B987352101_R 156.pdf
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ANCIENT TAHITI
,
' :
BY
Teuira Henry
Bàsbd on Matériau Rëcordëd by J. M. Orsmond
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum
Bulletin 48
:
PUBLISHED BY THE MuSEuk' '
■,-■
'1928 ■■'■.
JXXLK,
TEUIRA
tIENRY
(1847—1915)
Teuira Henry
Based on Materiai, Recorded by J. M. Orsmond
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum,
Bulletin 48
Pubeished by THE Muséum
HONOLUEU, HAWAII
1928
ib. .' -
CONTENTS
Page
History and Geography of the Society Islands
3
3
4
Introduction
prophecy
Discovery of Tahiti
Early explorers of Tahiti
A
6
10
Wallis’ visit
10
Bougainville’s visit
16
Cook’s visit
Boenecha’s visit
Cook’s return
Boenechea’s return
17
19
ig
22
Langara’s visit
Cook’s last voyage
22
23
24
25
Watt’s visit
Bligh’s visit
Second and third return of the Bounty
Edward’s visit
Later visits
Flora of the Society Islands
Introduction
List of plants
Ancient divisions
neighbors
and
political
relationship of the
26
Society Islands and their
Introduction
Tahiti
Districts of Tahiti-nui
Isthmus of Taravao
Districts of Tai-a-rapu
Ancient subdivisions of Teahuupoo and Tautira
Moorea
Introduction
The upper flesh of the fish
The under flesh of the fish
The fin in the north
The outer border of the fish
The props of the fish
The fin in the south
Chant of Moorea
The leeward islands
Raiatea
Tahaa
Huahine
83
84
87
89
89
90
90
91
93
93
94
94
95
95
98
99
102
Tubai
104
104
Maupiti
Mapihaa, Manuae, and Temiroiniro
105
The Tuamotu Islands
List of islands
General information and history
Order of prestige of Tahiti, Moorea, and the Tuamotu Islands
Raiatea, position and
Comparison of names
106
106
name
Mangareva
Religion
,
Introduction
The marae
International marae
At Raiatea
Comparative folklore
109
113
115
117
117
119
119
H9
119
HQ
127
Hau-pahu-nùi
Attempts to establish marae at Tahiti by Raiatea
National
6g
69
70
70
Porapora
^
29
30
33
33
33
marae
(I)
128
128
131
Page
138
Last Tahitian national marae
Local marae
Marae Mahaiatea
139
139
141
144
144
145
or ancestral, marae
Marae of Tua-Tau
Family,
Social marae
Doctor’s marae
Cures
Canoë builders’ marae
Fishermen’s marae
Ruins of marae
Chant on marae
Marae attendants
The tutelar god
Priesthood
145
146
148
148
,
,
.
--
150
151
153
.
1S3
.
Drums
156
■
157
157
177
Religions ceremonies
Pai-atua and
vaerea
Casting ofï
god
First
fruits
a
Launching the
178
.
Travelers’ prayers and offerings
178
.
canoë
180
182
182
.
Rites for children
The royal heir
Natal ceremonies for other children
Other ceremonies for royal heir
Human sacrifices
Mortal sins
Ideas of a future State
Belief in supernatural influences
Black art
.
,
187
187
196
198
.
.
200
203
203
Magicians and their agencies
Disenchanter
Effects of sorcery
203
2og
,
212
.
Fire walking
In Raiatea
In Fiji
In Rarotonga and New Zealand
In Japan and Tahaa
In Hawaii
The trance of Ariipaea-vahine
Accounts from Raiatea
A rescue
Pebbles thrown at Mana
Accounts from Moorea
214
.
214
.
216
.
217
217
219
.
.
.
220
.
223
223
224
224
225
229
229
.
.
.
.
Auguries
.
Social classes
.
Introduction
Arioi society
.
230
.
History
230
■
Eight orders
234
235
241
■
Practices
Revenge of Maraa
Royal généalogies
Pômare family in Tahiti
.
247
■
247
251
252
■
Branch in Raiatea
Branch in Huahine
■
.
Teururai’s genealogy on his mother’s side
Genealogy of Tehaapapa II on her mother’s side.
Tapoa dynasty of Porapora
Mai family of Porapora
(Il)
257
-
.
.
,
Collateral branch of the Mai family
Ancient family of Marotetini of Porapora
256
-
.
.
258
260
261
262
Page
High chiefs of Tahiti
Ancestors of the Pômare family
Chiefs of Pare
Tuamotuan and Tahitian chiefs connected
Another genealog}' pf the Pômare family
Genealogy of Maraffia of Haapiti, Moorea
Genealogy of high chiefs of Papara
Dirge to Queen Pômare IV
Greetings to King Pômare
The individual
Amusements
Occupations
Clothing
and
marriage
i
Headdress
Ceremonies and customs for the sick and dead
Embalming
on
270
272
273
274
275
280
281
285
287
289
297
297
298
300
land
301
Preliminary ceremonies
301
304
At battle
Naval battle
Resanctification of desecrated land
316
319
Terminology and manner of reckoning
323
Introduction
Numbers
■
268
268
295
Warfare
Introduction
War
267
286
Tattooing
Weapons
Drilling
266
274
Infancy
Betrothal
265
265
323
323
Money
Weights and measures
326
326
Time
Colors and patterns
Chants and legends
Création chants
Création of the World
Another version of the création
Chaotic period
Comparative folklore on the création
Tuamotuan création chant
Tuamotuan account of Tane and Maui
Strife and réconciliation between heaven and earth
Généalogies of the gods
Birth of heavenly bodies
Birth of winds
327
335
336
336
336
339
340
344
347
349
353
355
359
Tane, the man-god
Roo, the messenger
Exchange of sexes between Atea and Faahotu
Birth of more gods
Birth of insects and advent of ghosts
Birth of turtle, fowl, and pig
Incarnations of gods and spirits....
Stone
Trees
Animais
Winds
Order finally established
Tumu or Taaroa exalts Tane
Birth of new lands
Création of man
364
364
369
372
374
380
380
382
382
382
383
392
395
398
399
(III)
402
Page
403
The handsome shark of Taaroa
Discontent of gods in darkness
Attempt to raise the sky
Birth of demigods
404
40S
40/
409
^
Raising of the sky of Rumia
After the sky was raised
Disorder dispelled
4^3
4^5
41°
4^0
420
Division of property
Man
as
an
origin of plants
plants
Miscellaneous
Coconut
Breadfruit
421
423
:
426
The first god’s house
Discovery of fire by friction
Stories of Maui
Maui, the high priest
Maui, the prophet
Noosing the
427
429
429
430
43i
;
Tahiti the fish
Tuamotuan
433
-
Heralding of the fish
Departure of the fish
Cutting the sinews of the fish
433
437
439
-
443
version
443
445
Migration of the gods to Moorea and Tahiti
The deluge
445
Tahitian version
Raiatean version
44^
452
455
Temples after the deluge.’
Tane’s voyage and struggle with Atea
45^
Canoë of Tumu-nui
Ru and his sister Hina
Ru and Hina explore the earth
Sacred canoë song of Ru
Hina
Tahitian circuit of navigation
459
459
461
462
-
Comparative folklore
468
468
473
Voyages of Tumunui, his brothers, and wife
Voyages of Rata
481
495
Tuamotuan version
Honoura
Tuamotuan version
S16
St6
S32
Mangaian version
a
534
famous tree
535
"Wanderings of Ono
Hiro
Son of Raamauriri
Hiro’s great canoë,
537
537
Hohoio
Song of Hiro
Hiro throughout Polynesia
Legend. of Tafai
Comparative folklore
Pele, comparative folklore
;
546
550
552
552
565
Legend of Pai
Tepuaititeirauonini and Mairuru
Legend of Punaauia
Huriitemonoi
The tuna of Lake Vaihiria
A variant
576
578
589
592
607
;
615
619
Legend of great moo of Fautaua
Mootuaraha
Taruia of Tahiti
464
468
Rata
Tahitian version
Tuihiti and Hauvanaa
Ono fells
464
,
,
(iv)
621
622
623
JOHN MUGGRIDGE ORSMOND
(i784[?]—1856)
PREFACE I
Tahiti is far famed yet too
little known. After a hasty glance, some
give descriptions of lands and their native peoples more for
pastime than for research. Certain it is that tlie picture of Tahiti in her
real form lias not yet been made.
She is seen in the flowery pages of
one aiithor and in the ardent graphie description of another, but she is
seen in polished robes, the interesting details of her hidden history not
yet having corne to light in the records of the learned.
The history of Tahiti should be based only on the traditional statements of its people.
Yet in oral traditions allowances must be made for
that diversity of description which people give concerning the same thing.
Obscurity attends the origin of ail things that relate to human imagination
and tradition, and to render heterogeneous details agreeable and instructive
to the reader is a task of no small magnitude; and this vrill be found
to be more especially the case where oral tradition and treacherous memory
were the only means employed by a people to save from oblivion the rec¬
ords of past âges—tlle religions views, the deeds, and customs of their
forefathers—and that with ail their weaknesses, prédilections, and mistakes.
But the judicious will approve of that irregularity which is indispensable
in the verbal details of varions persons, and will wonder that so much
order could be found among the descriptions given by them, with such
fabrications, such conceptions, and such relations. Yet will they not see
in the mists of oral tradition and heathenish deformity a finger pointing
to an âge more refined and better informed and enlightened by the lamp
travelers
of divine révélation ?
Peeling the great importance of crystallizing Tahitian literature in
original simplicity and style of rendering, wherein lies its greatest
charm, I hâve carefully collected the records as they fell from the lips
of priests and bards and other learned natives of both sexes, in doing which,
with pencii and paper in hand, I hâve been struck with the beauty of the
language and the richness of many of the words and figures of speech.
This folklore I hâve carefully revised with the aid of the best native
scholars of ail classes, and to it I hâve added the modem history of Tahiti
from authentic sources and from my own observation.
Hoping that my
Work will meet with the approbation of the great French Republic, I now
place it in her hands for publication under the care of her most esteemed
représentative. Commandant Lavaud.
J. M. Orsmond, 1848.
ali its
(I)
PREFACE II
It is
a
matter
of congratulation by ail
Polynesian ethnologists that at
ancient religion
work should be
invaluable manuscript
of the last
century should hâve been preserved and that his granddaughter, Miss
Teuira Henry, should possess the spécial qualifications required to translate
and edit them.
In this work they hâve preserved the original traditions
of the Tahitian
in the very words in which they hâve been handed
down for many générations by their hereditary priests and bards.
Thus
they hâve done for the Society Islands what Sir George Grey had donc
for the Maoris of New Zealand and Rev. William Gill for the people of
Mangaia, but which has only partially been done for the Hawaiians. Here
student in another country will be able to listen, as it were, to the ancient
Tahitian priests unfolding to him the fundamental religions beliefs of
their
The language in which these legends and poems are expressed
is very archaic and resembles the Hawaiian much more closely than does
the modem dialect of Tahiti. There is a certain grandeur and poetry in
of these ancient chants, particularly in the account of the création,
day such a mass of original information on the
and mythology of Tahiti as is contained in the following
brought to light. It is fortunate that so much of the
records made by Rev. J. M. Orsmond during the early part
this late
race
a
race.
some
which is not surpassed by that of any other
primitive people.
the
of the
light is also thrown upon the early communication between
Society Islands and other groups, and upon the difficult problem
peopling of Polynesia.
New
Ever since the discovery of Tahiti by Wallis the
island has been
descanted on by many writers.
Polynesian Researches, published in
romantic charm of the
The Rev. William Ellis’s
1831, has hitherto contained the best
Tahitians a century ago and of the introduc¬
tion of Christianity among them.
There is, however, no book in existence which covers the ground occupied by this account of a most attractive and interesting country and people.
account of the condition of the
W. D. Alexander.
Honolulu.
(Il)
PREFACE III
The first introduction
by J. M. Orsmond, dated 1848, and the second
by W. D. Alexander show that work on the following pages was begun
over a
century ago. The Reverend J. M. Orsmond of the London Missionary Society, who exercised great activity in various islands of Pplynesia
from 1817 to 1856, died without
having had the satisfaction of publishing
work to which he had devoted
thirty years of research and study and
generously presented to the French Government in 1848. Unfortunately many efforts made since then in Paris to locate the manuscripts which were handed over to the Ministère des Colonies hâve been
a
which he
fruitless.
Miss Teuira
years labored
as
Henry, granddaughter of J. M. Orsmond, who for many
in Tahiti in charge of the mission schools and later in Hawaii
teacher at the
Royal School of Plonolulu, then undertook to
this great work, using for that
purpose ail
notes and original
manuscripts and
ute
researches.
she also
restore
her grandfather’s personal
completing it through her own min¬
She devoted practically her whole life to this
task, but
unable to
its
publication, having died in January, 1915.
Henry’s last wishes that her nephews
and nieces and other relatives are
having her manuscripts published in
their original State, through the
générons help of the Bernice Pauahi
Bishop Muséum of Honolulu, which they sincerely thank for enabling
them to carry out this sacred
duty.
was
see
It is in accordance with Miss
Ed. Ahnnë.
Orsmond PIënry Warkër.
Papeete, Tahiti, April,
1923.
(m)
PREFACE IV
Society Islands that everything pertaining to
disappeared more completely than in any other
It has been saicl of the
the old native culture has
Polynesian group. Wallis, Cook, and Bougainville drew
the "World to Tahiti at a time when the other islands of
the attention of
Polynesia were
barely known; it was the scene of the first efforts of the London Missionary
Society, and as usual, the trading vessel followed the missionary ship. At
a date when most of the islands of the eastern Pacific were still heathen
lands, the Society Islands presented the spectacle of a peaceable, Christian
community, sending ont native missionaries in ail directions on their task
of civilization. The resuit is that knowledge of the culture of this group
is almost entirely limited to what may be obtained from the records of those
whq saw its life a century or more ago.
and to those who sailed with them,
ail that may be hoped for. And more, perhaps, is
A debt is due to the old navigators
for their accounts
due the
not
are
pioneer missionaries like Nott, Williams, and Ellis—men who did
the unique opportunity they enjoyed. But the investigator in
waste
Polynesian field who attempts to reconstruct the ancient life of Tahiti
must add two more names to the list, and acknowledge his deep indebtedness to the Rev. J. M. Orsmond and to his grand-
the
and the neighboring islands
daughter, Teuira Henry.
From an old manuscript written by the Rev. John Muggridge Orsmond
in 1849, and now in my possession, supplemented with information received
from living members of his family, it is possible to reconstruct a brief outline of some of the more important events in the life of this remarkable
man.
He was born about 1784. He was educated for the ministry at
Gosport, England, and on December 23, 1815 was ordained at the King
Street Chapel, Portsea, Hauts. He had then for some time felt strongly
drawn to the missionary field, particularly to the South Pacific, and when
the opportunity offered to go to Tahiti, he at once accepted.
From London,
in the year 1816, he took passage to Cork on a convict ship, and after the
usual expériences of such a voyage—a quickly suppressed revoit of the
convicts, a fire on board, a brief pursuit by Algerian corsairs—he arrived
at Sydney, where he and his first wife. Mary, took passage on the ship Fox
for Tahiti, finally reaching the island of Moorea in April, 1817.
He had
been fortunate on his passage ont from London in finding on board the
vessel several Tahitians who were returning to their homes, through whose
assistance he learned to sjDeak the Tahitian language with considérable
fluency. He appears to hâve completely mastered the language shortly
after his arrivai.
(IV)
On January-6,
1819, Rev. Orsmond lost by death both bis wife Mary and
He married bis second wife, Isabella, in New Soutb Wales,
some time between 1820 and 1823.
According to a tombstone in tbe local
their infant.
cemetery, Isabella died on December 7, 1854, at tbe âge of sixty years.
Orsmond saw tbe people in transition, and bis early and complété mastery
of tbe language enabled bim to make fnll use of tbe cbance be bad imagina¬
tion enougb tq appreciate.
be knew tbem
customs
and
Cbief, priest, arioi, landbolder, and manahune—
ail, listened to what tbey bad to say and recorded words,
legends wbile tbey
were
still fresb in
memory.
Tbe early
Tabitian and Englisb Dictionary publisbed by tbe London Missionary So.ciety
really in tbe main bis work, although it was said to bave been arranged
by tbe Rev. Jobn Davies. William EHis drew on Orsmond’s store of infor¬
mation largely.
Tbe universal esteem in wbicb be was beld by tbe natives
served to open readily many doors tbat were locked to otbers, and enabled
bim to préservé for tbe future priceless records of tbe past.
was
1856, probably in bis 72nd year, wbile
He was buried at sea.
Tbe Rev. Orsmond died April 23,
en
route to Sydney for bis. bealtb.
Henry, tbe fourtb ebild and eldest daugbter of Isaac S. Henry
(Orsmond) Henry, was boni in Tahiti, January 24, 1847. Sbe
was tbus tbe granddaugbter of Rev. J. M. Orsmond and bis second wife
Isabella, and tbe granddaugbter of William Henry, missionary of tbe Duff,
and bis wife Sarab.
Sbe was educated at Mr. and Mrs. Howe’s Missionary
Sebool at Papeete, after wbicb sbe taugbt Frencb and Englisb in tbe Viennot
Sebool, Papeete, for nearly twenty years. Miss Henry was a fluent linguist
and bad made a profound study of tbe old Tabitian language. Sbe spent a
large part of ber time in completing and correcting tbe voluminous papers
of ber grandfatber wbicb bad been left to ber care.
Later Miss Henry
removed to Honolulu, wbere sbe taugbt in tbe primary scbools for over ten
years, receiving a First Class Primary Certificate witb bigb crédits for ber
Teuira
and Eliza
excellent work.
Sbe tben returned to Tahiti, wbere sbe remained until ber
death at Paea, January 23, 1915.
During ber résidence in Plawaii, Miss Henry contributed numerous papers
Journal of tbe Polynesian Society of New Zealand, wbicb gained for
ber a wide and deserved réputation as a Tabitian scholar.
to tbe
J. Frank Stimson.
Papeete, Tahiti, February 5, 1928.
(v)
PREFACE V
Society recomit that Rev. OrsJune 20, 1818, when he joined the Rev.
William Ellis in Huahine, and that in December of the same year he removed
to Raiatea.
On November 13, 1820, he transferred his missionary work to
Boraborad where he remained imtil requested (1824) by the missionaries to
take charge of the South Sea Academy at Afareaitu, Moorea, a school for
the children of missionaries and for the promising native children.
The records of the Eondon ÎVI issionar)^
mond remained in Moorea until
S. Consul at Tahiti, and the young prince,
In 1831 he resigned his tutorship
and moved to Bogue Town, Tahiti.
In December, 1833, he started on a tour
The daughter of Moerenhout, U.
Pômare III, were placed in his school.^
of the out-stations in the Marquesas.^
Accounts of
early missionaries and voyagers to the Society Islands bear
many référencés to
to
the ability of Rev. Orsmond and to his unceasing activi-
Even his most adverse critics pay tribute to his power as a leader and
ties.
his service in teaching useful crafts to the natives.
man
He) is described as a
of ruddy appearance, with driving energy, who by precept and example
endeavored to overcome the native’s natural love of ease and to inspire him
accomplishments not only spiritual but material as well. He enforced
built houses and churches after the European manner, constructed roads and bridges.
To supply materials he did not hesitate to fell
the village breadfruit and coconut trees, as he felt that the bountiful food
supply so near at hand contributed to idleness.* In later years, upon a better
understanding of native character he seems to hâve tempered his methods.
In the harassed times that followed the French occupation of Tahiti,
Rev. Orsmond,. realizing that the English Government was not going to
interfère, opposed the actions of the missionaries in encouraging the natives
to resist the French," thus bringing upon himself the accusation of the
missionaries that he was aiding the French, which resulted in his dismissal
from the London Missionary Society, July 2, 1844.
He was subsequently
to
tempérance,
made Government pastor at Papeete under the French Protestant
That Rev. Orsmond found time in the midst of his busy
Mission.^’
and eventful
life to collect and record so much of Tahitian lore is a tribute to his energy
people among whom he worked.
1822 he recorded the Création Chant of Raiatea. Between' 1824
and 1834 most of the traditions were recorded.
What became of the manuscript commended to Commandant Levaud, as related in Préfacé I, is
and to his interest in the welfare of the
As early as
lîllis, William, Polynesian researclies, vol. 2. p. 317, London, 1839.
Arbousset, Th., Tahiti et les iles adjacentes, p. 145, Paris, 1867.
Sibree, James, The London Missionary Society, 4th ed., London, 1923.
^
Lesson, P., V’^oyage autour du monde, vol. 2, pp. 176-186, Bruixelles, 1839.
^Caillot, A. C. É., Historié de la Polynesie Orientale, Paris, pp. 217, 283, 1910.
®
Lovett, Richard, The history of the London Missionary Society, vol. 1, pp. 319, 331,
don, 1899.
^
2
^
(vi)
Lon¬
believed to hâve been burned among other public docu¬
1850, during the Second French Republic. Monsieur de
QuatrefagesF in bis mémorable work States that he (in about 1866) had
access to a part of the manuscript.
Translations of these references follow :
unknown.
ments
It
was
about
Tliese details, so remarkably précisé, I hâve borrowed from a manuscript kindly
intrusted to me by Monsieur le General Ribourt, to whom we owe the majority of the
documents collected during the administration [of the Protectorate Government of Ta¬
hiti] by Admirai Lavaud, and who took advantage of his sojourn in Tahiti to collect
the material for a monograph of this island and its inhabitants. Unfortunately, ai great
part of these manuscripts hâve been lost.
.
.
.
whicW Monsieur le General Ribourt has kindly let me see are ail
the more precious because several are in the very handwriting of Mr. Orsmond, that
English missionary of whom I hâve spoken and whom Monsieur Gaussin and Mr.
Moerenhout regard as being the European most versed in Polynesian tradition. It is
evidently from the same source that other information, written by a different hand, has
been borrowed.
The manuscripts from the hand of Mr. Orsmond hâve principally
in view a rapid tracing of the customs and characteristics of the natives.
The manuscripts
.
.
.
During her stay in Hawaii (1890-1905), Miss Henry is reported to hâve
Résidence in Flonolulu gave access
to literature not available in Tahiti, eiiabling her to make comparative Poly¬
worked unceasingly on this manuscript.
nesian studies.
The privilège of presenting this valuable work has been afforded Bernice
Bishop Muséum through the generosity of the heirs of Miss Henry, as
represented by the late Orsmond H. Walker and Mr. Ed Ahnne, who hâve
presented the manuscript to the Muséum, asking only that the material so
painstakingly collected be made available by publication to stridents in Poly¬
nesian history and ethnology. The Muséum has agreed to publish the manu¬
script entire, deleting only a few pages which hâve already appeared in the
Polynesian Journal.
P.
As received, the
manuscript was
a
collection of disconnected sections,
dealing with a particular subject. A few pages were missing. In
compiling this posthumous work, every effort has been made to retain the
original intact, only such éditorial changes as seem obviously necessary for
clarity being made—such changes as might well be expected the author would
make were she preparing it finally for the printer.
The order has been
changed, modem spécifie plant names hâve been supplied by Dr. Forest B. H.
each
Brown for obsolète ones, and in a few
places corrections hâve been made
later knowledge. Ail comments not included in the original manuscript
appear as footnotes signed
“Editor.” It is évident that some of the native text, typed by one unfamiliar
with the language, was not proofread by the author.
Many inaccuracies
appear.
An attempt to correct obvions errors in the Tahitian has been made
of scientific statements erroneous in the light of
Quatrefages, A., de, Les Polynésiens et leurs migrations, pp.
57,
182, Paris, 1866.
by the combinée! efforts of Dr. E. S. C. Handy, Mr. Kenneth P. Emory,
Mrs. Marguerite Emory, Mrs. Maeva Doty.
Dr. Handy comments that in
the translation of Tahitian place names and personal names, the aiithor has
given for many an obvions translation which may convey only one of many
possible meanings. In accordance with an understanding with the heirs of
the authors, the original notes upon which the manuscript was based vvill be
placed in Bishop Muséum, where they will be available to stridents.
EdiTor.
Honolulu, April,
1928.
( VIII )
Ancient Tahiti
By Teuira Henry
HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF THE SOCIETY ISLANDS
INTRODUCTION
Lying in the deep blue sea of southeastern Polynesian and exteriding
between 7° SCy and 27° 38' S. and 130° and 156° W., are the romantic
of the French possessions in Oceania, which comprise the
Society Islands, most of the Tuamotus, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas,
island groups
and the Australsd
157° 20' W., are
commonly known as the Society Islands,
extending from southeast to northwest, their mountain peaks towering
high into the guardian clouds and their green islets standing out from
the silvery capped sea that breaks upon their protecting reefs.
On the
southeast side, between 17° 29' and 17° 47' S., and 151° 56" and 151° 30' W.
stands the island of Tahiti, composed of two peninsulas, which is famed for
lier grand, unrivalled beauty as “Queen of the Pacific,” and which nature
has happily crowned with a romantic circle of central peaks called The
Diadem.
Nine miles from her northwestern shore looms up the smaller
and less majestic but not less beautiful island of Mo’orea, one in history
with her.
These with the little high island of Meeti’a, about seventy miles
southeast of Tahiti, Mai’ao-iti, forty miles Southwest of Mo’orea, and the
cluster of islets of Tetiaroa, about thirty miles north of Tahiti, form the
windward group.
In the northwest, separated by a channel of ninety miles,
are the twin islands of Huahine-nui and Huahine-iti, encircled by one reef ;
beyond which stand Ra’iatea and Taha’a, also enclosed in one reef ; and
Porapora, Maupiti, the islets of Tupai or Motu-iti, Mapihaa, or Mapetia
(also called Mopelia or Lord Howe’s Island by foreigners), Manu’ae, or
Scilly Island, and Temiromiro, or Bellingshausen. These comprise the leeSituated between 16° 30' and 17° 47' S. and 148° and
the verdant twin groups now
ward group.
Attendant upon
Tahiti, the “Queen of the Pacific,” is her royal train
of more than eighty wondrous atolls and islets of the Tuamotu^Archipelago.
They extend in a graceful line from the northwest to the southeast of
^
Most of these islands are mentioned in the legend about the birth of new lands (pp.
399), and the meaning of their names is given.
^
Tuamotu (Ocean-of-islets) is sometimes called Pa’u-motu (Shoal-of-islets).
347,-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
4
Tahiti, between 14° and 24° S. and 136° and 151° W., with the waving
plumes and swordlike crests of the coco palms overhead, and beds of coral,
of brilliant hues, and pearl oysters encircling their shores. The low islands
of the Tuamotus, thickly disseminated through the center of the group,
were called “The Labyrinth” by Admirai Roggewein, who passed that way
in 1722. Fifty-six of these islands hâve been dependencies of Tahiti from
the time of King Pômare I, and were partly poprilated by the Tahitian
people.
A PROPHECY’
Opoa, at one of the last great gatherings of the Hau-pahu-nui, for
worship, before the arrivai of European ships, a strange thing
happened during our solemn festivity. Just at the close of the pa’i-atua
At
idolâtrons
there came a whirlwind which plucked ofï the head of a tall
spreading tamanu tree, named Paruru-mata’i-i-’a’ana (Screen-from-wind-ofaggravating-crime ), leaving the bare trunk standing. This was very
remarkable, as tamanu wood is very hard and close-grained. Awe struck
the hearts of ail présent.
The représentatives of each people looked at
those of the other in silence for some time, until at last a priest of Opoa
named Vaità (Smitten-water) exclaimed. B, homa, eaha ta 'outou e feruri
nei?
(Friends, upon what are you meditating?) Te feruri nei i te
tapa’O O teie ra’au i mohi nei; a’ita te ra’au nei i niotu mai te po au’iu’i
mai.
(We are wondering what the breaking of this tree may be ominous
ceremony,
®
In 1823, by two priests of Porapora, Auna-iti and Vai-au, were made these statements,
which were also generally affirmed by the natives when the missionaries arrived among them.
For other versions see pp. 9, 430.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
of ; such a
5
thing has not happened to our trees from the remotest âges),
the people replied.
Then Vaità feeling inspired proceeded to tell the
event:
Te ite nei au, tei mua ia’u nei te
aura’a o teie nei peu maere rahi ! Tena
mai te fanau’a ’una’una na te Tumu, e
haere mai e hi’o i teie uru ra’au i
I
E tino ’ê to ratou,
ho’e ana’e rà huru,
no te tumu mai, e e riro teie nei fenua
ia ratou. E mou teie ha’apaora’a tahito
nei, e e tae mai ho’i te manu mo’a o
te moana, e te fenua nei, e haere mai
e
tino ’e to tatou,
ta’iha’a
ha’api’i nei.
i
ta
teie
ra’au
i
motu
before
me
the
meaning of this
strange event!
There are coming the
glorious children of the Trunk (God),
who will see these trees here, in
Tapu¬
tapuatea.
