Atanua (or Atanea) in

Polynesian mythology The Polynesian narrative or Polynesian mythology encompasses the oral traditions of the people of Polynesia (a grouping of Central and South Pacific Ocean island archipelagos in the Polynesian Triangle) together with those of the scattered cul ...

(specifically: the

Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in ...

) is the goddess of the

dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's hori ...

and wife of

Atea Atea is a deity in several Polynesian cultures, including the Marquesas and Tuamotu Islands, and New Zealand. Marquesas Islands In the mythology of the Marquesas Islands, Atea is the giver of light. In one legend Atea and Tāne are brothers, t ...

(Atea and Atanua emerged from

Tanaoa Tangaroa (Takaroa in the South Island) is the great of the sea, lakes, rivers, and creatures that live within them, especially fish, in Māori mythology. As Tangaroa-whakamau-tai he exercises control over the tides. He is sometimes depicted as ...

, Atea first, who then made space for Atanua). Their son is the first man, Tu-Mea. She created the seas after having a miscarriage and filling the

ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...

s with her amniotic fluid. E. R. Tregear, ''Māori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary'' (

Lyon and Blair John Rutherfurd Blair (8 February 1843 – 25 November 1914) was the Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand from 1898 to 1899. Biography Blair was born in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and was a paper merchant. His career started with a large Glasgo ...

: Lambton Quay), 1891.

Notes

Dawn Marquesan mythology Origin myths Polynesian goddesses Solar goddesses {{Oceania-myth-stub