Olifat : The Trickster God

Olifat

Introduction

Olifat was the Micronesian equivalent of the Norse god Loki, M’ii the coyote, the African Anansi or the Korean Seokga who were known as trickster gods in their respective mythology. In the myths of the people of the Pacific island nation of Micronesia, the adventures of a trickster known as Olifat were common. He was often cruel to the gods, made fools of men, and caused death and injury to humans. Despite his harmful behaviour, he sometimes helped people by giving them advice on love and other personal matters.

Physical Traits

Olifat was considered to be unconventional looking which made him think he was unattractive and made him jealous towards all living beings. Olifat was a precocious baby who matured miraculously fast and demonstrated feats of strength.

Family

Olifat was the child of the god Lugeilan and Tarisso, the daughter of the octopus goddess Hit. When Lugeleng’s wife Hamulul attempted to prevent his union with Tarisso, Hit performed a sexual act that caused her to faint, which allowed Olifat to be conceived. Olifat was born from the head of his mother and after he was born, he ran away, bit off his umbilical cord and cleaned the blood from his body. He also refused to be touched by humans and began his life as a recluse.

He was jealous of his siblings because they were more attractive. When he saw two of his cousins playing with a shark, he decided to give the sharks teeth to bite them. His sister, Lugoapup, then blamed him for the incident and the gods then decided to send Olifat to Heaven due to the numerous problems he caused on Earth.

Other Names

Olifat is also known as Yelofath, Iolafath, Orafat, Wolphat, Olofat, Olofath, and Orofat depending on the area that he is being worshipped in.

Powers and Abilities

An incorrigible and successful seducer, Olifat is known to help men get their partners back. He can also be utilized to seek romantic advice through visions and dreams. In parts of the Caroline Islands, he is known for introducing erotic and magical tattoos.

He is also known to cause various problems in the lives of the people of the islands, such as termite infestations and sour wine. He is also said to be responsible for the shark’s teeth, the stingray’s tail and the spines of the scorpionfish. He is believed to have accomplished the Promethean achievement of bringing humanity the power of fire by creating a bird that brought down a glowing ember from the sun.

Modern Day Influence

Olifat has been an inspiration to artists and storytellers in the recent times. He is also a boss level character in a few video games and the MMORPG universe.