Makemake (deity)

For other uses, see Makemake (disambiguation).
Makemake with two birdmen, carved from red scoria

Makemake (also written as Make-make or MakeMake; pronounced [ˈmakeˈmake] in Rapa Nui[1]) in the Rapa Nui mythology of Easter Island, is the creator of humanity, the god of fertility and the chief god of the "Tangata manu" or bird-man cult (this cult succeeded the island's more famous Moai era).

He is a frequent subject of the Rapa Nui's petroglyphs.

In astronomy

The trans-Neptunian dwarf planet Makemake is so named because both the planet and the island are connected to Easter; the planet was discovered shortly after Easter 2005, and the first European contact with Easter Island was on Easter Sunday 1722.[2][3] The dwarf planet's code name was "Easterbunny".

Petroglyphs on rocks at Orongo. Makemake at base and two birdmen higher up

References

  1. Robert D. Craig (2004). "Handbook of Polynesian Mythology". ABC-CLIO: 63. ISBN 978-1-57607-894-5.
  2. Blue, Jennifer (July 14, 2008). "(136472) 2005 FY9 Named Makemake". Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  3. Mike Brown (2008). "Mike Brown's Planets: What's in a name? [part 2]". CalTech. Retrieved 2008-07-14.


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