Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

324 TUATHA DE DANANNallowing day to come in. Tu represents stability. Heis also regarded as a war god. Also KU (Hawaiian).An association of deities probably going back topre-tribal times. The deities include the DAGDA,LUG, GOBNIU, Nuadu Argatlam and others andrepresent a possibly non-tribal hierarchy of thesupernatural joined against a common foe, thepowers of destruction and misfortune, theFomoire, and the Fir Bolg who were allegedly anagricultural tribe from Greece. These were prehistoricinvaders of Ireland who were defeated intwo battles fought at Moytura.Tradition claims that the Tuatha arrived in Irelandunder the leadership of the god NUADA fromsomewhere in the north. Four places relating totheir country of origin are mentioned in oldtext—Falias, Finias, Gorias and Murias. Nofurther details are given. Having defeated theFomoire and the Fir Bolg, they are said to havebecome the rulers of Ireland.The Tuatha de Danann mythology is familiarto all the Celtic races and the names of the godsand goddesses, with local variations, are alsoknown from Welsh mythology. Under Christianinfluence the position of the pantheon was denigratedand individual members were placed in theranks of fairies.TUATHA DE DANANN (peoples of thegoddess Danu)ORIGIN Celtic (Irish). Collective name for thepantheon.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP prehistoric timesuntil Christianization circa AD 400.SYNONYMS none.CENTER(S) OF CULT various throughout Ireland,but chiefly Tara.ART REFERENCES various stone sculptures andreliefs.LITERARY SOURCES Books of Invasions; Cycles ofKings; votive inscriptions.TuleSpider god. Zande [Sudan and DemocraticRepublic of Congo, Africa]. He descended fromthe sky on a rope, carrying all plants and seeds.He was also responsible for giving mankind waterand the tools of cultivation.TumatauengaGod of war. Polynesian (including Maori). One ofthe children of the prime parents RANGINUI andPAPATUANUKU, he proposed the slaughter of hisparents when it was decided to separate them assky and earth. He was subsequently given chargeover mankind (tangata), which he imbued withhis lust for the warfare and violence that was acharacteristic part of Maori culture. AlsoKumatauenga (Hawaiian).Tu-Metua (stick-by-parent)God. Polynesian [Hervey Islands]. The sixth childof VARI-MA-TE-TAKERE, the primordial mother.Torn from her right side, he stays with her in theconfined space at the bottom of the worldcoconut and lives in endless silence.Tumuteanaoa (echo)Goddess. Polynesian [Hervey Islands]. Thefourth child of VARI-MA-TE-TAKERE, the primordialmother. Torn from her right side,Tumuteanaoa lives in Te-Parai-Tea (hollow grayrocks) below the home of the god TANGO.TunekGod of seal hunters. Inuit. A fearsome being ofhuge stature (13 feet tall) who lives on the ice