G.—2

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Atua, s. [Atua, P.; Akua, H.; Otua, F.] 1. A supernatural malevolent and powerful evil being ; a demon : [Obs. Of such there were many; and apparently, as with other peoples, continually increasing in number, as time rolled by. Their most ancient legends and myths, however, mention a few only who were most powerful and most dreaded, (dii inajores),viz.: Tv, Rongo, Taane, Tangaroa, Tawhirimatea, and Whiro; (see under each of these names ;) among whom are found the four principal gods of Hawaii: Tv, Lono (Kongo), Kane (Taane), and Kanaloa (Tangaroa).] Otira he atua ano nga atua nunui o rrma . . . mci kore he atua nui o namata, c kore c whai atua ririki nga Maori.-— Poet. p. lxvii. 2. Beings, who are said (mythically) to have anciently done the work for men at Hawaiki: Ka kitea nga rakau c ono, tua tonu iho; ka mene ki raro, tarai tonu atu (te tarai a nga mano porohete, ara a o ratou atua, i era rangi hoki ko nga atua hei mahi i nga mea katoa, ki Hawaiki, kaore hoki i takitaro kua takiotioti.) — Old Legend. 3. Idols, or representative images: also a lower class of gods, each being over its own peculiar sphere, as of fish, kumara (sweet potatoes), of childbirth, &c. : A waiho ana te atua i reira, ko te ingoa o tona atua ko Rakeiora; ... ka heria mai hoki te atua nei, ko Rongomai.— Myth., p. 123. Ka torona a Kahukura, a Itapawa, a Rongomai, . . . a,ka mutu te karakia,kamea atu,Katika to ara (to New Zealand) ; ka takaia nga atua na, ka whakairia, ka hoki kite whare. — Myth., p. 83. He atua kumara anake i riro mai,-—ika hoki; ko te atua tangata i mahue atu. — Id., p. 84. Ko Aotea te waka, ko Turi te tangata, tona atua ki runga ko Maru, — Old Legend. [See R-akeiora, Rongomai, Itupawa, Maru.] 4. Imaginary invisible evil powers, beings, or things ; genii; wood sprites ; gnomes, &c.; [See Patupaiarehe, Hakitara.] Ehara ia i te mahi tangata Maori, na te atua tenei mahinga, ara na Patupaiarehe.— Myth., p. 178. 5. Any sickness, disease, pain, or death, —personified.: 6. Any common natural thing greatly feared ; or considered exceedingly ugly, disgusting, or disagreeable —viz.: guana, lizard, stinking wood-bug, owl, bat, &c.: 7. Any strange unaccountable natural phenomena, viz.: shooting star, ignis fatuus, meteor, rainbow, whirlwind, aurora australis, conjunction of heavenly bodies, eclipse, continued severe and unseasonable weather, &c.: 8. Any uncommon monstrous or rare animal, viz.: some species of shark, of

whale, &c.; small strange sea and river animals: Nga ika i te waitai i te wai Maori, he atua anake mo nga tangata. Nga mea ia i atuatia ai, ko nga hapu o te wahine i materoto tonu mai, a whakatahetia ana tana tamaiti, whiua atu kite wai, kainga mai c aua ika, a waiho tonu mai hei atua ngau tangata. — Poet., p. Ixxvii. 9. Any common animal of greater or superhuman power, — which formerly varied with different tribes, and in different parts of the country : Ka karakia ia ki nga atua i konei, —toroa, karoro, kawau.— Old Legend. 10. Common articles of food, to which dislike, or superstitious fear, had been taken. Some few would never touch pork, others eels; and mutton, at first was almost invariably disliked : Ko tera kai ko te aruhe, he atua ano no Tumatauenga. — Old Legend. He atua tonu tena kai, te tuna ki a au. 11. Any destroying cause (seen), animal, or thing,—as fire, flood, rats, mice, cockroaches, caterpillars, mosquitoes; pigs, horses, cows, &c, devouring their crops : Ma te taua ranei c hutihuti nga kai, ma te waipuke ranei, ma te tini noa iho ranei o nga atua. 12. Any harsh, cross, hard, covetous, illiberal, ill-natured, exacting, ferocious, bloodthirsty person: 13. A person loved, but far away; unmindful, or unrequiting: Kei raro taku atua c aroha nei au.— Old Song. 14 Any artificial production, or secretly powerful natural thing (beyond Maori comprehension), as a loadstone, magnet, ship's compass, a watch, musical box, automata, steam-machinery, &c. A carved wooden head, or bust, (called a Puhi,) said to be endued with supernatural powers : Kia riro mai taua atua hei whakamana mo o ratou nei oneone. — Myth., p. 175. 15. A common term of low reproach : 16. Te Atua: the name of the fourteenth night of the lunar month, or new moon. The full moon. —[H.] With some tribes this was the name of the thirteenth lunar night; with others the fifteenth. A very unlucky day or night with the ancient Maori. \_Syn. Mawaru, Otu, Hua]. The name for the Deity; the one true God : the God of Christians.— JEu. Mod. [Obs. It is considered the choice of this word for to represent to the New Zealander a God of love and kindness, was most unfortunate; as such a being as an atua aroha, atua ataiohai, or atua pai, (=a loving God, a gracious God, or a good God,) was a new and most unnatural idea, a perfect solecism to the