Knowra Polynesian mythology Polynesian mythology Polynesian mythology comprises the sacred stories and beliefs of Polynesian peoples, including traditions about gods, ancestors, creation, and the natural world.
Māori mythology : The sacred narratives and beliefs of Māori people, including traditions about creation, atua, ancestors, and the land. Its stories of Rangi and Papa and Māui are prominent traditions within the wider Polynesian world.
Māui (Polynesian mythology) : A culture hero found in many Polynesian traditions, known for exploits such as fishing up islands or slowing the sun. His changing exploits show how a shared figure adapts to local storytelling.
Austronesian expansion : The prehistoric spread of Austronesian-speaking peoples from Taiwan across Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It provides the deep migration context for the settlement of Polynesia and cultural connections across islands.
Polynesian culture : The diverse cultures of Polynesian peoples, connected by histories, languages, and practices across the Pacific. Mythology is one part of a wider range of social, artistic, and political traditions.
Hawaiian religion : The traditional religious system of Native Hawaiians, encompassing deities, ritual, sacred places, and genealogies. Its accounts of Pele, Lono, and other akua show how Hawaiian traditions developed distinct forms.
Tangaroa : A major Polynesian deity associated with the sea, though roles and names vary across traditions. His different local identities reveal both connections and variation among island pantheons.
Polynesian navigation : The wayfinding practices used by Polynesian voyagers to navigate long ocean routes without modern instruments. Voyaging linked communities across the region where related traditions took shape.
Micronesian mythology : The diverse sacred narratives and beliefs of peoples across Micronesia. It offers a neighboring Pacific comparison without treating Micronesia as part of Polynesia.
Samoan mythology : The sacred narratives and beliefs of Samoan people, including stories of creation, deities, and ancestral origins. Its traditions preserve a specific Samoan account of divine and human origins.
Mana : A spiritual power or efficacy recognized in several Oceanic cultures, with meanings shaped by particular traditions. The concept helps explain sacred authority in stories, people, objects, and places.
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