In the
mythology
Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
of
Mangaia
Mangaia (traditionally known as A'ua'u Enua, which means ''terraced'') is the most southerly of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga. It is a roughly circular island, with an area of , from Rarotonga. Originally heavily popul ...
in the Cook Islands, the Tapairu are elves or fairies, who are named after the four daughters of
Miru, the deformed goddess of the underworld. They were said to have been present when mortals danced in honor of their brother,
Tau-Titi. They were also associated with the god
Tane.
References
*R.D. Craig, ''Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology'' (Greenwood Press: New York, 1989), 33–34;
*W.W. Gill, ''Myths and Songs of the South Pacific'' (H.S. King: London, 1876), 256–7.
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Mangaia mythology
Polynesian legendary creatures