Oro

(Oceanian mythology)

The Tahitian war god. In time of peace he was called Oro-i-te-tea-moe, ‘Oro of the spear laid down’. Son of Hina-tu-a-uta, ‘Hina of the land’, and Ta'aroa incarnate in a breadfruit branch, Oro was ‘the manslayer’, the one who took pleasure in bloody fights and human sacrifices. He had three fearsome daughters—Toi-mata, ‘axe with eyes’, Ai-tupuai, ‘eater of summit’, and Mahu-fatu-rau, ‘frog of many owners’. His only son was Hoa-tapu, ‘sworn friend’.