Kaitangata (mythology)

In Māori mythology, Kaitangata is either a mortal son of Māui, or a son of star-god Rehua.

Kaitangata
GenderMale
RegionNew Zealand
Ethnic groupMāori
ParentsMāui or Rehua
ConsortWhaitiri
OffspringHemā

Kaitangata, the son of Māui, is an industrious man who married the female supernatural being Whaitiri. Due to his name, Kaitangata means man-eater, Whaitiri believed him to be a cannibal as she was. However this proved to be incorrect and she eventually left him because he offended her. Before she returned to heaven as a cloud, she taught Kaitangata how to fish. With Whaitiri, he was the father of Hemā.

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