Mana (Oceanian cultures)
Life force energy, power, effectiveness, and prestige in Pacific Island culture / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Melanesian and Polynesian cultures, mana is a supernatural force that permeates the universe.[1] Anyone or anything can have mana. They believed it to be a cultivation or possession of energy and power, rather than being a source of power.[1] It is an intentional force.[1]
Mana has been discussed mostly in relation to cultures of Polynesia, but also of Melanesia, notably the Solomon Islands[2][3] and Vanuatu.[4][5][6][7][8]
In the 19th century, scholars compared mana to similar concepts such as the orenda of the Iroquois Indians and theorized that mana was a universal phenomenon that explained the origin of religions.[1]