In person, they differ from
us, yet they are the s'ame as we, from
Taputapuatea nei.
e
see
meaning of this strange
the
Trunk, and they will
possess
this
land.
There will be an end to our
présent customs, and the sacred birds
of sea and land will corne to mourn
over
what this tree that is severed
teaches.
e
This unexpected sj^eech amazed the
priests and sages, and we enqttired
people wère to be found. Te haere mai nei na nTa i te ho’e
pahi ama ’ore (They are coming on a ship without an outrigger), was
Vaità’s reply. “We hâve seen ships that men hâve learned to build from
Hiro, but they always hâve outriggers or they would upset, and how can
what you say be true?” we said. Then a
high priest of Huahine, named
Tereroa, derided Vaità and told him he had gone back to childhood or was
insane; and two other priests of Opoa, named Hua-tere and Fa’aarahia,
reasoned with him against such a statement, and
finally the dignitaries ail
dispersed, none being convinced that Vaità spoke the truth. Soon King
where such
Tamatoa heard of the discussion and
and
sent
for Vaità to
corne
to his house
explain the matter to him; so he went willingly, and there he found
his brother priests and a great
throng who had assembled to hear him.
Vaità was received kindly by the
king, who however was doubtful of what
he said. Then in order to illustrate the subject,
Vaità, seeing a large umete
(wooden trough) at hand, asked the king to send some men with it and
place it balanced with stones in the sea, which was quickly donc, and there
the umete sat upon the waves with no
signs of upsetting amid the applauding shouts of the people.
But anger raged in the hearts of ail of us
priests, save Fa’aarahia, who,
.with the king, sided with the
majority of the people; and then we parted,
we priests
swearing vengeance upon him in the event of his prédiction
proving false. But we had not long to wait for its fulfillment.
There was also a priest of Ra’iatea named Teitei, who told
King
Tamatoa that there would
corne a time when the restrictions on food for
would cease, and they would be free to eat turtle and ail other
food sacred to the gods and men. This
prédiction was also received with
women
incredulity, but was verified with the introduction of Christianity in the
land.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
6
DISCOVERY OF TAHITI
On the
divided.
subject of the discovery of Tahiti opinions
hâve long been
Some eminent writers bave attributed the honor to
the famous
Spanish navigator, Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, in 1606; others, to the
distinguished English navigator, Wallis, who visited the island in 1767.
An Englishman, James Wilson, Captain of the ship “Duff,” States,^ “As
the Spanish explorers make no mention of the island of Mo’orea, which
they would hâve seen, sailing as they say to the northwest of Tahiti, their
utter silence on that point involves the identity of the latter in doubt.”
Furthermore, EHis
States that Wallis discovered' Tahiti.
The islands
within the vicinity of Tahiti which the Spanish explorers discovered, they
named Conversion del San Pablo, Decena, Sagitaria, and Fugitiva.
(See
p. 8.)
Young Tahitians are taught that the discoverer was the English
Wallis.5
owing to careful investigation ainong Spanish and English authors
by the gallant Mr. X. Caillet, Lieutenant de Vaisseau, who made Tahiti
his home and was well acquainted with ail the Society and Tuamotu
islands, that this question has been satisfactorily solved and accepted in
favor of Wallis by modem Erench geographers.
He has kindly permitted me to quote from his article.®
It is
“These publications are
interesting from more than one standpoint, and they throw out the patriotic impartiality of their authors. English writers attribute to Quiros the
discovery of Tahiti, and the Spanish geographers render Wallis the honor
of this discovery; but the glory of Quiros does not remain the less
brilliant!”
He explains that the course that Quiros took has been difïicult to trace, as it was at a time when the art of navigation was in its
primitive stage, and latitude and longitude were not accurately marked.
Nautical charts, by Mercator, did not corne into use until the year 1639;
Halley’s octant did not appear until 1731; Napier’s logarithms, invented
in 1614 and perfected by Briggs, Gellibrand, and Gunter, came into use
in 1633; scientific docks, by Huygens, only date from 1667 and 1675;
and the chronometer, invented by John Harrison, came into notice in
1750. Eor these reasons it is évident why Mandana after having discov¬
ered the Solomon Islands in 1567 was unable to find them again on his
voyage in 1595. Caillet cites from his researches as follows:
Of his
■*
®
of information, Caillet says:
,
Wilson, James, A missionary voyage to tlie Soutliern Pacific Océan, I^ondon, 1799.
Kllis, William, Polynesian researches, 2 vols., London, 1829.
Picquenot, F. V., Géographie physique et politique des establissements Française de l’Oceanie,
1900.
Picquenot is a high French official and Officer d’Academie.
Journal officiel des etablissements Français de l’Oceanie, Tahiti, May 29,
published for the benefit of the French Navy.
Paris,
was
sources
®
1884. The article
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
7
Duncan' says
that, turning to the northwest on the ninth of Febriiary,
1606, Quiros saw in the east, latitude 18° 40', land, which was named Santa
Polina, and on the tenth he discovered Tahiti, which he called Sagitaria.
Findlay in his South Pacific Directory, States that on the tenth of
Fehruary, 1606, the Spanish saw in rainy weather, a low island, the point
of which extended southeast and
covered with
palm trees. To this
island, Torres and Torquemeda gave no name, but in the list of Quiros
it is called
In
was
Sagitaria.
letter written from Manila
by Luis Vaes de Torres, who comships under Quiros, he States that that island was in
latitude 10° 30', that it was entirely low and
partly covered with water—
probably the island which they named San Pablo—and that from thence
they continued their course to the northwest, passing latitude 16° 30' and
a
manded
one
onwards to
of the
10°
14'.
But he does not mention the other three islands,
Decena, Sagitaria, and Fugitiva, noted by his countrymen.
Beltran y Rozpide wrote a critical
essay ® on the discovery by Quiros
of four islands in the Tuamotus, which were named San
Pablo, Decena,
Sagitaria, and Fugitiva, and which Beltran y Rozpide affirms geographers
hâve confounded with Tahiti of the Society Islands.
records of the voyage of Quiros in the
His references are the
journal of the expédition written by
Gonzales de Leza and the manuscript
by Luis de Belmonte, archivai secretary of Quiros. Rozpide says that after discovering several islands of
the Tuamotu Archipelago between
parallels 25° and 18° 30' S., Quiros
encountered on the tenth of
February, 1606, the first inhabited island,
to which he gave the name of La Conversion del
San Pablo.
The
Spanish were received kindly by the natives, and they lingered there two
days. On February 12, 13 and 14, respectively, they sighted three other
islands, which they named Decena, Sagitaria, and Fugitiva.
In his journal Gonzales de Leza
(under Quiros) says that the Spanish
saw on the
twelfth, lying five or six leagues north of San Pablo, an island
which appeared to be small and which
they avoided; this was Decena. At
noon on the
following day, about twenty leagues northwest of San Pablo,
they sighted Sagitaria, but could not approach it because of the wind which
varied between northeast and
northeast-by-east. At daybreak on the
fourteenth, five leagues east of them, appeared a large island, Fugitiva,
which in appearance resembled the others.
They could not tell whether
these three islands were inhabited or not.
Of them, Belmonte notes that as soon as those
of their number who
visited the island of San Pablo had returned to their
ship, the captain
Sydney Herald, February 20, 1875, taken from the work called Universal
in the Bibliotheca
Biography, tome 36,
Hispana, and from other works on the ancient explorers.
*
Geog. Soc. o£ Madrid, Bull., Oct., 1882.
’
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
8
night so as to remain on the side of the
people were, but his plans were overruled by the pilot,
who said it would be préférable to go before the wind, which varied
from east to northeast.
This they did. The following day, passing an
island that could not be 'approached, they named it Decena.
It was the
same during the two following days, with two others, the nearer one of
which they named Sagitaria, and the farther one Fugitiva.
They found
themselves in about latitude 14° at this juncture.
wished
to
heave to
for the
island where the
In brief,
Caillet States that “this consciencious dissertation” is
a
ray
light thrown upon the course taken by Quiros from the tenth to the
fourteenth of February, 1606; for it proves clearly that the four islands
seen
by that navigator between parallels 18° and 14°’ S., are in the
Tuamotus. It fixes almost to a certainty their respective positions, and it
cites Hao as the island corresponding to that given by Belmonte and Leza
of
as
La Conversion ciel San Pablo.
He concludes :
According to Terres, La Conversion del San Pablo, which the Spanish visited, is
low island partiy covered with water. It therefore does not resemble the “Qtieen of
the Islands' of Oceania.” They sighted the other islands within five or six leagues of
a
Tahiti they would hâve been struck
from the
Fugitiva,
resemble each other.
In the Tuamotu Archipelago, to which belong the first islands
seen by Quiros, are diverse islands from Hao i8° to Rangiroa 15° S-, the situations
and nature of which are almost identical with those given by Leza and Belmonte, as
the four islands named San Pablo, Decena, Sagitaria, and Fugitiva, which are the
object of the learned essay by Beltran y Rozpide.
their ship, and had any one of them resembled
with the appearance of its lofty, fantastic mountains, rendering it so different
others of their discovery. But according to Leza, ail these islands, even to
Moreover, we may also observe that the island named San Pablo had
prominent point extending southeast, which was covered with coconut
trees.
This is like Hao but does not agréé with the appearance of the
southeast coast of Tahiti, where stands the great green-clad headland of
Tai’arapu rising to an imposing height from the sea, without coconut
trees.
San Pablo had a sandy isthmus, which was submerged by the sea
at high tide, and they looked in vain in its vicinity for fresh water; the
isthmus of Taravao, uniting the two Tahitian peninsulas, stands fortyfive feet above the sea level from the proximity of its borders, its soil is
rich and luxuriant and not sandy, and it is well watered with clear rivulets
flowing into the sea on either side. They found no haven for their ship
and with difficulty landed their boat.
South of Taravao is a spacious
lock of beautiful bays with a .safe entrance through the friendly reef
outside; on the northern coast, to the right and left, are also safe harbors for ships, and boats and canoës hâve free access to the shpres of
either side.
They had to search for the inhabitants and found but few,
a
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
which
expérience of Wallis, Bougainville, Cook, and ail
explorers, who were soon surrounded by natives with canoës
was
the later
9
not like the
tliey approached the shores of Tahiti.
More décisive proof that Wallis vras the discoverer of Tahiti is given
by George Collingridge” as follows :
as
“No estara dem’as recordar que este descubrimiento realizado por el Ingles Wallis,
1767 est solo anterior en cinco anos al vieje de Boenechea.” (Descubrimiento de la
Oceania por los Espagnoles, page 75.)
The translation is : It will not be superfluous
to notice that this discovery by the Englishman Wallis, in 1767, is anterior only five
years to the voyage of Boenechea.
(Discovery of Oceania by the Spanish.“)
en
Finally, information concerning their first discoverer, which has been
found in the
handed down from parent to child until almost forgotten, is
records of the Tahitians themselves.
Their version follows :
The ancient native hi’ohi’o (seer or prophet) named Pau’e (Much
gone), who was well known in Tahiti, said: “Te haere mai nei te tamarii a
tetua'^^ 'una’nna na te ho’e va'a ama ’ore, 0 te vehi Ma mai te upo’o e tae
roa i te ’avae.”
(There are coming children of the glorious princess, by a
canoë without an outrigger, who are covered from head to foot.)
King
Pômare I, hearing him say so, enquired how a canoë without an outrigger
could hold its balance and not upset; so to illustrate his subject, Pau’e took
an ’umcte (wooden trough)
and set it afloat with a few stones placed in
it in a pool of water close by; then turning to the King he said, “What
will upset that ’uniete without an outrigger.
It is balanced by its breadth,
and so also is the canoë without an outrigger that is coming.”
Then the
spectators applauded, as the matter was satisfactorily explained.’^Three days afterwards Pau’e died, and a little later the “Dolphin”
arrived with Captain Wallis,’^’’ when the people exclaimed, “Tera mai te va’a
(There is the canoë
outrigger of Pau’e, and there are the children of the glorious
princess!) As the “Dolphin” lay in Matavai Bay, facing the promontory
of Taharaa called by Wallis and Cook One-tree-hill,i^ her stern was compared to the appearance of the rock that projects from the outer side of the
tunnel-like cave of the extreme end of the bluff, a comparison that fixed
_the memory of the historié ship in the minds of the Tahitians for généra¬
ama
’ore a Pau’e, e tera te tamari i a te tua ’una’una!”
without the
tions afterwards.
®
Collingridge of Plornsby, New South Wales, and a member of the Polynesian Society, îs a
Personal frieiid of Beltran y Rozpide, to whom he is indebted for much information found in original
Spanish manuscripts, documents, diaries of officers in command, and other authentic records preserved in Spain in the “Biblioteca de la Real Academia de la Historia.”
Translated by Marques, further cited.
Tetua is an ancient title équivalent to princess, shown in the Tahitian dictionary, and does
not mean the god, te atua, for which some people mistake it.
On page 5 is also a prédiction of a canoë without an outrigger, and another by Maui (page
430)» where the prédiction goes still further and describes a steam tug as a canoë without cordage.
Wallis is Uariti in Tahitian.
A solitary tree (p. 12) that stood among ferns upon the liill gave rise to this naine; it was
an
Erythrina, “a new kind” from what the navigators had seen in other lands.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
lo
Pau’e aiso said :
“E
tae
mai te ho’e ari’i api, e
riro teie nei hau ia’na,
peu ê ana’e te tupu i teie nei fentia; e mo’e te tapa e te i’e i Tahiti nei,
e ahu te ta’ata i te tahi atu mau ahu
papa’a” (There will corne a new
e
e
e
king to whom this government will be given, and new manners will be
adopted in this land; the tapa and the cloth-beating mallet will go ont of
in Tahiti, and the people will wear
different, foreign clothes).
use
These prophesies
fail to
are still recorded by the Tahitians, and
they cannot
impress the foreign mind with their unique and accurate descrip¬
tion of what afterwards came to
pass.
The course which Quiros took, being made clear
by the Spanish themhigh islands lying in
the extreme southeast of the Tuamotu
Archipelago and in a southeasterly
direction from Tahiti, were not sighted
by Fernandez in 1572, as some
early writers hâve surmised. Records show that he took the same course
later taken by Quiros through the Tuamotus. The honor of
the discovery
of the Gambier Islands
naturally falls to its claimant, Captain Wilson of
the “Duff,” who sighted and coasted them on the
twenty-fourth of May,
1797. He named them after Admirai Lord Gambier, who had
greatly aided
the London Missionary Society in their
missionary expédition to Polynesia, and he named the two highest peaks of the group, which are almost
equal in height, Duff’s Mountains, after his ship. The higher one, rising
selves, shows that the Gambier group, which
are
1,315 feet above sea level, still retains the name Mount Duff.
EARLY EXPLOREES OF TAHITP
Wallis’s Visit
Captain Wallis, commanding the ship “Dolphin,” in which Captain
as lieutenant, chanced to
approach Tahiti on the eastern
side, he first discovered (June 19, 1767) the island of Meetia, which is composed of volcanic rock and rises steeply 1,312 feet above the sea. According to his description, it resembles a high crowned hat from one point of
As
Cook then sailed
view, and a house roof from another.^
Passing onwards, he sighted Tahiti in the northwest with its two
towering peninsulas looming up like separate islands. Coasting Tai’arapu
the “Dolphin” was soon overtaken
by many canoës, bearing more than
eight hundred men. For almost with the speed of telegraphy the news
spread to the neighboring districts of the approach of the strange ship,
^
Basée! on
of their arrivai
material from
Tahiti.
in
the
works
of
early
explorers
of
the
Pacific,
giving
the
order
Wilson, James, A missionary voyage to the Southern Pacific Océan,
1799; Wallis,
Samuel, An account of a voyage around the world, London, 1773; and London,
researches of George
Collingridge.
2
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
11
prophet had told them was coming, which accounts for so
many canoës assembling in one place to meet them as they approached
the land.
Soon ail Tahiti was awakened to the event. After holding a
consultation at a little distance, the natives approached the ship, headed by
a man who held tip a banana shoot, which to them was an effiigy of their
own persons, and who called “Ta’ata, o mei’a roa” (Man long banana), and
after speaking for about a quarter of an hour he dropped it into the sea,
signifying that their intentions were friendly, and that the sea was sacred
to ail, for the Tahitians regarded it as a great moving marae or temple.
which their
On their part, the white men showed by signs that they reciprocated the
friendship and wished the natives to visit their ship. Soon a fine young
native ventured on board hy climbing up the mizzen chains and jumping out
of the shrouds on to the top of the awning, where he remained for a while
facing his hosts. They showed him trinkets and made other inducements
to encourage him to descend among them, which he finally did.
But he
would not accept anything until joined by a friend who followed him and
stood by his side. While they were becoming less shy, an amusing incident
took place.
Approaching them from behind, a he-goat butted the first
visitor, and when both looked round and saw a horned animal, new and
strange to them, standing on its hind legs ready for a second attack, in
terror they leaped over the bulwark of the ship and without looking back
swam ashore.
But they soon recovered themselves and returned to the ship,
where they were joined by many other natives, who scrambled over the
side, not knowing the proper entrance, and who, carrying banana shoots
in their hands for the same purpose as
before, threw them down upon the
making short addresses to the ship’s company. They became
interested in ail new things. Goats and sheep surprised them, but on seeing
hogs and fowls they made signs that they had such animais at home. They
soon began to take everything they could lay their hands on.
While a
young midshipman was talking by signs to one man, another snatched his
gold-laced cap from his head and then leaped over the bulwarks of the
ship into the sea and swam away with it to the shore.
deck after
Tahiti, signifying “it is Tahiti,” which a native
the question, “What land is this?” these
explorers made a natural mistake in writing the name of the island
“Otaheiti,” which with the English pronunciation instead of the Latin
(adopted since then), closely resembles the real Tahitian name. This is
also true of most Tahitian words to which letters were first applied by
foreign writers.
From the two words, o
would hâve said in responding to
During the night, Captain Wallis succeeded in reaching the eastern
peninsula, and in the morning as he sailed along the
side of the greater
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
12
he
again followed by numerous canoës and people; and traffic
for trinkets, axes, etc., was soon established between
them. As the boats were
employed in sounding for an anchorage near the
sunken reef along the northeastern coast, the
natives thinking they were
coast
was
for food in
exchange
éncroaching attacked them from their canoës, endeavoring to drive them
away by pelting them with stones.
So a gun was discharged in the midst
of the canoës, and one maii was wounded
in the shoulder, which scattered
them for a short time.
The ship at last found
anchored and remained more than two
a roadstead, where she
On seeing the boats continue
to Sound towards the
north, the natives, watching them with a jealous
eye, became still more hostile and attacked them
again with stones. A
skirmish ensued, and the natives once more
repulsed with guns were terrorstricken on seeing one of their number killed and
another wounded.
days.
Notwithstanding this disaster, friendly relations and traffic
restored, and the white men had to contend only with the
sities of the natives.
Once when
handles was sent up a stream for
their help in filling th'em; but
rest for
themselves.
a
boat with
a
were
soon
pilfering propennumber of barrels with
water, a number of native men proffered
they returned only two and carried away the
This circumstance illustrâtes the coolness with
which
these primitive people possessed themselves of
they desired.
anything foreign to them that
In their homes they generally trusted one another and were
habituai thieves ; but they
imagined that
from the abundance of white men’s
not
property.
they could help themselves
Arriving at Ha’apape in the north on the 23rd, Wallis doubled the cape,
Venus, and in entering the beautiful harbor of Matavai
Bay, the “Dolphin” struck the treacherous, deep-sea rock called To’a-’o-Hiro
(Hiro’s-rock), where she remained stranded for about an hour and was
surrounded by many hundreds of canoës with curions
spectators anticipatsince called Point
ing to see her wrecked.
But
very little damage she was
reef. As a resuit of this
a
favorable land breeze sprang up, and with
safely anchored and sheltered by land and
incident, Hiro’s Rock is now known on maps as
Dolphin Rock. When the ship was moored abreast of the stream of
water to the left of Tahara’a, or One-tree-hill
(page lo), a lieutenant,
named Furneaux, landed and erected
upon the peaceful shore of the bay a
British pennant, thus formally
taking possession of the island on behalf of
his king. George III, after whom he named it.
The bay was named Port
Royal.
soon
After this ceremony the British drank the
king’s health with
water, the water coming from the cool stream.
Then
rum
and
they perceived two
old men, spectators on the
opposite side of the stream, who seeing they were
observed crouched in an
imploring attitude.
After the British invitée! them
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
13
to their side
by friendly signs, one of the men, who had a long white
very timidly.
They treated him kindly and
then left him on the shore and returned to the
ship, while many native
people, unseen in the woods, were observing everything.
over
beard, ventured to comply
When left alone, the old
man
with the beard went up to the flagstaff,
threw green boughs around it, and danced for some time.
Then about
dozen other men approached it in a crouching attitude ; but on
a
seeing the
flag move with the wind they scattered as if frightened, and after gazing
at it from a distance disappeared for a while.
They returned with two large
hogs, which they laid at the foot of the flagstaff, and danced for some
time, after which the old man first mentioned took the hogs to the ship,
presented them to Wallis, would accept nothing in exchange, and soon
returned to the shore.
These actions indicated feelings of awe, mingled
with défiance to the flag and conciliatory résistance to
foreign aggression,
of which they had suspicions.
In the
night, after the chiefs and counselors had held a consultation,
they assembled the people of their district, formed a large torchlight pro¬
cession, and went heralded with drums and, conch trumpets
instruments of noise to bear away the flag on its staff. As
and other
they occasionally
had pennants on canoës and on land to assert their
prestige, the natives had
conceived a fair idea of what the ceremony by the British
meant; hence the
hostility they manifested on the following days. Unwittingly they paid to
this Symbol of British power the highest honor that
they could hâve bestowed upon it by attaching it to the royal girdle of red and
yellow
feathers of the high chief, Amo (AVink) of Papara. Amo was then exercising sway over Ha’apape, the scene of action, as his wife, Purea, was
chiefess of that district. For years afterwards this
foreign relie remained
a choice addition to the ancient
insignia of a royal pedigree of direct descent
from the gods.
The following day, as the ship was warping nearer shore, the natives,
considering that the newcoiners were encroaching still more upon them,
renewed their hostilities and sought the aid of their
gods to drive them
away.
the
About three hundred war canoës with two thousand men surrounded
ship, and a man (probably a priest) who sat upon an awning over a
boarded the ship holding in his hand a red and yellow feather
amulet, called an ’ura-tatae (executive-’ura-feathers). This amulet had been
consecrated to the gods and was regarded as a potent means of
bringing tbeir
aid to bear against the offenders, to whom he
presented it. Supposing this
to be an act of
friendship, the British kindly received the man and accepted
the charm. The man then suddenly left the ship and returned to the shore.
canoe^
®
Wallis, Samuel, An account of a
voyage
around the world, pl. 21, London,
1773.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
14
There he threw down a coconut branch
as a signal of success, and triumphant shouts rent the air while more war canoës pushed ofï to join the
others ; and to the surpidse of the British they found themselves pelted
with heavy stones, some weighing two pounds, adroitly hurled in slings,
with the resuit that several of the ship’s company, who fortunately were
soniewhat protected by awning and rigging, were badly hurt and bruised.
The British were obliged to bring the great gnns into action, and after being
thus repulsed several times the natives, scarcely yet daunted, and filled with
wonder at a people who had concentrated thunder and lightning at their
command, dispersed and fled inland over the hills.
from the “Dolphin” was sent up the river
barrels to fill with water, and while the boatmen were occupied
with
with
them, there came from ail directions men creeping through the woods to
molest them.
They were seen from the ship and were also seen in time
by the boatmen, who at once left their barrels in the water and rowed out
into the sea for safety amid the shouts of the natives, who took possession
In the morning a boat
some
of the barrels and would not return them to the boat.
So the boat returned
ship for safety. Soon the shore was alive with people, and in spite
of their former repuise, numerous war canoës approached, carrying bags of
stones for action; and ttpon the hills in the distance were seen women and
children seated to witness the conflict. Then the stone pelting commenced,
and as a canoë, upon which stood a warrior leader, was making for the
bows of the ship, a gun was fired upon it, breaking the hull in two.
Soon
a few more big guns were fired ofï, showing their power and how far they
could reach, which dispersed the multitude.
When ail was quiet, some
men were sent on shore to destroy as a punishment several of the canoës
that lay there, many of which were sixty feet long and three feet wide.
Thus ended decisively the struggle for mastery between the two parties.
Four natives unfortunately had been killed.
to
the
The
following day, the natives carried to the shore a conciliatory offering, which consisted of eleven large pigs, several rolls of cloth, and some
dogs with their fore legs tied above their heads. The natives beckoned to
the ship’s company to fetch the gifts fearing to take them on board them¬
selves.
Seeing the dogs hopping about on the sand and imagining that they
were some strange kind of animais, the British were induced soon to comply
with the invitation. They accepted the hogs and cloth but released the dogs,
not knowing what they could do with them.
Though they hâve long since
ceased to be used for that purpose, in those days dogs were eaten as a
delicacy by the Tahitians.
not
By this time the chief, Amo, had had enough of the foreigners and
knowing what next to expect retired to his own district, Papara, in
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
the South.
15
But Purea l'emained in her domains, hospitably receiving Captain
Wallis and his
people and caring for their sick, whom she ordered to be
house.'* The roof of this house was covered
with thatch of fara, and the ground floor was bestrewn with long soft
grass, upon which lay mats, rolls of tapa, and comfortable bedding.
Soon
the white men were made very comfortable, Purea
insisting upon clothing
them in tapa and having every care taken of them.
They were treated with
massage with coconut oil and other native remedies, so that in a few
days they recovered their health and returned to the ship.
carried inland to the guest
From an act of hospitality shown by Purea to Wallis, in which she held
in her hand a banana leaf
as
she addressed him and
his disposai, he supposed her to be queen
placed her district at
of ail Tahiti, and interpreted the
Symbol to mean that she surrendered the island to him.® But the previous
clearly that Purea alone could not hâve tamely
done this and similar ceremonies with later arrivais explain the
spirit of her
action.
Purea was seconded in her attentions to the visitors
by men of
influence in her realm, notably, Tupaia (Beaten) of Ra’iatea, her high
priest, who was exceedingly intelligent, and Hau (Peace), a petty chief of
the district.
When provisions became scarce at Matavai, Hau obtained
them for the ship from neighboring districts, and he also served as a
guide
in an exploring expédition into the interior of Tahiti, headed
by Mr. Gore,
a scientist of the
ship.
conduct of the people shows
Of the morals of those handsome ancient Tahitians,
among whom Purea,
splendid type of her race, moved in queenly dignity, much has been said.
Sentiments of hospitality sanctioned their code of morals, which was not
improved by contact with most of these, their fellowmen of centuries of
enlightenment, nor by most of those who followed after them. But the
unwritten records of Polynesians concerning many of their “civilized”
European brethren who visited their shores, took advantage of their unsophistication to descend lower than their level, and then published slurs
against them, tell not only of the immorality of the foreigner but of his
injustice.
a
■
Captain Wallis requited the unlimited kindnesses and hospitality of
Purea and her aids, with many présents, and among other things, he
gave
to Purea a looking-glass, some
turkeys, a gander, a goose, and a cat, which
being entirely new to them,
others.
were highly prized by her and coveted by
July 27, after a stay of a little more than five weeks, the “Dolphin”
^
The house measured 327 feet long and 42 feet wide, 30 feet high along the center and 12
feet along the eves.
It had 14 large inner pillars supporting the ridgepole and 39 smaller ones
on
each side supporting the beains to which were attached the rafters that radiated from the
ridgepole,
°
op. cit., pl.
Op. cit., pl. 22.
22.
i6
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
sailed away.
On leaving Tahiti, Wallis passed Mo’orea, which he named
York, after the Duke of York.
B0UGAINVILI,k’S ViSiT
In the
following year, April 2, 1768, Tahiti was visited by the great
frigate “Boudeuse,” and
way thither, he passed through the
Tuamotu Islands, which he named
Archipel Dangereux, the outlines of its
low islands being sometimes indistinct and
dangerous to pass. Fie discovered and coasted the
singularly formed atoll, Flao, which he named
La Flarpe owing to its harp shape and of which he
says :®
“Is this land, so extraordinary, '
? Is it in ruins?” Such were
the enquiries of one who for the first time beheld an
exploded dôme of sub¬
French explorer Bougainville,
commanding the
the storeship “La Flûte.”
On his
marine volcanic action clad in verdure and inhabited.
“How
it
He continues to say;
peopled? Its inhabitants appeared to us to be tall and
proportioned.” This they were and still are.
In approaching Tahiti, Bougainville
sighted Meetia, which, from his
impressions of its appearance, he named Le Boudoir. Keeping ofï the
coast of Tai’arapu, he headed towards the east and anchored at
Hitia’a,. in
honor of which event, the passage into the harbor is named Passe de la
Boudeuse.
Owing to their expériences with the British, the Tahitians
kindly received Bougainville and his people. Many of the natives who had
not corne personally in contact with white men before now
gazed with
wonder at those they met, and the boldest of them handled their clothes
to see how they were made and their
persons to see if they were like
was
well
themselves.
