Makeatutara

{{Short description|Father of Māui in Māori mythology}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2024}}

In Māori mythology, Makeatutara is the father of Māui. His wife is Taranga. He is a deity and guardian of the underworld. Makeatutara made mistakes as he recited the dedicatory (or baptismal) incantations over Māui, which made it inevitable that Māui would die. As a result, humankind is mortal.E.R. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary (Lyon and Blair: Lambton Quay, 1891), 233–234.