Mortal Maori woman, rangatira (chief) of the village; wife of the underworld-atua Makeatutara. Mother of five Māui sons — Māui-taha, Māui-roto, Māui-pae, Māui-waho, and the trickster Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga. Each morning descends to the underworld through a tunnel to be with Makeatutara; returns at night to lead the village. Her topknot (tikitiki), in which she wrapped the prematurely-born Māui before casting him into the sea, gives the demigod his epithet Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga ("Māui wrapped in the topknot of Taranga"). Initially failed to recognize the grown Māui when he returned from his sky-fostering; recognized him only after he recited the names of her four other sons.