Hine-Nui-Te-Po was the daughter of Tase-mahuta ( god of the forest), but he also took her as his wife. When she discovered that he was in fact her father, Hine-Nui-Te-Po fled to the underworld in shame, whereupon she became it’s ruler.
Despite the many achievements of Maui, which includes slowing the course of the sun so that the light lasted all day, he lived in the knowledge that he would one day die, following an omen cast over him by his father on the day of his baptism. No to be cowed by such trivialities, Maul resolved to visit Hine-Nui-Te-Po and tricked her into granting him immortality.
Ahead of his visit, Maui gathered together a flock of different birds to take as his companions. He then made his way to the goddess, who could be seen as the the red glow of the western horizon. A startling physical presence, Hine-Nui-Te-Po’s hair resembles seaweed, her mouth a barracuda, and she has bright red stones for eyes.
