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). "Dwarf Planet 136472 2005 FY9 Named Makemake". Retrieved 2016-08-14.
  3. ↑ Mike Brown (2008). "Mike Brown's Planets: What's in a name? [part 2]". Caltech. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
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