Nareau : The Spider God

Nareau

Introduction

The Nareau the Creator is an Oceanic god who lives in the Gilbert Islands. Before he became a high god, he was called Nareau te Moa, which literally means Weaver Lord of the Things. According to legend, the only person who walked the path of Te Bo ma Te Maki was Nareau. The creation myth is not clear, with some saying that Nareau created the first two beings, while others claim that he molded the third.

Physical Traits

Nareau is frequently associated with spiders or spider webs, symbolizing his role as a weaver of the intricate tapestry of life. This association underscores his creative and weaving abilities. Nareau’s appearance can vary depending on the specific interpretation within Micronesian cultures. In some representations, he might take on a more human-like form, while in others, he could be more abstract and symbolic.

Family

The Gilbert Islands’ Nareau is regarded as one of the most prominent creator gods. He emerged from a vast and dark space, and he created the Earth and heaven with two beings, Nei Teukez and Na Atibu. Several gods then emerged from these beings. One of these is Nareau, who played a vital role in the creation of the planet’s stars, islands, and trees.

Nareau the Younger provided the children of the Earth with a sense of spirit, wit, and conscience. He was a weaver like his father, and he tried to make each man’s fate as tempting, testing, and challenging as possible in order to let them become their own masters.

Other names

The name Nareau the Creator refers to an Oceanic high god residing in the Gilbert Islands. Before becoming a high god, he was referred to as Nareau te Moa, meaning Weaver Lord of the Things. Legend has it that during the beginning, Nareau walked Te Bo ma Te Maki in solitude.

Powers and Abilities

The creation myth is not clear, with some saying that Nareau molded the first two beings, while others claim that he merely wove them. An Ancient Spider, also referred to as Nareau the Elder, was a pre-existent being that lived on the beach and in the sea. Among the children of the Earth was Nareau the Younger, who killed the Elder and made the moon and sun from his eyes.

When he lived in Samoa with daughter, Kobine, Nareau made the Earth and the heavens. After 27 generations, he changed his name and lived in Tarawa. He then returned to Samoa in an Outrigger Canoe, which was the first of its kind in the country.

The Earth’s separation from the sky is one of the main events in many creation myths. According to stories about the older version of Nareau, he ordered Water and Sand to mate, and two of their offspring, which were later named Riiki and the eels, produced many beings. Nareau then created the stars, moon, sun, and trees, and the ancestors of humans emerged from the branches of these trees.

After Nareau the Elder had finished creating Gods, he appointed Nareau the Younger to create a world for humankind. He told his son to make the Earth and the moon out of his body, and his brain became the stars. An Octopus named Na Kika also helped with the creation of islands.

Modern Day Influence

The reference to Nareau is found even today on the coins used in Kiribati or the Gilbert Islands. Worship of this creator god is almost non existent due to the prolific spread of Christianity and other western belief systems. With the influence of immigrants and settlers from South East Asian islands, the stories have also got diluted quite a bit.