Burotu
Encyclopedia
In the Melanesian
mythology of Fiji
, Burotu is the paradise
-underworld
. Newly dead souls are judged by Degei
, and a few go to Burotu. The rest go to Murimuria
.
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
mythology of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Burotu is the paradise
Paradise
Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
-underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
. Newly dead souls are judged by Degei
Degei
In Fijian mythology, Degei , enshrined as a serpent, is the supreme god of Fiji. He is the creator of the world, of fruits, and of men. He judges newly-dead souls after they pass through one of two caves: Cibaciba or Drakulu. A few he sends to paradise, Burotu...
, and a few go to Burotu. The rest go to Murimuria
Murimuria
In Fijian mythology, Murimuria is part of the underworld. After a soul dies, it is judged by Degei. A few go to Burotu, and the rest are thrown into a lake. They eventually sink to the bottom, Murimuria, and are rewarded and punished appropriately....
.
See also
- BuluBulu (Fijian mythology)In Fijian mythology, Bulu is a name for the 'world of spirits' . In the month called Vula-i-Ratumaibulu, the god Ratumaibulu comes from Bulu, the world of spirits, to make the breadfruit and other fruit trees blossom and yield fruit. Ratumaibulu is a god of great importance who presides over...
, said to be the name for the Fijian 'land of death'. - PulotuPulotuIn the mythology of parts of western Polynesia , Pulotu is the underworld, the world of darkness ....
, a similar concept in the Polynesian cultures of Tonga and Samoa