Polynesian mythology was strongly embedded in its pervasive oral tradition which ensured the spread of its people's belief system. The colorful and intriguing accounts of how the world was made, how humans came to be and their connection to numerous deities were a significant aspect of the vivacious culture. Yet, the mythologies came close to extinction once the missionaries landed on the islands. Their god's were replaced by a singular Christian deity and they were convinced and often forced to suppress their own native conceptions. Even the priests and highly placed officials, considered holders of Polynesian truth, soon rejected their own traditions and entirely accepted the missionaries "word".

This led to a disruption in the circulation of Polynesian mythology via the oral form. Much of what is now known about their vivid accounts and worldview has been re-constructed from documentation written by the missionaries, artifacts from the past and the few surviving holders of their once widespread beliefs. In this way the old legends have now reclaimed their place in the dynamic arena of world history despite the gaps in information and the threat it once faced by unrestricted xenophobia.

The Revered Tradition
The life force of Polynesian mythology was expressed in the various forms used to disseminate the manifold concepts. Epic stories and spirited songs were produced to demonstrate the heroic acts of men, the link their ancestral line had to the gods and various ways the deities enacted creation. The tradition included soulful ballads composed of effusive lyrics and solemn praises for warriors, acclaimed chiefs and the first natives who settled the islands. Prayers were offered to the gods, magical spells and invocation were repeated with exactitude and ritualistic words which were arcane knowledge to high priests and master craftsmen were expressed on specific occasions.

The accessibility of the myths in the public sphere gave them power and ensured their spread as long as believers were willing to continue these very involved traditions. The mythologies were found in every island that the Polynesians made their home. From the central islands of Hawaii to the remote lands of Easter Island, Polynesian mythologies were widely believed and strongly re-enforced. The priests, storytellers and poets all sought inspiration from the original framework of the celebrated narratives. The founding ideals of their ancient mythologies were deemed The Night of Tradition and were embraced by the natives completely. The names of the deities, the demi gods, heroes and connected events were common knowledge to the bearers of the tradition.

The myths evolved to amalgamate new environments and characters with past themes that supported the central ideas. Yet, most islands retained most of the original figures to preserve the authenticity of the form. Legends like Maui who captured the sun; Rata who had a canoe built by small fairy like creatures in the forest; Tinirau who possessed a whale that killed Kae and Hina the woman who took her tapa cloth and beat it against the moon were strongly recurrent in many popular stories.

The Magnificence of the Deities
The Polynesians believed that first there was chaos, nothingness, darkness and an eternal void that was home to the creator. He preceded all things and from him the essence of life emerged. This singular supernatural entity was deemed Tangaloa by western Polynesians. In the process of bringing the world into being he became weary and decided he needed a place to rest. He threw down a large rock which then formed the island of Manu'a. Eventually he created the other western islands including Fiji and Tonga. His companion Tuli, a wondrous bird, thought that there was something missing from the newly constructed land masses. Tangaloa in his wisdom gave him the peopling vine which became the source of human origin.

Depictions of other gods were plentiful in Polynesian mythology. Many of these became principal figures in ritualistic ceremonies and were more relevant than the supreme deity Tangaloa, perhaps because of their stronger connection to the line of man.

Primary Gods in Polynesian Mythology
There were four prevailing deities that held substantial importance in their narratives and legends: Kanaloa, god of the sea; Kane, god of the forests and trees; Ku, god of worship and Lono, god of peace and fertility. The stories related to each deity were varied and widely promoted throughout the different islands. The freedom to manipulate the source material gave narrators and poets the ability to transform these traditional narratives into something more.

Kanaoloa has been given various descriptors. On some islands he was considered lord of the south, god of death and darkness, ruler of the oceans and ruler of the Mana. He was depicted as the son of Kane and Na'wahine. His role in Polynesian mythology went through a series of changes once the missionaries disembarked on the islands. He took on the role of the devil closely resembling that seen in Christianity. It is likely that the missionaries decided that a set of mythologies could not exist without an antagonist. He was considered a rebel spirit who was cast from heaven, along with his minions, into the dark labyrinth of the underworld. The parallel between Kanaoloa and Satan makes it quite likely that the influence of Christianity indeed had a profound effect on Polynesian mythology.

Kane was god of the forests and trees and also considered one of the chief creators. He was a central figure in Hawaiian mythology in particular and was honored with worship that did not include ostentatious rituals or human sacrifice.

Ku was also an earlier god in the oral tradition. He was the husband of Hina and together they ruled the ancient people of Polynesia. He was thought to have a direct impact on each generation and was often linked to the practice of sacrifice and imprisonment. He was prayed to for long life, a healthy yield of crops and good fortune fishing among other things.

Lono was considered the God of fertility, rainfall and agriculture. A festival was held yearly to celebrate the great deity, during this period Hawaiians rested and abstained from some forms of activities.

The connection between god and humans were indistinguishable according to the great mythologies. Families not related by blood, were thought to be linked by their divine ancestral line in some instances. Their stories were centered on the emergence of life and the supernatural force behind it. Like most cultures their understanding of the world stemmed from their own ability to construct a past unknown, to give meaning to their existence in their present reality.

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