Atua are the gods and spirits of the Polynesian peoples such as the Māori. The Polynesian word literally means power or strength and so the concept is similar to that of mana. Especially powerful atua included:[1]
In Samoa, where atua means 'god' in the Samoan language,[2] traditional tattooing was based on the doctrine of tutelary spirits.[3] There is also a district on the island of Upolu in Samoa called Atua.