The chief of Hitia’a, named ’Ere-ti
(Deprived-of-Dracaena), and his
people aided the French in landing and establishing themselves comfortably in sheds on the bank of a stream convenient for taking in water for
their ships, but not without
strictly stipulating a limited time for them to
remain there.
Soon regular traffic for provisions in exchange for foreign
goods was established.
The French were charmed with the natives ; but
they had to keep con¬
guard against thieves and, unfortunately, four native men were murmysteriously by some of the ship’s company. One was shot alone
in the woods, and three were stabbed with the sword. So the chief and his
staff went to Bougainville and exclaimed :
“O Friend, we are your friends, and yet
your people murder us !” This
went to the heart of the
good explorer, and after endeavoring in vain
to discover the culprits he used
stringent measures to prevent further
stant
dered
°
Bougainville, I/. A., Voyage autour du monde,
Paris,
1771.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
abuses.
These sad
occurrences
did not afifect
an
17
attachment, which from
of Ahu-toru (Three-walls),
brother of the chief, for Bougainville and which resulted in his leaving home
and accompanying the explorer to France. Thus began a kindly sympathy
that has existed ever since between the French and the Tahitian people.
Being on the windward side of the island, and encountering stormy
weather, the ships lost several of their anchors in the coral rocks of the
harbor, which broke their cables. Bougainville was visited by several high
chiefs from different parts of the islands, their superior stature distinguishing them from the rest of the people. After obtaining an abundance of
provisions and returning kindnesses to their hosts and friends, the two ships
.set sail and left Tahiti April 14, after a visit of twelve days.
Like Wallis, Bougainville was struck with the beauty of the Tahitian
scenery; the lofty mountains ever varying the aspect of the landscape, rich
in natural productions and in a disorder—he observes—which art has never
succeeded in imitating. He named Tahiti Nouvelle Cythére, poetically con¬
necting her with the isles of Greece of ancient famé.
the commencement had sprung up in the heart
CookT Visit
Soon after Bougainville left Tahiti, a révolution arose between the dis¬
Ha’apape in the north and Papara in the south, which
high personages, Amo and Purea, at Ha’a¬
pape by Teu, chief of Pare, and their retirement to Papara, which still
remained their domain, although it had also been invaded by their foes.
Then arose the star of ascendency of their formidable young rival, Tû, the
prince of Pare, still in his minority, -w'ho afterwards became King Pômare I
of Tahiti and its dependencies.
On April 12, 1769, Lieutenant Cook, commanding the “Endeavor,” returned to Tahiti for the purpose' of observing the transit of Venus on his
way in search of a new Southern continent which Quiros had begun the
previous cehtury. In going south through the Tuamotu Islands, he also
passed the island of Hao, or Harp of Bougainville, and named it Bow
Island. He anchored safely in Matavai Bay and was soon surrounded by
old and new acquaintances, among whom he was pleased to see the faithful
Hau, who again rendered the white men valued services, notably in appeasing the anger of the people caused by the death of one of their number in
a
fray owing to a theft which the man had committed.
A temporary observatory was made upon the long point at Ha’apape,
and at the same time a party was sent over to Mo’orea also to observe the
transit of Venus. A monument now stands at Ha’apape point, since then
called Point Venus, where the observatory stood.
tricts of Pare and
ended in the overthrow of the
i8
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Lieutenant Cook afterwards made a
survey of Tahiti, accompanied by
Mr. Banks, the naturalist of the
expédition, wlio later became Sir Joseph
Banks. Everywhere they were well
The ravages of the late war had
pape in the north and
received, though pestered by thieves.
greatly impoverished the district of Ha’a-
Papara in the south; but the district of Teahu’upo’o,
land belonging to some of the victors in the late
struggle (under the high
chief, Vehi-atua,'^ and his son of about thirteen
years)
was
in
a
flourishing condition, as was the whole of Taiarapu peninsula. These people
were
proud of the trophies they had won, among which were the
turkey-cock
Captain Wallis had given to Purea.
At the close of this visit to
Tahiti, the harmony established between the
navigators and islanders was suddenly marred. Owing to two marines
having deserted the ship Cook rashly confined several of the leading
men, among whom was a prominent chief, named Tû-te-hà
(Standingfour), of North Tahiti, in order to force the people to restore to him his
men.
The infuriated natives retaliated
by seizing some of the white men,
and would hâve kept them had not Tû-te-hà
coolly ordered their release and
the restoration of the deserters,
showing that lie and his companions were
being well treated. Then order and friendship were restored. On July 12,
after a stay of three months at the
island, the “Endeavor” departed.
Tupaia, previously the high priest of Purea, had lost his influence
in the district at her downfall.
He had gracefully adapted himself to
the ways and manners of
Europeans, and when they left he took leave of
his countrymen and
accompanied his new friends. Being a good navigator,
he ingeniously delineated a
rough chart, showing the positions of other
and the goose that
islands and the
course
of the currents of the
sea
many of the Polynesian islands. Owing to English
cannot be recognized; but others hâve been followed
and
wind, and named
spelling some of these
up and identifled.
(See
page 280.)
At Ra’iatea some men of the Tupaia family are still good navi¬
gators and pilots.
Tupaia guided the ship to the islets of Teti’aroa and onwards to the
leeward islands, which Cook named the
Society Islands, in honor of the
Royal Geographical Society, by whose recommendation the expédition had
been organized.
They landed at Huahine, then at Ra’iatea, where, in sight
of Huahine, Taha’a, and
Porapora, the}' hoisted the Union Jack, taking
possession of the group in the naine of their sovereign. They found the
people of those islands much the same as the Tahitians.
Tupaia did not live long to enjoy his new life, for he died at Batavia on
the passage of the ship to
England; but in the grateful records of his
British friends his memory has been
perpetuated.
Vehiatua was chief of only one of
believed he ruled the entire peninsula.
’
seven
districts
in
Taiarapu.
(See
p.
86.)
The Britisîi
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
19
Unfortunately in this early stage of contact with the outside world, the
physical disorder that has been the means of undermining and
shortening the lives of many of these formerly healthy people, was developed
in Tahiti. But neither Bougainville nor Cook could trace its source.
virulent
BoSnechiîa’s Visit
Captain Don Domingo Boenechea was sent out on an exploring expédition by the authorities of Peru, in command of the “Aguila.”
Taking a westerly course from Callao he passed through the Tuamotus, and
arriving at Tahiti November 8 of the same year he anchored at Teahu’po’o
in Tai’arapu, where he remained ten days. He named Tahiti Isla
d’Amat,
in honor of the viceroy of Peru under whom he served.®
Four of the
ship’s company were sentenced to death and publicly shot there, and a fifth
escaped the same penalty by fleeing to the woods and remaining concealed
among the natives until the ship went away.
This man afterwards became
a member of the
family and counselor of the high chief, Vehiatua, and was
the first white man who settled in Tahiti. He adapted himself to the
ways
of the people, and the Spanish type is still imprinted upon the features of
In 1772,
his descendants, chiefs of
Teahu’po’o.
Cook’s SkcoND Voyagé
On August 15, 1773) Tahiti was again visited by Cook, then
captain of
the ship “Resolution,” followed by the “Adventure,” which was commanded
by Captain Furneaux, the former lieutenant of the “Dolphin” under Wallis
who raised the British pennant at Matavai. They anchored at
Teahu’po’o,
in the same harbor that the Spanish had
occupied the previous year, but
moved on the lyth to the more sheltered harbor of
Vaitepiha in the district
of Tautira, in the north of Taiarapu, as the ships had been overtaken at
Teahu’po’o by a strong wind that drove the “Resolution” against the rocks
and endangered her safety. While at Taiarapu, Captain Cook met former
acquaintances, notably the young chief, Vehiatua, who had lost his father,
and an old friend, named Tûahu, who had accompanied Cook in
part of his
survey of Tahiti during his former visit. On seeing the map of the island
on this occasion, Tûahu
readily understood it, and pointed out the districts
by name.
This information was obtained also by Collingridge from an ancient
Spanish essay ent'itled
“Description of the islands of the Pacific Océan recently visited by order of his Majesty, by
Domingo de Boenechea, Captain of frigate, of the Royal Navy, and Commander of his
Majesty’s ship, ‘Santa Maria Magdalena’ (before named El Aguila) in the years 1772 and
1774,” (Translated).
Cf. Corney, Bolton Glanvill, The quest and occupation of Tahiti by emissarîes of Spain
during the years 1772 and 1776, Eondon (Hakluyt Soc,), 1913. Ed,
*
Don
^
Cf. op.
cif., vol,
i,
pp.
xxviii-xxxii.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
20
On the
23d of August, the ships sailed to Hitiaa, where they were
hospitably received by the chief, Eretî, and his people—Bougainville’s
friends—and they proceeded to Matavai Bay on the
25th. There the
chief, Tû, who was surrounded by a multitude gazing at the
ships, did not wait to receive the British, but fled over One-tree-hill
to his résidence at
Papaoa, the adjoining district, whither Captain Cook
went the following day to visit him, and was
only allowed to hold an inter¬
view with him across a brook.
The day afterward Tû was persuaded to
visit the ships, and he was
gradually drawn into sociability.
young
The districts of North Tahiti had not quite recovered from the former
dévastations of war, but old friends aided in supplying the
ships with pro¬
neighboring district of Papenoo. On the first of
September, they took their departure, with expressions of much regret from
Tû. On this occasion Captain Cook was joined
by a young man of rank,
named Hiti-hiti (Edging), who was
pleased to hâve the opportunity of
visiting many lands, the ships frequently entering the Antarctic Circle in
search of a Southern continent, which then was the
principal object of the
voyage. In the “Adventure,” Captain Furneaux took with him to England
from Huahine, a young native man of the middle
class, named Ma’i (Sickness), who had been of great service to them in the islands and who readily
adapted himself to English manners and acquired a knowledge of the
language. There he remained more than three years, until Captain Cook’s
last voyage to Tahiti in 1777- He was
very kindly regarded and was paid
great attention by the nobility. He had the good fortune to meet with a
philanthropie gentleman, named Mr. Granville Sharp, who gave him religi¬
visions from the great
ons
and moral instructions, which went with conviction to the
young man’s
heart, but scarcely affected his course in life.
Sharp instructed him
reading and writing, in which he became quite skilled and was able to
apply the letters to' Tahitian words, being the first native to do so.
in
After exploring
Mr.
the Southern seas, passing and repassing the Antarctic
Circle in search of the supposed Southern continent,
Captain Cook revisited
Bay, April 22, of the following year, in the ship “Resolution.”
With him returned his Tahitian friend Hiti-hiti, who
gave glowing accounts
of his travels and by whose advice Captain Cook had
procured from the
Friendly Islands a quantity of ’ura or red and yellow feathers, which he
Matavai
found to be a most valuable article of trade in Tahiti.
He
North
exchanged several visits and présents with Tû, then ruler of ail
Tahiti, whom he describes as a man of fine physique, tall in
stature, and of a timid nature.
In his presence, his relatives and attendants
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
of both sexes always lowered their clothes
21
from the shoulders down to their
waists in token of highest royal respect, and the guests on
to do the same conformed as nearly as
they could by
being requested
baring their heads.
Among many présents, Captain Cook gave Tû a sword and showed him
how to buckle it to bis
side, which at first seemed to alarm him.
time he was shy of visiting the ship, expressing himself ^'matau i te
For
a
pupuhi”
The prince’s minister of state was his uncle, Ti’i,
who was an able adviser and exercised an influence for
good over his
nephew and the people, making peace hetween them and the British visitors
whenever friction arose, as it did occasionally,
chiefly on account of thefts.
Since Captain Cook’s last visit the devastated land had recovered its usual
prosperity. Of the varions animais that he had left for the natives, goats
and cats were thriving best. This sojourn was
prolonged to three weeks in
order to make some repairs on the ship.
(afraid of the gnns).
Meanwhile the British and the primitive islanders had
reciprocal diver¬
Sometimes entertainments were given on shore at which Tahitian men
sions.
and
women exhibited the dance called
heiva (amusement), accompanied
with drum and flûte and comic songs, in which
they improvised suitahle
words for their foreign company,
frequently
mentioning the name Tute
In return the English seamen sang lively airs and danced to the
horn and bagpipe, which the native men soon imitated
fairly well. So the
white men were charmed with these people’s
simple manners and their
adaptiveness to their own.
(Cook).
Captain Cook was visited by his old friends, the former rulers of Ha’a-
pape, Amo and Purea from Papara, who having no more daims on Matavai
had not a pig or other token of
friendship to présent to him. But had
Papara, their home, they still could hâve shown him hospitality
with the same dignity as formerly.
he been at
During this time, a fleet of large war canoës numbering 214 and more
expected, assembled in the bay, and accompanying them were as many
smaller
canoës to carry provisions and also to
bring away their warriors
who might be wounded or killed in battle. For the Tahitians were on their
way to
invade the neighboring island of Aimeo or Mo’orea.
Judging from
the great number of men in the fleet,
Captain Cook computed the popula¬
tion of the whole island to be more than two hundred thousand—a
moder-
ate
calculation according to navigators coming soon afterwards.
Long since
population has diminished to a small fraction of that number.
This fleet exhibited a mock seafight, which
greatly interested the British,
who in turn entertained with fireworks.
The natives were delighted and
called the fireworks ahi-tiri
(fire-to-throw), which they are still called today.
then the
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
22
May 14 they parted amicably,
visit his friend at Ra’iatea.
the British taking Hiti-hiti as a passenger to
BoënEchDa’s RëTurn
On the 6th of
November, 1774, Boenechea again visited Tahiti with the
frigate “Aguila” and the packet-boat “Jupiter” and anchored at Piha’a
in Pneu, north Tai’arapu, a harbor which they called Santa Cruz.
He
brought with him two priests with two attendants, who remained as missionaries.
He also brought a wooden house having two rooms and loopholes in the walls for Windows, which they erected in the district.
Amid
préparations to return to South America, Boenechea died a few
He was buried with military honors on shore, and the
imposing religions rites greatly interested the natives. Over his grave was
erected a large wooden cross, upon which were inscribed his name and the
words: “Christus vincit, Carlos III Imperot 1774.” A few days later the
Spanish departed, taking with them four Tahitians, two of whom died soon
later.
weeks
afterwards at Lima.
The grave of
Boenechea was lined with canvas, and upon a red blanket
thrown over his coffin green branches were strewn by the ship’s afïectionate
company.
Soon after the Spanish had retired from the grave, the natives,
who coveted the blanket, threw off the earth, stole the blanket, and left the
grave
filled in as before.
But they had not long been in possession of
in Tahiti—
their treasure before many fleas came out—the first ever seen
and they soon increased and spread throughout the land.
Langara’s Visit
The
following year, 1775, the same frigate, “Aguila,” commanded by
Cayetano de Langara, returned to Tahiti and again anchored in Santa
Cruz harbor at Pueu with provisions for the missionaries and accompanied
by the two surviving natives, who were glad to corne home and return to
their old habits.
The missionaries, regarding their work as a failure,
although the Tahitians had treated them kindly and respectfully, decided to
return by the “Aguila” to their own land.
A bull, a ram, some Spanish
swine, and some dogs were landed for the natives, who were much pleased
with them, and leaving the house and the grave in their hands, which
they carefully preserved long afterwards, the ship soon took her final
departure.
According to Collingridge, during the three voyages of the Spanish
already mentioned, they sighted twenty-two islands, ranging from the Tuamotus to the two Society groups, the latter of which they named lias CarolD.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
inas, in honor of their king, Carlos III.
23
They also fell into the same mis-
take that Wallis did from Purea’s courtesy in regard to Tahiti, supposing
that the chiefs of these islands formally accepted Spanish supremacy merely
by acts of hospitality usually shown to distinguished guests in those days by
the islanders.
CoOK’s LaST VOYAGlî
In 1777, on their way to the northwest coast of North America, Captain
Cook once more visited Tahiti in the “Resolution”, accompanied by Captain
Clerke in the “Discovery.”
They anchored August 13 at Vai-te-piha in
Tautira, and fotmd as chief a boy about twelve years of âge, named Vehiatua, in place of his brother Vehi-atua’’ who had died about two years
before.
There they were well received and after remaining several days
proceeded to Matavai, where they anchored August 24.
He found that Tû had taken a wife of high degree from Mo’orea, named
(Discovered), with a long regai name. (See p. 249.) She was a
intelligent and able consort to him in gaining political sway over the
islands. In the presence of Tû and Itea, as a token of highest royal respect,
according to native custom (p. 21), ail their subjects, including their
nearest relations, paid them homage
by lowering their clothes from
shoulders to waists, and at the approach of either of them the signal to
bare themselves was the cry “Te Ari’i, te Ari’i!” (The Sovereign, The Sovereign!) when they would be thus ready to meet them.
Itea®“
most
The friendly relations of the British with the rising Prince Tû remained
unbroken, and they were sorry to find that death had removed their former
friends, Purea and Tû’s uncle, Ti’i, the former minister of State. Ti’i had
been dead only four months, and his body, having been embalmed, was in a
State of préservation and exposed to view.^"
With much trouble, Captain
Cook had brought out from England an English bull, three cows, a horse,
a mare, and some
sheep, with the hope of doing a lasting service to his
hospitable island friends ; and he delivered them and some poultry into the
hands of Tû, who had in his possession the gander that Wallis had given to
Purea ten years before.
Some garden seeds were also planted on ground
cleared for the purpose, and from them were propagated capsicums and
pumpkins over the whole group. The Spanish bull had been brought from
Tai’arapu to Matavai on its way to Porapora, the king of that island having
sent an emissary, supposed to be under
inspiration, to procure it from Vehiatua.
Cook stopped the proceeding by placing the bull also in the
custody of Tû. The native of Huahine, named Ma’i, had returned from
®
Vehiatua is the official
name
of that line of chiefs.
Apparently Tu’s second wife, Tetuanuireiateraiatea, is here meant.—Ed.
Cook, James, Voyage to the Pacific Océan, pl. 26, London, 1784.
Berilice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
24
England in the “Resolution”, and lie had much to tell his countrymen about
his visit to “Beretane”, as Britain lias always been known to the Tahitians.
During this visit of the British ships, intelligence was received froni
a renewal of the same political strife that had arisen in 1774,
Mo’orea of
when the
war
canoës
of Tahiti encountered the “Resolution” in Matavai
On this occasion, as had happened in other instances, Tû solicited
Captain Cook to put down the disturbance, which Cook still discreetly declined to do. In addition to seeing a fleet again equipped for war,
Captain Cook and some of his officers witnessed the terrible ceremony of
offering human sacrifices at Atehoru (Papeno’o).
The two ships quitted Matavai September 29, 1777, and for the first
time they then visited Ainieo (Mo’oixa).
On their arrivai, They anchored
in the beautiful bay of Paopao, which in honor of this circumstance has
been named Cook’s Bay, and thence they proceeded to Taareu or Opunohu
Bay, deeper than Paopao and even more beautiful. They were kindly
received by the high chief, Mahine, and his people and were charmed with
the beauties of the island.
Thence they proceeded to the leeward islands
and on the 8th of December, 1777, they set sail with the intention of searching for a northern passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic, first taking a
northerly course and ariving at the Hawaiian group, which according to
Bay.
the aid of
Tahitian folk-lore
Havai’i).
was
called Ai-hi
(Bit-in-fishing), Havai’i-a (Burning-
Watts’ Visit
After the final
departure of Captain Cook, eleven years elapsed before
again by Europeans. Then a ship, called “Lady Penrhyn,” commanded by Lieutenant Watts, formerly of Cook’s expédition,
arrived on its way to New South Wales and July 10, 1788, anchored at
Matavai. Lieutenant Watts was inimediately recognized by a chief df the
district, named Moana (Deep), and by Prince Tû, who arrived four days
later from Taiarapu, bringing with liini a portrait of Captain Cook that had
been painted for hini at his request by Webber, the artist of the expédition
during their last visit to Tahiti.
An abundance of animal and vegetable food was supplied to the ship
in exchange for ii'oii and other useful things. Besides the natural products
of the land, pumpkins, capsicums, go^ts, and cats were offered in bartering.
Iron was eagerly sought after, and the ring of an anchor left at Hitia’a
twenty years before by Bougainville was produced by Tû, who requested to
hâve it forged into small adzes.
During the long absence of Europeans from Tahiti, Tû had greatly
extended his dominion over the land and was gaining a firm footing in
Tahiti
was
visited
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
Tai’arapu.
one
25
But he had met with great adversities in Mo’orea, whence on
occasion invaders came wlio laid waste Pare and Ha’apape, killing and
carrying away as trophies many of the cattle that had increased there.
He
complained of the long absence of the English and begged Lieutenant
Watts to aid him in subjugating Mo’orea, which Watts, like.Captain Cook
on parallel occasions, could not consent to do.
Tû regretted the short stay
of the “Lady Penrhyn,” which after a fortnight left for Australia.
Bligh’s Visit
On the 26th of October,
1788, just three months after the departure
of Lieutenant Watts, there came the ship “Bounty” of Pitcairn Island famé,
commanded by Lieutenant
tain Cook and who
fruit
was
Bligh, who had been sailing master under Cap-
commissioned by King George to procure bread-
plants to introduce into the British West Indies, at the request of
the enterprising men of those islands.
The English were cordially welcomed by the people at Matavai, and two
days later Tû and his wife, Itea,^®'' who were then residing at Taiarapu, arrived to do the honors of the district. They then had three children, a daughter, who was the eldest, and two sons, whose names are recorded in the genealogy of the royal family. ,(See p. 249.) The elder son, who afterwards became Pômare II, was then about six years of âge, and upon him ail
his father’s regai dignity was being concentrated.
In his presence, as well
as in'that of his parents, the subjects bared their bodies down to the waist.
Captain Bligh and some of his officers went to pay their respects to the
young prince at Pare, where they were allowed only to accost him across
a river, he and his sister and brother standing on one bank with their atten¬
dants and they on the other, for he had not yet been brought into contact
with the public, according to the custom for a Tahitian heir apparent in those
days. The British were requested to lower their clothes in the royal pres¬
ence, to which they responded by taking off their hats, as Cook and his
officers had donc in the presence of Tû and Itea.
Lieutenant Bligh made handsome présents in the name of the British
king to Prince Tû and told him that the most acceptable requital he could
make would be some breadfruit plants, and to this Tû at once agreed. In
speaking of his troubles with Mo’orea Tû showed a strong desire to avenge
himself on his opponents and was much pleased with a présent of two
muskets, a pair of pistols, and a good supply of ammunition, in the use of
which his wife, who was an exceptionally courageous woman, and Hitihiti,
who had travelled with Captain Cook during his third voyage from Tahiti,
became expert, rather than Tû himself.
Apparently Tu’s second wife, Tetuanuireiaiteraiatea, is meant.—Ed.
Apparently Tu’s second wife,
Tetuanuireiaiteraiatea, is meant.—I)d.
20
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Owing to the rough weather the “Bounty” was moved on Christmas
day from Matavai Bay to the safe harbor of Pape’ete. There the
ship
took in about a thousand breadfruit
plants, to which were added some vi,
’ahia, ràtà, orà, tou, mati, ti, 'ape, and pia. Some natives had
gardens that
were in
good order, and some maize from the “Bounty” planted in them
matured before it left, for it took time to collect the
plants.
Several of the seamen,
becoming attached to the Tahitians, deserted
were pursued and
captured by some of the chiefs, who also exerted
themselves in keeping order among the
but
people, still prone to help themforeign goods.
Captain Cook’s portrait, the frame of which was damaged, was brought
to the ship to be
mended, and there it was carefully kept whife. she remained
in port.
Lieutenant Bligh inscribed upon the back of it the date of the
ship’s arrivai and for a long time it was the practice of commanders of
British ships of war who visited Tahiti to do the same.
What became of
the picture no one now knows.
After a stay of more than five
months, the “Bounty” set sail with the
plants April 4, 1789, Tû earnestly requesting Lieutenant Bligh to take him
and his consort with him to
Britain, which Hitihiti also desired. After
leaving Tahiti Lieutenant Bligh sailed to Namuka, in the Tongan or
Friendly group, a long low island with a lake of fresh water, where he
anchored on the 23rd of
April and where he introduced some plants,
instructing the natives by the aid of former friends who had travelled from
the Tongan group with Captain Cook how to raise
them. Some pineapples that Cook had planted there were in a flourishing condition. The
selves to
natives bartered an abundance of
yams and coconuts with the ship, and
after taking in a supply of fresh water it sailed
away on the 26th of
April.
Second
and
Third Return
oe
the
“Bounty”
Great was the surprise of the Tahitians when two months
after its depar-
the 6th of June, the ship “Bounty” returned to
Matavai, commanded by Fletcher Christian, the master’s
mate, without Lieutenant Bligh
ture,
on
eighteen of his ship’s company, still having on board ail the Tahitian
plants, and requiring new provisions and water for their
voyage.
It was
not until some time afterwards that the
story of the mutiny became vaguely
known to the people of Tahiti.
The survival of Lieutenant
Bligh and his men in their long dangerous
journey in a small leaky launch is a strong argument in favor of the
authenticity of statements in Polynesian folklore of the long voyages that
the islanders took over the Pacific Océan in
large canoës, which were far
safer and more spacious than
Bligh’s little boat.
and
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
After
27
setting adrift their commander and his company, the mutineers
mislead Bligh in regard to the
they intended to take, and when out of sight they turned round and
v/ent to Tubuai, in the Austral group, about ninety leagues south of Tahiti.
.■\s this island was more isolated than Tahiti, they decided to make their
home there.
With this plan they returned to Tahiti to persuade some of
their former acquaintances to accompany them and also to procure stock
for the settlement they intended to make.
sailed off in a westerly direction, so as to
course
thought prudent by Lieutenant Watts of the “Lady Penrhyn” and also by Lieutenant Bligh not to make known the death of CapIt had been
tain Cook to their Tahitian friends, who were kind to them on his account,
as
the British feared the
news
might change their feelings towards them
similar to that of Captain
taking advantage of
this circumstance, told the natives that they had met Captain Cook, who
had sent the ship back for ali the livestock that could be spared to propagate upon an island that Captain Bligh had discovered on his way to
the Tongan Islands. The natives gave credence to this fiction and soon vied
with each other in furnishing the most for Captain Cook, so that by the
i6th of June, they had collected four hundred fifty hogs, fifty goats, and
many fowls, dogs, and cats.
The bull and cow, which Captain Bligh had
committed to the care of Tû, were also given to them; but the bull died on
and at some unexpected moment involve trouble
Fletcher Christian and his
Cook in Hawaii.
the passage.
Eleven Tahitian
women
men,
embarked with the mutineers, and after the
ship had gone to sea it was found that thirteen men, including Plitihiti,
had stowed themselves on board. When they were informed of the destina¬
of the improbability of ever returning to Tahiti, they
faithfully to their new masters. The muti¬
neers were at first hospitably received by the peuple of Tubuai and allowed
10 land.
Later, hostilities broke out, and they were driven off.
tion of the ship and
did not
niurmur
but adhered
While this was happening at Tubuai, a Swedish man-of-war, commanded
by Captain J. H. Cox, arrived at Matavai and was received by Tû and
Itea with their usual kindness.
In return,
Captain Cox made them liberal
présents, among which were included firearms and ammunition and a handsaw, also a Union Jack, which was attached to the royal waist girdle of Tû
in the same manner as the pennant before appropriated by Amo of
Papara.
by Captain Cox, and he
attached himself to Tû, who placed him in charge of his land in Taiarapu.
When the mutineers were once more at sea, Christian, who had become
melancholy and confined himself much to his own cabin, proposed going to
some isolated, uninhabited island, where they might be safe from discovery.
A shrewd
man
named Brown
was
left in Tahiti
28
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Some of the men consented to cast their lot with his; but as others
objected
and requested to be returned to Tahiti, the
“Bounty” returned and on the
22nd of September, 1789, anchored a third and last time at Matavai.
Hitihiti and his followers were glad to return home to
stay. Sixteen of
the ship’s company then landed with a share of ammunition and other
sup¬
plies from the ship.
They were kindly welcomed by their old friends in
Tahiti, and lands were there given them on which to make their
homes.
Several of these men had not taken part in the
conspiracy, but
had been unable to stand by their captain and his officers in their
trouble,
and they had been obliged to remain on the
ship because of lack of room
in the boat with Captain
Bligh, a fact he had had nd opportunity of
knowing.
