Nareau

Nareau Oceania
Literally, ‘spider lord’. The creator deity of Gilbertese traditions. At the beginning Nareau walked alone on Te Bo ma Te Maki, ‘the darkness and the cleaving together’. He was Nareau te Moa-ni-bai, ‘spider lord the first of things’. Then entering the primordial substance, he created out of sand and water two beings, Na Aribu and Nei Teukez. From their union sprang the gods; Te lkawai, ‘the eldest, Nei Marena, ‘the woman between’, Te Nao, ‘the wave’, Na Kika, ‘octopus lord’, Ruki, ‘the eel’, and a multitude of others. The last was Nareau the younger, also known as Te Kikinto, ‘mischief maker’.

Nareau te Moa-ni-bai considered that his work was done; he announced that he would depart, charging Na Atibu with the task of making a world of men. Not only was Nareau the younger the most active deity, but more Na Atibu allowed his spider son to slay him in order to get a light for the world. The right eye of Na...

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