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Pō-nā-turi: The Sun-Deadly, Flesh-Eating Sea Demons of Māori Lore
Dive deep into Māori lore with an intense and credible look at the Pō-nā-turi, the malevolent sea demons of the New Zealand coast. These short, squat, and horrifying humanoid cryptids are cataloged in folklore as a type of Maewaho, but unlike the trickster Menehune, the Pō-nā-turi are straight evil.
Learn the chilling, academic truth about these sun-deadly creatures who share a frightening vulnerability with the classic vampire: direct sunlight is fatal. We detail their horrifying motives: their hunger for human livers and their need to capture and make human slaves. Discover their elaborate, secret base, the cave known as Manawa-Tane, a phosphorescent underwater lair off the North Island's east coast where no sun can reach.
We also investigate the Pō-nā-turi’s frightening set of cunning abilities: they can mimic voices to lure victims, perform powerful karakia (magical invocations) to call up storms or even delay the sunrise, and, yes, they even keep pet mullet fish as lookouts. The episode opens with a dramatic audio story of Taika and Hine, illustrating the devastating consequence of whistling at night on the beach—a universal warning across all lore. If you’ve ever wondered about the darkest side of Pacific Islander folklore, this episode is crystal clear.
Timestamps for the Lore:
- (0:09) - Audio Drama: The tragic tale of Taika, Hine, and the sea's vengeance.
- (6:48) - The Lore Begins: Introducing the Pō-nā-turi, Māori sea creatures of New Zealand.
- (7:48) - Physical Description: The short, red-haired, clawed, and pale-skinned Maewaho.
- (10:15) - Sun-Deadly: Why sunlight is fatal (and the "vampire" comparison).
- (11:22) - Manawa-Tane: The secret, pearl-lit underwater cave home.
- (12:05) - Horrific Intent: Eating human livers and creating human slaves.
- (13:34) - Cunning Abilities: Mimicking voices, magical chants, and delaying the sunrise.
- (15:22) - Warning Signs: Why you should never whistle or follow lights by the shore.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If this lore chilled you to the bone, please take a moment to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who loves spooky tales! Your support keeps the light on in the dark corners of the world.
Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and make sure to follow us on Threads and Insta: @wyrmsongmedia
View all episodes
By Krystal LanceDive deep into Māori lore with an intense and credible look at the Pō-nā-turi, the malevolent sea demons of the New Zealand coast. These short, squat, and horrifying humanoid cryptids are cataloged in folklore as a type of Maewaho, but unlike the trickster Menehune, the Pō-nā-turi are straight evil.
Learn the chilling, academic truth about these sun-deadly creatures who share a frightening vulnerability with the classic vampire: direct sunlight is fatal. We detail their horrifying motives: their hunger for human livers and their need to capture and make human slaves. Discover their elaborate, secret base, the cave known as Manawa-Tane, a phosphorescent underwater lair off the North Island's east coast where no sun can reach.
We also investigate the Pō-nā-turi’s frightening set of cunning abilities: they can mimic voices to lure victims, perform powerful karakia (magical invocations) to call up storms or even delay the sunrise, and, yes, they even keep pet mullet fish as lookouts. The episode opens with a dramatic audio story of Taika and Hine, illustrating the devastating consequence of whistling at night on the beach—a universal warning across all lore. If you’ve ever wondered about the darkest side of Pacific Islander folklore, this episode is crystal clear.
Timestamps for the Lore:
- (0:09) - Audio Drama: The tragic tale of Taika, Hine, and the sea's vengeance.
- (6:48) - The Lore Begins: Introducing the Pō-nā-turi, Māori sea creatures of New Zealand.
- (7:48) - Physical Description: The short, red-haired, clawed, and pale-skinned Maewaho.
- (10:15) - Sun-Deadly: Why sunlight is fatal (and the "vampire" comparison).
- (11:22) - Manawa-Tane: The secret, pearl-lit underwater cave home.
- (12:05) - Horrific Intent: Eating human livers and creating human slaves.
- (13:34) - Cunning Abilities: Mimicking voices, magical chants, and delaying the sunrise.
- (15:22) - Warning Signs: Why you should never whistle or follow lights by the shore.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If this lore chilled you to the bone, please take a moment to rate, review, and share this episode with a friend who loves spooky tales! Your support keeps the light on in the dark corners of the world.
Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and make sure to follow us on Threads and Insta: @wyrmsongmedia