Rongo

The patron god of Mangaia (Gill 1876), god of agriculture and the sacred drum, and of war. Younger twin of Tangaroa, given precedence by Vatea. Worshipped at Akaoro (inland) and Orongo (coastal) marae.

Parentage

• paternal: Vatea
• maternal: Papa

Children

• Akatauira
• Mokoiro
• Rangi
• Tavake

Domains

• agriculture and the taro
• war
• tutelary of mangaia

Powers

• grant the fertility of the taro and the land
• grant victory in war and demand the sacrifice

Relations

• twin sibling: TangaroaYounger twin of Tangaroa, but given precedence over the elder.Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pacific (1876), Ch. I, pp. 12–14 (primary)
• sibling: TaneRongo is named elder brother to Tane.Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pacific (1876), Ch. I, pp. 12–14 (primary)
• sibling: TangiiaRongo is named elder brother to Tangiia.Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pacific (1876), Ch. I, pp. 12–14 (primary)
• sibling: Tonga-itiRongo is named elder brother to Tonga-iti, the lizard-god.Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pacific (1876), Ch. I, pp. 12–14 (primary)
• equated with: RongoReflex of the same ancestral Polynesian deity (*Rongo), cognate across the island groups.Comparative Polynesian mythology: reflexes of the same ancestral deity across the island groups (E. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary, 1891; R. D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology, 1989) (secondary)
• equated with: LonoReflex of the same ancestral Polynesian deity (*Rongo), cognate across the island groups.Comparative Polynesian mythology: reflexes of the same ancestral deity across the island groups (E. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary, 1891; R. D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology, 1989) (secondary)
• equated with: Ro'oReflex of the same ancestral Polynesian deity (*Rongo), cognate across the island groups.Comparative Polynesian mythology: reflexes of the same ancestral deity across the island groups (E. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary, 1891; R. D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology, 1989) (secondary)
• equated with: RongoReflex of the same ancestral Polynesian deity (*Rongo), cognate across the island groups.Comparative Polynesian mythology: reflexes of the same ancestral deity across the island groups (E. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary, 1891; R. D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology, 1989) (secondary)
• equated with: RongoReflex of the same ancestral Polynesian deity (*Rongo), cognate across the island groups.Comparative Polynesian mythology: reflexes of the same ancestral deity across the island groups (E. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary, 1891; R. D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology, 1989) (secondary)
• equated with: OnoReflex of the same ancestral Polynesian deity (*Rongo), cognate across the island groups.Comparative Polynesian mythology: reflexes of the same ancestral deity across the island groups (E. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary, 1891; R. D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology, 1989) (secondary)
• spouse: TakaWilliam Wyatt Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pacific (1876), pp. 15 (primary)

Sources

• Rongo, the younger twin son of Vatea and Papa, was favoured over his elder twin Tangaroa and made the great national god of Mangaia — god of agriculture (the taro) and of war.: William Wyatt Gill, Myths and Songs from the South Pacific (1876), Ch. I, pp. 12–14, and Ch. XV (primary)
• Rongo's principal worship was at the inland Akaoro and coastal Orongo marae of the Keia district, where cooked taro and human victims were offered; his was the sacred drum.: Robert D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology (1989), s.v. 'Rongo' (secondary)