Hine-nui-te-po

Also known as: Great Hina of the Night / Great Hine / Great Hine of the night / Hine · Family: the New Zealand legends · Role: guardian of life; goddess of the night · First appears: Chapter II · Maui the Fisherman · Part 3

In the New Zealand legend in Chapter II · Maui the Fisherman · Part 3, Great Hina of the Night dwelt on the island Maui fished up and destroyed him while he was seeking immortality.

In Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 2, the answer to Maui’s question about what would overcome him named Hine-nui-te-po, his ancestor and guardian of life. One New Zealand telling says that when Maui’s brothers laughed, the walls of night closed around him and held him until he died.

In the longer New Zealand telling, Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 3, Maui crept into Hine-nui-te-po’s home, stole food, and returned to his brothers. In the evening he entered her body seeking immortality; she awoke, and her obsidian teeth closed on him, killing him.

Relationship record

Life events

• In the New Zealand legend, Great Hina of the Night destroyed Maui.(Chapter II · Maui the Fisherman · Part 3 · 📍 New Zealand)
  • With: Maui
  • “Some New Zealand natives say that he fished up the island on which dwelt ‘Great Hina of the Night,’ who finally destroyed Maui while he was seeking immortality.”
• In the New Zealand version, the father revealed that he had omitted part of Maui's childhood ceremony and that Hine-nui-te-po would overcome him.(Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 2)
  • With: the New Zealand father of Maui Maui
  • “The answer was that one of his ancestors, Hine-nui-te-po (Great Hine of the night), the guardian of life, would overcome him.”
• In one of the New Zealand legends, Maui entered the pit, the home of night, and when his brothers laughed its walls closed around him and held him till he died.(Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 2)
  • With: Maui
  • “Maui entered the pit--telling his brothers not to laugh. He passed through and turning about started to return. The brothers laughed and the walls of night closed in around him and held him till he died.”
• In the longer New Zealand legend, Maui stole food from Hine-nui-te-po’s home and returned to his brothers.(Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 3)
  • With: Maui
  • “He crept past the attendants on hands and feet, found the place of life, stole some of the food of the goddess and returned home.”
• In the longer New Zealand legend, Maui entered Hine-nui-te-po’s body seeking immortality, but she awoke and killed him.(Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 3)
  • With: Maui
  • “Her sharp, obsidian teeth closed with a snap upon Maui, cutting his body in the center.”

Chapter II · Maui the Fisherman · Part 3

• enemies with Maui “Some New Zealand natives say that he fished up the island on which dwelt ‘Great Hina of the Night,’ who finally destroyed Maui while he was seeking immortality.”

Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 2

• younger kin: Maui “Maui asked: ‘By what shall I be overcome?’ The answer was that one of his ancestors, Hine-nui-te-po (Great Hine of the night), the guardian of life, would overcome him.”

Chapter XI · Maui Seeking Immortality · Part 3

• enemies with Maui “He leaped through the mouth of the enchanted one and entered her stomach, weapon in hand, to take out her heart, the vital principle which he knew had its home somewhere within her being.”

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Extracted from the original text of Legends of Ma-ui. Made with Rho MD.