Image
This is a carving of Hine-nui-te-pō, the goddess of death, as Māui the demigod attempts to kill her by entering her and exiting through her mouth. Māui failed to overcome Hine-nui-te-pō, meaning humans would continue to die, and be welcomed by their ancestor, the great goddess of the night and of death.
Using this item
Reference: PAColl-6585-10
by Charles A. Lloyd
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.