Hine-Nui-Te-Po: Great Lady of the Night

According to Maori mythology, you can see her green eyes staring at you in the night when your time to die has come.

Hine-Nui-Te-Po, the goddess of death and decay, is black as the darkness of the earth.  A dying person is said to creep into her womb.

Maui, a great Maori hero, stalked the Sleeping Mother Death.  He knew his end was near and he intended to trick death.

His plan was simple:  he would creep through her body while she was sleeping and come out the other side.  In that way, he’d overcome death and begin life anew.  It didn’t work, of course.

You can’t cheat Mother Death, the Great Lady of the Night.  When he had almost succeeded, a songbird chattered and Hine-Nui-Te-Po awoke.

She closed her hips and Maui was caught.

Share This