Te Fiti's heart, a small pounamu stone, possessed the power to create life and raise islands. But it also attracted monsters who tried to steal it for its creative power. It was stolen by the demigod Maui, who planned to give it to humanity as a gift.

In the Disney film Moana, the demigod Maui stole the heart of Te Fiti—a small pounamu stone—because he wanted to give humans the power of creation. Having been abandoned by his human parents as a baby, Maui spent his life performing legendary feats to earn human love and validation. He believed that by delivering the heart to humanity, they would have the power to create life themselves, finally making him "enough" in their eyes. However, the theft backfired; without her heart, Te Fiti transformed into the lava demon Te Kā, and a dark blight began to consume the islands of the ocean. This act set the entire plot in motion, leading to Maui's 1,000-year exile on a deserted island until Moana finds him to return the heart.