Suddenly one night the “Bounty” set sail with twenty-seven people on
North
board—nine white and six native men, eleven women, and
Tahifian girl. Christian had read an account of the
one
infant
discovery in 1767 by
Captain Cartaret, in H. M. S. “Swallow,” of a lonely uninhabited island,
which was named Pitcairn, and thither the
fugitives from justice went,
arriving on the 23rd of January, lygoM
Most of the mutineers and others who remained in Tahiti set to work
and built a good-sized
schooner, which though made under difhculties had
hearty coopération of the natives, who aided in getting timber and
substituting nails and pitch by sewing the planks together with sennit and
plastering the seams over with sap from the breadfruit tree, after the manner of the old
pahi or Polynesian ship. The natives regarded as sacred the
white men’s tools and did not try to steal them,
being accustomed to hold
their own as property of the gods. At
length the schooner was completed,
with matting for sails, and it was
regarded as a great success by ail. It
served occasionally as a man-of-war in Prince Tû’s
fleet, and fourteen of
the white men ultimately aided him
greatly in subjugating ail Tahiti.
One of the mutineers, named Churchill, who had been master at arms
on the
“Bounty” and very active in the mutiny, became attached to the
high chief, Vehiatua, of south and east Taiarapu (p. 23), and he
became his taio or taua (friend, a
relationship similar to that between
Jonathan and David as described in the Scriptures), which according to
ancient native custom, entitled him to rank and
prestige in the land. He
was accompanied
by another mutineer named Thompson, one of the most
ignorant and brutal of the ship’s company, who soon played some tricks
upon him and they fell out. Shortly afterwards, Vehiatua died, and owing
to the tie of friendship held most sacred
by Tahitians his regai name
devolved upon Churchill, who was thus entitled to reniain in the land as
the
“
Young, R.
Oakland, 1894.
A.y
Mutiny
of
the
“Bounty”
and
story
of
Pitcairn
Island,
1790-1894,
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
personification.
his
29
This greatly excited the jealousy of Thompson, who
day shot and killed
companion. On account of this violent deed, the subjects of Vehiatua
rose up and stoned Thompson to death.
Thus in their chosen Elysium,
tragically ended the lives of two of the mutineers, while fourteen yet
watched for an occasion to hâve his revenge and one
his
remained.
The naine then reverted to a boy chief four years old who as his uncle,
Vehiatua, died childless, succeeded to the chieftainship. It has always
been the custom of Tahitians not to give two persons the same name at
the same time, as
the
same
doing so would be considered a grave offense, like giving
présent to two persons living apart, and
this was the reason
that it did not behoove the little chieftain to assume the regai name while
Churchill lived.
near
relation.
But he showed the white man ail the respect due to a
The privilèges derived from this form of ffiendship do
include giving away to a stranger the inheritance of land and title, as
not
foreigners hâve erroneously supposed. Early in 1791, with the imposing
royal ceremonies of ancient times. Prince Tû assunied the sovereignty of
ail Tahiti, being backed by the Englishmen, whose arms the natives feared.
Edwards’ Visit
On the 23d of
March, 1791, the British frigate “Pandora,” under Cap-
Edwards, arrived at Matavai to reclaim the mutineers, after having
searched for them among the Fijian and Tongan islands, in conséquence
tain
of their ruse.
(See p. 27.) King Tû and his people, with whom the
mutineers had become affiliated, were now obliged to deliver them into the
hands of
a
stronger power,
and after a little hiding and seeking in the
manly surrendering, the innocent and the guilty, yet untried,
were placed in one close apartment with but one opening for light and air
and chained to the floor, where no considération was shown them as human
beings, by the order of stern Captain Edwards, who also seized their
districts and
schooner.
For a month and a half the
ing that time pathetic
ship remained at Matavai, and daily dur-
scenes .were
enacted between the prisoners and
native women who had become strongly attached to them and who in their
grief vainly implored mercy for them of the captain and officers.
respectable family at Matavai had lived with a midshipman who had been active in the mutiny, and she had borne him a
child. His removal from her and his cruel lot so preyed upon her feelings
that she soon went into décliné, and died, leaving her baby to the care of
a sister, who cherished it as her own.
Four other children also were left
in sorrow to their mothers by those unfortunate men.
bitter
One young woman of
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
30
Notwithstanding these sad circumstances, festivities
were
carried
on
between the white
men
and amusements
and the natives
until the 8th of May, when the “Pandora” left
uninterruptedly
Tahiti, keeping the prisoners
still chained in their prison and also
taking away the schooner under the
command of one of the officers. The “Pandora” was wrecked near Aitstralia on its way to England, and amid the confusion four of the
prisoners
were drowned.
One of these had suggested the
mutiny of the captain to
Christian, who had planned originally to abandon the ship. The ten surviving prisoners were saved in the ship’s boats, which travelled a thousand
miles before the shipwrecked men were rescued
by another ship, which
conveyed them to England. During the voyage the prisoners, who were
suffering from ill treatment, were set free and dealt with humanely.
After trial in
taken no part
England, four of the prisoners were acquitted as having
in the mutiny and for a time were given medical treatment,
owing to some illegality connected with his indictment, one was discharged
and two
three
were
were
pardoned under extenuating circumstances. The remaining
guilty, and without reprieve were hanged at Spithead.
found
Eatër VlSlTS
At the close of the year 1791,
Captain Vancouver in H. M. S. “Discovery,” accompanied by Lieutenant Broughton in the brig “Chatham,”
visited Tahiti.
After losing sight of each other the “Chatham” arrived
at Matavai, their
place of rendezvous, on the 27th of December and was
joined by the “Discovery” three days later. Vancouver was received with
the usual kindness by the chiefs and
people of North Tahiti, exchanging
présents with them. King Tû, who was in Mo’orea at the time of his arrivai,
leturned to Matavai the following week with his
father-in-law, who was
very ill and who died a fortnight afterwards, an event which brought
Mo’orea more closely under the control of the
king. The English exhibited
fireworks to the great delight of the people and were
prevented from the
répétition of a display by some daring thefts committed by them. The
vessels left Tahiti
on
the 24th of
January, 1792.
Early in February of the same year, a British whaler, named
“Matilda,” commanded by Captain Weatherhead, touched at Tahiti for
refreshments, which were obtained satisfactorily. After a fortnight’s stay
the ship left, but was wrecked
upon a coral reef south-southeast of the
Tuamotus on the 25th of February.
The captain and crew escaped in
boats to Tahiti. Upon landing, they were
plundered by the natives of ail
that they had saved from off the ship, but were otherwise
hospitably treated.
There was much contention among the people for the goods, and when
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
the
31
king heard of the circumstance he piinished the offenders by laying
Waste
their lands.
the “Prince William Henry,” touched at Tahiti
following March, remaining only three days. Some of
the people formerly on the “Matilda” took passage in it to North America,
while others pre ferring to remain in Tahiti attached themselves as members tg different families of the land.
Of these, O’Connor, an Irishman,
and James Butcher, a Scotchman, became inmates of King Tû’s household,
and aided him in European warfare.
A small vessel, called
on
the 26th of the
yth of April, 1792, Lieutenant Bligh, who had been promoted
captain, returned to Tahiti on the same errand as before in
a ship nanied the “Providence,” attended
by a smaller vessel called the
“Assistance,” sailed by Lieutenant Portlock. Captain Bligh found the dis¬
tricts of North Tahiti in agitation against the king because of the chastisernent he had inflicted upon the people a few weeks previously.
By the
captain’s presence and influence, peace was restored and sealed by native
religions ceremonies, in which, to the distress of Captain Bligh, was included
the offering of human sacrifices.
With the kindly aid of the natives, a
second collection of breadfruit and otlier plants was made, and Captain
Bligh sailed away with them without trouble to the West Indies, accompanied by Hitihiti and a servant of the king to aid in taking care of the
plants on arriving there.^®
On the
to the rank of
February, 1793, the British storeship “Daedalus,” commanded by
Captain New, arrived at Matavai, on her way following Captain Vancouver
to Port Jackson.
The ship’s company were so charmed with Tahiti that
two of the crew deserted with the intention of
settling among the natives.
In
One of them
was
recovered, but the other,
allowed to remain in Tahiti.
took his
a
Swede named Peter,
was
One of the former settlers from the “Matilda”
departure from the island by the “Daedalus.”
On the
3d of March, 1797, for the first time in the records of Tahiti,
earthquake shocks were felt and were accompanied with a high
sea and a terrible storm, which
greatly terrorized the inhabitants. Early in
the morning the first shock took place, which drove the people out of their
several
houses in confusion. At noon another occurred, which made them throw
themselves prostrate upon the ground and cry out for mercy to their gods.
And at sunset a third shock caused many to hold night vigils, fearful that
some awful
calamity was at hand. On the following day, the 4th, there
hove in sight the London missionary ship “Duff,” to which the natives
attributed the
commotion and in
The first collection
the mutineers on Pitcairn.
of
plants,
on
conséquence
board
the
“Bounty,”
named it Te-rapu (Thewere
set
out
and
cultivated
by
32
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
stirrer), a name they hâve always retained and hâve known it by no other.
The good effect that the quake had upon the minds of the Tahitians towards
the missionaries and their work
was
great.
The list of visits from the outside world to Tahiti, of authentic record,
from its discovery by Captain Wallis in 1767 to the arrivai of the British
missionaries in 1797i embracing a period
as
the préludé to its modem history.
of thirty years, may be regarded
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
33
FLORA OF THE SOCIETY AND TUAMOTU ISLANDS ^
INTRODUCTION
Much has been said of the
beauty of these tropical islands perpetually
cloud-capped mountain tops, with their
beautiful spreading trees draped and fringed with vines and parasites and
waving in the breezes their fragrant flowers, colorful berries and delicious
fruits, with their rocks softened in outline with moss and fern and the
ground carpeted with grass and fern and shrub, though without the many
wild flowers found in spring in the Temperate Zones.
clad in verdure from seashore to
Numerous fruits and
cess
vqgetables hâve been introduced with great suc-
from the East and West Indies and also from the Temperate Zones—
tamarinds, and garden vegetables by the English missionplants by the French government and private
landholders.
From Tahiti these plants hâve been distributed among dif¬
ferent islands and neighboring groups.
oranges, guavas,
aries and since then other
LIST OF PLANTS
Tamarind
Foreigners believed that the great tamarind tree {Tamarindus indica)
formerly at Point Venus, was planted by Captain Cook; and one is known
to bave been planted by him at Papaoa, which tradition States soon dwindled
away and died.
But the tamarind tree first mentioned as well as the first
orange tree that produced fruit in Tahiti were planted by the Rev. Wm.
Flenry in his garden at Point Venus.
Meia
and
Fei
The
mainstay and staff of the people are the delicious fruits of the
(Musa), called in.Tahitian, mei’a and fe’i,
two distinct groups, to one of which belongs the giant Canna, which grows
in gardens and mountain sides, its cylindric trunk bearing from the center
broad leaves and weighty bunches of fruit.
various varieties of the banana
Following are the names of the thirty-four native horticultural varieties
of meïa—bananas and lowland plantains
afi1l, aivao, apura, avae, eretoa,
haiva, haitea, haupa, huamano or huarau (plantain), huamene (plantain),
huarau-tioma (plantain, at Taapuna), mahori mamara or apiri, mei’a-maohi
^
*
Received in 1840 from the chiefs Anani and Moe of Taiarapu.
Received in 1840 from Moe and Anani, chiefs of Taiarapu.
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
34
(plantain), neinei or taviriviri, neinei-parafatu, tapua or ovatavata or rori,
ohoro, oîoio, opaopa, ore’a (maiden plantain, of two or three forms),
paurutia, pipape, puroini or puroiva, piitepiite, rererai, tai’o’ute or taioura
(red plantain), tavahi-paparua, tavara (plantain, fruit splits easily), tuturita,
mei’a tiipafi, tamene or hai tea, liai 'o'a.
oa,
Unlike the banaira fruits generally, which turn soft and assume délicate
shades of yellow when ripe, neinei, neinei-parafatu, and tapua are
tough and
adhéré to the skin until well squeezed and loosened with the hand, as their
names
signify.
shade of green,
In ripening, their skins change from a darker to a lighter
and they are almost alike in taste.
Introduced varieties
mei’a-hamoa, dwarf or China banana ; mei’avaihi, Hawaiian long plantain; puroinî-papaa, a light-yellow species of the
are :
indigenous puroini, which is of a rich salmon color; maria or rio, Brazilian
banana, very hardy and supplanting many others in the land, introduced
early in the fifties in Tahiti and in Honolulu by General Miller, the applebanana; rehu, from Honolulu; tara puatoro.
There
are
also other kinds not
definitely named.
Of these beautiful
trees, with fruit irumbering more than eighty in a bunch—some varieties,
hundreds—the plantain varieties and the rio grow the tallest, their trunks
averaging eighteen feet in length and two in circumference and their leaves
spreading out equally as long and about two feet in width. The China or
dwarf banana is the shortest, many being mature when the trunk is not
inuch over four feet high. The leaves of ail these varieties,
mostly of softgreen shades, change to bright-yellow when old, brown when dry.
The
newly unfurled leaves of one form of the maiden plantain has leaves tinged
with a délicate pink on the under side; the leaves of the tai’o’ute are of a
dusky-red. Ail mei’a bunches corne out in purple sheaths, which fall ofï
as their fruit
develops, and other groups south hâve a rare variety of plan¬
tain with light-green leaves striped with white. One Hawaiian banana
pro¬
duces fruit from the side of the trunk of the tree below the leaves.
Mountain
plantains,
fe’i, include eighteen varieties :
’afara, fara-onohi, faraopu-roa, fei-haa (dwarf fei), fe’i ’ore’a (fruit tapering like the maiden
plantain), paru, piatoto, poutia (large round fruit), puputa (small tapering
fruit), rureva, rutu, tatia, u’ururu.
Although indigenous to the mountains and valley recesses, the fe’i grows
best on high or low soil. Its leaves are of a deep
bright-green, its stems
are
very brittle, and its sap makes a dark-purple ink.
The trunks of the
mei’a are green and brown, those of the fe’i, green and black. The brown
and black parts of the two groups are stripped ofï and used to make
pat¬
or
’A’ ai’a, ’a’ata, ’aiori, ’aoha, arutu, fara-maire or
terns
in mats, hats, fans, etc.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
In
35
shape, the fruits of the Musa resemble cucumbers of various sizes
but are more or less angular and tapering towards the tips, those of plantain
being thickest and least tapering. The plants are propagated by the shoots,
of the fruits having seeds except one or two varieties of fe’i.
The fe’i bears bunches of fruit in green sheaths which stand upright
from the center of the plant, some with over two hundred fruits on one
stem.
The ripe fruit is bright yellow without and sulphur-colored inside,
is best for eating when cooked as vegetables, and is the most nutritions
none
of ail Tahitian fruits.
According to a legend, the mei’a of the lowlands formerly carried their
upright like the fe’i of the heights, but on one occasion
the two tribes went to war with each other and the mei'a were beaten by
their more vigorous cousins.
Since then they hâve never ceased to hold
bunches of fruit
down their heads in mortification.
Taro ®
To taro, or tie’e^
varieties :
(Colocasia antiquorum), lielong twenty-nine cultivated
(small and full of fibrous roots), aniuea, area (at the Pari of
Taiarapu), auaa-hiva, eteete, haaia, hua-raro, iihi and purau-ura (red var¬
ieties), mairi, mauroa, naho, pape-ata, pehu-manmnanu, pehu-tea, poihere,
pu-tahi, tama-here, taro-hua-rau, ti’imoa, u’ute or ’ura (pink taro), vaiohuna, vai-purau and onoa (yellow taros), vava, veo-’oa, veo-tea; two
introduced varieties : taro raroto’a (brought by ancient navigators named
Matui and Heretao from Rarotonga) and ta’ro Niue (brought lately from
Savage Island or Niue).
Seven wild varieties are known : apura or mapura, taro-avaatia, taromapo, taro-matia, taro-ouraoura, taro-oteu, taro-paririhoro.
Taro, rightly named the “king of roots” by Robert Louis Stevenson,
is simply an immense Caladium with leaves of plain bluish-green. It thrives
best on marshy ground. Its solid tuberous root, averaging ten or twelve
inches in length and about eight in circumference around the center and
tapering towards the ends, develops under the soil and reaches its full
growth when the plant sends out bright-yellow flowers, composed of a
spadix and spathe. Young taro leaves are good as spinach, called pota;
and the stem of the inner young leaf, called fafa, is also edible.
The
Aa-vare
flowers and their stems are eaten likewise.
The tuber is a most nutritions,
wholesome, pleasant food, acrid when raw. Most kinds are mealy, but
some hâve a tough texture.
Taro is propagated by the tops or by shoots,
This and subséquent lists were received
added.
^This form is no longer used in Tahiti.
^
were
from the chîefs Moe and Anani.
A few varieties
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
36
called
moo.
When the shoots
left to mature around the mother plant
are
they produce small tubers, called pohiri.
Tradition States that taro
was
taken
from Tahiti and introduced to
other lands, and from New Zealand cornes the statement ® that taro
brought there from Papetoai in Mo’orea.
many
was
Apë
To ape (Alocasia macrorrhiza), akin to the taro, belong four cultivated
varieties : ’ape-oa, haparu, maota, uahea, and one wild variety, puhi.
The plants are large and handsome,
highly ornamental in gardens and hâve spreading, heart-shaped'^leaves which
in some varieties measure four feet in length and three in breadth, or more,
and stand upright on long graceful stems, ail dark-green, except maota,
the leaf (the smallest of the "ape) and stem of which hâve a maroon tinge.
The leaves make good rustic' umbrellas and parasols and covering for var¬
ions purposes. They are sometimes used to cover temporary buts.
This plant grows best in dry soil.
The tuber of the ’ape, unlike the taro, develops mostly above ground, is
cylindric in form and measures about eight or twelve inches around. Those
that hâve grown for many years are eccentrically bent and twisted beneath
their heavy tops and some measure over six feet in length. ’Ape, especially
the wild variety, is coarser than taro, is very pungent when raw, but is
good wholesome food when well cooked.
Lately other kinds hâve been introduced to Tahiti, two from Hawaii—
with crape leaves of a maroon shade, and the other with leaves of
variegated green and white or entirely white.
one
Tl
The Tahitian varieties of ti
as
follows :
(Cordyline terniinalis) number thirteen,
succulent, easily cooked and easy to crusli.
Small, tender leaves, whicli were much used for healing
purposes under the tutelar deity, Tama-teina, god of medicine.
Ti-huia.
Grows on sand and produces fikrous roots that cannot be eaten.
Ti-ma’opi. Bears a crumpled leaf.
Ti-opoe. Round roots that do not reach far into the ground; sweet and juicy.
Ti-paru. Roots that are not juicy but somewhat mealy when cooked.
Ti-rau-’aha.
Leaves shred easily.
Mateni.
Soft
Taratara-tau-’aroha.
Ti-rau-roa.
Leaves long.
Ti-tao.
A fine succulent
variety with hrittle variegated roots, which are easily
crushed—unlike ail the other varieties which
are
white in the natural State.
species with young leaves and stems tinged with purple,
were much sought after by the maidens of olden times for garlands.
Ti-’ura.
°
A mountain
According to S. Percy Smitli's researches.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Ti-’uti.
A fine
variety, formerly regarded
planted chiefly in the
Ti-vai-ra’au.
37
Roots
marae
as the most sacred of ail ti, and so
enclosures for the gods and religions uses.
large that can only be carried singly hy a strong man.
leaves, preferred to other kinds for lining a pit or
barrel in which to make fermented breadfruit (main) and for other
wrapping
Ti-vauvau-mahi.
so
Broad
purposes.
Of recent years, several other beautiful varieties of ti hâve been introduced, among them one with leaves of magenta, yellow, and green, which
was brought from Rarotonga.
Plants are easily propagated from branches.
The ti is
perhaps the most notable of ail Polynesian plants ; its long
glossy leaves of green or brilliant yellow were worn by orators and warriors
and enchanters in their official capacities.
They were and are still much
sought after for décorations and other purposes, and the juice of the root is
highly nutritions and pleasant as food.
The following lines in appréciation of the ti is found in Tahitian song
of former times :
E Ti-’ura te Ti,
E faifai noa hia e
E marere hua e !
Na’u tena na Ti,
E Ti tanu e !
te
hui
tapairu ;
O a Ti, a pare i tai na e;
O te tu’e mata o te ahune e.
E manino te tai o te ravaai
A te vahiné e.
Te tu’u maira i to’na hoa iti e!
It is the
purple-tinged ti,
That is plucked by the waiting maids ;
Oh ! they will fly !
“That is my ti.
Ah, cultivated ti !”
Dig the ti, fence it in along the shore ;
It is the brow of plenty.
Oh, it smooths the watefs for fishing
Eor the woman ;
She will give some to lier dear friend.
In
Hawaii, strong spirits are distilled from the ti root by the natives,
o-kole-hao, and in the reign of King Pômare II, according
to the following,® some Hawaiians
taught the Tahitians to manufacture the
which they call
drink :
By the Sandwich Islanders, who had arrived some years before, the natives
taught to distill ardent spirits from the saccharine ti root, which they
now practised to a great
extent; and exhibited, in a proportionate degree, ail the
demoralizing and debas'ing influences of drunkenness.
Whole districts frequently United to erect what might be termed a
public still.
It was a rude, unsightly machine, yet it answered but too well the
purpose for
which it was made.
It generally consisted of a large fragment of rock, hollowed
in a rough manner, and fixed firmly upon a solid
pile of stones, leaving a space
underneath for a fireplace.
The butt-end of a tree was' then hollowed out, and
placed upon the rough stone boiler for a cap. The baked ti root, called Cordylinc
terminalis, macerated in water, and already in a state of fermentation, was then
put into the hollow stone, and covered with the unwieldly cap.
The lire was
kindled underneath ; a hole was' made in the wooden cap of the still, into which
a long, small, bamboo
cane, placed in a trough of cold water, was inserted at one
end, and, when the process of distillation was commenced, the spirit flowed from
had been
Ellis, William, Polynesian researches, London, 1829.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
38
other into
reçoive it.
the
a
calabash, coco-nut shell,
or
other vessel, placed underneath to
prepared, the men and boys of the district assembled
erected over the still, in order to drink the ava,
as they called
the spirit. The first that issued from the still being the strongest,
they called the ao ; it was carefully received and given to the chief : that subsequently procured, was drunk by the people in general. In this employment, they
were sometimes engaged for several days together, drinking the spirit as it issued
from the still, sinking into a State of indescribable wretchedness and often practising
When the materials
in
a
were
kind of temporary honse,
the most ferocious barbarities.
Umara
To the ’umara, or sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) belong six principal
varieties in Tahiti : mairi, hererai, poheretetei, rau-maire, re’a-mqa (yolk-of-
egg-yellow), ’umara vaihi (Hawaiian).
They date from ancient times when the people visited each other in their
canoës.
The natives daim that they hâve had ’umara from time immémorial
and that from Tahiti the plants hâve been distributed to other groups.
In
Hawaii, also, ’umara is indigenous and was exchanged for varieties from
Tahiti.
The Maoris ^ daim to hâve obtained their sweet potatoes
from Tahiti,
they also called Havai’i, after their émigration from there to New
Zealand, and in référencé to this, in old Maori story, it is said : "Hawaiki
te whenua e tupu noa mai te kunuira i roto i te rarauhe”
(Hawaiki is the
land where the kumara grows spontaneously amongst the fern). Tahitianized this would be : “Havai’i te feniia e tupu noa mai te ’umara i roto i te
anuhe” (Havai’i is the land where the umara grows spontaneously [or
fiourishes®] amongst the anuhe fern).
The Maoris further State that they obtained the ’umara from Pari-nuii-te-ra (Great-sunny-cliffs) which stand around Tahara’a Hill of Ha’apape,
North Tahiti, and could include Pare-nui-i-te-ra (Great-sunny-fortifica¬
tion), the poetic name of the adjacent district of Pare in North Tahiti to
this day for there, as in Ha’apape, the ’umara grows to perfection upon
the hilly soil where ferns are found.
The plants grow easily from young tops, several placed together like
hoquets in little hillocks prepared for them. When boiled and mixed with
milk expressed from grated coconut, the young tops make good food.
which
Patara
and
Uhi
The
a
patara {Dioscorea sp.) is a wild species of yam producing
mealy tuber not so sweet as the ’umara; it is a native of the valleys.
*
Smith, S. P., Hawaiki, the whence of the Maori: Poly. Soc., Jour., vol. 7, no. 4, 1898.
is préférable, because ’nmara needs- cultivation and does not produce tubers
“Flourishes”
when left to
run
wild.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
39
Many varieties of wild and cultivated yams, called uhi
alata), grow in the Society Islands.
PlA
AND
or
ufi
(Discorea
MaNIOTA
(Tacca pinnatifida) from which starch, also called pia, is made,
commonly called arrowroot by foreigners. It is a deciduous plant
and though it grows almost anywhere, its native sphere is in fertile ravines
and along shady mountain sides. Its leaves, which are
large and deeply
The pia
is
clift, somewhat resemble the leaf of the papaya (or papaw) tree and grow
singly upon a stem four or five feet long. The still longer stem of the
cluster of flowers
produces a glossy white straw which can be made into
artificial flowers and wreaths, but is not edible until made into
is
a
starch, which
good food.
Starch from the roots of the manioc
or
cassava
{Manihot utilissima),
which grows well in Tahiti and is called there maniota, is like
pia. Tapioca
drying manioc starch with fire beat, when it becomes coarsely
granular, thus differing from ordinary starch; it is used only as a food.
If the pulp of the manioc is well dried after the starch has been
strained
from it, it will last a long time and is
prepared for eating in many agreeable
ways. The great long roots, which are white and smooth when the thick
is made by
brown skin is
peeled off,
good boiled or baked as a vegetable. The
Pigs thrive on the manioc
root.
The plant is propagated by slips.
The pia-raroto’a is a fine specimen of Canna introduced from
Rarotonga.
It produces tubers, from which starch much like arrowroot is obtained
and
are
young tops are also good as greens in cooking.
which are also baked and eaten as vegetables.
grows
The plant is easily cultivated,
high, and bears large dark-crimson flowers.
Uru
The large, handsome
uru, or breadfruit, tree has heavy
dark-green
foliage, which turns yellow ail the year round. In the bearing season its
spherical fruit, some as large as a person’s head, hang in ail stages of
development. The average size of the leaves, pinnately cleft to different
depths in different species, is about i6 inches by 12 inches. The leaves
are
much used for wrapping food in
cooking and for covering native
ovens.
Propagation is by roots and young shoots. The wood is red
and durable and highly prized, in olden times
being used for planks for
doors, house posts, and ridgepoles, for altars (fatarau), ornamental figures
{unu), in temples, and canoës. The sap is very adhesive when fresh and
was
formerly spread on trees by natives for catching birds. It was also
used as pitch with fine coconut fiber in
calking canOes.
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
40
In the inflorescent
season
the young
fruit and long spikes of flowers
yellow sheaths that cover the budding leaves, and soon the fruit stands
out singly or in clusters, pea-green at first, later darker, turning light again
on maturing until white drops of sap ooze out and harden in the angular
seams in the skin, a stage called ’uru pî.
It then becomes ripe, being called
’uru-maoa, is yellow-green, and when cooked tastes like batter pudding.
If allowed to become riper, the fruit softens, a stage called ’ure pe, and
tastes like sweet pudding.
fin
The short stalk of the fruit is attached to
a
brownish-white pestle-
shaped heart, which is three to four inches long and is covered with
undeveloped, small brown seeds. The breadfruit season lasts three to four
months, but as the trees bear three crops a year and differente varieties
follow each other, fruit can be obtained during nine months of the year.
The well-matured fruit, not yet sweet,
when peeled and closely stacked
together in a pit or barrel lined with the breadfruit leaves and well cov¬
ered, will ferment like bread, and when it is well kneaded is ready for use.
This is called ti’o’o or jnahi and will keep well for three or four months.
It is made into oblong cakes called ipo-ti’o’o, or ipo-mahi, wrapped in ti
or breadfruit leaves, and steamed in a native oven, when it has a pleasant
sour taste.
The Marquesans and some other Polynesians eat ti’o’o with
méat or fish, but the Tahitians prefer sweetening it with molasses or
brown sugar, or pounding it into a batter with ripe cooked
breadfruit just
turning sweet, and with steamed taro, bananas, or fe’i mixed into a soft
consistency with water. This is called popoi and is served with fresh
water, milk or coconut water. Popoi is also often made without ti’o’o.
The choicest white native cloth, called pu’upu’u in Tahiti came from the
supple and profuse underbark of the young branches of the breadfruit tree,
pu’upu’u. The bark of other varieties of breadfruit is also used for cloth
in the islands where this industry is still carried on.
