# Māui — Polynesian Mythology character guide

> Māui in Polynesian Mythology by George Grey.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, Māui-tikitiki, little Māui, Taranga, Māui-tikitiki-o-Taranga

**First appearance:** 0004-the-legend-of-m-ui

## Snapshot

A cunning demigod who tricks his way through the world, reshaping it with cleverness and magic while chasing the one prize even he cannot grasp.

## Who they are

Māui is the trickster-hero whose feats and schemes ripple through Polynesian tradition, from outwitting his brother-in-law Irawaru to fishing up islands. His defining tension is between his extraordinary power and his restless, sometimes cruel ambition—he punishes slights with enchantment, as when he stretches the road to starve Irawaru before transforming him into a dog. His exploits anchor the collection's early and middle arcs, showing how wit and magic can bend the world, yet never quite conquer death itself.

## Relationships

### [Irawaru](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se/characters/irawaru)

_family_

Irawaru is Māui's brother-in-law, and their relationship is marked by conflict and transformation.

### [Irawaru](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se/characters/irawaru)

_family_

Irawaru is Māui's brother-in-law, and their relationship is marked by conflict and transformation.

## In the story

### [Polynesian Mythology](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se/chapters/polynesian-mythology)

Central demigod known for his cleverness and heroic feats.

### [The Legend of Māui](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se/chapters/the-legend-of-m-ui)

The trickster hero who seeks his parents, performs great feats, and attempts to defeat death.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se/chapters/endnotes)

Referenced in the endnote about his quarrel with Irawaru, where he changes him into a dog.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se/characters/maui
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/polynesian_mythology_se/characters