Hinenuitepō
Goddess of Night and Death, Great Woman of the Night
Chthonic Deity
Place of Origin: New Zealand
Origin Date: c. 900-1300 CE
Domain: Death, Night, Underworld, Spiritual transition
Symbols: Red sky at dusk and dawn, Caves and rivers (portals to the underworld), Seaweed (hair), Glowing eyes
Attributes: Power over death and transition, Guardian of souls, Embodiment of sacred feminine sorrow and transformation
Epithets: Hinetītama (maiden of the dawn), Hine-a-tauira (“pattern maid”), Wāhine o te pō (woman of the night)
Equivalents
Greek: Hades (male counterpart), Persephone (female psychopomp)
Roman: Proserpina
Hindu: Yama (god of death)
Norse: Hel
Religion: Māori mythology
Sacred Texts
The Māori: Yesterday and Today by Wilhelm Dittmer (1907)
The Coming of the Māori by Te Rangi Hīroa (1949)
Te Ara: Encyclopedia of New Zealand (online resource)
Iconography: Hinenuitepō is carved in wharenui (meeting houses) with exaggerated features—wide mouth, red eyes, and flowing hair—symbolizing her power and mystery. Robyn Kahukiwa’s modern paintings depict her with dignity and sorrow.
Relations: Tāne Mahuta (father and consort), Hineahuone (mother), Māui (antagonist in death myth), Ranginui and Papatūānuku (grandparents)
Description
Hinenuitepō (Hine-nui-te-pō), once known as Hinetītama, is a central figure in Māori cosmology. As the daughter of Tāne Mahuta (god of forests) and Hineahuone (the first woman formed from earth), she was born into light but descended into the underworld upon discovering her father was also her husband. This transformation marked her shift from Hinetītama to Hinenuitepō, guardian of the dead.
She resides in Rarohenga, the Māori underworld, where she receives the wairua (spirits) of the deceased, preparing them for their journey beyond. Her presence is felt in the red hues of twilight and dawn—symbolizing the veil between worlds. She embodies themes of mortality, transition, and sacred boundaries.
In art, Hinenuitepō is often depicted with glowing red eyes, hair like seaweed, and a mouth as wide as a cave—symbolizing her power to consume death and guide souls. Her story is deeply woven into Māori oral tradition, carvings (whakairo), and spiritual practices of kaitiakitanga (guardianship).
Narratives
“The Death of Māui” Māui, the trickster demigod, attempts to reverse death by entering Hinenuitepō’s body while she sleeps. He is crushed and killed, affirming death as an eternal part of life. Source: Dittmer, W. (1907). The Māori: Yesterday and Today. George Philip & Son.
“The Descent of Hinetītama” Upon learning her father is also her husband, Hinetītama flees to the underworld, becoming Hinenuitepō. Her sorrow births her role as psychopomp. Source: Te Rangi Hīroa (Buck), P. (1949). The Coming of the Māori. Whitcombe and Tombs.
Worship Beliefs and Practices
Hinenuitepō is honored through karakia (prayers), tangihanga (funeral rites), and storytelling. Her domain is invoked during death rituals to guide spirits safely. No temples exist in the Western sense, but sacred sites near rivers and caves—seen as portals to Rarohenga—are associated with her.