In ancien! times breadfruit
was
always called ’uru (head) until long,
long ago a king of Ra’iatea, named Mahoru, took that name, and it was
then called maiore; but gradually the name maiore wore out and ’uru again
became the
common
name
of the fruit.
aipu’u, apiri or ati’ati, apo’oahu,
(has very large fruit), aravei (also has very large fruit), aume’e,
’avei (has very large fruit with rough skin), fara (at Papara, a fine kind
that has fruit in clusters of three or four), ha’ama (a mountain variety),
havana (has fine délicate fruit), havana pataitai (has fine and délicate
fruit), ma’aro’aro, maire, mamatea, manina, ’o’ir’i, otea, pae’a (has elongated
and very large fruit which corne in the last of the season and is not as
substantial as the other kinds), rapara (at Tema’e in Mo’orea and Tautira),
Of uru there are about forty varieties :
araoro
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
41
pa’i-fe’e, patea, pererau-ohua (at ’Arue), peti, ponafara, puero, pureru or
(the fruit cannot be roasted on coals, but is very good baked or
boiled), piita, pu’upu’u (the thick bark of which makes the best tapa, beautifully white), rare, rau-mae, taea, tatara, tao, tPatea, toarau, tohe-hava’e,
tohe-ti’apou, ’uru-hiiero (a kind in Ra’iatea that bas black edible seeds in
the fruit), ’uru-ma’ohi (the most common, and a very good kind),
aope
rare-autia.
To
The varieties of to or sugar-cane
(Saccharum officinarum) indigenous to
Society Islands are ; to- a’eho (wild cane resembling a
reed, of a light-green color), to-irimotu (a purple cane with a brittle skin),
to-oura (a striped green, white, and purple cane), to-piavere (a grapecolored cane with a white bloom upon it like the grape ; soft and very
sweet), to’ofe (a great light greenish-drab cane resembling bamboo), to’o’opu (a very dark-purple cane), to-ra’au (a very hard kind of cane of
a
light-maroon color), to-tea or rutu (light greenish-yellow cane, very
sweet and juicy), to-’ute (dark red cane), to-haavai.
The juice of sugar-cane is pleasant to the taste and very nourishing.
The leaves of the plant make durable thatch for buts and sheds, and the
glossy bright, gold-colored stem of the beautiful downy blossom standing
high from the center of the crest of leaves is much sought after for hat
braids and other ornamental work, the light varieties of cane being
préférable to the dark.
the
soil of
the
A sprout can grow
from each joint of a cane that is eut into pièces,
obtained for cultivation; shoots grow plentifully from the mother plants.
and it is thus that plants are
Niu OR Haari
The principal varieties of niu, ha’ari, or coconut (Cocos nucifera) num-
ber about sixteen,
as follows : ahuahu-puru (when half grown the husk
edible, ha’ari-amu-’iri (a large coconut with a thin husk), ha’ari-apuru
(soft-husked), ha’ari aua (flat-bottomed coconut from which cups are
made), ha’ari-fafa-tea (stems of branches and leaves are pale-green and
is
light-green), ha’ari-haa (dwarf coconut), ha’ari-hiri-rua (nut has
large eyes, instead of one like the others, which develop germs from
which twin trees can grow), ha’ari-’iri-’ava (husk stringent when green),
ha’ari-maaro (husk sweet and juicy when green), ha’ari-’oviri (stems of
branches and leaves dark-green, nuts green) ; ail the varieties except the
two green kinds hâve yellow stems and nuts of different shades; ha’arinuts
two
are
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
42
paa-honu (nuts are shaded like tortoise shell and are made into cups before
they become quite matured), ha’ari-patiitii (good for water bottles), ha’aripuru-pea (cross-grained husk), ha’ari-puru or rau-aha (bas a long flexible
fiber from which the best sennit is made), ha’ari-’u’ura
(husk orangecolored), raita (or pororire, obsolète; the very small coconut).
The date and many other palms hâve been introduced since the islands
been opened up, and they are ail called ha’ari papaa (foreign
hâve
coconuts).
Names of the parts of the coconut tree and nut are : tumu-ha’ari pr niii,
the coconut tree ; niau or iau, the coconut leaf ; faniu or tafaniu, the stem
of the leaf ; a'a ha’ari, the flbrous covering of the part of the coconut leaf
stem adhering to the tree; oroe-Iia’ari, the sheath of the blossom; raine,
the young buds; huniu, the blossom; tari ha’ari, the branching stalks of the
coconuts; poniu, the very young nut just forming; ouo, the young nut just
maturing; nia, the fresh nut just matured, full of water; omoto, the stage
losing its water in the nut growing thick ; opaa, the matured coconut ready
to grow; moroati, the matured coconut when it quite loses its water without growing; oao, the badly developed coconut; ope, a prematurely falling
coconut; apu-ha’ari, the shell of the coconut; puru-ha’ari, the husk of the
coconut; oata-ha’ari, the big hole or eye in the top of the coconut; mataha’ari, the two small eyes of the coconut; tohe-ha’ari, the bottom of the
coconut.
Just as the young coconut has reached the ouo stage, the young tender
shell, containing no méat, is edible, and the water is becoming sweet. In
the next stage, called nià, the méat is thin and tender, having very much
the appearance of the white of a soft-boiled egg, and can be eaten out
of the nut with a spoon; the water then is sweetest and best to drink.
After this, the coconut develops into the omoto, when the méat is thick
and firm and the water diminished and somewhat
sharp to the taste.
At
this stage the husk gradually begins to dry, until the nut is about a year
old and mature, called opa’a, when the water has a flat taste.
The coconut
plant germinates beneath the membrane of only the big
hornlike through
through the husk,
until it emerges and gradually expands into leaves, which are whole at
first and then divided.
At this stage the plant is called the hirau, and
attached to it within the nut is a spongy substance, called the uto, which
serves as a tap root to feed the
young plant before it takes root.
At first
it gradually absorbs the water and then the méat which softens into an
oily substance, called para. The uto is considered a delicacy and is eaten
eye of the coconut, and it gradually pushes its way up
the fine soft coconut fiber at the top of the nut and then
■
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
fresh from the nut or baked.
a
The para,
43
also, while still accompanied with
little of the water is eaten from the nut, often being very sweet.
strike out from the stump of the sprout, which has
they spread through and through the
husk, which protects them until they find their way out into the earth.
They will pin the nut to the ground and the tree will grow from it thus
if not planted properly.
At this stage the water and the méat of the
coconut are completely absorbed, and the uto gradually also becomes
absorbed by the plant. Then the coconut shell and husk decay into earth.
By etiolation, the uto plant spreads out délicate pink leaves, which last
for a short time, making an ornamental tub plant.
Coconut trees grow
luxuriantly on the fertile soil of the high islands and equally well on the
sand of the low atolls.
They commence to bear five or six years after
being planted; they bear well for over sixty years, and live on, bearing
less plentifully through a century, towering high above ail forest trees.
They hâve great vitality; a tree that by accident becomes hollow, and has
its trunk inhabited by rats and hennit crabs will continue to live, looking
The young roots
covered the hole of its exit, and
well but with fewer coconuts than sound trees.
good bearing tree has more than a hundred nuts in different stages
development at one time, and the average coconut produces about a
quart of water. But on the Island of Niu-fou, one of the Tongan Islands,
A
of
feet in circumference,
from
which the island dérivés its name, meaning “new coconut.”
At the
motus is a variety that produces sait water instead of sweet, and
Tua-
are
coconuts
that
often found near
a
measure
more
than two
variety producing sweet water.
The manner in which a Polynesian climbs a coconut tree is novel.
it is
He
strips off three or four feet of the bark of the purau {Hibiscus tiliaceus),
ties it into a ring, which is called a tiaa (shoe), and into this places his
feet as if holding yarn. Then springing onto the tree he encircles it with
his arms, and drawing up his feet, holding close in the tiaa he moves
upwards, alternately using arms and feet, with movements similar to those
of a Caterpillar. In this way he fearlessly climbs the highest tree.
When
he arrives among the bunches of nuts, he taps the green ones with the
tips of his'fingers, an act called toto, to ascertain the stage they are in by
the Sound produced; having chosen the bunches to pick, he twists the nuts
off with his hands, or climbing above them treads them with his feet, in
either case dexterously sending them down upon the pointed end so as not
to break them in landing.
The matured omoto and dry opaa are hurled
down, as they will not break.
When the picking is done, a piece of hard wood resembling a crowbar, pointed at each end, called an o, is driven into the ground, and a
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
44
coconut
is husked
by raising and bringing it down with force sidewise
touching the nut inside. Husking the coconut
the o, thus avoiding
is called o i te haari.
onto
USES
From leaf to root the coconut tree is useful to
man.
In their green and yellow stages the matured leaves make attractive
décorations when spread out gracefully or twisted among other foliage.
They are also braided into thatch and screens for huts and sheds and
varions other purposes.
The young leaves are
bleached and braided into durable baskets, called
according to their style and shape. They
make good fans, hats, and other useful things.
The very young, tender
leaves not yet exposed to the sun, are covered with a thin délicate coating,
which becomes the bright upper surface of the leaves as they unfold and
which can be drawn ofï between the thumb and finger.
The coatings are
white, very light, and semitransparent, and when a great many are placed
together upon the rib of a dry coconut leaf, form a beautiful plume, called
revareva, which is used as an ornament on the head and sometimes on
native capes and dresses. In the French Tahitian ballroom Parisian ladies
arairi, ’ete, and other
hâve
not
disdained to
names,
wear
the
revareva
floating gracefully from their dresses.
some
as
a
headdress
or
décoration
This ornament is not known in
islands where the coconut is cultivated.
The heart
or
puo of the coconut tree is edible in its raw State, and
The hard wood of the trunk, which bears a beau¬
makes delicious salad.
polish, is made into handsome walking sticks and formerly was used
by warriors. It is also used for
posts and fences, in the framework of houses, and in many other ways,
but is too heavy for planks or canoës.
From the oroe or budding sheath containing the young bunch of white
marble-like coconuts and flower buds is obtained the sweet milky-looking
liquid called “toddy,” which is agreeable to drink and good as leaven for
bread. This is procured by tying the end of the nut carefully and cutting
off the tip two or three inches deep, where a funnel is then placed, and
a bottle tied up against it to receive the juice.
Four buds can thus be
tapped upon one tree, and each bud will produce a pint a day. When
they dry up, new buds can be eut, and so the tree will continue to give
its sap away, a circumstance that prevents nuts from forming. When fermented, toddy makes a strong spirituous liquor.
The husk of the dry coconut is braided into sennit, called aha or nape.
It makes good brooms and brushes for painting or whitewashing, and
tiful
for long lances, called niu, tao, or maehae
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
good mats.
was
45
It was formerly used for calking the planks of
made into sandals, called taama or tamda, for tender feet.
used for
matured
canoës
and
It is also
kindling lires, as it catches fire easily and retains it long; the
dry shell makes good charcoal and gives great beat as fuel.
Coconut shells
for various purposes
according to the size and
Large dry shells make good Vrater bottles, called aano or anoano,
and in the dry or still green stage they also make good bowls and cups,
called aua.
Very small coconuts, or raita, are used for gourd stoppers
called orei hue, and for bamboo stoppers, called orei-’ofe or ’ohe when the
big bamboo is used as a container.
serve
shape.
The milk of the
expressed from the grated nut is white and
t!;iick like cream. It is a good substitute for milk in strong tea or in coffee,
and in preparing food. Tahitians hâve always extracted oil from the milk
of the coconut, but until the English missionaries arrived they did not know
it would burn. The Rev. Mr. Bicknell was the first who used it for lamp
oil, and from him they learned to make lamps in coconut cups containing
oil and
a
coconut
little sand to hold the wick.
The wick
was
made of cotton
or
tapa twisted around a piece of the coconut-leaf rib and stood upright in the
sand, from the center of the cup.
Hair oil, called mono’i (ointment), is perfumed by kneading in a
trough or other holder sweet-scented flowers and leaves into coconut milk
and placing it in the sun, when the concentrated beat soon causes the oil to
drain off, while the scented oil (paru) attaches itself to the flowers and
leaves.
Sandalwood also is used.
It is grated into a dust finer than
sawdust, mixed well into the milk, and set the same way to make a very
choice oil, called monoi-alii (sandal-wood ointment), which is used for the
hair and is also a very soothing liniment for aches and pains. Most kinds
of mono’i make good liniment, as coconut has healing qualities. Also, the
bark and roots of the tree hâve médicinal properties.
Native doctors pré¬
paré over a fire décoctions of médicinal herbs and roots in coconut oil
for purgatives, many of which possess great virtue.
In former times the fractured human skull
shell in the nia stage,
was
mended with coconut
when it was of the same thickness as the skull, by
carefully removing the splinters of bone, smoothing the edge of the broken
part, nicely fitting in the shell, and then closing it over with the skin of
the scalp.
The bone of the skull gradually knitted itself round the shell,
which lasted through the remainder of a man’s lifetime and did not
inconvenience him.
Skulls thus mended hâve been seen and the settings
found satisfactory by scientists of note.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
46
Mapê
The mape or Tahitian chestiiut (Inocarpus edulis) was
formerly called
ràtà, as it is named in old writings, both names signifying “kidney,” which
the nut resembles in shape. Different varieties of the mape are recognized
by the size and shape of the nuts, some being large and fiat and others
of smaller sizes and rounded in
thick shells and others
shape*, some having thick juicy husks and
only a thin skin and shell.
the great forest trees are the mape, which
generally found growing near the river banks, where in places they
form continuons chains. In other places, entwined by the clinging fau and
sur rounded by trees of smaller growth, they stand in groups anci^here and
there are linked together with other trees by the great pohue or wild
ville (Convolvulaceae) extending up among their highest branches.
Grand and grâce fui among
are
dark-green foliage of thin oblong leaves, measuring about eight
by four, gives a dense shade. In springtime the tips of ail the
branches are covered with bunches of young amber-colored leaves, verging
gradually into creamy-white soft plumes, which become light-green and then
gradually deepen to dark-green. Soon afterwards the trees are frosted
over with fleecy thick clusters of small, white flowers, which fill the air with
a strong, sweet odor.
After they fall off, the mape nuts, with smooth
surface, develop, and when they mature, some kinds turning yellow, others
brown, and others light-green, they are called mape pa’ari. They are good
Their
inches
nutritions food either when roasted on live coals or baked.
eat many young
nuts while they hang upon
Rats and larvae
the trees.
fall, they are called mami and are somewhat
Soon the husks dry and the nüts begin
to sprout, when they are called ro"a.
In both these stages they are good to
When the matured nuts
barder than when first matured.
eat
when well baked.
of the tree is colorless as it collects upon the wounded bark,
gradually it assumes a bright-red hue on coming in contact with the
air. The wood of the tree is white and coarse and is used mostly for firewood and for making fences.
The straight branches make good axe
handles. After seven or eight years’ growth, the smooth trunk undergoes
a complété change; uneven projections form around it from the branches
to the roots, filling out and meeting in some places and leaving hollows in
others ; and these in turn take new forms, meeting and dividing year after
year, thus leaving gaps of ail shapes in the wood.
Gradually, eccentric
board-like buttresses grow and extend irregularly around the trunk of the
tree, forming natural partitions and enclosures several feet along the
ground and tapering upwards as high as four or five feet, some reaching
The sap
but
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
down into the bed of
the
haunts of the water tribes,
the
47
river when close enough and becoming the
while those on dry ground afiford shelter from
inclemency of the weather to hogs and goats.
The very old mape tree has diversified
the branches, stem, and buttresses, upon
humps and protubérances upon
which great oaha (Asplénium
nidus), or bird’s-nest ferns, attach themselves, and from which hang gracefully long ribbon-like and tasseled epiphytes and the araifaa or mave, an
epiphyte with red berries like little strawberries in long sprays. Cool water
lodges in the numerous crevices, giving moisture to variously shaded moss,
smooth and spreading or soft and long over the dusky-shaded bark of
trunk and branches. Thus the tree stands unique in ail its sylvan beauty.
A legend is connected with the mape tree that stands in the district of
Paea, Tahiti.
A man named Aitî, of the district of Mata’oae, was a clairvoyant. He
happened once to be looking at the tree when he exclaimed, “Aue tera
vahiné i te ’aroha e!” (Oh, how pitiful is that woman!)
Not seeing any
woman there his friends enquired what he meant, and he answered, ‘T see
a woman weeping over young twin children, there standing in the hollow
of that tree, holding them in her arms !”
And soon tidings came of a
certain woman in the district who had just expired after being delivered of
twin babes also dead.
So they concluded that the woman was bewailing
their untimely end.
Ataë
There
are
two
kinds of
atae
(Brythrina) in the Society Islands, the
’atae-oviri, or wild ’atae of the mountains, which is a small spindling tree,
and the great atae-tahatai of the seashore, which is a long branching tree,
the trunks of some six feet in diameter and some completely hollow with an
aperture, serving as shelter for refugees
animais.
It is a deciduous tree.
As atae wood is very coarse
from rain and inhabited by
and spongy, it easily decays, but the bark
vitality, which renders the branches good for fence posts, and
some so
planted grow.
The bright-scarlet flowers of both kinds are alike, larger than other
varieties from other lands, with broad petals that turn backwards, when
open, clothing the tree, while the young triparted leaves are just budding,
then mingling with the light-green foliage, and falling off when the leaves
hâve matured to dark-green.
In turn, the leaves decorate the tree with
yellow as they fall off at the end of their allotted time. The sap of this
tree is very bitter.
The seeds are brown, but in Hawaii the indigenous
variety has red ones.
has great
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
48
The showy atae tree is conspicuous in the landscape wherever seen, and
graphically in their ancient
history that S. Percy Smith of New Zealand recognized the tree at once
the distant New Zealand Maoris refer to it
so
when he visited Tahiti and saw it in hloom.
Tamanu
(Callophyllmn inophyllum) is a useful tree of very
It stands majestically in the valleys, on the plains, or along
the seaside, strongly resisting wind and storm ; graves of it shaded many of
the ancient marae and to this day are regarded as sacred relies of the
past. The appearance of the young tree with its laurel-shaped deaves and
its flowers can scarcely be distinguished from the mammee apple tree, so
well known to travellers in tropical lands, the latter having thicker leaves of
a darker green and bigger flowers but the same odor.
When young and fresh they are used medicinally. By steeping them in
cool water without bruising the stems, as the sap would spoil the efïect, they
make a soothing and healing wash for the eyes, and the natives use them
in steam baths for fevered persons, with good results.
The beautiful clusters or small white flowers, fllled with fine yellow
filaments, are sweet scented and last long upon the tree or when plucked.
The light-yellow kernel of the seed, encased in a round woody shell,
smoothly padded within, contains a greenish, thick, bitter oil, which is said
to be
worth £go per ton in India, as a precious liniment for ail
manner of complaints.
This oil is highly esteemed also by the islanders
for healing purposes and for the hair when mixed with coconut oil.
A
little lasts long as it is rich and strong scented.
Myriads of these valuable seeds, which might be used commercially, go to waste on the ground
and in the océan without being utilized in commerce.
The dark-brown bark of this tree is hard, thick, and jagged; and the
wood, durable and having beautiful undulating shades of bright-brown,
bears a high polish.
The tamanu
or
ati
slow growth.
Ora
{Ficus prolixa), formerly also called aoa-aa-rau (aoaof-many-roots), is a kind of banyan tree found upon ail the high islands
of the Society group, but is not common. It flourishes upon moist but not
marshy soil. It is a deciduous tree, and has lance-shaped leaves about five
inches long and two wide and little purple figs the size of a pea.
This tree is grand in ail its changes.
When the leaves are ready to
fall off, they almost ail turn yellow at once, and the tree still looks clothed
The
ora
or
aoa
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
when its branches are laid bare.
49
Tbe nmnerous yoiing twigs look fresh and
tender, tbe sleek outer bark is clear-brown, and numerous pendulous roots
of ail âges hang from tbe boughs
like tasseled lines and drapery of shaded
reaching to tbe ground and forming new stems for tbe tree,
others remaining in mid air. The trunk looks like a mass of ropes. The
buds are covered with délicate, white sheaths, like young breadfruit leaves
and fruit, and soon produce pea-green leaves, which gradually deepen in
shade and cover tbe tree. An epiphyte called ’upa’upa-tumu-’ore (Playwithout-foundation) grows on tbe orâ.
brown,
some
as timber.
In former days tbe
twigs was made into tbe nice, brown native cloth that
was highly valued as bed covering.
The splendid ora cluster described by
Ellis® upon tbe brink of tbe sait lake of Maeva in Huahine, near tbe old
temple of tbe god Tane, still stands and extends itself, as does also one
upon tbe précipitons moist mountain side called Pu-aoa (aoa-clump).
The wood of tbe orâ tree is not used
bark of tbe young
Two stories in tbe legend of Hina who stepped into tbe moon contain
tbe statement that tbe
ora or aoa
tree was
avae
te
propagated upon tbe earth from
confirmation of which is tbe following: Na Hina i aa i te
aoa-aa-rau; ei tamaru tuturaa aha na Te-fatu.
Tei te avae te
tbe moon, in
tupuraa o te aoa-hei-avae.
(The aoa-with-numerous-roots belongs to Hina
stepped into tbe moon; it is to give shade in beating out cloth for
Te-fatu. In tbe moon grows tbe aoa-of-the-halo-of-the-moon.)
And so it
came to pass that ora cloth on earth became tbe preferred wrapping of tbe
great idols of tbe marae; it was especially chosen for tbe god ’Oro.
who
Vi, Ahia, and Toroea
The vi tree, pomme cythere, or Brazilian plum (Spondias dulcis), is one
of tbe largest and tallest of tbe trees of tbe valley. Its trunk grows high
straight, sending out limbs as it develops, and from it are made tbe
largest canoës, as tbe wood is light and buoyant. It is a deciduous tree
with bright-green pinnate leaves and small cream-colored flowers.
It bears
a luscious fruit tbe size of an orange, and tbe core, covered with flexible
spikes, bas -subdivisions containing tbe germs by which tbe plant is prop¬
agated.
and
(Etigenia malaccensis), commonly
in Tahiti called ’ahia-tea (white ahia)
and ’ahia-’ura (red ’ahia). The trees of both varieties are of middle size
and bave tbe same appearance, bearing long ovate leaves; but tbe flowers
and luscious pear-shaped fruit of tbe one are white, those of tbe other red.
There
are
two
varieties
of
ahia
called tbe jambo or mountain apple,
Ellis, William, Polynesian researches, vol. 1,
pp.
34-36, London, 1831.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
50
The flowers are filamentous, those of the red kind dark
magenta, and the
fruit is shaded with deep-red bordering
upon délicate pink.
The wood is
useful and durable.
The bark of the red ’ahia contains
which has not been utilized as a dye in Tahiti, as it has in
the West Indies and
a
rich red sap,
tropical America,
Hawaii, where the tree is also found.
The toroea
(Plectronia barbata) is a small tree of hard wood and somepleasant
to the taste and dissolve in the mouth,
leaving a hard stone-like seed. Most
specimens of the tree grow upon hillsides, but some on low ground.
what resembles the coffee plant, bearing dusky-red berries that are
Tutui
The
tutui, tiairi,
or
candlenut (Aleurites moluccana),
now ' generally
called tiairi in Tahiti, is a good-sized tree, and
though it grows
where upon dry soil, its home is
chiefly upon
where its silvery leaves distinguish it from the
well every-
the cool mountain sides
surrounding foliage. It is
a heterophyllous
plant, having large, palmate leaves when young, which
gradually change to smaller, ovate leaves as it matures.
The nut, which is about the size of
a
walnut, is rich and oily and
edible in small quantities ; many nuts threaded on the rib of a coconut leaf
form a taper that will burn like a candie, and this was the islanders’
in olden times—hence the Tahitian name tutui
The shell of the nut is brown and indented
nut.
the other.
on
lamp
(to light), English, candle¬
bears
a
on
one
side
more
than
When seasoned in black mud, it becomes
jet black, and it
It is made into jewelry in Hawaii, where the tutui
high polish.
abounds and is called kukui.
The wood is coarse and soon decays, when it becomes the haunt of land
shells and also covered with a growth of fungus, which is sometimes
as
an
article of food
by the Chinese.
bought
Rama
The
rama
(Ximenia americana) is a rare, creeping plant found
principally in Mo’orea; it has lanceolate leaves and bears a yellow fruit
the size of a green gage, and is fragrant, sweet, and
slightly astringent.
The seed is large, smooth, and round, and is rich and
agreeable to the
taste.
Pua Shrub
The pua shrub (Solanum)
its fruit is round and
as
a
preserve.
and
Tamaru-Haari
resembles the eggplant, to which it is akin, but
yellow, the size and shape of a lime. It is good
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
51
The tamaru-ha’ari {Physalis sp.) is a small shrub with berries resembling cape-gooseberries and with ovate, smooth leaves. It grows upon
soil newly cleared and is frequently found among the shrubs of a coconut
grove—hence its name, which signifies “by the shade of the coconut.”
Toa
Of
there
the toa
ironwood
or
oe
AiTo
(Casuarina equisetifolia),
now
called ’aito,
varieties, the ’aito-hiri, from the deep-red sap of which, a
brown dye called hiri is made, and the ’aito-rau-ri’i (aito with small
leaves), which has less red sap of the same kind. The ’aito-hiri is a
coarse-leaved dwarf tree that grows on the hills ; the ’aito-rau-ri’i stands
stately and graceful among the large forest trees upon high and low
are
two
islands.
The ’aito is the emblem of the warrior, who bears its name, toa, or
’aito and the warrior
image of ’Oro and
god ’Oro.
war weapons
mallet.
From its hard wood were made the
and such articles as the tapa-beating
The bark is
ragged ; the wood, at first of a délicate salmon color,
gradually becomes black. The leaves are needle shaped and jointed, average
six inches in length and are about twice as coarse as horse hair.
They
hang tassel-like from the spreading boughs of the tree and in the wind
produce softly rising and falling sounds. From the tips of the leaves
corne out délicate little spikes of minute red flowers full of pollen, and
close to the branches are clusters of strobiles, the size of finger tips, the
various cells of which are United in honeycomb form and contain the seeds.
Owing to the name Vairaa-toa (Place-of-toa) being adopted by the
Pômare family about two centures ago, the name for the tree and warrior
was changed to ’aito and so adopted by ail the people of the group.
HuTu
The hutu {Barringtonia speciosa) is a large, beautiful tree, not unlike
giant magnolia. It has large, thick, glossy leaves of a rich-green color
and obova.te shape ; and its filamentous blossom, as large as a magnolia
flower, is white tipped with magenta and mounted with golden anthers
surrounded by wide white petals in a round, green calyx., It opens in the
evening, emitting a most agreeable fragrance, and falls ofï in the morning.
The seeds, large, green, and heart shaped, hang from the branches singly
or in bunches, and from them is derived
the name huHi,, which means
a
“heart.”
The leaves
side, others
on
are
some
trees in
turning are mai'ked with red along each
They make pretty tempo-
red tipped or plain yellow.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
52
rary fans.
The leaves generally are much used for wrapping when cooking
native food and for other purposes.
These
grow on high or low land and on the low islands ; some
spread ont their branches from a short trunk about five feet in diameter
and other s shoot up tall and straight with a trunk about three feet in
diameter.
The wood is white, coarse, and buoyant, and makes good canoës.
The seed of the hutu is bitter and is a powerful narcotic, and when grated
and thrown into the sea among the fishes it will stupefy them so that they
will lie dormant and can be taken up by the hand by fisherman.
trees
MaTi, Roa, Aute, Rêva
The mati
(Ficus tinctoria, Ficus prolixa of Ellis) may be likèned to
It clings to rocks on the moist sides of mountains.
It sometimes is found standing isolated upon a large moist rock, with
its roots striking down and forming a little grove of itself.
The leaves
of this tree are wider than those of the orâ, and when ripe the little figs
are about the size of a
blackberry and of a shaded scarlet. The yellow
sap of these berries when mixed with crushed tou leaves forms a
scarlet dye that was much used for printing patterns upon native cloth ;
also to rouge the skin of the arioi or comedians when acting, to render
terrifying the face of the warrior, and to disguise the face of the evildoer.
The bark of the twigs produces a strong white thread, which when
twisted makes durable coarse nets for catching large fishes.
The roa (Pipturus argenteus), or romaha, as it was formerly called, is
valuable for its bark, which is unrivalled in strength. A twisted thread of
it is too strong for an ordinary man to break with the fingers, and of it
the finest fishing lines and nets are made.
But those of foreign manu¬
facture are fast superseding the old native lines and nets.
The aute plant (Broussonetia papyrifera), was commonly cultivated
from twigs planted in long rows upon high, rich soil, and from its bark
was made most of the strong brown cloth worn by Tahitians in olden times.
But although it is no longer used in the Society Islands, it is still culti¬
vated and used for cloth in Rurutu, Tubua’i, and many other islands of
the Pacific.
Foreign goods are gradually superseding ail native cloth. In
old times some plantations of ^aute were sacred to the service of the gods.
The reva or hutu-reva (Cerbera odollam), is an uncommon tree of
middle size, which grows best upon high, rich soil.
It has bright lanceshaped leaves, a sweet-scented white flower about the size of a nasturtium,
and an oblong seed covered with a thick fibrous husk, which is very
poisonous. The wood is white and fine and durable. Formerly this also
a
small
was
a
banyan tree.
sacred tree.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
53
PURAU
The purau,
hau, or fau tree {Hibiscus tiliaceus), is generally called
although the leaves are always called rau-fau and the flowers
puapua-fau; the name hau has gone ont of use.
purau,
The
principal varieties are : purau-ahue (straight and erect) ; purau(commonest kind) ; purau-ma-ohi (its big leaves are much used in
preparing food) ; purau- opi’opi (has frilly leaves and flowers) ; puraupapa (grows on rocks, and has no seeds) ; purau-toroir.e (has small
leaves). AH except purau-ahue lean; their trunks and limbs twist into
fantastic shapes and form curves, elbows, and humps when left to stand
alone, and their branches occasionally strike the ground and shoot up again
in the form of new trees.
