In the mythology of some Polynesian peoples, Tiki was the first man on earth. There are several versions of Tiki's story According to the Maori, the god Tumatauenga created Tiki. One day Tiki saw a woman swimming in a lake and was overcome by her beauty. The woman seduced Tiki and the two eventually married.

In another tale, Tiki saw his own reflection in a pool of water. Thinking it was a person, he dove into the water, causing the image to vanish. Later Tiki saw his reflection in another pool, but this time he covered the water with dirt so that the image could not escape. The dirt developed into a woman. One day when the woman was bathing, an eel entered the water and the woman experienced a feeling of desire. She then seduced Tiki.