Makemake: The Creator God of Rapa Nui and the Birdman Cult

Makemake is the creator god of Rapa Nui, Easter Island, in the eastern Pacific. He was at the centre of the island's birdman cult, one of the most remarkable religious traditions of Polynesia, and in 2008 his name was given to a dwarf planet.

The creator

In Rapa Nui tradition, Makemake created humankind and was the chief god of the islanders in the period after the great age of the moai statues. He is associated with birds, and his image, a face with large eyes, appears carved in the rocks of the island.

The birdman of Orongo

Makemake was honoured through the annual birdman competition, tangata manu, centred on the ceremonial village of Orongo, on the rim of the Rano Kau crater. Each year, competitors raced to bring back the first egg of the sooty tern from the islet of Motu Nui, swimming through shark-filled waters. The leader whose champion succeeded became the birdman for the year, a sacred figure.

Hoa Hakananai'a

The British Museum holds Hoa Hakananai'a, a moai whose back is carved with birdman imagery, taken from Orongo in 1868. The Rapa Nui community has asked for its return, and discussions continue.

A dwarf planet

Makemake, the dwarf planet in the outer solar system, was discovered in 2005, shortly after Easter, and named after the Rapa Nui god in 2008. Like Eris, it is one of the worlds that led astronomers to redefine what a planet is.

Makemake in jewellery

A Makemake design honours the creator god of Rapa Nui and the extraordinary culture of the birdman. Take a look at the AURYN Makemake charm, or read about Pikorua, a Māori design from elsewhere in Polynesia.