World-Heaving Octopus

The octopus-god of the Tungaru cosmogony, brother of Riiki and of Nareau the Younger. His land-raising and his sacrificed legs are core attested motifs. Treated as deity; immortal.

Parentage

• The First Rock
• Nei Teukez the Primal Mother

Domains

• raising of the land
• octopuses
• sea floor
• creation

Powers

• lifts the islands, beaches and rocks from the sea-floor
• gives up the legs that strengthen the sky-eel
• uses his eight octopus-arms to lift islands, beaches and rocks

Relations

• sibling: Sky-Lifting Eel
• sibling: World-Maker
• sibling: Te Ikawai the Eldest

Sources

• Grimble, Arthur. Tungaru Traditions: Writings on the Atoll Culture of the Gilbert Islands (ed. H.E. Maude, 1989)
• Grimble, Arthur. 'Myths from the Gilbert Islands' (Folklore, vol. 33, 1922)