Gotugimoi (ɡo.tu.ɡi.mo.i)
"Truly, no more blessed island exists than Gotugimoi."
Gotugimoi is a small island in the Mangimoi Archipelago, one of the Nofo Islands. It is the place where the Mangimoi people first emerged into the Great Ring, and they believe that it is sacred and the home of their ancester spirits. While the majority of Mangimoi now live on the much larger island of Gimoi to the west, Gotugimoi is considered to be their true home, and those who can will attempt to visit it at some point during their lives.
The largest settlement on the island is the city of Gotupagi. This was the original capital of the Kingdom of Pagi, before it was moved to Tobel on Gimoi. It is still considered a royal city, and is traditionally the domain of the heir to the throne.
Notable Spirits
According to Mangimoi tradition, the island of Gotugimoi is home to seven of the Hyang, known as the Bibibari. These spirits manifest as beautiful winged maidens, each of whom is the goddess of one seventh of the island. Each month, the Bibibari meet to bathe in one of the island's lakes under the full moon, after laying their wings upon the shore so they will not get wet. Once, a visitor to the island (who may have been Ngofangare, but stories differ) came across the Bibibari while they were bathing, and stole a pair of wings for himself so that he might fly. Once they noticed the wings missing, the other Bibibari pursued the thief, but he had flown beyond the island and they could not follow. They complained to their father, the volcano god of Lamagama, and he raged at the crime, and rained death upon the Mangimoi for their failure to protect his daughters from thieves. Only when the young hero Salumakiki tracked down the stranger and returned the wings did the god calm himself. In some versions of the story the thief had fathered a child while wearing the wings, and that child was born winged and became the ancestor of the Aethry.
Geography
Gotugimoi is a small, round island dominated by the great volcano Lamagama. Earthquakes and other geological activity is common. The foothills around the mountain are covered in clove plantations and tropical forests, and there are several small lakes hidden amongst the trees.
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 0.77 degrees North
Longitude: 16.05 degrees West
Average Elevation: 272 ft
Highest Point: 5,627 ft (Lamagama)
Lowest Point: 0 ft
Area: 62.63 sq mi
Related Articles
Nofo Islands
The northernmost portion of the Mangimoi Archipelago
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
Lovely little myth ;).
Thanks!