Long ago, before there were islands, seas, or stars, there existed only vast darkness and the sacred nothingness known to the gods. Out of this great silence arose three divine siblings, Tangaloa, Maui, and Hikule‘o, born of the first powers that breathed life into the cosmos. Their bond was woven with light and shadow, for through them the universe would be divided and ordered.
Tangaloa, the eldest, was the god of the heavens. He dwelt above the endless clouds, in a radiant kingdom of light where the winds carried his commands across the firmament. His eyes were like the sun, and from his breath came the gentle trade winds that kissed the ocean’s surface. Tangaloa’s hand was steady, his nature just and noble, and his rule extended over the skies and all that moved between sea and heaven.
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The second sibling, Maui, was the god of the earth. He was strong, curious, and bold, a figure of cunning and restless energy. His hands molded the land and lifted the islands from beneath the waves, shaping mountains and rivers so that humans might one day dwell there. To Maui belonged all that lived and grew, the forests, the beasts, and the mortal people who would walk the earth. Yet his passion often led him to challenge the order of things, seeking always to test the limits of divine creation.
The youngest of the three was Hikule‘o, the goddess of the underworld, Pulotu, a mysterious and sacred realm beneath the seas. Pulotu was neither a place of punishment nor reward but a domain of spirits, ancestors, and hidden power. Hikule‘o’s voice was soft but commanding, her beauty both terrible and magnificent. From her flowed the forces of death and renewal, for she ruled the cycle of endings and beginnings that bound the universe together.
The Division of the Realms
In the beginning, the world was unshaped, and the three siblings worked together to bring order to the chaos. Tangaloa lifted the heavens high above the waters, creating the sky dome that arched across the world. Maui drew the land up from beneath the ocean’s depths, shaping Tonga and the islands that scattered across the vast Pacific. Hikule‘o, from her shadowed realm below, breathed life into the spirit that animates all living things.
Together, they formed a balance, sky, earth, and underworld, each realm dependent on the others. Tangaloa’s light gave warmth to Maui’s lands. Maui’s creations sent offerings and prayers to Hikule‘o’s spirits. And Hikule‘o’s unseen hand guided the souls that passed from life into her care, keeping the cycle whole.
Yet as the gods’ creations grew, so too did the pride of the beings who inhabited the earth. The first humans, molded by Maui’s hands and blessed by Tangaloa’s breath, were gifted life and freedom. But in their pride, they began to forget the sacred order that held the world together. They praised Maui for the land and Tangaloa for the skies, but few remembered Hikule‘o, whose quiet domain sustained the balance unseen.
The Tilt of Balance
Hikule‘o watched from Pulotu as mortals built their fires and offered little to her name. The spirits of the dead, restless and hungry, drifted between worlds, unsure of their path. The tides grew wild; storms began to brew more fiercely than before. The gods convened to discuss the imbalance.
Tangaloa, wise and calm, spoke first.
“The mortals are young and foolish,” he said. “They forget because their eyes see only what the light reveals. We must remind them that all realms are one.”
But Maui, ever proud, clenched his fists.
“Let them worship me if they choose,” he said. “It is I who shaped the lands beneath their feet. Without me, they would have no home.”
Hikule‘o’s eyes darkened, like the deep sea before a storm.
“And yet, Maui, without me, their souls would wander forever,” she answered. “You raise the land, but I guard its heart.”
The argument grew fierce. Tangaloa sought peace, but Maui’s pride and Hikule‘o’s wounded power could not easily be reconciled. The heavens trembled, and the sea churned. Finally, Tangaloa struck his staff upon the clouds, his voice rolling like thunder.
“Enough! The balance must stand. I shall remain ruler of the heavens, for it is from above that all light flows. Maui, you shall reign over the lands and the mortals who walk upon them. Hikule‘o, you will dwell in Pulotu, the sacred underworld, to watch over the spirits and keep the order of life and death.”
Though the decree restored harmony, a distance grew between the siblings. Hikule‘o descended fully into Pulotu, sealing its gates from mortal eyes. Maui returned to his islands, proud yet restless. Tangaloa withdrew to the heavens, watching the earth and its people with quiet vigilance.
The Legacy of the Gods
In the ages that followed, the world settled into its divine order. The people of Tonga came to honor all three gods in their own ways. They offered prayers to Tangaloa for fair weather and guidance from the skies. They gave respect to Maui for the bounty of the land and the courage to face the sea. And they learned to revere Hikule‘o, goddess of Pulotu, whose unseen presence ensured that life flowed into death and death returned to life again.
Priests and storytellers taught that every storm, tide, and breath of wind was a sign of the gods’ enduring balance. The heavens, earth, and underworld were not separate but intertwined, each sustaining the other through sacred harmony.
To this day, the Tongan people remember these divine siblings, not as distant rulers, but as guardians of the natural and spiritual order that connects all realms of existence.
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Moral Lesson
The tale of Hikule‘o, Tangaloa, and Maui teaches that balance is the heart of creation. Pride and neglect of the sacred can disturb harmony, while respect for every part of the natural and spiritual world sustains peace. It reminds humanity that light, land, and shadow must coexist, for only through balance can the world endure.
Knowledge Check (Q&A)
- Who are the three main gods in the Tongan creation myth?
The gods are Tangaloa (heavens), Maui (earth), and Hikule‘o (underworld). - What does Pulotu represent in Tongan mythology?
Pulotu is the sacred underworld ruled by Hikule‘o, where spirits dwell after death. - What caused imbalance among the gods?
Human pride and neglect of Hikule‘o’s realm disturbed the balance of the cosmos. - What is the main theme of this Tongan folktale?
Harmony between realms and the importance of respecting divine order. - How did Tangaloa restore balance among the gods?
He divided the realms: heaven to himself, earth to Maui, and the underworld to Hikule‘o. - What moral does this story teach?
It teaches respect for nature, humility, and the need for balance between all living and spiritual forces.
Source: Adapted from Myths and Legends of Tonga by E. E. V. Collocott (1921).
Cultural Origin: Tonga (Tongan cosmological myth)