But their natural tendency is to seek support
upon larger trees, intermingling their showy boughs with those of the
others and rising with them to a great height.
The leaves are reticulate
and mostly heartshape, dark green, and smooth; and their
large simple
flowers are of a délicate canary-yellow with blackish-red center, when
they
open in the morning, the yellow changing to a rich salmon shade towards
evening, when they open wide and fall ofif. The flowers hâve healing
qualities and are much used as a demulcent by the natives and also by
foreign doctors.
hiva
The bark of the young purau branches is smooth, becomes cracked
and full of
irregular seams as it matures, and has a grayish appearance.
The great stump of an old tree, formed of several stumps
amalganiated into
Its thick snappy bark collects moss and
other air plants—notably the beautiful little Orchid named
mafatu (heart),
which has oblanceolate leaves, a cluster of slender
yellow flowers, and heart•shaped seeds and stumps, from which it dérivés its name.
•one,
is gnarled and picturesque.
From the
vigorous trunk grow up straight shoots twenty feet
which when stripped of their bark, steeped and then
washed in water, are white and are used to form the walls of the native
bird-cage houses or for crates in which to carry fruit or livestock. The
high
or
ever
more,
matured wood is shaded in circular lines of
black in the heart of the tree or limb and
bluish-gray, bordering into
changing into dark and lightbrown as it verges from the center.
It is tough, durable, valuable timber
for boat building, that of the straight parau-ahua,
making good boat oars
and planks, as well as canoës and paddles.
If the bark is
in water
stripped off the tender long stems, soaked several days
to free it of its outer surface and cleanse it of
its slime,
and then bleached in the sun, it becomes white and is valuable fiber for
so
as
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
54
In former days it was finely braided into
people.
Plants of the genus Hibiscus with velvety leaves and flowers resembling
those of the purau or fau are called fau but not purau.
cords, ropes, and fringes.
articles of clothing for the
AuARih, Tou, Vavai-ma"ohi
(Terminalia catappa, or umbrella tree), or autara’a,
The auari’i-roa
as
it is now commonly called, is an uncommon deciduous tree of middle size.
It has large obovate leaves, which turn red before falling,
and edible nuts in thick husks,
The trunk of the tree shoots up
then branches out in the form
insignificant flowers
resembling small mape or native chestnuts.
straight twelve or fifteen feet high, and
The wood, close
of an inverted umbrella.
grained and with variegated brown shades, is valued by cabinet makers.
The tou {Cardia subcordata), is a large tree of the seashore.
Its
thick trunk rises about twelve feet high, and its branches spread out in
irregular form. Its dark-green leaves are heart shaped and of middle size.
The tou has a crape monopetalous flower the size of a small Convolvulus,
in Tahiti a rich salmon color, in some other groups orange-yellow ; it
bears a small, edible nut.
As the wood is hard and close grained and
beautifully marked with varions shades of brown in spots and streaks, it
also is much valued by cabinet makers.
The vavai-ma’ohi, or native cotton, is a vigorous plant that grows
about eighteen feet high and produces coarse cotton upon a center of
amalgamated seeds. In former times, it was cultivated and used in embalming the dead. By the early English missionaries it was used for lamp
tapers burned in coconut oil (p. 45), and woven into cloth and rugs. Cotton
of the best quality, with loose seeds, was introduced into the Society Islands
by William Stuart of Terre Eugene (Atimaono), and it has been noticed
that when allowed to grow wild, a plant now and then will degenerate and
resemble the native cotton.
Fara
the beautiful fara tree, screw pine or Pandanus,
the insulars, especially on the low islands, as it
Next to the coconut,
is most valuable
to
and food to eat.
It is a branching endogenous plant with a rich,
furnishes wood and thatch for their dwellings, mats
for bed and clothing,
oily sap.
long linear-lanceshaped, and bluish-green, vary in length in
different species from four to more than six feet, and they are armed
with Sharp little thorns pointing upwards along the edges and along the
The leaves,
center
of the back.
The leaves
are set
evenly, one within the other, in
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
spiral order around the cylindric stems.
leaf
scars
remain
and
found
on
at
tborns.
Para
is
regular
spaces
55
Upon the glossy brown
stems
indentations with small blunt
high and low ground. The principal Tahitian
fara-iri, common, much used for
mats; fara-paeore, a choice kind with very long thornless leaves, used for
fine mats and délicate work, without blossom or fruit
(the only kind
without thorns) ; fara-pe’ue, with long flexiljle leaves, much used in mat
making, from which it dérivés its name. Six principal varieties found in
the mountains are : fara-ai’ai, with strobiles
containing large endosperms,
the irame implying fara-to-eat; fara-ofaa (the nest
fara), which retains its
dry leaves, in which birds build their nests ; fara-pao’o, a large, thickgrowing kind; fara-papa, which grows on rocks; fara-uao, which was the
haunt of a mountain bird, uao, now extinct;
fara-vao, of the mountain
recess.
On the sandy soil near the sea are : fara-purepure, speckled brown
and black, a character noticeable when the leaf is dry; fara-uruhi, which
grows rank in close thickets along the seashore.
varieties
found
on
Fara leaves
are
low ground are :
very
durable, and thatch can be made from ail these
leaves of which are too long and slender.
varieties except paeore, the
The aerial roots, about two inches in diameter and
cylindric in form,
down obliquely ■— some more than two feet — from the trunk
stretch
of
the tree, which they support, as if on stilts.
The roots,
with dull thorns, which cause a resemblance to the barrels of
studded
a
music
box, grow also from the upper trunk and even from the branches of the
tree, but do not ail reach the ground.
While young, their tender tips,
protected and kept moist by thatcblike caps, several witbin one another,
are edible wben
baked, containing a farinaceous nutriment not unlike a
watery yam, and are much appreciated by the inhabitants of the low
islands, where vegetables are scarce.
The fara
species vary in height according to the régions where they
Upon low soil of the high islands and upon the islets and atolls,
they attain a height of twenty feet or more ; but those high up on the
mountains are so dwarfed that they can be stepped over.
grow.
The wood of the matured branches,
averaging six inches in dia¬
meter, is hard and straight grained, resembling coconut wood, and as it
bears a high polish, makes attractive walking sticks,
paper knives and other
articles.
The
of
trees
are
dioecious.
The staminate flowers, called hinano, consist
long bunches of fragrant white bracts, shaped and edged with little
thorns like the leaves, which cover white,
woolly stamens, thickly filled
with pollen and
lying close to the stem, as in the banana. The pistillate
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
56
protected by bracts—which are white at first
deepen to dark-green and brown as they mature, when the bracts dry
and disappear.
flowers form strobiles—also
and
The strobile heads, called fara like the plant, are round, and some kinds
bigger than a man’s head. Each fruit contains several capsules in
are the endosperms, edible and somewhat like barleycorn in shape,
but having the taste and appearance of the méat of the matured coconut.
The fara-’ai’ai is particularly noted for its endosperms, which are larger
than those of the other kinds, being about the size of pearl barley.
are
which
The stems of the fruit, which are fibrous, are attached to a round heart
and
are
white until matured, when
they are yellow or red, according to
species. When ripe, they émit a strong, sweet odor and havè a thick
juice, from which alcohol can be made. As they are pungent to the taste,
fruit of the Tahitian varieties is not eaten, but some kinds in the Tua¬
the
motu
Islands are noted for their sweet luscious stems as
well as their fine
endosperms, which form part of the staff of life of the inhabitants.
When juice has been removed
from the fara fruit, the fine fibrous part
remaining makes a good brush for shaving or painting. The inner surface
of the lower part of the leaf is torn off and used by Tahitians for envel-
oping tobacco for cigai'ettes ; some foreigners prefer it to paper.
with red leaves, others with
speckled varions shades of bright-brown which when dry are
In the Tuamotu Islands are fara trees
leaves
braided to ornament the borders of mats.
Iëië, or Fara-Pëpë
or
fara-pepe (butterfly-fara, Freycinetia victoriperrea), is classiby Tahitians with the fara, of which it appears much like a small
creeping variety, having leaves that grow the same way, though much
leie
fied
moist mountain sides
creeping up on rocks and high into the boughs of trees and sending down
long pencil-like roots, called ’ie’ie, from which beautiful wickerwork is
made by the natives.
smaller and not durable.
It flourishes upon cool
The infloresence, resembling that of the pistillate in some régions is
white, bright-purple in others, producing three or four spikes, which form
fruit, green at first, and yellow and juicy and fragrant when ripe; the
white infloresence ripens to light-yellow, the purple to bright-orange.
In
its early stage the infloresence is edible, without cooking, but the ripe
fruit is not; though it attracts butterflies and rats, which feast upon it—
hence the
name
fara-pepe.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Ahi
and
57
Nonoia
The ahi or sandalwood
(Santaluni) is scarce in the Society Islands. It
good-sized mountain tree. Its leaves are lanceolate, and green tinged
with red. The flower consista of' a calix with several pointed sepals, which
are variegated and tipped with red, and a circle of white stamens round a
low pistil. When the flowers fall off, they leave clusters of red, blunted
berries.
The natives grate the ahi into fine dust, then decoct the odor
with coconut oil, and use the product for the hair and also as a liniment.
( See p. 45.)
The nonoia is an inferior species of sandalwood, having less odor.
is
a
Apapë, AvA, AND Ava-Turatura
The apape tree
(Panax tahitense), grows, on hillsides; it has pea-green,
pinnate leaves, which when well steamed produce a dye that is perfected
by steeping the dyed object in black mud.
The ava plant {Piper methysticum), is commonly known in Polynesia for
intoxicating juice. It is a latifoliate plant with jointed branches.
The juice for drinking is expressed from the roots, which are first
reduced to a pulp and kneaded well in water.
It is not pleasant to the
taste, but the after efifects are soothing and refreshing when taken in
modération.
When taken to excess it produces white blotches over the
skin, which in former times were regarded as marks of aristocracy, as
ava was held sacred to gods and high chiefs.
It also has médicinal properties.
Formerly the juice was expressed by mastication—generally by
young girls—a process that renders the mouth very dry and frequently
breaks the teeth. But now generally the root is crushed by pounding, and
then it is kneaded with water, and the liquid is strained off and served
its
to
drink.
(Plumbago seylanicaY^ greatly resembles the ava. It
properties, but is not intoxicating.
The ’ava-turatura
also has médicinal
FaiPai, Fpnia, Maamaa-tai
The faifai
(Serianthes myriadenia) is a large tree of the valleys. It
(ship) building. (See
is made into canoës, and formerly was used for palii
pp.
538, 608.)
{Homalanthus nufans) is a fine tree of the mountains. When
bark effervesces and yields a red dye, which was used
in coloring tapa.
The wood was made into boards on which to beat the
tapa. When green or dry the wood burns well.
The fenia
put into water its
This
may
be Piper
excelsiim.—î)d.
58
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
The maamaa-tai
or aaia (Lepinîa
tahitensis), or maamaa-i-ra’au, as it
formerly called, owes its name to its seed, which resembles a starfish, having three or four radiations, each attached to a slender stalk United
into one stem. The seeds are about two inches from center to
point. The
tree is uncommon and grows in shady localities in
valleys. Its leaves are
was
lanceolate and dark green.
Mao, Mara, Miro
The mao
tree
(Commersonia echinata ?, Melochia hispidaf) is a mountain
pinnate leaves and very small flowers
From its bark and roots is obtained a bright
brown-dÿe^ called
of medium size, with light-green
and seeds.
hiri.
The mara (Nauclea forsteriana) grows tall and slender, having ovate
bright-green leaves, clusters of filamentous flowers and blunted seeds.
or amae
(Thespesia populnca) is a fine tree with brightheart-shaped leaves and a yellow flower resembling that of the fau,
but not opening wide.
The fruit is hemispherical and about twice the
size of a walnut, consisting of a brittle shell in which are several septa, each
containing a single seed. (See p. 279.) The wood resembles rosewood
and is of much the same texture.
Formerly, this tree was held sacred.
The miro
green
Tahinu, Tafano, Tevë
The tahinu
(Tournefortia argentea) is a fine timber tree that grows
islands and at the Tuamotus. The wood is hard
and buoyant and is used for canoë building.
On the land in Pare, where
the town of Pape’ete now stands, was once a large forest of tahinu trees.
on
low soil
on
the high
(Guettarda speciosa) is a slender tree that grows tall and
straight and is used for boat masts, the wood being very hard and strong.
The tafano
It is found in Ra’iatea and the Tuamotu Islands.
The
teve
(Amorphophallus campanulatus or Dracontum polyphyllum)
succulent, low, deciduous plant resembling the pia, and has bright
green lanceolate leaves upon stems of lighter green, speckled with white.
It has a large, handsome, maroon-shaded flower, which opens low in the
center of the plant and produces a strong unpleasant odor, which attracts
Aies; and it yields tubers, which are very bitter, but edible when cooked
is
a
through water several times. This plant is widely
Polynesian folklore as having served among other plants to prop
the sky when Rû left it upon the hilltops.
and mashed and passed
famed in
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
59
Toi, MAiAi-TiA-ROA-o-TË-ifAA, Nono, Toromëho
(Alphitonia sp.) is a fine tall tree that grows up in
It has lance-shaped leaves of a dingy-green, small flowers
and seeds, and hard durable wood, which makes good canoës.
The
the
toi
valleys.
Resembling the toi wood is the mai’ai-ti’a-roa-o-te-fa’a, found in Ra’iatea,
It is not classified by botanists.
and also used for canoës.
The
nono
(Morinda citrifolia) is a small tree that has large cordate
fruit, shaped like large and small potatoes, upon
leaves and peculiar, white
which little white stellate flowers form and leave numerous brown eyes,
under which
are
black seeds surrounded with
when passed through water.
a
white juicy pulp, edible
The leaf is used for wrapping fish in native
cooking, giving it a nice flavor. It has médicinal qualities ; it will take away
inflammation if laid upon an affected part of the body, and if kept on long
enough will raise a blister. The wood of the nono is close-grained and
yellow and bears a high polish. From the bark is obtained a bright-yellow
dye.
{Fitchia tahitensis) is a plant that is abundant far up
It is sweet-scented and is used to perfume cocoIt is softening for the hair, and healing for cuts.
The toromëho
in the valley of Maha’ena.
nut oil.
Othër Flowëring Plants
The
aute-maohi
{Hibiscus rosa sinensis)
is
a
low plant.
It has a
beautiful, deep-red flower, with single frilled petals overlapping each other,
turning backwards, and not closing when it withers at night. Another
indigenous ’aute resembles this one and has a pistil terminating in a small
rosette.
Many other showy varieties of ’aute hâve been introduced in these
islands.
The avaro tree (Premna tahitensis) grows to a middle size upon the
plains and is not common. It has light-green, ovate leaves; its wood is
hard and good.
The thick clusters of small whitish flowers and green
seeds are prized for their sweet odor and are woven into wreaths and
garlands. This tree was the emblem of the god whose naine it bears.
(See p. 382.)
apiri {Bodonaea viscosa) is a pretty résinons plant of variegated
and purple and brown that grows five or six feet high
among ferns upon sunny hills.
The leaves are lanceolate. The flowers,
small and light-yellow, sooh fall off, leaving large bunches ôf little inflated
pouches containing seeds, which are sweet-scented and make attractive
The
shades of green
décorations.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
6o
{Cyrtandra biflora) is a small tree of the valleys and flourby shaded rivulets, where the sweet odor of its beautiful, simple,
waxlike flowers perfumes the air.
It has large succulent ovate leaves.
The hahape
ishes
The motu’u
{Melastoma denticulatum) grows with the apiri upon sunny
dingy-green ovate leaves, clusters of white flowers tinged
with purple, and edible berries that when ripe open like flowers. The berries contain a black-purple pulp full of small seeds, from which purple ink
hills.
It has
be obtained.
can
The ofai
(Sesbania grandiflora) is a small tree with hard wood and
small, bipinnate, light green leaves. It has large bunches of papilibonaceous
flowers, varying in color from bright-red to light-yellow ; and its seeds are
in
long, slender, hard pods. As the plant requires cultivatiomut is not
growing wild.
The piti [not classified] is a small tree that flourishes upon good soil in
valleys and along hillsides. It has ovate leaves and bears clusters of small
seen
sweet-scented
cream
colored stellate flowers.
The poro
{Solanum) is a showy shrub with white flowers resembling
the
size of a marble, which turn yellow and then, red in ripening. The berries
hâve a sweet odor and are pretty in wreaths and garlands.
The pua {Fagraea berteriana), a handsome tree of middle size, grows
on the hill-sides but bears cultivation on low grouiid.
It has thick, glossy,
dark-green, obovate leaves, about the size of those of the magnolia, and
sweet-scented tiliaceous flowers, with single petals that curl outwards towards
the stem as they bloom. The flowers are cream-colored when they first open,
yellow afterwards, and last on the tree for several days. When they fall,
bright-orange berries form and remain for many weeks. The wood is lightbrown, close-grained, bears a high polish, and is much valued for furniture.
The first pua tree was said to hâve been brought to the earth by
the god Tane from his tenth heaven, and so it was held sacred to him, and
his image was always made out of its wood.
(See p. 102.)
The rata {Metrosdderos polymorpha) of Tahiti, lehua of Hawaii, rata
those of the egg-plant, to which it is akin, and with cone-shaped berries
of New Zealand, and laka of some other islands is a tree of medium size
Society group, above medium size in Hawaii, and immense in the
cold climate of New Zealand. It is a native of the hills, where it grows
in the
plentifully.
The leaves
obovate, bright-pink as they corne out and
grayish-green afterwards. Its flowers are filamentous, red or orange, and
bloom in handsome clusters, full of honey, which attract bees and other
insects. The wood is close-grained and solid, pink, and good for furniture
are
and other articles.
small and
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
The tafifi
(Jasminum didymnm)
mine, but has larger seeds.
and stands cultivation.
It
6i
much resembles the English jasin shady localities along hülsides
very
grows
The tiare-maohi
(native tiare, Gardénia tahitensis), as it is called, in
commonly spoken et as
tiare, is a beautiful plant that grows slowly to the height of a small tree
and lives to a considérable âge.
Its bark is smooth. Its strong, gnarled
branches are covered with large glossy, obovate leaves, and spangled with
snowy-white, waxy-looking stellate flowers, which hâve a sweet, délicate
fragrance. The flowers open in the evening and do not wither for several
days. There are two varieties of this plant, which look exactly alike; but
the flowers of one are shorter and hâve wider petals than those of the
other, and they produce seeds, which the other kind does not. The tiare
has always been regarded as the choicest of Tahitian flowers. When picked
in the bud, just ready to bloom, and wrapped closely in their own or other
leaves, they retain their odor and freshness for several days and become
more flexible to use in making wreaths and other ornaments.
In this way
they are also used for scenting monoi (hair oil), which becomes very
softening for the hair and skin. The young buds are also used for internai
and external native medicines.
The tiare grows from slips on good soil,
best on sandy soil, and the largest old plants are found as sweet memorials
of the past upon the islets or long sandy points around the high islands,
where the ancient kings and chiefs used to hâve their summer dwellings.
contradistinction to other flowers, which are ail
The
tiare-ape-tahi, or one-sided tiare, is a remarkable plant that
grows around the famous mountain of Temahani in Ra’iatea, watered by
the cool dense clouds and mountain showers.
The buds
are
shorter and
tiare, which they resemble, and they open simultaneously with slight, exploding sounds when touched by the flrst rays
of the rising sun.
In opening, the stem splits up and the petals fly out
into a straight single row, looking much like a torn tiare.
The odor of
these flowers is slight, though sweet. Fruitless attempts hâve been made
to transplant the tiare-ape-tahi to other cool régions and gardens.
So
thinner than those of the
the
rare
flowers bloom and
’apetahi 'oe is
most
an
fade most of the time
unseen.
Ta’u tiare
old, poetic Ra’iatean terni expressing the highest and
of a darling child or loved one.
affectionate appréciation
In the pretty little village by Temae Lake in Mo’orea,
stands a mediumunique beauty. It has light-green foliage and bears long
sprays of yellow-shaded flowers, which though alluring to the sight, hâve an
unpleasant odor, the name pua-veoveo (Crataeva religiosa) meaning “flowersized tree of
of-rank-odor.”
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
02
Growing wild on low soil are many varieties of wild flowers resembling
snapdragon—mapua or puaioru. Some hâve large, light-yellow flow¬
ers; some, small flowers of a darker yellow, prettily striped with flne brown
the
others, dingy red; and others purple flowers.
The tohe-tupou (Geophila herbacea) is a beautiful little deciduous
creeper that carpets the groiind in the woods.
It has dark-green circular
leaves about the size of a cent, over which bloom pure-white stellate
flowers, somewhat resembling English jasmine blossoms, which in turn are
succeeded by spherical scarlet berries the size of a sweet pea. White dots
left by the flower tip the berries, giving theni the appearance of being
placed upside down, which the name, tope-tupou, implies
There are three species of native ginger : opuhi-ma’ohi (Amomurn
cevuga), re’amoruru (Zingiber), and re'a-ma’ohi (turmeric, of the genus
Curcuma). The ’opuM-ma'ohi is a native of the mountain recesses, where
it grows luxuriantly and lives long.
Its long ovate leaves hâve a very
sweet odor and are much used after being torn into shreds and dried, for
pillows and beds. Its flowers, yellow and red, corne out on heads with
scales similar to those of the artichoke, and are a rich maroon color down
around the stems of the plant. The root is not edible.
The re’amoruru is a deciduous plant that grows luxuriantly in ravines
and on shady hillsides. Though not so tall as the ’opuhi, it resembles it and
also has a sweet odor.
Its flowers are cream-colored on heads also like
the artichoke, green at flrst and becoming deep-red, with the scales full of
a
glutinous liquid, which is pleasant to drink when matured, having a
little of the taste of water flavored with ginger. The roots of this re’a are
Unes upon the petals;
also not edible.
The re’a-ma’ohi, known as
turmeric, from the roots of which curry-
powder is obtained, is a deciduous plant, growing in the same soil as the
re’a-moruru, which it looks much like. But its leaves are lighter green,
its flowers are white and larger, and it has no liquid secreted within the
scales of the head. The yellow roots of the plant hâve a pleasant aromatic
odor, and the rich juice expressed from them mixed with milk expi'essed
from the coconut makes delicious fresh curry.
The juice also makes a
bright saflfron-colored dye in its pure State, which, when mixed with lye
water, becomes red.
Crpëpërs
The hoi
(Dioscorea bulbifera) is a creeper with dextrorsal leaves that
along the branches of low trees, bearing upon its stems
entwines itself
tubers of ail sizes like Irish potatoes,
from among which fall fine tassel-like
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
63
white sprays
of flowers. The tubers are bitter, but can be made edible
by cooking and soaking in water.
Hue
or gourds
{Lagenaria vulgaris) of various sizes and shapes bave
always been in these islands, and they require no description, as they are
from well-known plants, the various uses of which are also known.
The aroro is a small spherical gourd, the size of a medium-sized
orange,
and bas been used by Tahitians
exclusively as containers of coconut hair
oil.
The huehue
(Melotheria grayana)
and bas beautiful white and
the size of
of
a
gerkin.
grows somewhat like a gerkin vine
purple passion flowers, and round edible fruit
The pipi or bean is an indigenous vine that bas beautiful double flowers
a
This
shaded lavender and white color and bears beans that
are
not edible.
plant grows over stone walls and rocks exposed to the sun and is
not uncommon in the district of Papetoa’i in Mo’orea.
The pitipitio or black-eyed Susan (Abnis precatorius) is a prickly
vine with small pinnate leaves, and it bears a
prickly pod of beautiful, red
peas,
each with a black spot where it is- attached to the shell.
much used for ornaments by natives and
These peas,
foreigners, are also set in jewelry.
There are three principal kinds of Tahitian pohue: pohue-tea (white
pohue) and pohue-’ute (lavender-colored pohue), which are classified as
ipomea pes-caprae, and pohue-tahatai (seaside pohue), or Merremia turpethum. AU bave heart-shaped leaves.
The flowers of the pohue-tea are of fine satiny texture and corne out in
large clusters gracefully falling over the leaves of the vine. Those of the
pohue-’ute are somewhat larger, are more scattered in their bunches, and
are light-lavender
deepening into purple towards the center. These two
giant vines entwine themselves into the foliage of the highest trees of high
and low land, forming festooned curtains over branches and caves, and
draping précipices ; their capillary stems look like great serpents twisted
round the trunks of trees, partially coiled and suspended from the branches,
and clinging to the rocks.
While the young stems are still supple, they
contain clear cool water.
This can be obtained to drink by cutting off
about five feet of the stem and making nicks at intervals along one side
for air holes, when the water will run out of the lower end.
A slight
pleasant taste of sap from the stem is noticeable when it first touches the
tongue, but not from the water itself. The young tips of these pohue
vines
are
edible, boiled or steamed, and hâve been resorted to in times of
scarcity of food.
The pohue-tahatai has stiffer and
coarser leaves than the two other
kinds, but its flowers are very much like those of the pohue-’ute, though
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
64
smaller and thicker in texture.
It bas a vigorous growth along the seashore,
sbifting sands.
Tbe tutae-puaa or sea-bean of Tahiti (Mucuna giganteu) is a vine
tbat grows close by tbe sea. It bears large bard brown beans tbat are not
edible, but as tbey bear a bigb polisb are used by jewelers for watcb cbarms
and bairpins and otber ornaments.
It is also found in tbe neigbboring
groups and, in Hawaii, at a bigb altitude, is a kind witb red, tbinner-
where it is washed by spray and bolds tbe
walled seeds.
Fërns
Many beautiful ferns are found in tbe
striking are described below.
most
There
are
two
kinds of
amoa
Society Islands, some of tbe
{Nephrolepis exaltata) : tbe 'amo’a-tea
(ligbt ’amo’a) and tbe ’amo’a-uri (dark ’amo’a), wbicb look alike to a
Tbey bave fine lacelike brancbing fronds of a ligbt-green
sbade, spreading out from long stems tbree or four feet bigb ; but tbe
’amo’a-tea bas smootb wbitisb-green stems, tbe ’amo’a-uri black stems tinged
casual observer.
fronds protected by a silky cbafï.
Tbe para (Marattia fraxinea) mucb resembles tbe ’amo’a, but bas a
root good to eat wben baked or roasted.
Tbese ferns are used medicinally
witb purple and green and young
by tbe native people.
Tbe anube
{Polypodium sp.), a stiff, strong fern, witb pectinate fronds
brancbing out fanlike from a long wiry stem, is tbe most common native
fern.
It grows on billy soil in tbe zone beyond bigb trees, and it ranges
in beigbt from one to four or six feet, according to tbe quality of tbe
It is beautiful and bolds its fresbness wben used in décorations.
soil.
Tbe ’aoa fern
(Acrosticum aureum) grows in great clumps on marsby
ground or on tbe banks of dormant streams of water. It is a fine plant
witb long pinnated fronds, standing as bigb as eigbt feet in graceful,
slanting directions from tbe stump, and giving a dense sbade, wbicb ducks
and swine enjoy. Upon tbe back of tbe upper portion of tbe frond, extending two or tbree feet downwards, are closely stacked tbe spores,
bave a beautiful glossy brown surface. Tbe juice obtained from tbe young
and tender frond is very cool, and is strengtbening and softening for tbe
bair, being applied to tbe scalp and tben wasbed off. Tbis plant is also
wbicb
medicinally.
Tbe fare-rupe
same
manner as
used
(mountain-pigeon-bouse) {Pétris milneana) grows in tbe
tbe ’amo’a, but its fronds are coarser,
tbe bunters of tbe rupe
green.
Beneatb its sbelter
used to conceal tbemselves, holding
softer, and dark-
(mountain-pigeon)
to view a tame rupe and imitating its
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
65
cry, like a nian shouting, “Ho! ho!”
Then tlie wild bird would gradually
approach the tame one, until it came into the range of the man’s hand
and was caught.
Tliere
{Polypodinm pusUdatum?), their
pinnatified fronds differing in length and shade from one another. A very
long dark-green kind grows luxuriantly on shady, rich soil ; and the other
kinds, which are lighter green, grow upon mossy trees and stones. They
grow in the woods and mountains.
As the varieties of this fern hâve a
pleasant odor, they are made into wreaths and garlands and used to perfume coconut hairoil. Very small leaflets of maire are called oro and are
tied into rosettes called by the same name. In Hawaii, the beautiful moun¬
tain creeper with long ovate leaves named Alyxia olivaeformis, which has
the same odor as maire, is called maile—a word that seems to be a con¬
necting link between the two groups of islands. A stellate variety of this
creeper in Tahiti, Alyxia stellata, is also associated with the maire fern.
are
several varieties of maire
The maire fern was used in sacred rites.
