Tahiti And Society Islands Mythology
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Tahiti And Society Islands Mythology
Tahiti and Society Islands mythology comprises the legends, historical tales, and sayings of the ancient people of the Society Islands, consisting of Tahiti, Bora Bora, Raiatea, Huahine, Moorea and other islands. It is considered a variant of a more general Polynesian mythology, developing its own unique character for several centuries. The religion was officially suppressed in the 19th century, and ultimately abandoned by the natives in favor of Christianity. Prominent figures and terms in Tahiti and Society Islands mythology * Fati * Ro'o-i-Te-Hiripoi *Ta'aroa *Taonoui *Tumu-nui * Māui (Tahitian mythology) *Roua *Rata (Tahitian mythology) *Pahuanui *Pua Tu Tahi *Aremata-Popoa and Aremata-Rorua *'Oro See also *Polynesian mythology *Ghosts in Polynesian culture There was widespread belief in ghosts in Polynesian culture, some of which persists today. After death, a person's ghost would normally travel to the sky world or the underworld, but some could stay on earth. In many Pol ...
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Taonoui
In Tahiti and Society Islands mythology, Taonoui is the mother by Roua of Fati and all the star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...s. References Tahiti and Society Islands goddesses Stellar goddesses Mother goddesses {{goddess-stub ...
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'Oro
Oro is a god in Tahiti and Society Islands mythology. The veneration of Oro, although practiced in varying intensity among the islands, was a major religion of the Society Islands in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially Tahiti, Tahaa, Moorea, and Raiatea. On Tahiti, Oro was the main deity and the god of war. The secret society of Arioi was closely linked because of its rites. On the Marquesas Islands, Oro bore the name Mahui. Origins Four main gods were venerated on the Society Islands: Taaroa, originally the god of the sea and fishing, Tane, god of the forest and handicrafts, Tu, the old god of war and Roo, god of agricultural products and the weather. These main gods were also venerated on the other Polynesian islands. The colonists who settled as part of the Polynesian expansion spread their religion amongst the various islands. Over the centuries the continual movement and developments of the original society groups brought about local differences and adaptations of t ...
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Aremata-Popoa And Aremata-Rorua
In the Tahitian story of Rata 'Aremata-Popoto ("tidal wave") and 'Aremata-Roroa ("long wave") are two ocean-dwelling monsters that Rata must overcome. See also *Rātā (Māori mythology) In Māori mythology, accounts vary somewhat as to the ancestry of Rātā. Usually he is a grandson of Tāwhaki and son of Wahieroa. Wahieroa is treacherously killed by Matuku-tangotango, an ogre. Rātā sets out to avenge the murder, travelling t ... * Laka for the Hawaiian equivalent References *R.D. Craig, ''Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology'' (Greenwood Press: New York, 1989), 13-14; *T. Henry, ''Ancient Tahiti'' (Bernice P. Bishop Museum: Honolulu, 1928), 470–495. {{FrenchPolynesia-stub Tahiti and Society Islands mythology ...
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Pua Tu Tahi
In the mythology of Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ..., Pua Tu Tahi was one of the giant monster clam of the deep in the legend of Rata. Bibliography *R.D. Craig, ''Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology'' (Greenwood Press: New York, 1989), 217; *T. Henry, ''Ancient Tahiti'' (Bernice P. Bishop Museum: Honolulu, 1928), 469-95 External linksThe story of Rata Tahiti and Society Islands mythology Polynesian legendary creatures {{FrenchPolynesia-stub ...
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Pahuanui
In Tahiti and Society Islands mythology, Pahuanui or Pahuanuiapitaaiterai is a sea monster Sea monsters are beings from folklore believed to dwell in the sea and often imagined to be of immense size. Marine monsters can take many forms, including sea dragons, sea serpents, or tentacled beasts. They can be slimy and scaly and are of .... References Tahiti and Society Islands mythology Polynesian legendary creatures {{FrenchPolynesia-stub ...
