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Traditions/Polynesian Mythology/Tu

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Tu

Tu(Classical Chinese)

Also known as: Ku (Hawaiian), Tu-matauenga (Maori), Tu-of-the-angry-face

Mythological Narrative

The fierce god of war and human endeavor. Tu represents the aggressive, active principle necessary for survival, from warfare to hunting to the cultivation of crops.

Scholarly Commentary & Evolution

## The War God

Tu-matauenga, whose name means 'Tu of the Angry Face,' is the god of war and all human activities that require conflict and struggle. Unlike war gods in some other traditions, Tu represents not just battle but all forms of human striving against nature, including hunting, fishing, and agriculture.

### Advocate for Action

When the children of Rangi and Papa debated how to escape their prison between earth and sky, it was Tu who first proposed a violent solution: to kill their parents. When the more peaceful suggestion of separation prevailed, Tu was the one who supported Tane's efforts and fought against Tawhirimatea's winds when the storm god attacked.

### The Angry Brother

After Tawhirimatea's assault, when the other gods fled or hid, only Tu stood firm. Furious at his brothers' cowardice, Tu turned on them in revenge. He trapped Tangaroa's fish children, Rongo's cultivated plants, Haumia's wild plants, and Tane's birds, making them all food for humanity. This is why humans eat fish, birds, and plants - because Tu conquered them.

### Ku in Hawaii

In Hawaiian tradition, Ku is one of the four major gods, associated with war, politics, and male activities. Different forms of Ku governed different aspects of life: Ku-ka'ili-moku was the war god of King Kamehameha I, Ku-ula was the god of fishermen, and Ku-ka-o'o was the god of farmers. Temples dedicated to Ku required human sacrifice.

### Patron of Warriors

Warriors dedicated themselves to Tu before battle, performing rituals and making offerings. The first enemy killed in battle was offered to Tu. His worship was particularly important in Maori society, where the warrior class held great prestige and warfare was a common feature of life.

Cross-Pantheon Parallels & Archetypes

greek

ares

Both are war gods associated with the violent aspects of conflict

norse

tyr

Both are warrior gods, though Tyr is associated more with honor and law

Global Antiquity Records

Classical Art & Museum Artifacts

49 Archival Artifacts Documented

High-resolution museum artifacts, classical sculptures, pottery reliefs, and bronze idols preserving authentic historical representations of Tu.

Bronze statuette of Herakles, bronze. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Inspect Specimen

Italicca. 3rd–1st century BCE

Bronze statuette of Herakles

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Marble relief fragment with scenes from the Trojan War, palombino marble. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman1st half of 1st century CE

Marble relief fragment with scenes from the Trojan War

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Perseus with the Head of Medusa, marble. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Italian, Rome1804–6

Perseus with the Head of Medusa

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze figure of Osiris with a tall crown and arms crossed over the torso. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period664–332 BCE

Statuette of Osiris

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Terracotta hydria with a painted mythological frieze including Hecate. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greek, South Italian, Apulianca. 340–330 BCE

Terracotta hydria (water jar)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Lapis lazuli statuette of the mummiform god Ptah holding a staff. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Third Intermediate Period–Late Periodca. 945–600 BCE

Cult Image of the God Ptah

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Cupreous metal statuette of the god Ptah in mummiform pose. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period664–30 BCE

Ptah

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Cupreous metal statuette of the god Amun wearing a tall plumed crown. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period664–30 BCE

Amun

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Gold statuette of the god Amun standing in a striding pose. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Third Intermediate Periodca. 945–721 BCE

Statuette of Amun

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Granodiorite head from a temple statue of the god Amun. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, New Kingdom, post-Amarna Periodca. 1328–1318 BCE

Head of the god Amun

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Plaster cast reproduction of the cuneiform Flood Tablet from the Epic of Gilgamesh. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Mesopotamian19th century, after 7th century BCE original

Cast reconstruction of Babylonian Flood Tablet

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Fragments of a marble sarcophagus with a relief frieze including a figure of Hera. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman3rd quarter of 3rd century CE

Marble sarcophagus with the contest between the Muses and the Sirens

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of a striding god, possibly Poseidon. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greek3rd–2nd century BCE

Bronze statuette of a god, possibly Poseidon

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the helmeted goddess Athena. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Romanca. 2nd–3rd century CE

Bronze statuette of Athena

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of Athena with her owl in flight. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greekca. 460 BCE

Bronze statuette of Athena flying her owl

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the god Apollo. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greekca. 500 BCE

Bronze statuette of Apollo

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of Apollo shown with a quiver. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman1st–2nd century CE

Bronze statuette of Apollo

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the goddess Artemis. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greek3rd–1st century BCE

Bronze statuette of Artemis

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Marble statuette of the goddess Aphrodite. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greek3rd–2nd century BCE

