Mana: Encyclopedia II - Mana - Mana in Oceanic culture

Mana - Mana in Oceanic culture

The word originates in Polynesian religion, and its modern use is a result of the popularization of the concept by anthropology and, to a great extent, by certain varieties of fantasy fiction. In Polynesian culture (e.g., Hawaiian, Māori), mana is analogous to respect, but it combines elements of respect, authority, power, and prestige. To have mana is to have influence and authority. This property is not limited to persons—peoples, governments, places, and inanimate objects can possess mana. In Hawaiian, mana loa means great power or almighty.

Melanesian mana is thought to be a sacred impersonal force existing in the universe. Mana can be in people, animals, plants, and objects. Similar to the idea of efficacy or sometimes better known as luck, the Melanesians thought all success was traced back to mana. You could acquire or manipulate this luck in different ways (for example through magic). Certain objects that have mana can change a person’s luck. Examples of such objects would be charms or amulets: If a very prosperous hunter used a charm that had mana, and he gave it to another person, people believed that the prosperous hunter’s luck would transfer to the next holder of the charm.

Mana - Universal archetype

The concept of mana has been, in various other cultures, the power of magic; however, it was not the only principle, and others included the concept of sympathetic magic and seeking the intervention of a specific supernatural being, whether deity, saint, or deceased ancestor.

The magic of mana was embedded into all talismans and fetishes, whether devoted to ancient gods, Roman Catholic saint relics, the spirits of the ancestors, or the underlying element that makes up the universe and all life within it. The concept of mana has been used in various cultures to justify human sacrifices, as the lives or blood of sacrificial victims might contain supernatural powers whose offering would please a deity.

Mana - Similar cultural concepts

The concept of a life-energy inherent in all living beings seems to be a fairly universal archetype, and appears in numerous ancient religions and systems of metaphysics (in addition to having been borrowed by George Lucas's science-fiction films).

Analogies to mana in other societies include:

• Australian Aboriginal mythology : maban
• Egyptian mythology : ka
• Greek mythology : ichor
• Inuit mythology : inua, sila
• Leni Lenape mythology : manetuwak
• Norse mythology : seid
• Yoruba mythology : oloddumare

Also related are the philosophical concepts of:

• Chinese philosophy : qi (or chi), Tao
• Japanese philosophy : ki
• European alchemy and philosophy : aether, (or ether), quintessence
• Hindu philosophy : prana

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Mana in Oceanic culture", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki