In 1789, Bligh recounted that the Tahitians believed in the om nipresence of a divine being who was both all-powerful and the great ruler of all things. This god (T: atua) was called Ore. On another hand, Morrison wrote in 1793 that the islanders of Tubuai believed in three "atua" :the first, called Tane, was also known as "atua nui" or
"atua mana", he was the creator of the world and the cause of all things. His son, Oromatautua, presided over war and peace. The third, Tipahoamanu, was their mes senger on earth. Morrison, as well, noted that some traditions were similar to the Old Testament. The Rev. William Ellis who lived on Huahine for four years, wrote in 1829 "Ta'aroa, their principal god, was invisible, uncreated and had existed since the beginning of time. He created all things as well as the first man out of red earth (T: 'araea), and the first woman from the bones (T: ivi) cf the man". This tradition as well as an account of a local Flood present a striking analogy with the Biblical version. These similarities were put forward by Robert Langdon to support his theory of the arrival of European castaways in Polynesia around 240 years before Wallis.
Edmond de Bovis, a French naval officer, wrote in 1855 that Hiro, then considered god of the sea, was the first king of the Society Islands who rounded the famous Taputapuatea marae at Opoa. Hiro was also said to have introduced the "maro'ura" (red feather girdle) as a symbol of royalty, as well as the the construction of huge boats (like the "pahi" which could be over 30 metres long).
For the Marquesans, the first man was called Tiki: he is also con sidered to be the god of sorcery. The same name (T: ti'i) was given to stone or wooden statues of in ferior divinities who guarded the taboo places (T: tapu) such as the marae. Besides the great priest (T: tahu'a nui), more than twenty people were responsible for the ceremonies on the marae
riests (T: tahua pure), narrators of kings' genealogy (T: orero), servants (T: epo nui), narrators for the night ceremonies (T: haerepe), media in trance (T: taura) or tellers of war stories (T: rauti). The singers/dan cers (T: ariel) were sacred as were the priests: the two groups were comprised of people from the three main castes. The group of the priests had a strong hierarchy based on the importance of the related marae.
The Polynesians also believed in ghosts (T: 'oromatua): they were the souls (T: varua) which separated from the body (T: tino) after death (T: mate, pohe). Some could become sinister (T: varua 'ino).
For the Tahitians, gods were not only present at the moment of the ceremonies in hand-made wooden, stone or wicker statues (T: to'o), but also in "ate" which were un common inanimate objects, plants or animals (e.g. the blue shark for the god Tone, a basaltic table for the god Taaroa, the frigate bird for the god Oro).
Maya Flood Myth
The Popol-Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, contains within its creation story a tale of the destruction of the first beings by a flood. This flood differs from others in that it is not a punishment, but rather a remedy for a faulty creation. ###The Feathered Serpent first created man from mud.#### These creatures were a failure; they couldn't see, they dissolved when it rained, etc. So the god broke them up and tried again. This time he made men out of wood. They were better than the mud-men. They could walk and talk; they had many children, built many houses, but they had no minds nor souls nor hearts. The Feathered Serpent was disappointed with what he had created, so he sent a great flood to cleanse the earth of his mistake. (The tale goes on to explain the creation of man.)
Fans:
(The Fans are a Bantu tribe in Africa.) In the beginning there was nothing but Nzame. This god is really three: Nzame, Mebere, and Nkwa. It was the Nzame part of the god that created the universe and the earth, and brought life to it. Whle the three parts of Nzame were admiring this creation, it was decided to create a ruler for the earth. So was created the elephant, the leopard, and the monkey, but it was decided that something better had to be created. Between the three of them they made a new creature in their image, and called him Fam (power), and told him to rule the earth. Before long, Fam grew arrogant, he mistreated the animals and stopped worshipping Nzame. Nzame, angered, brought forth thunder and lightning and destroyed everything that was, except Fam, who had been promised immortality. Nzame, in his three aspects, decided to renew the earth and try again.
I don't think I need to point out the similaritys here.
Are they far enough apart geographically for you?
What about the flood and the ark?...can be found in ancient teachings from Jeruselum to Mexico.
There are numerouse religions that have in there creation story these very similar and reoccuring similarities
1. One Supreame God or a Trinity in the form of One God.
2. Man was made of Mud.
3. The tree
4. The serpant
5. The pre-earth haveing consisted of some form of water-body or rageing waters
6. Man being made in the image of God
7. Chaos that resulted in the earth as we know it
8 The same order of creation as far as it being sprouts...sea life...animal...man...etc
This really isn't anything most folks have already discovered when searching the religions trying to find where they fit...including most athiests.