Marble statuette of Aphrodite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Marble statue of Aphrodite in a crouching pose. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman1st or 2nd century CE

Marble statue of a crouching Aphrodite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the god Hermes. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greek or Roman1st century BCE–2nd century CE

Bronze statuette of Hermes

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of Jupiter Capitolinus. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman1st–2nd century CE

Bronze statuette of Jupiter Capitolinus

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of Jupiter Capitolinus. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman1st–2nd century CE

Bronze statuette of Jupiter Capitolinus

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the god Neptune. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Romanearly 1st century CE

Bronze statuette of Neptune

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Renaissance bronze statuette of Neptune by Severo da Ravenna. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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European Sculpture and Decorative Artsmid-16th century

Neptune

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the goddess Minerva. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman2nd century CE

Bronze statuette of Minerva

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Renaissance bronze statuette of Minerva attributed to Benvenuto Cellini. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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European Sculpture and Decorative Artssecond half 16th century

Minerva

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Marble statue of Venus of the Venus Genetrix type. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Roman1st–2nd century CE

Marble statue of Aphrodite, the so-called Venus Genetrix

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of Isis nursing the infant Horus. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian664–31 BCE

Bronze statuette of Isis with infant Horus

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Stone statue of Horus as a falcon sheltering King Nectanebo II. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period360–343 BCE

Statue of Horus as a falcon protecting King Nectanebo II

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Cupreous metal statuette of the jackal-headed god Anubis. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period664–30 BCE

Anubis

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Limestone statue of Anubis as a recumbent black jackal. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, End of Late Period–Ptolemaic Period343–30 BCE

Statue of Anubis as a recumbent canid

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Faience statuette of the ibis-headed god Thoth striding forward. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Ptolemaic Period332–30 BCE

Striding Thoth

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the ibis-headed god Thoth. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period664–30 BCE

Ibis-headed god, Thoth

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Cupreous metal statuette of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period664–30 BCE

Lion-Headed Goddess

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Cupreous metal statuette of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period664–30 BCE

Lion-headed goddess

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze statuette of the mummiform god Osiris holding the crook and flail. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian664–31 BCE

Bronze statuette of Osiris

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze figure of Shiva as Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, within a ring of flame. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Indian (Tamil Nadu)ca. late 11th century

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Copper-alloy figure of the monkey god Hanuman in conversation. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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India (Tamil Nadu)11th century

Hanuman Conversing

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze figure of the seated creator god Brahma. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Indonesia (Java)ca. late 9th century

Seated Brahma

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Wood sculpture of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin), dated 1282. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Chinadated 1282

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Woodblock print of the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) from Journey to the West. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Japanprobably 1824

The Monkey King Songokū, from the Chinese novel Journey to the West

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Basalt figure of the water goddess Chalchiuhtlicue. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Mexica (Aztec)1325–1521 CE

Chalchiuhtlicue

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Cuneiform clay tablet inscribed with a hymn to the god Marduk. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Babylonian (?)1st millennium BCE

Cuneiform tablet: hymn to Marduk

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Marble grave stele with a sphinx-form finial. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greek, Atticca. 530 BCE

Marble stele (grave marker) with a youth and little girl, and a capital and finial in the form of a sphinx

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Granite sphinx bearing the face of Hatshepsut. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Egyptian, New Kingdomca. 1473–1458 BCE

Sphinx of Hatshepsut

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Sardonyx cameo fragment showing Hercules restraining Cerberus. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Greek or Roman1st century BCE–1st century CE

Sardonyx cameo fragment with Hercules tying up Cerberus

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Gilt bronze finial in the form of the bird-man Garuda. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Thailandlate 12th–early 13th century

Garuda Finial

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Bronze figure of a striding Garuda. Photograph: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Inspect Specimen

Thailandthird quarter of the 10th century

Striding Garuda (The Royal Solar Bird)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art→

Scholarly Symposium & Field Notes

Academic Discussion & Critique

Exchange peer-reviewed hypotheses, comparative Indo-European etymologies, and archaeological field interpretations regarding Tu.

Cross-Tradition Discovery

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Based on shared domains & archetypes

Ares

God of war, violence, and bloodshed. Son of Zeus and Hera, representing the brutal and chaotic aspects of warfare.

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Tyr

God of war, justice, and law. Bravest of the gods. Sacrificed his right hand to bind the wolf Fenrir, demonstrating his courage and willingness to uphold cosmic order.

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Rongo

The god of cultivated plants, peace, and agriculture. Rongo represents the peaceful arts of cultivation that sustain life, standing in contrast to his brother Tu's warlike nature.

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Anat

The young warrior goddess of Ugarit, Baal's sister and fiercest ally, who wades through battle, bullies El into granting Baal a palace, finds Baal's body, and destroys Mot.

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