Oro
Oro
In Polynesian mythology Oro is the war god of the Pacific island of Tahiti. Oro enjoys fighting and demands human sacrifices during wartime. However, in peacetime he becomes a god of peace and is worshiped as Oro-i-te-tea-moe ("Oro of the spear laid down").
According to legend, Oro was the son of Hina-tu-a-uta and the creator god Ta'aroa. When Oro decided to marry, he created a rainbow between the heavens and the earth and traveled across it to a place known as the Red-ridged Mountain. There he met Vairaumati, the daughter of Ta'ata, the first man. Vai-raumati became Oro's wife and bore him a son, Hoa-tabu-i-te-ra'i, who became a great ruler. Oro also had three daughters: Toi-mata, Ai-tupuai, and Mahu-fatu-rau.
patron special guardian, protector, or supporter
cult group bound together by devotion to a particular person, belief, or god
Oro created and serves as patron of a Tahitian cult called the Areoi, whose members are known for their artistic skills and talents as performers and entertainers. Priests of the Areoi honor Oro with public festivals that include offerings of red feathers and the sacrifice of young pigs.
See also Polynesian Mythology; Ta'aroa.