Ti'iti'i (Samoan mythology)
Encyclopedia
In Samoa
n legend, Ti'iti'i is the son of Talaga. He goes down to the earthquake-god, Mafui’e
, who dwells in the underworld, and, receiving some fire from him, takes it back to the world, and begins to cook. Mafui’e then comes and blows on the fire, scattering it, and breaking up the oven. Ti'iti'i angrily seizes Mafui’e, and they have a wrestling match, in which Ti'iti'i is victorious. As the price of freedom, Mafui’e reveals the secret of fire, telling Ti'iti'i that he will find it in every piece of wood he cut. Since then people have had cooked food. In Samoa however, Ti'iti'i does not snare the sun as Maui does elsewhere; instead, a woman called Mangamangai becomes pregnant by looking at the rising Sun, and a child is born, who is called “Child of the Sun.” He and his mother are dismayed by the rapidity of the Sun's journey, so he makes a noose, catches the Sun, and makes him promise to go more slowly (Tregear 1891:235).
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
n legend, Ti'iti'i is the son of Talaga. He goes down to the earthquake-god, Mafui’e
Mahuika
Mahuika is a Māori fire deity. Generally, Mahuika is female. In some versions, she is the younger sister of Hine-nui-te-pō, goddess of death. It was from her that Māui obtained the secret of making fire. She married Auahi-Turoa and together they had five children, named for the five fingers on the...
, who dwells in the underworld, and, receiving some fire from him, takes it back to the world, and begins to cook. Mafui’e then comes and blows on the fire, scattering it, and breaking up the oven. Ti'iti'i angrily seizes Mafui’e, and they have a wrestling match, in which Ti'iti'i is victorious. As the price of freedom, Mafui’e reveals the secret of fire, telling Ti'iti'i that he will find it in every piece of wood he cut. Since then people have had cooked food. In Samoa however, Ti'iti'i does not snare the sun as Maui does elsewhere; instead, a woman called Mangamangai becomes pregnant by looking at the rising Sun, and a child is born, who is called “Child of the Sun.” He and his mother are dismayed by the rapidity of the Sun's journey, so he makes a noose, catches the Sun, and makes him promise to go more slowly (Tregear 1891:235).
See also
- Māui (Hawaiian mythology)Maui (Hawaiian mythology)In Hawaiian mythology, Māui is a culture hero who appears in several different genealogies. In the Ulu line he is the son of Akalana and his wife Hinakawea . This couple has four sons, Māui-mua, Māui-hope, Māui-kiikii and Māui-a-kalana. Māui-a-kalana's wife is named Hinakealohaila; and his son is...
- Maui (Mangarevan mythology)Maui (Mangarevan mythology)In Mangareva, Maui hauls the land up from the sea, and ties the sun with tresses of hair. His father was Ataraga; his mother, Uaega. There were eight Maui: Maui-mua, Maui-muri, Maui-toere-mataroa, Tumei-hauhia, Maui-tikitiki-toga, Maui-matavaru, Maui-taha, Maui-roto. Maui the eight-eyed is the hero...
- Māui (Māori mythology)Maui (Maori mythology)In Māori mythology, Māui is a culture hero famous for his exploits and his trickery.-Māui's birth:The offspring of Tū increased and multiplied and did not know death until the generation of Māui-tikitiki . Māui is the son of Taranga, the wife of Makeatutara...
- Maui (Tahitian mythology)Maui (Tahitian mythology)In the mythology of Tahiti, Maui was a wise man, or prophet. He was a priest, but was afterwards deified. Being at one time engaged at the marae , and the sun getting low while Maui's work was unfinished, he laid hold of the hihi, or sun-rays, and stopped his course for some time...
- Maui (Tongan mythology)Maui (Tongan mythology)In Tonga, Maui drew up the Tongan Islands from the deep: first appeared Lofaga and the other Haapai Islands, and finally Vavau. Maui then dwelt in Tonga. Maui had two sons: the eldest, Maui Atalaga, and the younger Kisikisi. The latter discovered the secret of fire, and taught people the art of...