Aku-Aku ('Devil', 'Ghost' or 'Spirit'), also known as Aku, Akuaku or Varua, are humanoid spirits in

Rapa Nui mythology Rapa Nui mythology, also known as Pascuense mythology or Easter Island mythology, refers to the native myths, legends, and beliefs of the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island in the south eastern Pacific Ocean. Origin myth According to Rapa Nui myt ...

of the

Easter Island Easter Island ( rap, Rapa Nui; es, Isla de Pascua) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is most famous for its nearl ...

. Aku-Aku are spirits of the dead, but they are not immortal and can be disposed of. They can be of either sex, and different Aku-Aku are associated with particular areas of the Easter Island. Some of the Aku-Aku are deified. They originally arrived onto the island with

Hotu Matuꞌa Hotu Matuꞌa was the legendary first settler and ''ariki mau'' ("supreme chief" or "king") of Easter Island and ancestor of the Rapa Nui people. Hotu Matuꞌa and his two canoe (or one double hulled canoe) colonising party were Polynesians from the ...

, the legendary first settler of Easter Island. The original group of Aku-Aku who arrived with Hotu Matuꞌa numbered around 90, and were generally cannibalistic in nature. Specific Aku-Aku includes: * Uka-o-hoheru, female, who married the mortal Tupahotu * Kava-ara and Kava-tua, females, who captured the mortal Uré-a-hohové until he was saved by another old Aku-Aku * Mata-wara-ware and Papai-a-taki-vera, husband and wife, who capture human souls at night which would lead to their deaths * Two Aku-Aku who were visited by Tu’u Koihu, son of

Islanders who could communicate with Aku-Aku are known as ''koromaké'' or ''iva-atua''. There were stories of ''iva-atua''s being employed to dispose of particularly violent Aku-Aku. Aku-Aku was not particularly worshiped, but they were acknowledged before a meal was taken. It was said that Aku-Aku live off the aroma of a meal. A 'well-fed' and friendly Aku-Aku would participate in household chores for a family. When entering caves, which were thought to be their homes, ceremonial rituals such as ''umu tahu'' can be performed to ward off bad luck or misfortune.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aku-Aku Rapa Nui mythology Easter Island