Atua i Kafika, the Deity of Kafika

Atua i Kafika, 'the Deity of Kafika', is the paramount god of Tikopia and the senior of the four divine brothers who are the eponymous gods of the ranked clans. As now conceived he lived an earthly life as the chief and culture-hero Sako (his name held so sacred it was not uttered), who clothed the people and thereby awoke their minds, made the sacred adzes, and founded the ritual cycle called the Work of the Gods. Killed in a dispute over land, he abjured revenge as he died and, so morally exalted, ascended to the heavens, where the Female Deity cleansed him and he assumed the highest seat among the gods under the deified name Mapusia. As Mapusia, 'the Fear-Causing Chief', he makes the thunder by clattering his staff across the sky, and it was said that no god could supplant him. He held prime ritual responsibility for the yam, the crop said to obey the people of Kafika.

Parentage

• parent: Atua i Raropuka, the Deity of Raropuka
• parent: Atua Fafine, the Female Deity

Domains

• yam cultivation
• thunder and storm
• kingship and paramountcy

Powers

• to stand supreme above all the other gods of Tikopia
• to make the thunder by clattering his staff across the heavens
• to grant fertility and increase to the yam crop

Epithets

• Te Ariki Fakamataku"Tikopia Religion." Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. (secondary)
• Te Atua i KafikaFirth, Raymond. The Work of the Gods in Tikopia. London: London School of Economics, 1940. (secondary)

Relations

• sibling: Atua i Tafua, the Deity of TafuaOne of the four divine brothers, eponymous gods of the four ranked clans."Tikopia Religion." Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. (secondary)
• sibling: Atua i Taumako, the Deity of TaumakoOne of the four divine brothers, eponymous gods of the four ranked clans."Tikopia Religion." Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. (secondary)
• sibling: Atua i Fangarere, the Deity of FangarereOne of the four divine brothers, eponymous gods of the four ranked clans."Tikopia Religion." Encyclopedia of Religion, 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. (secondary)

Sources

• Atua i Kafika, the Deity of Kafika (deified as Mapusia and identified with the culture-hero Sako), is the paramount god of Tikopia, senior of the four clan gods, lord of the yam and maker of the thunder.: Firth, Raymond. The Work of the Gods in Tikopia. London: London School of Economics, 1940. (secondary); Firth, Raymond. History and Traditions of Tikopia. Wellington: The Polynesian Society, 1961. (secondary)