymologies for the names of local places.
context_section_description: Landing at Cape York by Willem Janszoon, the first European to see the coast of Australia, 1606
  Myths from Native American and First nations groups about the 1700 Cascadia earthquake.
  The Tel Dan Stele (c. 870-750 BCE) contains an inscription translated as "House of David, believed by some to refer to King David (c. 1010-970 BCE)
  The Origin of Fire in the Finnish national epic Kalevala, possibly originating to the meteorite impact resulting in Kaali crater in Estonia 4,000 – 7,600 years ago.
  Various Great Flood myths, possibly reflecting a flooding of the Black Sea basin c. 5600 BCE
  The Klamath Indian myth concerning the eruption of Mount Mazama c. 5700 BCE
caption: A model of the Haast's eagle attacking a moa with its large talons. The Haast's eagle is believed to be the subject of many Māori legends
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