In Polynesian mythology (specifically: Samoa), Tangaroa (or Tagaloa) is the sea god, a son of Rangi and Papa, whom he forcibly separated from each other. Papa's body, filled with water, burst open and became the ocean.
Tangaroa is the father of all the sea creatures, including mermaids, from whence came humanity. The tides are his breaths, and he changes into a green lizard as a portent of good weather. Sailors keep a piece of brain coral in their ship; it is an important talisman to protect them while on the sea.
Alternatively, Tangaroa is the primeval spirit that existed before anything else. Atea and Atanua came from him. He is also the father of Losi and Fue in Samoanmythology. His messenger is Savali.
In Hawaii, Kanaloa is a creator god of magic and is associated with the octopus, and is also the king of the underworld.
With Hina-Tu-A-Uta, he is the father of Oro (Tahiti).
Alternative: (Tangaroa is his Maori name), Tanaoa (Marquesas Islands), Ta'aroa, Tangaloa, Kanaloa (Hawaii)
Tagaro becomes the chief actor and is pitted against Suqe-matua.
Tagaro was said to be the father of ten sons, the cleverest of whom was Tagaro-Mbiti.
Tagaro and his family, however, quickly crawled into the pit which he had prepared, and so they escaped death; and when the house had burned, they came up out of their hiding-place and sat down among the ashes.
After a time Tagaro took her to weed his garden, when the yams were not yet ripe, and as she weeded and touched the yam vines, ripe tubers came into her hand.
Tagaro's brothers thought she was digging yams before their time and scolded her; she went into the house and sat weeping at the foot of the pillar, and as she wept her tears fell, and wearing away the earth pattered down upon her wings.
Tagaro hurried to the dwelling, but seeing that the wings were gone, he knew that his wife and child had returned to the sky-land.
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