Mangarevan narrative (or Mangarevan mythology) comprises the legends, historical tales, and sayings of the ancient

Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent p ...

n people. It is considered a variant of a more general

Polynesian narrative 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 cultures known as the Polyne ...

, developing its own unique character for several centuries before the 1830s. The religion was officially suppressed in the 19th century, and ultimately abandoned by the natives in favor of

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. The Mangarevan term for god was ''Etua''.

Prominent figures and terms in Mangarevan narrative

* Tu, principal god ** Atu-motua ** Atu-moana ** Atea-Tangaroa *

Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...

, among the principal gods * Tagaroa, among the principal gods * Tangaroa-Hurupapa, probably synonymous with Tagaroa * Oro, among the principal gods *

Tairi In the mythology of Mangareva (French Polynesia), Tairi (Ta'iri) is the god of thunder Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud ...

* Mamaru * Ari * Rogo, rain deity * Toa-miru, goddess of childbirth * Hina, a savage goddess * Raka, god of the winds * Huruamanu and Paparigakura mentioned as kindly gods living at Hapai * Rao and Tupo were gods of turmeric * Toa-hakanorenore, goddess incarnate in an eel * Toa-huehuekaha, goddess appearing in soiled clothing * Rekareka, god of pleasure * Ru-te-ragi, god of the stars * Makuputu, the god of the souls of deceased mortals * Haumea, consort of Tagaroa * Tiki, The first man * Mauike, fire goddess * Poaru, the underworld * Po-porutu and pouaru, the heaven of happiness * Po-garepurepu and po-kine, the heaven of darkness, of fear and dread

References

* * * * * * {{Paganism Mangareva

Prominent figures and terms in Mangarevan narrative

See also

References