About this myth
Hine-nui-te-po and Maui is a
In a nutshell
Myth summary
Māui, the first man and semidivine being, sought to enter Hine-nui-te-pō's vagina. He tried to do so while Hine-nui-te-pō was asleep by means of turning into a worm and entering her. Unfortunately, however, Hine-nui-te-pō woke up and crushed Māui. As a result, Māui was the first man to die and experience the afterlife.
Belief system
Māori Religion
Polytheistic
Māori religion refers to the cultural beliefs and practices of the Māori people in New Zealand (Polynesia).
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Hine-nui-te-pō
Main deity
Hine-nui-te-pō was a Māori deity associated with death and the night in some traditions.
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Background
The Hine-nui-te-pō and Māui afterlife myth comes from the Māori people of modern-day New Zealand. It details how Māui, the first man, tried to trick Hine-nui-te-pō while she was asleep by entering her through her vagina.
Cite this page
OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Hine-nui-te-po and Maui." OMNIKA – World Mythology Index, OMNIKA Foundation, 08 May. 2019, omnika.org/stable/149. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
OMNIKA (2019, May 08). Hine-nui-te-po and Maui. Retrieved from https://omnika.org/stable/149
OMNIKA Foundation Contributors. "Hine-nui-te-po and Maui." Las Vegas, NV: OMNIKA Foundation. Created May 08, 2019. Accessed June 13, 2026. https://omnika.org/stable/149.
