In the stories mostly known to Ngāi Tūhoe, but which also belong to Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahungunu of Wairoa, Uenuku was once human. One early morning he went out hunting. In a clearing he found two women. One was named Hine-pūkohu-rangi (sometimes called Tairi-a-kohu). The other was her sister, named Hine-wai. He asked Hine-pūkohu-rangi to stay and talk with him, and to return the next night. Since she lived in the sky, she had to leave him at dawn when her sister Hine-wai called her. She kept coming back night after night, and they fell in love. Eventually, she agreed to marry him so long as he promised that he tell no one about her.