Io
1. (personal name) supreme being - some tribes have a tradition of a supreme being, which may be a response to Christianity. However, Io occurs in a number of traditions from Polynesian islands, including Hawai‘i, the Society Islands and the Cook Islands. This suggests a more ancient tradition.
(Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 40-42;)
Kua whāiti te atuatanga ki a Io anake; koia i riro ai Te Toi-o-ngā-rangi hei tapu. I te mea kei a Io-mata-ngaro anake te mana o ngā atua katoa, koia i kīia ai ēnei ingoa ki a ia: Io-nui, Io-wānanga o ngā rangi, Io-te-waiora o ngā mea katoa, Io-taketake o ngā mea katoa, Io-matua o ngā mea katoa (JPS 1923:2). / All atua-like functions centred on Io alone; thus it is that Te Toi-o-ngā-rangi [the uppermost heaven] is so tapu. In consequence of the powers of all the atua being vested in Io-mata-ngaro [the supreme being] alone, he is called by these names: Io-nui [Great Io], Io-wānanga-o-ngā-rangi [Io instructor of the heavens], Io-te-waiora-o-ngā-mea-katoa [Io the health of all things], Io-taketake-o-ngā-mea-katoa [Io the origin of all things], Io-matua-o-ngā-mea-katoa [Io the parent of everything].
See also Io-matua-te-kore, Io-matua-kore
