Mana, I learn is the word for Polynesian clout. A tribal chief has manna. A thief or a liar has no mana--no prestige, no respect. A hero, a person with integrity has mana.
The ancient warring Polynesians were intent on taking away mana from their enemies. Hence, head hunters and cannabils. The ultimate defeat came when your head was separated from your body. Your mana was destroyed.
In ancient Biblical records and records from the Quran, manna is an entirely different thing. It is sustenance, a gift from God.
These two meanings are entirely different. That they sound the same or are close spelling relatives doesn't mean there is a connection. Our taxi driver in Tonga's name was Pita Tamale. It was even pronounced the same way as Mediterranean bread and a standard Mexican dish. Yet they are unrelated and only words that mean different things in different cultures. Like my name in French means pasta, hence a French friend's choice to call me Patricia instead.
At first, I tried to distinguish the difference, but then I couldn't help but see similarity. Manna as defined by Polynesian culture may have nothing to do with Manna, Biblical sustenance from God--and yet, what if integrity is God driven. The choices that take away a person's mana are choices that lack Godly influence.
Mana and manna. Bread or clout--more similar than it first seems. Bread of divine origin may be just what inspires mana.
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