Atua

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For the district in Samoa, see Atua (district)

In Polynesian languages the word atua refers to gods; in certain circumstances it may also refer to spirit beings generally. The word is common to many languages of Western and Eastern Polynesia. Most languages have the word in the form atua; Mangarevan has etua, Rapa Nui has ʻatua, the Rotumans call it ạtua has and Tongan has ʻotua.

[edit] See also

• Polynesian mythology
• Māori mythology

[edit] Trivia

A wordplay in Tahitian: in olden times it was te mau atua (the gods (plural)), nowadays it is te atua mau (the true god).

[edit] Notes