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PHENOMENON OF THE CULTURE HERO IN POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

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Bučková M.

Asian and African Studies

2012

vol. 21

issue 2

220 – 239

The article deals with the phenomenon of the culture hero Māui in Polynesian mythological systems. A culture hero is a mythical being found in the mythologies of many archaic societies. He is a culture bringer, demiurg. The most famous is Greek Prometheus which has much in common with Polynesian Māui. He is characterized by several common features: he often invents new cultural goods or tools, for example, making fire or cultivating crops; he teaches people to make tools, provide food and perform arts. He introduces social structure, law, rules of marriage, magic, ceremonies and holidays. The article is divided into four blocks. The first focused with the culture hero in world mythology overall. The second with dissemination of the Māui´s myths in Oceania, the third is on origin of Polynesian culture hero and the last deals with the most important actions of Māui like fishing islands, snaring the sun and stealing of fire.

VARIATIONS OF MYTHS CONCERNING THE ORIGIN OF FIRE IN EASTERN POLYNESIA

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Bučková M.

Asian and African Studies

2009

vol. 18

issue 2

324-343

The authoress analysed in this study the most completely recorded variants of the Maui myths concerning the origin of fire in Eastern Polynesia. Those myths show the diversity of form assumed in each island. No two islands have an identical myth about the origin of fire. This diversity is most probably caused by narrative traditions and by individual interpretations made by each tribe. But the figure of Maui which appears in the great majority of noted myths of Eastern Polynesia confirms their common origin.

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2 Asian and African Studies

2 Bučková M.

1 2012

1 2009

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PHENOMENON OF THE CULTURE HERO IN POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

VARIATIONS OF MYTHS CONCERNING THE ORIGIN OF FIRE IN EASTERN POLYNESIA