In Samoan mythology, who is the supreme god?

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In Samoan mythology, the supreme god is Tagaloa, also known as Tagaloa-Lagi.

Tagaloa is generally described as the paramount deity, creator of the universe, and chief of the gods. Samoan traditions credit him with creating the heavens, land, seas, fresh water, trees, and human beings. Some accounts say he made nine heavens, placing him at the top of a layered cosmic order.

One well-known story says Tagaloa rolled stones down from heaven, and they became the islands of Savaiʻi and Upolu. Other traditions connect him with the origins of people, gods, and important cultural places. His name and role resemble related supreme creator figures elsewhere in Polynesia, including Taʻaroa in Tahiti and Tangaloa traditions in other island groups.

A historical qualification matters: after Christian missionaries arrived in Samoa in the 1830s, the traditional pantheon was reinterpreted within a Christian framework. That later religious history does not change the standard mythology answer. Tui is a chiefly title or name element, Savea is a legendary ancestor, and Nafanua is a warrior goddess.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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