Rarohenga is the subterranean realm where spirits of the deceased dwell after death, according to Māori oral tradition. The underworld is ruled by Hine-nui-te-pō, the goddess of death and night. Additional occupants include guardians, gods, goddesses, holy chiefs and nobles (rangatira), and the tūrehu, who are described as celestial, fairy-like people. Rarohenga is predominantly depicted as a place of peace and light. As articulated by Māori ethnographer Elsdon Best: It is a place where darkness is unknown. "This is the reason why, of all spirits of the dead since the time of Hine-ahuone..., not a single one has ever returned hither to dwell in this world".

In contemporary Māori society, Rarohenga continues to hold a collective, cultural significance. This is a result of several prominent rituals that originate from the underworld, that are still commonly practiced today. This includes facial tattooing (ta moko), finger twining (taniko), tribal woodcarving (moko whakatara), and the art of weaving (raranga). It is recorded that these art forms were first introduced to the human world by figures who travelled into Rarohenga and were bestowed with the sacred techniques to improve the secular world.

Contemporary texts suggest that traditional records and accounts of Māori mythological sites, like Rarohenga, experienced substantial modification to accommodate the dominant missionary scriptures that were introduced during 19th century colonisation of New Zealand. It is argued that these alterations occurred during translation by non-Māori authors, resulting in variations of Māori mythology to be extremely common. The geography of Rarohenga incorporates several different non-physical, immaterial locations that are recorded in myth. There are also several material locations scattered across both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

According to the traditional Māori mythology, the art of carving, weaving, and tattooing were not born of the human world. It was only through the "heroes" that climbed into the heavens or descended into Rarohenga, that humanity would learn the now honoured, cultural practices. In 'The Lore of the Warewananga' (1913), the translated teachings of two distinguished Tohunga, state how the generous offerings of celestial wisdom represent the tender connection of the Māori to this spiritual world. This conveys the deep significance of Rarohenga and its apparent influence on the quintessential Māori identity and culture observed today. In the folklore, Māori culture is continuously inundated with different forms of enlightenment from Rarohenga. The incentive of these acts was to develop and elevate the human experience "through ethical behaviour and creative enterprise". This is represented in the myth of Mataora, as the story emphasises the importance of the underworld's Gods and spirits (atua) to modern Māori culture.

The tā moko (or 'kauae' for women) is a sacred facial tattoo still frequently practiced in Māori society. Its name is derived from the mythological figure 'Atua Rūaumoko' – the latest child of Ranginui et Papatūānuku of Rarohenga. The origin of the art is recorded in several variations. However, its conception is most commonly regarded as derivative of the Mataora myth. In this famous legend, the wisdom and knowledge of the permanent tattoo (tā moko) was gifted to humankind by the celestial Rangatira, Uetonga. It is explained that up until that point, Māori civilisation had only practiced the application of temporary tattoo. This was known as 'hopara makaurangi', and was achieved with soot, blue clay or red ochre. Uetonga would explain to Mataora the "worthlessness" of his temporary tattoo by wiping his hand across it and embarrassing Mataora by declaring it had no "mana" – meaning no honour, prestige, or authority. Mataora would then beg for the permanent tattoo, so he could bring such insight to the human world. Uetonga agreed and taught Mataora the underworld's design of the nostrils (pōngiangia), the line tattooing of the eyebrows (tīwhana), the designs encompassing the mouth (pīhere), and the upper part of the nose (ngu). In result, when Mataora returned from the underworld he would incite the national spread of the practice across the North and South Islands.

Like the tā moko, the art of weaving was another artistic gift received from Rarohenga. This gift came in the form of a cloak called 'Te Rangi-Hau-Papa'. Its original creator was Hine-rau-wharangi (the daughter of Hine-nui-te-po and Tāne), who would provide the pattern to Niwareka, who would then create it for humanity. The cloak itself was developed primarily as a replacement and "consummation of Mataora's acceptance of tattoo from the underworld" to substitute the now obsolete artform of the painted 'tā moko' in the human world. Ornamental patterns and finger-twinning were also acquired from Mataora's time in Rarohenga, and would too circulate heavily into Māori culture, art, and design.

Although the narrative of 'Ruatepupuke' is the most commonly accepted origin story of tribal woodcarving (whakairo) – Māori ethnographer Elsdon Best's translations of the Mataora myth suggest the influence of Rarohenga's entities in the cultural and artistic development of woodcarving practiced today. Uetonga reiterated to Mataora the necessary adaption of painting and "carving". His insight expressed that the temporary tattoo seen on Mataora's face, should be used for woodcarving and design found in buildings.

The origin of Rarohenga, like many other Māori rituals and beliefs, is derivative of Polynesian mythology. According to such mythology, Hawaiki represents the origin of all Polynesian people and where they return after death. Variations, such as Rarohenga, came to be after this traditional mythology dispersed across the numerous islands of the central and southern Pacific Ocean, whereupon it was adapted and redeveloped into new settings.