The mama’u (Cyathea sp.), formerly also called pnm,
tree
fern that grows on
is
an
élégant
the mountains of the Society Islands, but more
plentifully in Hawaii. The young stems of the fronds are thickly covered
with a dark-yellow, silky chaff, which is much used for stuffing mattresses
and cushions and also for absorbent purposes.
Its fronds resemble those
of the 'amo’a, but are much thicker and coarser. The name, originally puni
and changed in modem times to pulu in Hawaiian, is another connecting
link between the two groups of islands.
metua-pua’a {Polypodinm nigrcscens) resembles the maire, but is
has no sweet odor. It also grows in
rich soil and on moss}’' trees, and near the sea.
It has médicinal qualities.
The juice extracted after pounding it into a pulp is a cool, soothing Uniment
for sprains and bruises.
The
stiffer and thicker in texture, and
The nahe
(Angiopteris evecta) is an esculent fern of sweet odor that
in moist soil in ravines and valleys. It has bipinnate fronds, which
in favorable localities attain a length of twelve feet or more and which
are attachée! to a round, rugged trunk, resembling a bed of oysters.
The
trunk, which is bitter, is edible when steeped in water and baked, but has
not been resorted to as food except in times of scarcity.
grows
principal varieties of Tahitian oaha or bird’s-nest ferns
(Asplénium nidus). One, growing in circular form like a hird’s nest and
attaining great size upon the mossy trunks of old trees and upon the
ground beneath their shade, has large oblanceolate leaves with spores in
oblique Unes from the central rib to the outer edges. The leaves are used
There
are
two
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
66
by mountaineers for thatching buts and wrapping food.
The other kind
of oaha creeps upon mossy trees with fronds growing in a pinnate
manner,
forming a stem instead of a trunk, and its spores form little dots instead
of Unes.
Cattle
It is tender and brittle and lighter green than the
like
both varieties.
The rimu-ahu
larger variety.
(Davallia gibberosa), or rimu fern, is a most délicate
It is ranked with moss (called rimu)
kind that grows upon mossy rocks.
by Tahitians. In former times it was printed upon native cloth by dipping
it into dye and laying it upon the cloth.
The tiatia-moua
{Davallia elegans) is a hardy, glossy little fern which
clings to rocks and coconut stumps exposed to the sun.
kinds are found among rocks in shady places.
The rima, found on mossy rocks,
Also more délicate
mostly in caves, is a thick kind of
(Adiantum) with close-set fronds thickly laden with spores,
and is called rima (hand) because the fronds spread out from a central
maidenhair fern
stem, like fingers.
The raau-tafifi
(Adiantum), a beautiful creeper that resembles coarse
maidenhair, with fringy spores tipping the edges of loose pinnate
is found on mountain sides creeping up among low trees.
fronds,
Bamboo
(Schizostachyum sp.) has gradually become
superseded by 'ofe. The three principal native kinds are very hollow and
hâve thin wood.
They are : ’ofe-para, yellow bamboo ; ’ofe-’ura, pinkishbamboo, and ’ofe-tea, clear green bamboo.
The name ’ohe for bamboo
The ’ofe-para, which grows on hillsides mostly,
is a tough, slender kind
rods are made; it is also used, among other ways, for
walls of native rustic houses. The ’ofe-’ura is also a small tough variety of
bamboo and is used in the same way as the ’ofe-para; in former times it
was planted on sacred ground for saci'ed purposes, and from it was made
the sharp knife for cutting the umbilical cord of a newborn babe.
The
’ofe-tea grows to an immense size in the valleys, the joints commonly measuring nine inches in circumference and thirty in length, but hardly more
frorn which fishing
of an inch in thickness. Out of
food carriers, little boxes, fish préserves,
than a quarter
and
this kind are made water
and innumerable articles.
fences by lay¬
ing them horizontally upon one another at intervals between posts to which
they are tied with ieie roots. Such fences stay in good condition about two
years. Before the leaves corne out the young joints are removed to be used
Used their whole length, logs of this bamboo are made into
for
a
beautiful white straw for hat making.
The young bamboo is first
67
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
down and toughened by leaving it a
day or two in the sun. Then the
joints are separated, and each one is eut open when it soon expands until
it becomes flat; the outside surface is split ofï and together with the inner
soft surface, is thrown away.
From one joint are obtained five sheets of
white bamboo which are next steeped in lime juice and water and bleached
in the sun until they become free of sap and beautifully white.
Then the
straw is ready for use and not only is sold at good profit to local storekeepers but also exported.
eut
The
islands.
strong woody bamboo has
recently been introduced into these
Rëiîds
The six
principal varieties of aeho,
or
reeds (Brianthus floridulus),
which are natives of the clifïs, are: 'aieho-pu-hiva, a tall kind that grows
in thick clumps and is used in thatch making; ’a’eho-rau-ri’i, which has
small narrow leaves and is veiy slender ; ’a’eho-tea, variegated aeho ;
’a’eho-
ti’ati’a-vao, which grows in the mountain recesses and is like the first kind;
’a’eho-ufene,
a
bending, creeping kind; ’a’eho-’ura,
a
kind with pinkish
stems.
’A’eho are useful in many ways to the people and afford food for goats.
Beautiful straw for hats is obtained from the stem of the blossom.
Grasses
Of varions grasses
the following thirteen
are
the principal kinds in
Tahiti ; aretu or nonoha, a long grass, which is good pasture for cattle, grow-
ing plentifully but short upon hills and long and luxuriantly upon marshy
ground, used in native house making; matie-maohi, native meadow grass;
matie-papaa, the spreading foreign lawn grass ; moenoe, which grows on
high and low ground, is good for pasture, and the long délicate stems of
its flowers make good straw for hats ; mo’n-taviri-ha’ari, the sword-grass
having long sharp-edged leaves and long strong stems to its clusters of
flowers, the stems being crushed into threadlike fibers, which ai-e used for
straining grated coconut—hence the dérivation of the name—and for straining purposes generally; mo’u-ra’u-po, a flexible grass that makes fine mats
and other braids ; mo’u-raii-ri’i, a long slender grass that when dried
becomes pinkish-brown, the leaves making pretty, durable hats ; mo’u-upo’onui, a low kind that has large, round heads of. flowers standing above the
leaves ; nanamu, a high, soft grass that grows on good shady soil and makes
good pasture; ’ofe’ofe, formerly called ’ohe’ohe, a spreading, brittle grass
with broad leaves like miniature bamboo, also good for pasture; opaero, the
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
68
bullrush, the young leaves of which when takeii
and dried in the sun
pinkish like the mo’n-rau-ri’i, and are also used for hats; tama’oma’o, a very hardy, thick kind that grows in clumps, is used for feed for
horses, and the white rib of its long leaf is good for hat braiding; tamore,
a beautiful, spreading watergrass that grows upon dormant streams
and
pools, varigated maroon and white and very brittle, used medicinally by the
become
natives.
Mossks
The general Tahitian name for mosses and sponges and algae is rîmu,
and these are subdivided into three classes : rimu-fenua, land moss ; rimu-vai,
fresh-water moss and
The land
mosses
algae; rimu-tai, seaweeds and sponges.
are
qualified according to their respective localities.
Rimu-tmnu-ha’ari is a greenish-gray tufted moss that grows upon the trunks
of old coconut trees ; rimu-fau is a long silky moss
found in the hollows of
rimu-’ofa’i is a short thick moss found upon moist stones
and rocks ; and so on, a great number of mosses could be named.
the fau trunk;
Sponges
coral reefs
are
some
called rimu-to’a-o-te-tai (moss-of-sea-rocks).
coarse
Upon the
kinds are found that are not much utilized.
weed is called aihere no te tai.
Sea-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
69
DIVISIONS AND POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP
THE SOCIETY ISLANDS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS
OF
ANCIENT
INTRODUCTION
The
name
Hiti
Tahiti
(To-take-to-the-border), sometimes
shortened ' into
(Border), with its équivalents in different dialects, is known to most
Polynesians and has been adopted and appropriated by them in their
respective groups. From the remotest periods memories of the original
Tahiti of the Society group are
crystallized in their folklore, in parts
diverging from facts by a natural poetic tendency of the bards, but con¬
necting them as one people. Tahiti was also called Tahiti-nui (GreatTahiti), and was so known to other islanders in former times.
to
According to New Zealand and Hawaiian usage, the
Tahiti proper and also to any distant or
name
is applied
foreign land. To the Hawaiian,
Polapola is always identical with Porapora of the Society Islands and also
désignâtes the people coming from this group.
S. Percy Smith States 1 that with the Maoris of New Zealand the
ex¬
pression “Kei Tawhiti” (It is at Tahiti) is a common exclamation of
appréciation, signifying “beyond ail,” “admirable,” “excellent,” a compli¬
ment which he believes to hâve
originated from their former acquaintance
with Tahiti, whence so many tribes of that
people immigrated to
New Zealand.
The Maori
name
Tawhiti-nui-a-rua
,,
(Great-Tahiti-in-two),
applied to Tahiti, probably implies Tahiti in two peninsulas.
In the central groups of
tact with the
Polynesia, which hâve been in unbroken con¬
Society Islands, the name Tahiti has but one significance,
referring only to the real Tahiti.
According to Tahitian folklore, there are many “Hiti,” or borders,
though they are now mostly forgotten: Taiarapu, the smaller peninsula
of Tahiti, was named Hiti-i-te-ara-pi’opi’o
Tahiti and Mo’orea were called Hiti-ni’a
(Border-of-the-winding-path) ;
(Upper-border) ; Ra’iatea and
Tahaa, Hiti-raro (Lower-border). Tahiti and Mo’orea were Hiti-roa
(Long-border), and Ma’areva (Mangareva or the Gambiers) was Hiti-poto
(Short-border)*. In the Tuamotus is one island still called Hiti, which
formerly was also called Hiti-roa; and the adjacent island, Te-poto (Theshort), was named Hiti-poto in contradistinction to Hiti-roa; according
to the legend of Rata (p.
477), Moruroa bore the name of Hiti-tautaumai (Border-projecting-forwards) and Timoe
(Crescent Island), Hititautau-atu (Receding-border) ; Pitcairn Island was Hiti-au-rereva
(Borderof-passing-clouds), and an island that once stood north-northeast of it
^
Polynesian Soc. Jour., vol. 8,
p.
187, 1898.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
70
(Border-of-the-moon), long since sunk in the océan—an
legend vividly describes.
The discussion that follows dealing with the districts of the clans and
their chiefs, and hoiises of note of ancient times on Tahiti and Mo’orea,
is enlivened with poetry, narrations, and general information in the
original native form of teaching, from the lips of King Pômare II and
Tamera, often further cited. The prestige of the districts and their chiefs
is given by Moe’ata, of the royal family of Tahiti, who was chief of
was
Hiti-marama
event
the
Plitia’a for many years.
TAHITI
The: Districts of Tahiti-nui
Tahiti-nui mare’are’a
(Great-Tahiti of the golden haze) is diversified
watered by in-
with many mountains and hills, forming beautiful valleys
numerable rivulets which feed deeper streams and lakes that water the lands
below.
Ail these features are so
beloved by the natives that the mention
of any place at home will bring tears to the eyes
of absent ones and make
In the greater peninsula of Tahiti are thirteen
districts, and in Tai’arapu,
tliem
long to return.
peninsula, there are six. The boundaries of tbe districts are
carefully observed, and the regai seats of the chiefs are distinguished by
prominent landmarks, which hâve always been regarded as indispensable
to the greatness of their owners, whose hereditary titles were attached to
them. As only the heights of the prominent mountains are given in Tahitian maps, the hills connected with the subject must be named without
the smaller
measurements.
The clan districts
{te va a-mata einaa o Tahiti)
are
Tahitians in the following manner:
Hitia’a.
E moti
i Vai-o-va’u e horo
’Ea’ea, o Hitia’a te fenua.
Te
mou’a
i
ni’a,
o
Mauru, e o Ta-hou-tira.
roa
i
Te-vai-tohi,
o
Te ’outu i tai,
Te vai, o
te-ao.
o
Pape-he’i.
Manini-haorea
e o
From Vai-o-va’u (Water-in-weeds) to
’Ea’ea (Deliberation), Hitia’a (Rising
or
Te Tahua i rare, o Te-’iri’iri.
Maha-
Te marae, o Hitia’a e o Taputapu-atea.
recorded by the
East) is the land.
are Te-vai-tohi
(Riven-water, 4,S32 fe^t), Mauru (Bareness, 4,503 feet), and Ta-hou-tira (Renewed-mast, 3,981 feet).
The assembly ground is Te-’iri’iri (The
pebbles').
The point seaward is Pape-he’e (Gliding-waters).
The rivers are Manini-haorea [Manini
The mountains above
(fish) encircled] and Maha-te-ao (World-,
in-four or quarters).
The temples' were Hitia’a and Tapu¬
tapu-atea ( Sacrifices-from-abroad).
Henry—Ancieiit Tahiti
71
Te ava i tai : o Pu-tai-maru, (i Papeivi e Vai-to-are), Te-aau-raa, i Paaone,
are:
pà’i’a.
to-are
Te motu i tai, o Opu-totara, o Varia-rarù (oia o Ari-o-raro), e o Pû-uru.
Te-matoe-o-Hitia’a (Theeastern-crack),’® and Tapo-ra (Nowstrike), at Tai-pa’i’a (Ocean-slipping).
The islets are Opu-totara (Porcupinefish-stomach), Vari-a-raru (Mud-of-insects) called also Ari-o-raro (Wavesbelow) and Pu-uru (Forest-clump).
O
Te-matoe-o-Hitiaa, e o Tapo-ra“ i Tai-
The harbors outside (within the reefs)
Pu-tai-maru (Easy-ocean-pool) at
Pape-ivi (Water-of-ghosts), and Vai-
(Water-of-waves), Te-aau-raa
(The-sacred-reef), at Faaone (Sand-
extension),
O Teri’i-tua te ari’i.
Te papa i raro, o
Te fare-’arioi,
o
Teri’i-tua (Sovereign-of-the-ocean) was
the chief.
Fanauê.
The under chief was Fanaue (Strange-
birth).
Pereue.
The
comedian
Te ’Aito ’Arioi, o Maro-’ura.
Te fare-’aira’a-upu, o Maha-te-ao.
(Night-vapor).
Na ’orometua, o Te-reva, o Mara, o
Mara-uri, o Mara-tea, o Rau-’aha-tea e
world-in-four).
o
’Opu-a-tipa.
house
Pereue
was
The arioi warrior was Maro’ura.
The school was Maha-te-ao
(The
The teachers
miosphere),
Mara-uri
were
Mara
Te-reva
(Nauclea
(The-atforsier),
(Dark-Nauclea),
Mara-tea
(Light-Nauclea), Rau-aha-tea"“ (LightNauclea-leaf), and Opu-a-tipa (Stomachof-flying-fish).
.
E fenua tu’u piri
vetahi tau piri :—•
A
putu ;
tahi,
Hitia’a;
o
teie
te
a
a
rua
toru,
te
marama
maha
a
i
ha’aputui
marama
ha’aputuputu ; a pae a ono marama i
ha’aputuputu ; a hitu, a varu te marama
i ha’aputuputu ; a iva e ahuru te ma¬
rama i ha’aputuputu ; a tû
mai, a fa’ati’ati’a, a vaiiho i vaho !
(1) ’O vai ia?
È te Tumu-nui e, o te tamari’i o te
vahiné
matamua
moana
atea
’o
te
Tumu
hua’ai, i fanau mai i te ao nei.
(2) Eaha te faofao ata?
’O te repo fenua ia ’aore i î ;
to’na
e
ia.
e
o
te
(3) Eaha te ra’au e peha te tumu
peha te ’ama’a, e peha te ohiu, e peha
te rau, e peha te ’iri, e peha te maea?
e
O te vahiné ia fanautama.
o
Hitia’a
are
(4) ’Eaha te tahu’a ’e tàtà i te riu
Ha’apaiano’o?
’O te Maoa’e
e
o
te
Papaite ia.
was
a
land of riddles ;
of the riddles :
two moons' hâve
four moons hâve
some
here
One,
supervened;
three,
supervened ;
five, six moons hâve supervened ; seven,
eight moons hâve supervened ; nine and
ten moons hâve supervened ; corne
forth,
be propped, remain outside !
(1)
O
Who
are
they?
Tumu-nui, they are the children of
Tumu’s first woman and her
posterity,
born into the world.
(2) What are the clouds’ réservoirs?
They are the ground which is never
full; and the vast océan.
(3) What tree is' it that duplicates
its trunk, duplicates its branches,
dupli¬
cates its shoots, duplicates its
leaves,
duplicates its outer bark and inner bark ?
It is a woman bearing children.
(4) Who are the workers that bail
up the waters of Ha’apaiano’o
(Confluent-water) ?
They are Maoa’e (northeast wind) and
Papaite (northwest wind).”
Thîs name was gîven because tlie harbor resembîes a
crack, the reef beîng open in the
South and shut in at the northern end by a shoal
extending to the reef from Papehe’e Point,
mentioned above.
This harbor is also called Passe de la Boudeuse, after
Bougaînville’s ship, which entered there.
Aha-tea is another name for the Mara-tea.
Old name for Papeno’o River.
22
These two winds bring rain which causes freshets.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
/2
High up in Pape’iha Valley at Hitia’a can be seen dotting the précipices
like pigeon holes, in which lie bodies of people of former days,
wrapped in tapa and apparently well preserved, and which cannot now be
reached. In another place is a cave that can be reached only by extreme
exertion, and in it lies the skeleton of a giant, the bone of whose forehead
caves
In Hawaii at Kealakekiia
imprint of an ancient tattoo mark.
bears the
Bay are similar ancient cave tombs, whose inaccessibility is likewise mysti-
fying.
Mahaena -®
E mot! ’Ea’ea e haere roa i Ana-pû, o
Maha’ena ia fenua.
Te mou’a i ni’a, o Taia-mano;
reira te pare ra, o Taia-vete.
Te tahua i raro, o
Poro-’ura.
Fare-tai.
Te outu i tai, o
Te vai, o
tei
ari’i.
Te
The
Toa-tane
and Punua-ari’i
(Close-swim-
(Royal-side-pool).
To’o-iva (Group-
The arioi houses were Pou-mariorio
(Receding-pillars), Mara-ha’ava (Matured-Nauclea), and Ma’a-i-tere (Food-
that-floated).
The
chief
(Outer-leaf).
E horuera’a tei tai i Maha’ena.
o
Pu-ta’i-hani
The high chief was Ro’ura (Red-ant).
The under chiefs were ’Outu (Cape)
nine).
o
arioi, o Rau-pa’a.
e
Taia-mano
The messenger was
To’o-iva.
fare-’arioi, o Pou-mariorio,
Mara-ha’ava, e o Ma’a-i-tere.
O Pû-ta’i-hani
is’
The islet is Ta-au-piri
Na
Te aito
outside
harbor
ming).
’Outu e o Punua-
o
are
(Lovers’-trumpet-blast).
Ta-au-piri.“
tu’utu’u-ve’a,
above
(Dread-of-many) ; there is the fortifica¬
tion Taia-vete (Dread-of-search).
The assembly ground below is Poro’ura (Red-herald).
The point outside is Fare-tai (House-
The temples are Ra’i-ipu (Sky-withpools) and Ra’autatai (Disenchantmentwand).
Pû-ta’i-hani.
O Ro’ura te ari’i.
Na papa i raro, o
hills
Ana-pu
(Long-ap-
The rivers are Fa’a-rahi (Great-valley)
and Fa’a-iti ( Small-valley).
Te marae, o Ra’i-ipû ma Ra’autatai.
Te motii, o
The
to
seaward).
Fa’a-rahi e o Fa’a-iti.
Te ava i tai, o
From ’Ea’ea
(Escape)
(Pool-cavern),
Maha’ena
peased) is the land.
na
to’a
horuera’a. O Hina-rau-re’a te vahiné i
hau roa i taiia hortiera’a i tahito ra; ei
vahiné oia na Turi, atua ta’ata. No’na i
mairi ai te i’oa o Tou’ura-oi-’ore, no te
horue titi’aifaro.
comedian
was
Rau-pa’a
Out at Maha’ena is the sea for s'urfriding.
Pu-ta’i-hani
(Lovers’-trumpet-blast)
(Man-rock) are the rocks
Hina-rau-re’a (Gray-ofturmeric-leaf) was the most faraous
surf rider of that place; she was the
and Toa-tane
to
start
from.
wife of Turi the demigod.
To her was applied the nameTou’ura-
-oi-’ore (Sun-burned-swerving-not),
cause s'he rode straight.
Malia’ena, in the east,
be-
poetically called Ahu-*are (Baiîer-of-waves).
having been named after a young French officer who waa
and was buried there.
2^
This islet is called Ilot Nansouty,
killed in the battle of Maha’ena in 1846,
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Krom Maha’ena
73
(Point Venus) is a succession of sunken
an extensive area of the océan.
They
form an irregular submarine reef, over which roll terrifie breakers in
stormy weather and through which only island boatmen know the dangerto
Mahina
rocks and bars disseminated
over
passages.
ous
Tïarei—From Ana-pû to Ara-hô-hô (Shouting-road, so-called from the whistling
noises of the surging sea as it spouts up through holes in the rocky coast), is the dis¬
trict of Ti’arei (formerly Tûrei, Communication), in the north-northeast.
The hills
above are Horo-rà (Now-run) with pare (fortification) of the same naine; the asserably
ground below, Tahua-i-te-’are (Floor-of-the-waves) ; the point outside, Ai-fà (Stalkeater) ; the river, Tara-tà (Incantation-to-beat) ; the marae, Ai-fà. The great passages
through the sunken rocks are, Ono-he’a (Famented-revenge), and Fa’a-ru-ma’i (Hasteninvalids), facing the localities of those names. The high chief was Manuà (Morebirds), the under chief, ’Aru (Wave). The arioi house was Mata-hira (Timid-glance),
and its chief comedian
was
’Upaparu (Fish).
place in this district called Mehiti (Border) was famous for manslayers, who were appointed to seek at certain times human victims for
’Oro. In connection with this, référencé to the noise caused by breaking
A
Turbo shells, in order to
ing Unes:
remove
the animal for eating,
F mou’a iti teitei ra Pû-tara,
Pû tara
na
i te ra’i i Mehiti.
E tu’e ma’ava ino i Tûrei,
No Mehiti va’a ino
tapa’au ;
Taparahi ta’ata te toro’a !
Humaha
are
the follow-
A high hill is Pu-tara (Sharp-one),
Cône sharp in the sky of Mehiti
(Border).
’Tis dangerous
Tûrei,
to beat the
Turbo at
Because of Mehiti of bad clan
With victims laden;
Manslaying is their profession !
Pape-no’o.—From Ara-hô-hô to Ta-pahi (Dividing) hill is Pape-no’o (Confluent
waters), formerly named Vavau, and then Ha’apai-a-no’o (Confluent force), in the
north. The mountain above is Puraha (Extending-welcorae) ; the assembly ground be¬
low, Pia (Arrowroot) ; the point outside, Fare-pa’à (Strong-house) ; the river, Papeno’o or Via-tû-oru (V’ater-standing-swollen), the largest river on the island, rapid
and often swollen with inland rains. The marae v?ere ’lvi-rau (Many-bones) and Tomaru (Thy-shadow).
The great canoë or boat passage in the sunken reef is Papeno’o,
facing the river of that name. The high chief was Tupua’i-o-te-ra’i ( Summit-of-thesky), the under chief, Vana’a (Orator). The messenger was Atiti-oroi (Turningroot). The arioi house was Te-ao-’e-reva (The-world-was-space), and its chief
•comedian was Va’a-iti-ma-te-to’i-i-te-piha-ia-teta (Little-clan-with-the-axe-of-the-rooraof-refuge).
Papeno’o is the greatest valley in Tahiti in the form
of picturesque mountains, which are
the backgrounds of other valleys that close against them.
This valley
•once formed a district called Te-piha-ia-teta (The-room-of-refuge), under a
■chief called Teta, the hereditary title; and it formerly served as a city of
In the interior of
•of
a
vast
roora
with an amphitheater
Bernîce P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
74
refuge. Thither to escape pursuit fled political offenders and other refuThe following lines record the custom;
gees.
Ha’apai-a-no’o, te piha ia teta,
Te fenua
o
va’a iti
Te piha ia teta!
E taura’a niata’i
o
ma
te
Ha’apai-a-no’o is the room of refuge,
toi,
Ha’apai-a-no’o,
O Ha‘apai-a-no’o te fa’a e nui,
E piha tena no Tahiti.
E haere Tahiti i reira i te ati,
la Teta Ari’i,
Ora’tura i te imi ro’a,
Ora’tura i te tama’i.
Tei Ha’apai-a-no’o te ’uru ia
’iore.
The land of the little
strong,
The room of refuge !
A
clan
of
the
settling place for winds (strife) is
Ha’apai-a-no’o,
Ha’apai-a-no’o is the greatest valley,
A room it is for Tahiti.
Tahiti goes thither in trouble,
To King-Teta,
ma’a
And escapes the searcher,
And escapes from battle.
At Ha’apai-a-no’o breadfruit is
for rats (so plentiful).
food
Ha’apape.—From Ta-pahi to Ra’i-a-manu (Sky-of-birds), at the foot of Taha-ra’a
(The-setting) hill, is Ha’a-pape (Working-water) or Ma-hina (With-gray), which was
first named U-po-ru (Close-in-night-haste), in the north.
The mountain above is Oro-hena or Oro-fena (First-dorsal-fin) (7,237 feet high).
This is the highest mountain in Tahiti ; it is an extinct, cone-shaped crater which rises
majestically almost in the center of the island and terminâtes in two gentle risings,
between which lies
a lake.
Here live red-feathered ducks, the plumes of which were
much sought after for the gods and kings in former times, when men called pi’î-mato
(rock-clingers) could ascend its précipitons sides. The assembly ground below is
(Vale-of-visions) ; the point outside, Te-au-roa (Long-handle, Coolds Point
Venus) ; the river, Vai-popoo (Hallow-waterbed), deep in many parts. The marae
were Fau-pua (Blooming-hibiscus) and Fare-roP
(House-of-beds). The harbors out¬
side are Maa-honu (Some-turtle), facing the land of Ahonu on the east of Point Venus,
and Mata-vai (Face-of-water), Bay on the west, which is sheltered with a broken reef.
inside of which is a dangerous rock, known in legend as Te-to’a-o-Hiro (Hiro’s rock.
Dolphin Rock of Wallis). The islets to the east of the point are named: Motua’u
(Bill-fish-islet), Te-horu (Asthma), and Tahuna-tee’a (Hiding-place-reached), connected with the reef. The high chief was Ti’ipa (Fort-idol), and the under chiefs
were Tutoia (Slightly-wounded), and Te-rito-o-te-ra’i
(The-growth-of-the-sky). The
messenger was Fa’aara-hia (Awakened), the arioi house was Atita (Agitation), and
its chief comedian was Ti’a-au (Island).
Fa’a-ria
Of the school at
Ha’apape, mentioned in the legend of Hiro (p. 537)
’Oro in Tahiti (p. 121), is the following
and in the story of the arrivai of
record of its time :
Tei Uporu te tiara’a fare ’aira’a upu
ana-vaha-rau “ a te hui ari’i, o Tapuata-i-te-ra’i ; tera na orometua vahiné, o
Toa-te-manava no Ra’iatea,
e o
Mu-reo,
’aufau no Papeari i Tahiti-nei;
tera te ’orometua tamaiti, ’o Hiro, ’o te
ite noa i te upu no te fa’aro’oro’o noa
ra’a ’tu i rapae’au i te fare, ’aore a ’oia
firifiri
At Uporu is the school of savants of
royal familles, named Tapu-ata-i-te-ra’i
(Sacred-cloud-in-the-sky) ; there are the
women teachers, Toa-te-manava (Bravehearted) of Ra’iatea, and Mu-reo (Murmur-of-voices), reciter of heraldry, of
Papeari in Tahiti ; there was’ the boy
teacher, Hiro (Jester), who knew the
25
The marae of Purea, the high chiefess and wîfe of Amo, mistaken by the early explorera
for queen of ail Tahiti.
^^Ana-vaha-rau means cave of many openings, signifying great knowledge, or savant.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
i fa’aôhia i te pupu pipi i roto i taua
fare ra, e o te hau roa’tura ia i te ’ite.
E ti’a i taua ha’api’iraa
ra te tamari’i
hui ari’i no Tahiti nei e no Ra’iatea
e te au mai ; e ti’a atoa i te haapi’iraa no
a
te
Opoa i Ra’iatea te mau pipi no Tahiti te
haapi’i ra’a.
75
recitations from listening to them from
outside of the house before he was admitted into the class of pupils in the
school, when he became a scholar of the
highest merit.
