The Legend(s) of The Green Man

The mythical island gods of the Melanesian, Polynesian and Micronesian ancient times have assumed many forms, names and responsibilities all around the Pacific.

The highest ranking of these deities, loosely translated as ‘The Creator’ is named Ta’aroa or Rua-i-tupra in Polynesian culture, as Degei in Melanesian lore and LOA in Micronesian culture (who is also a bit of a drifter). These gods were known to take on various shapes and appearances and island legend has it that one of the more human-like, shapeshifting forms of ‘The Creator’ was as the travelling and solitary ‘Green Man’.

Interestingly, while the islands and cultures were surely different, the stories were eerily the same… for they harken back to a time long before recorded history, where after days of endless rowing, a mysterious figure made landfall at night on an archipelago of islands with no signs of life. Weary from his journey, he immediately entered into a deep slumber. As he awoke to the glorious sunrise warming his face, he realised that he was completely surrounded by wonderful earth, great sun, beautiful waters, but yet, there was no green to be seen anywhere.

At that moment, he reached into his pocket and spread a mix of seeds around him and called out to the transient birds who quickly gathered to him and he commanded them to carry and scatter the seeds all across the islands.

Many ages later, the islands had flourished and had become completely lush and green. All the wonderful tropical elements had burst into a natural paradise with an interior of dense, abundant rainforest surrounded by pure, aquamarine beaches teeming with sealife and adjoined with coconut groves, while small wildlife had begun to settle.

Later, the first settlers would arrive and they passed on stories to successive generations about the repeated sightings of a mysterious rower who arrived only by night and left at dawn’s first light following a heartfelt prayer to The Mother of All Things Natural. The traveller would knowingly smile at what the island had become and then resume his journey.

These people understood that their role was to not only share but also to preserve their beautiful, blessed natural gifts of goodness. They realised that each of them must row and must sow their own seeds in a similar way that brings greater abundance and beauty to all. This is the Nesian way.