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Rata (Tahitian Mythology)
Rata, in Tahitian mythology, is said to have become king of Tahiti when his uncle, king Tumu-nui, and his father Vahieroa (Tahitian mythology) are swallowed by a great clam while they are on their way to Pitcairn. When he reaches adulthood, Rata plans to avenge his father. As in the Tuamotuan version, Rata identifies a tree to build his canoe, but it is protected by forest elves. After he captures them they build it for him in a single night. While en route for Pitcairn, Rata and his crew are sucked down into the same clam, but they use their spears to cut the monster open. They rescue the remains of Rata's father and uncle and bury them back in Tahiti. After recovering from their adventure, Rata sets out for further adventures. See also Aremata-Popoa and Aremata-Rorua. See also *Rata (Tuamotu mythology) *Rātā (Māori mythology) *Laka In Hawaiian mythology, Laka is the name of two different popular heroes from Polynesian mythology. (In other parts of Polynesia they are know ...
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Roua
In Tahiti and Society Islands mythology, Roua (or Rahoua or Tubua), is the creator god of the Tuamotus. He is the father of Fati, the god of the Moon, and all the stars by Taonoui In Tahiti and Society Islands mythology, Taonoui is the mother by Roua of Fati and all the star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest st .... References Stellar gods Tahiti and Society Islands gods Solar gods {{deity-stub ...
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Māui (mythology)
Māui (Maui) is the great culture hero and trickster in Polynesian mythology. Very rarely was Māui actually worshipped, being less of a deity and more of a folk hero. His origins vary from culture to culture, but many of his main exploits remain relatively similar.Craighill Handy 1927: 118 Tales of Māui's exploits and adventures are told throughout most of Polynesia; they can be traced back as far west as islands off New Guinea. Some exploits common to most Polynesian traditions are stealing fire for humans from the underworld, fishing up islands with his magical hook, and capturing the Sun to lengthen the days. There is a great deal of variation in the representations of Māui from nation to nation, from being a handsome young man, to being an old wise wandering priest. Although Māui was said to be very rascally or "kolohe", many of his deeds were to better the lives of his fellow people. He was respected throughout most cultures of the Pacific and still is famous to this day. ...
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Tumu-nui
Tumu-nui is the name of several figures in Tahitan mythology. In the creation myth of the Society Islands, Ta'aroa Ta'aroa is the supreme creator god in the mythology of the Society Islands of French Polynesia. While the use of the ʻeta is appropriate given the pronunciation of his name, as is typically the case with Tahitian words it is often omitted in p ... creates Tumu-nui and his wife Paparaharaha as foundations for the Earth. Ta'aroa commanded them to approach one another, but they both refused as each had a fixed place in the earth. This is also the name of the uncle of the hero Rata. He was king of Tahiti. When he was lost at sea, his nephew Rata became king. References Tahiti and Society Islands gods {{god-stub ...
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Ta'aroa
Ta'aroa is the supreme creator god in the mythology of the Society Islands of French Polynesia. While the use of the ʻOkina, ʻeta is appropriate given the pronunciation of his name, as is typically the case with Tahitian language, Tahitian words it is often omitted in practice. He then created the queen of all nations. The Myth In the beginning, there was only Ta'aroa, creator of all, including himself. He waited alone in his shell, which appeared as an egg spinning in the empty endless void of the time before the sky, before the earth, before the moon, before the sun, before the stars. He was bored, alone in his shell, and so he cracked it with a shake of his body and slid out of its confines, finding everything somber and silent outside, finding himself alone in the nothingness. So he broke the shell into pieces and from them formed the rocks and the sand, and the foundation of all the world, Tumu-Nui. With his backbone he created the mountains; with his tears he filled the ...
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Society Islands
The Society Islands (french: Îles de la Société, officially ''Archipel de la Société;'' ty, Tōtaiete mā) are an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are part of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic. Geographically, they form part of Polynesia. The archipelago is believed to have been named by Captain James Cook during his first voyage in 1769, supposedly in honour of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands; however, Cook wrote in his journal that he called the islands ''Society'' "as they lay contiguous to one another." History Dating colonization The first Polynesians are understood to have arrived on these islands around 1000AD. Oral history origin The islanders explain their origins in term of a orally transmitted story. The feathered god Ta'aroa lay in his shell. He called out but no-one answered, so he went back into his shell, where he stayed for aeons. When he ...
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