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Oceania
Explore myths, traditions and legendary beings grouped under Oceania.
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Hikule’o
Hikuleʻo is a major figure in traditional Tongan mythology, especially in stories concerning Pulotu, the realm of the dead and the dwelling place of powerful supernatural beings. His name is also written Hikule’o, Hikule…
Hina
Hina is a name used for several important female figures in Polynesian traditions, especially in eastern Polynesia. Depending on the island, language and tradition, Hina may be associated with the moon, women’s work, wea…
Hoa-tapu
Hoa-tapu is an obscure name associated with Polynesian mythology, but it does not identify a universally recognised god or legendary being across Polynesia. In modern lists of mythological figures, Hoa-tapu is sometimes …
Ilaheva
Ilaheva is a little-known name associated with Polynesian mythology, but its identity and traditional role are not securely established. Some modern mythology references describe Ilaheva as a female sea deity or as a com…
Kai-n-tiku-aba
Kai-n-tiku-aba is a little-known name associated with the traditional mythology of the Gilbert Islands, now the Republic of Kiribati in the central Pacific. The figure is sometimes placed under the broad heading of Polyn…
Laufakanaa
Laufakanaa is an obscure name associated in some modern reference lists with Polynesian mythology. Unlike widely attested figures such as Māui, Tangaroa, Tāne, or Tagaloa, Laufakanaa does not have a securely documented m…
Lo-au
Lo-au, more commonly written Loʻau or Loau, is a traditional Polynesian figure associated especially with Tonga. He is generally described not as a universal Polynesian god but as a culture hero, priest, lawgiver, or anc…
Tagaloa
Tagaloa is a major deity in several Polynesian religious traditions, especially those of Samoa and neighbouring island societies. The name is also written Tangaloa, Tāngaloa, or in related forms such as Tahitian Ta'aroa,…
Mahu-fatu-rau
Mahu-fatu-rau is an obscure name associated with Polynesian religious tradition. It is preserved mainly in older records of Polynesian mythology rather than in a widely circulated body of traditional stories. The survivi…
Makemake
Makemake is one of the principal deities of Rapa Nui, the Polynesian culture of Easter Island in the southeastern Pacific. In traditional accounts, he is associated with creation, fertility, the sea, and the birds whose …
Miru
Miru is a name associated chiefly with the underworld in traditions from eastern Polynesia, especially the island of Mangaia in the Cook Islands. In these traditions, Miru is a powerful female being who rules or inhabits…