The most important gods of the Polynesian pantheon were those associated with creation myths and legends. Best known were Rangi (pronounced RANG-gee, meaning Father Sky) and Papa (Mother Earth), the two supreme creator gods of the Maori people of New Zealand. According to Maori legend, Rangi and Papa served as the source from which all things came.
The counterparts of Rangi and Papa in Hawaiian mythology were Ao and Po. Ao represented the male force in the universe and was associated with the sky, the day, and light. Po, the feminine force, was linked with the earth, darkness, and night. According to Hawaiian myth,
A creator god named Ku separated Ao from Po. Ku then worked with Lono, god of the heavens, and Kane, the chief god of generation and growth, to create the earth and all living things. After Kane made the first man and woman, he became angry at their bad behavior and decided that humans would be subject to death. He then left the earth and went to live in heaven.
In Tahitian mythology, the supreme creator deity was Ta’aroa (pronounced tah-uh-ROH-uh), also called Rua-i-tupra (source of growth). Ta’aroa emerged from an ancient egg and started the process of creation. To fill the emptiness around him, he used part of the egg to make the sky and the other part to create the earth. Satisfied with his accomplishment, he filled the world with all the creatures and things that are now found in it. The Tahitians believed that Ta’aroa sent both blessings and curses, and they tried to appease him with human sacrifices.
The Maori version of Ta’aroa was Tangaroa, a god of the sea and child of Rangi and Papa. According to legend, Tangaroa fled to the sea to escape the wrath of his brother Tawhiri (pronounced tah-FEE-ree), the storm god. Tangaroa later quarreled with another brother, the forest god Tane (pronounced TAH-nee), and forever after he enjoyed sinking
The carving on this hei tiki jade pendant is a fertility symbol in the mythology of the Maori people of New Zealand. The figure represents the first man, Tiki, in the stories of other Polynesians. WERNER FORMAN/ART RESOURCE, NY.
Canoes made from wood from Tane’s forests. In Hawaiian mythology, Tangaroa was called Kanaloa, and the Hawaiian counterpart ofTane was Kane. The Samoans and Tongans knew Tangaroa as Tangaloa.
Perhaps the best-known and most feared deity in Hawaii was the fire goddess Pele (pronounced PAY-lay), a violent figure associated with volcanoes. Renowned for her beauty but also for her ability to destroy, Pele symbolized the power of natural forces. Many Hawaiian legends deal with her unpredictable temper and dangerous nature.
Another prominent deity in Hawaiian mythology was Kamapua’a (pronounced kah-mah-poo-AH-uh), the pig god. Known both for his warlike nature and for his romantic exploits, this energetic god appeared
In many tales. The Hawaiians often sought Kamapua’a as an ally during war and used his adventures to explain various natural phenomena.
By far the most popular figure in Polynesian mythology was Maui, the trickster god and hero. Though small in stature, he displayed amazing strength and had various magical powers. The many tales about his adventures reveal a cunning and determined hero who performed many great and wondrous deeds, including creating the Pacific islands with a magical hook and providing humans with more hours of daylight by slowing the sun’s passage across the sky. Maui also tried, but failed, to become immortal (able to live forever).
World History