That school is attended bythe children
of the royal families of Tahiti and Ra’i¬
atea and other kindred people ;
and to
the school of Opoa in Ra’iatea also go
forth pupils of Tahiti to learn.
Along the windward side of Point Venus
high hills of shifting
These are formed
by the force of the strong trade winds, but are said here to bave been
made by Hiro H
are
sands with undulations resembling the waves of the sea.
Fenua mou’a rua o Uporu ; o te one
i ahu hia e Hiro i tahatai ra, o tahi ia
huru mou’a, e o ’Orohena i uta ra o
te rua ia huru.
Uporu is a land of two kinds of
mountains; the sand heaped up by Hiro
along the seashore is one kind, and
’Orohena, inland, is the second kind.
At the head of Matavai Valley is a stupendous mass of basaltic rock
towering over the river at its base. Veins of this formation standing vertically among the clififs are not uncommon in Tahiti and the leeward islands
—one
of many kinds of rock throughout the group of interest to
geologists.
Te-pori-o-nu’u.—From Ra’i-a-manu at Tahara’a hill to Paofa’i (Enclosure-forpicking), extending from north to north-northwest, is Te-pori-o-nu’u (The-fatness-ofhosts), with subdivisions' of ’Arüe (Fraise) and Pare (Fortification). The mountain
above is Mahue (Pushed-up) ; the assembly ground below, Vai-rotà (Gatheringwaters) ; the water, Pû-’o’ro (Gurgling-group), formed of springs inland; the point
outside, Ahu-roa (Long-wall). The marae were Tara-ho’i (Thorn-returning) and,
Rai-a-manu, at Rai-a-manu, the boundary just mentioned.
The harbor outside is Ua (Open) commonly known as Taunoa Harbor, named
after the place of the same name. This passage faces the picturesque circle of peaks
called The Diadem crowning the summit of Mount Mai’ao (Bird’s-claw), an extinct
crater (4,362 feet high), above the valley of Fau-tau’a (Confederate-chiefs).
The
harbor connects with the beautiful and spacious port of the town of Pape’ete (Gushingwater), the capital of Tahiti and the emporium of the French possessions in east Polynesia. This port, the best of many good harbors in Tahiti, was also called Tipae-ru’i
(Night-landing) after the beautiful valley of that name, facing the passage.
The islets are Motu-’ana’ana (Broken-coral-islet) on the eastern side and
Motu-uta (Islet-inside) in the west, sheltered by the reef near the passage of
Pape’ete.
The pretty little town of Pape’ete, lies upon two districts, and clad in green
foliage and facing the islet of Motu-uta it nestles in a horseshoe bay. In the background are picturesque hills, relieved by magnificent mountains, the highest of which
is the Ao-ra’i (Sky-world) (6,673 feet high).
This town dérivés its name from a fine central stream of water named Vai-’ete or
Pape-’ete, which gushes from a
2"^
Also mentioned in the
source
at the foot of a hill behind the Government
legend of Hiro (p. 537)-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
76
House ; ’ete, or ’ete’ete in old Tahitian, signifies commotion, a shock, or gushing in
this sense. ’Ete also means basket.
The high chief was Tû-nui-a’e-i-te-atua (Stability-greater-than-the-gods), or
Tû-nui-e-a’a-i-te-atua
(Great-stability-who-settles-the-gods) of the Pômare dynasty,
whose home is Papa’oa in ’Arue. The under chiefs' were Ari’i-peu (Artful-chief) of
Arue and Ari’i-Paea (Sovereign-elect) of Pare. The chief messenger was Turuhe-
(Drowsy-greatness). The arioi house was Na-nu’u (The-hosts). The schools
(Dark-billow), ’Utu-mea (Red-lip), and Fare-fatu (House-of-masters).
The principal teacher was Matau (Habitude).
In adulation of the home of Pômare in Teporionuu, are the following lines :
mana
were
Và-uri
Tara-ho’i ta’i poto,
Tara-ho’i te ta’i onaona,
O
Tara-ho’i of brief cry;
Tai-a-iig’i of obstinate cry,
Tara-ho’i,
maro
It is persistent
’Eiaha ’oe e hi’o i reira !
E nana’ihere Papa’oa,
E ui tena e tae mai ai.
Ahu-toru te ’ai’a tupuna o te
Taraho’i,
Ari’i
Papa’oa is worth its hundreds,
Hardy must you be to corne hither.
o
O Ahu-toru tupatupa.
E rave i te ma’a mo’a i reira,
E fa’ahoi ’i mûri e ’ai.
E màro Tara-ho’i,
E ore e tu’u,
E ore e ho’i i te ua
Taraho’i nui i te vai
e
te mata’i.
tôtô,
E vero ia, o marama ia i ni’a,
Pa’a’ina
O mato
o
te
rua
Tara-ho’i,
Look not thou upon it !
a
tai i tahuna
nui te muhu
ea^
o
Pare,
Tôa roa i te huhu ta’oto’oto.
O toa haratô i huhà ha’ape’epe’e,
O honu iti e na hoa tapairu,
O ta’i mai i te po’o i Fara-tea,
O to tupuna o Tia-Mâûi
O Pû-’o’oro i te vai tai
To vai haumaru.
rea.
Ahu-toru
(Three-walls, a marae of
three steps) is the ancestral héritage of
the king of Tara-ho’i,
It is Ahu-toru of reputable aspect.
There they take sacred food.
And return behind to eat it.
Persistent is Tara-ho’i,
It yields not,
It recedes' not in rain and wind.
Great Tara-ho’i, of knocking waters,
That
is, in
And
the
above.
passes
it.
storms
roaring
with the
moon
that
encom-
sea
Cliffs with great murmuring caves has
Pare,
Attained by the napping bumble-bee.
Pain-inflicting warriors fleet of lirabs,
Little turtle and waiting maids,“
Outside of Fara-tea (Light-fara) cove,
Your ancestor is Tia-Maui (Stand-by-
prayer) ;
Pu-’o’oro of joyous' singing
Is your cooling water.
Te-H’a-roa.—The little
group of Te-ti’a-roa (The-distant-standing), famous for
consista chiefly of five islands named Rima-tû (Standing-hand),
One-hoa (Flashing-sand), Motu-rua (Double-islet), Hoa-tere (Travelling-friend), and
Rei-ona (Breezy-neck). These are connected by a protecting reef, in the northwest
of which is a shallow entrance that admits into the lagoon only canoës and small boats.
Te-ti’a-roa is an attachment of the District of Pare and formed part of the possessions
of the Pômare family, who placed it in the keeping of faithful retainers, mostly from
the Tuamotus, who brought to them their produce in exchange for breadfruit and
other Tahitian food.
In former times it was a pleasant resort of the royal family,
who occasionally enjoyed rest and quiétude there and indulged in the art of
haapori (fattening), which was practised by the féminine members of the family for
the purpos’e of beautifying their persons.
During political disturbances, the king
sometimes placed his treasures in safe-keeping at Te-ti’a-roa; and there in times of
peace, Pômare I sometimes held his heathen orgies while Tahiti was becoming Chris^
coconuts
and fish,
The waiting maids of the turtle means fishes.
Maui (Frayer), so-called after Maui, the first
priest.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
tianized. But this historié little héritage was sold by the family and now
ruins’ of old marae and stone-covered graves remain as records of the past.”
77
only the
Pa’a’a.—From Paofai, the west end of Pape’ete, to Fana-tea (White-bow) is
Fa’a’a (To burn) in the northwest.
The mountain above is Fau-iti (Small-fau) ;
the assembly ground below, Tau-a’a (Root-period) ; the point
outside, Pu-fau (Fauclump) ; the river is Tipae-ru’i, formerly called Tau-pô (synonj-m for Nightlanding). The marae was Ahu-ra’i (Wall-of-the-sky). The harbor outside was
called Tipae-ru'i (Night-landing), now named Papeete Harbor; and the
islet, Motutahiri (Fan-islet). The high chief was Te-ari’i-vae-tua
(Prince-dividing-the-ocean) ;
under chief, Te-pâ’u
(The-splash). The messenger or orator was Tau-vini
(Alighted-whistling). The arioi house was Pea-fau (Crossed-fau-sticks,) and its chief
comedian was Pa’â (Strong).
The school was Tau-va’a (Some-canoes), and the
the
teacher was Tau-va’a.
The following two legends
are
from this région :
Fa’a’a is a very hilly district, and upon the hills clouds descend and settle at night.
According to a legend there were once two men called Tû-ata (Cloud-standers), who
died of cold up in those mists. Wearing only the maro (loin-girdle), they had travelled ail around Tahiti, had slept out in the open air on points' and in
valleys, one
lying against the other to get a little warmth, and had defied the cold and refused
proffered hospitalities until at last they perished up on the cold hills of Fa’a’a.
There was once a man narned Merue-reoreo (Great-haste-the-boaster), who
cleared some land and after hurriedly planting mttc (paper mulberry) slips
upside
down upon it, made himself a nice farc-potc’e (oval-shaped house) into which to
put
the tapa that he expected the plants to produce. Then he built a pig pen and shut it
up
tinoccupied.
Finally Merue
went on a prolonged visit to Ra’iatea, where he
fine house filled with tapa and that he had plenty of pigs.
his relaives set out mite slips in proper order upon his land, made the
boasted that he had
a
Meanwhile,
tapa in due time, and placed it in his house; they also put pigs' in the pen and kept
his place in good order. So at last, due to the kind aid of his Tahitian relatives, his
great boastings became truths, and when he returned home with some Ra’iatean
friends, he was the real possessor of ail those things, and grandly entertained his
admiring guests. Ever afterward “Te parmi mau a Merue” (the truths of Merue)
became a byword at Fa’a’a.
Te-’oro-pa’a.—This district is comprised of Mano-tahi (One-thousand), Mano-rua
(Two-thousand)—also called Pù-na-’au-ia"' (The trumpet-is-mine) and Pa’ea“ (Wallof-escape).
From Fana-tea (White-bow) hill to Vai-ehuehu (Disturbed-water) is Mano-tahi
in the west. The mountain above is ‘Oro-henà, or ’Oro-fenà, (First-dorsal-fin), forming a background in common with Ha’apape in the north. (See p. 74.) .The
assembly ground below is ’Oro-peru (Retreating-warrior) ; the point outside, Pû-na’au-ia; the river, Vai-taio (Friendship-water). The marae were Pû-na-’au-ia and
Ra’i-tua (Ocean-sky). The passages (for canoës or small boats) are Tua-ta-miro
(Océan-with-caution), Ava-ava-manini
(Entrance-for-manini-fish), and Nu’u-roa
(Long-fleet). The high chief was Te-atua-nui-e-maru-i-te-ra’i (Great-god-who-overshadows-the-sky) ; and the under chief, Pohue-tea (Light-convolvulus). The mes¬
senger or orator was
Tama-ia-Atea (Son-of-Vast-expanse) ; the arioi house was
Te-tai-tapu (The-sea-of-sacrifices), and its chief comedian was' Pua-haha (Bulkyflower). The school was Pû-na-’au-ia and its teacher was Te-iho-ari’i (The-royalessence).
The following incident illustrâtes the jealousy with which the natives regarded the
boundaries of their districts
In 1904 it passed into the hands of Dr. Williams, of Pape'ete.
For the origin of the name Pu-na-’an*ia, see p. 502.
Pa is an old name for fort and fence, now applied only to a fort; patu means a stone wall;
and auGj a fence, both of which are also old words.
38Told by an old native of Pii-na’au-ia to Mrs. Samuel Henry.
(1)’A-ou’a
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
78
Fa’a’a and Pû-na-’au-ia once had a dispute about the boundary
the chief of Fa’a’a s'aid that the proper boundary was' in a
little dell” at Pû-na-’au-ia; but a man named Puhi (Eel), a ra’atira (gentleman) of
Pû-na-’au-ia, strongly contended that the proper boundary was on Fanatea Hill.
Then the two men of Fa’a’a, out of bravado, went into the little dell and began to
clear and plant the ground ; but when Puhi heard of it, he became exasperated, put
on his working maro, went to the two men and slew them, saying as he did so :
“Ua avatea, ua viriviri te puhi i te ’iri’iri i Fanatea!"
(It is noon time, the eel is
twisting upon the pebbles of Fanatea.) Then he carried their bodies to the marae of
Pû-na-’au-ia as sacrifices to the god, and thus ended the dispute forever.
Mano-nia.—From Vai-ehuehu (Disturbed-water) to Vai-niania (Swerving-water)
at Pâ-roa (Long-fence) in the south-southwest.
This section lias three divisions—
The people of
between the two districts ;
(Jump), (2) Na-ta’o-e-hà (The-four-spears), and (3) Mara’a
(Lifted).
(1) From Vai-ehuehu to Rua-o-te-toa (Cavern-of-the-rock) is ’A’ou’a. The moun¬
tain above is Tanono (With-Morinda) ; the assembly ground below Faofao (Stony) ;
the point outside, Fare-papa (Rock-house) ; the river, Vai-ta-ho’e (Water-united) ; the
Marae-ta’ata ; and the harbor outside, Ava-rua (Two-passages), the entrances,
Pâ’ea and Mara’a passages. The high chief was Te-vahi-tua-i-pâ-tea (Sea-dividing-at-
marae,
The messengers or orators were
(Royal-sunrise) and Paita (Great-rage). The arioi house was Fare-roa
(Long-house), and its chief comedians were Hita (Impulse) and Uri (Dark). Ruao-te-toa, mentioned above as a boundary of this district, is a submarine cavem in
the reef close to the shore, which is regarded as the home of a large image called a
ti’i (fetcher) of the old-time gods and which was placed there when heathenism was
abolished. It is stated in good faith by the natives at Teoropa’a that from there on
some quiet moonlight nights a great phantom image cornes on shore in the midst of a
whiriwind, accompanied with loud whistling, before which the bushes bend low. It
crosses the public road to the inner side, then jumps with a whizzing sound
and
vanishes in the air. Strange to say, this story has been affirmed to me by an educated
man as his own expérience before he had heard about the phenomenon.
Also on some
nights in this neighborhood, which is rocky, it is said that apparitions of French soldiers who died in battle with the natives at Pa’ea are seen hovering about in full
white-wall), and the under chief, To’ofa (The-chief).
Te-râ-hiti-ari’i
uniform.
(2) From Rua-o-te-to’a to Te-oi‘o-o-te-pua-tea (The-rosette-of-the-white-flower)
is
Na-ta’o-e-hà.“ The mountain above is Mahu-ta’a ( Severed-mist, 4,942 feet high) ; the
assembly ground below, Taruru-’amo’a (Bundle-in-Nephrolepis-fern) ; the points outside,
Pà-’ea ( Wall-of-escape) and ’Utu-’ai-mahu-rau (Cape-eating-mists). The rivers are
Vai-atu (Pandanus-river) and Vai-ra’a (Sacred-water).
The marae was ’Utu-’ai-
mahurau, on the point of the same name, and the passage for canoës or boats is To’ofà-
roa (Tall chief).
The high chief was Te-vahi-tua-i-patea (Sea-dividing-at-white-wall)
and the under chief was Te-to’ofà (The-chief). The messengers or orators were Fa’ahiro (Be-cunning) and Titihi-rape (Beam-peg). The chief comedian was
Hita (Im¬
pulse), and the comedians of this subdivision united with those of the following one
at the
arioi houses there named.
(3) From Te-oro-o-te-pua-tea to Vainiania (Swerving-water) is Mara’a. The
mountain above is Ivi-rairai (Slender-bone) (Si5S6 feet high) ; the assembly ground
below, Te-parau-a-hui (Word-of-the-assembly) ; the points outside are Mara’a-tau
(Season-lifted) and Tû-fara-ri’i (Stand-small-pandanus) ;
the water, Puna-tea
(White-spring). The marae was Tuitui (Requiems). The passage for canoës and
boats is Tàhuna-a-mà-ra’i (Heat-clear-sky).
The high chief was Te-vahi-tua-i-Patea
(Sea-dividing-at-White-wall) and the under chief, Te-to’ofa (The-chief). The mes¬
sengers were
were
^
Fa’a-hiro (Be-cunning) and Titiha-rape (Beam-peg). The arioi houses
(The-sun-with-yellow-rays), which was burned,“ and Apiri-te-
Te-râ-tore-re’a
On land now owned by Mr. Goupil of Outu-maoro (Long-cape).
Formerly the mountaineers of this district wore skirts of ’arno’a.
See story of the revenge of Mara’a (p. 241).
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
’ohu (Spin-closely),
Hita (Impulse).
built afterwards in
a
new
place;
79
and its chief comedian
was
At
Mara’a, at the foot of a hill facing the public road, is a cave over a deep
water which présents an optical illusion.
The cave has an arched roof,
which appears to be shallow and to slant
gradually backwards, and when a stone is
thrown in it appears to fall into the center of .the
pool ; but on entering the recess
of the cave, it is found to be
extensive, the roof being highest towards the middle
and the people on the outside being so far
away that their words in ordinary conver¬
pool of
sation cannot be heard.
cave
Also the
stone
thrown goes far in.
rainbow hues in the rays of the afternoon
SONG OF
sun.
Pa'ëA
E ti’i rà O vai tù nui
E pa i te ’ava rau ri’i,
Fa’ati’a i te pû ma te pahu,
A pa
Te
Let the great standing river
Wall in its small-leafed ava,
Tell it with the trumpet and drum,
Wall in the ava upon Mount Mahu-
i teWa i ni’a o Mahu-ta’a.
ta’a.
O rain of the rocks,
Conceal perhaps thy fishes
to’a ri’i e,
A puni pftha i to i’a
E ta’a i te pae tua o te ’atu roa !
ua
a
That
deep
the
of the
Wearing the gardénia of Tupai,
Raroto’a,
Blended with
tonga,
A manihinihi i te aravao.
O ’Utu’ai nui ’o’opu
long
lira
feathers
of
Raro-
Deal kindly with the mountaineers'.
’Tis great, black ’Utu’ai (Cape-eating)
[mist]
Of the wall of the yellow sea,"
Of the land that Hiro splashed.
When the parrakeet gods are caught
I te patu tai rea,
I te fenua i pâ’u hia e Hiro.
A piri te atua ura i te tapau e,
vere !
to
parrakeets”® to Ra’iatea,
To distinguish the handsome warrior,
E poe “ i te tiare i Tupai,
A mahu i te ’ura i
go
bonito ! ”
Go for
A haere i te manu ’ura i Ra’iatea,
A ta’a ’i te matauiui o toà,
Tia
From the roof of the
hang wild maidenhair fern and mos's, and in the rainy season waterdrops reflect
with gum “
Beware ! Beware !
Tia vere !
Pa-para.—From Vai-niania to Te-avaro (The-Premna) is Papara (Wall-ofripeness), in the South, comprising three subdivisions:
(i) The mountain above is Te-ara-tapu (The-sacred-road) ; the ass'embly
ground below, Hutu-maru (Shady-Barringtonia) ; the point outside, Tau’e (Differentseason) ; the river below, Vai-poea (Scummyvwater). The marae were Mata-’oa
(Glad-face) and Mata-rehu (Face-of-ashes) ; the passage for boats and canoës is
Tô-piro (Drawing-odor) ; the high chief was Teri’i-rere (Flying-prince) ; also named
’Aro-mai-te-ra’i (War-from-the-sky) ; and the under chiefs were Tati (Résistance)
and Ari’i-faataia (Intimidating-prince)
The messengers or orators were Haia-toti
(Bound-victim) and Haia-tota (Crushed-victim), of whom it was said : “Aore teie
tau orero e faaherehere, vahi ha’ari noa ta roua
parau” (These two orators are upsparing, like the breaking of the coconut are their words.) The arioi house was Te■
(Two-parties-meeting), and its
rehe
chief comedian
was
Mata’a
(Cheerfulness), for
The bonito eats small fishes that go in schools out in the océan.
Parrakeets’ feathers are here meant.
To poe flo'wers is to place them over the ears, a favorite custom of the
natives, and the
low islands of Tnbai are famous for fine tiare.
As it breaks over the point at ’Utu’ai in Pa’ea, the sea reflects the
yellow rays of the sun
in some positions.
”
Catching little birds with
gum
Both of these ranks of chiefs
is
a
were
method
of the
common
saine
in
family,
Polynesia.
an
elder and
a
younger
brandi.
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
8o
all Papara.
was
The school was Fare-e’e (Strange-houses), for ail Papara, and its teacher
Tio-tahu’a (Oyster-artisan).
(2) The mountain above is Te-maeva-tutui (The-attack-b3f-burning) ; the
assembly ground below, Tuturu-ma’a-’iore (Food-dropping-for-rats) ; the point outside, Mantinu (Benumbed) ; and the river, Vai-a’au (Reef-bound-water).
The
marae was
Outu-rau (Many-points).. The passage for boats and canoës is Te’a-iti
(Small-arrow)
or
Te-ava-iti (Small-passage).
the
The high chief and the under chiefs for this and the third subdivisions were
same as in the first subdivision of the district,
The arioi house was in common with
the following subdivision :
(3)
This subdivision was formerly named A-’Oropaa (Of-strong-warrior). The
(Boy-mountain) ; the assembly ground below.
mountain above is Mou’a-tamaiti
Poreho (Tiger-shell) ; the points
outside, Maha’i-atea
(Extensive-mitigation) and
(Thousand-thousand) ; the rivers, Fari’i-’orè-(No-container) and Vai-poea
(Dormant-water) ; the marae, Maha’i-atea (Expansive-mitigation).
The passage for boats and canoës is Fa’a-re’are’a (Make-joyful), said to hâve
been opened after the flood by Rua-hatu, the Tahitian Neptune.
(See p. 140.)
Manomano
in a high
of the high
chiefs, Teri’i-rere and Tati. Up to recent date the bodies of members of the family
hâve been carried there by faithful old-time retainers, who hâve stated thatincantations
The arioi house was Titi-pua-roa
(Sprig-with-long-blossom). Up
mountain of Papara is a great cavern which has been the family vault
made the work light
and
easy.
Following is an archaic war song (pehe-tama’i) referring to the ancient history
of these districts, which evidently dates from a time when the dauntless warriors of
the Oropa’as were subjugating different parts of Tahiti and which seems to throw
light upon this part of Papara being named ’A-’Oropa’a (Of-strong-warrior) :
Te Rua-i-tupua te
Rua-i-tahito ra!
Mai te tai maira vau.
Mai te mahu fenua,
Te-tou nohora’a aroha e !
E hoatu anei ia Rua-i-tupua tahito
la Vai-toru?
E to’u fenua maita’i e,
Papara to’u fenua ia mau.
Toa ivaiva
Ua fatata i tau ma te ono.
Ho atu anei ia Rua-i-tupua tahito,
la Vai-toru?
Papara to’u fenua ia mau.
Te ruma nei ra Oropa’a e !
Mai ta’na mou’a tapu ra’atira
Mai tete te ruma.
Te ta’i nei te fanau’a ’oura ri’i marae
E tere Hiro, e fete e fêta,
Pati fenua ia oe.
Tû râ, e oroi, pûa.
Te manu mou’a ri’i.
Papa tane te fenua e mau e !
Rua-i-tupua ( Source-of-growth)
i-tahito
(Source-of-old) !
Rua-
From the sea hâve I corne,
From the misty land,"
The Cordia, O résidence beloved !
To Rua-i-tupua of old shall
Vai-toru (three-waters)“ be given?
O my good land,
Papara is the land Fil
Raging warrior,
hold.
The time of vengeance approaches.
To Rua-i-tupua of old shall
Vai-toru be given?
Papara is the land Fil hold.
O ’tis lowering over Oropa’a !
From its mountain sacred to gentlemen
Clamor is broodin.g.
The little shrimps “ of the marae are
crying.
As the sweep of Hiro*’ cornes the outbreak.
Thou wilt make them leap upon the
land.
Stand, turn, blown away,
Shall the mountain birds *’ be.
Rock the man shall be in possession!
by the warrior in this song.
(Point-eating-many-mists) of Mara’a in Te-’Oro-pa’a,
Source-of-growth was an appellation of Ta’aroa, invoked
The misty land refers to Utu-’ai-mahu-rau
The three-waters mean the three Paparas.
The little shrimps mean the people of little power.
Hiro, god of thieves, took people by surprise.
This is another figure of speech meaning people.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
The
8i
’A-’Oropa’a has long been dropped, and the three subdivisions were
Papara under the chieftainship of Tati, whose Seat of government
was there.
Papara and ail the Southern districts of Tahiti as far as the Isthmus of
Taravao are called Te-teva-i-uta (The-mainland-plain), and ail the districts of
Taiarapu are called Te-teva-i-tai (The-ultra-plain) from the belief that they were
United in the fish before its sinews were eut, according to the legend.
(See p. 433.)
name
United into
one
The following is
a song
of Papara, referring also to ’Oropa’a :
O Papara e moe ra i te ahinavai !
O Papara nui ia ’Oro hua re’a
O te vai ia Tai-au ;
Taai na i te horo i paepae iriiri.
E manu vau nei, e Teva,
Teva i te mamari
E Teva i te ua, e
Mamari iti no Oro hua
A tuu i te vanaa
rea.
pehe ai
Tei Papara te tupura’a o toa,
e
No te toa manahune
O ’Oropa’a, toa i Fenua-ura,
O mere o te u a i Anâ,
O Rua-roa, o Papara
O te Maoa’e tua nane ;
O Papara hoi te tauira i te poti’i
O Papara e moe ra i te ahinavai !
’Tis Papara veiled in white mist!”
’Tis great Papara of ‘Oro of yellow
body “
Who is witlî Tai-au
Oro’s adoptive father)
(Agreeable-sea,
Travel, running to the pebble paving
of the marae.
I am a bird, a Teva,
A Tevan in the rain,
shade,
a
Teva in the
The little s'hade of ’Oro of the yellow
body.
Let the heralds sing
’Tis Papara that produces warriors,
The plebeian warriors
For Ôropa’a, warriors for Red-Iand‘'
Of Orion’s belt close by Betelgeuse,
Of the summer solstice ; ’tis Papara
Of the trade wind with rippling sea ;
’Tis Papara fostering the girls,“®
Papara veiled in white mist !
Ati-ma-onoT—From Te’avaro River
to Pâ-mati (Wall-of-Ficwi tinctoria) is AtiThe mountain above is Mo’a-roa (Entirelysacred) ; the assembly ground below, Paepae-teitei (High-paving) ; the point outside,
Papa-reva (Deep-rock) ; the river, Te-’avaro (The-Premna). The marae was Farepu’a (Eimestone-house). The passage for small boats and canoës is Te-ava-ra’a
(The-sacred-passage). The high chief was Te-ari’i-fa’atau (Phlegmatic-prince), and
the under chief, Tere-iti-a-uiui (Small-old-timed-errand).
The messenger or orator
was' Tau-atea
(Expansive-period). The arioi house was Te-hira’a-rupo (Fishingplace-of-the-rupo-fish), and its chief comedian was Te-rupo (The-rupo).
ma-ono
(Tribe-of-six) in the South.
Pape-’uriri.—In the south from Pa-mati to Te-rua-mo’o ('The-cave-of-the-lizards)
Pape-uriri or Vai-uriri (Gray-plover), also Mataiea (Strange-wind).
The mountain above is Pua-ràtà (Metrosideros-flower) ; the assembly ground, Ai-urua
(Eating-cavalla-fish) ; the point outside, Oti’a-roa (Long-boundary) ; the river Vaihiria (Water-gushing-forth), which cornes from a beautifui inland lake of that name;
the marae was Outu-roa (Long-point). The harbors outside connected with each other
are Te-ahifa
(The-sea-serpent) and Rauti-rare (Soft-ti-leaf) and the islets outside
are
Motu-one (Sand-islet). Ma-peti (Cleansed), and Pû-uru
(Close-clump). The
high chief was Te-iho-atua (Thc-god’s-essence), and the under chief was Rare-’ahu
(Cloth-house).
is a district called
This is a poetic expression resembling that of “Tahiti of the golden haze.”
’Oro’s image was covered with yellow feathers at Papara.
See the account of the birth of ’Oro.
North Tahiti, land of the ’Oropa’aa, is the prominent red clay hill of Tahara’a, or One-tree
hill of Wallis and Cook.
The girls herc means the weak in times of trouble.
Ati-ma-ono has become private property and is also named Terre Eugénie.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
82
The messenger or orator was
Haia (Body-slain-in-battle).
The arioi hous'e was
(Pearl-separated), and its chief comedian was Tiatia (Boasting).
Following is a song of the district;
Arai-teva
O Vaiuriri nui
a
tere
i maoha,
Maoha to ma’a.
O Mataiea riri vave,
Mo’opuna o te ahu parepare,
Tatai a nui o manu,
O Vai’irriri i te nia noa i te ’ai’a.
’Tis' great
splendently,"
Vaiuriri that moved
re-
Splendid is thy food.
’Tis Mataiea the hasty tempered,
Offspring of the fortified walls,
Of the shore of the host of birds,
’Tis Vaiuriri in which is the Heritage.
river of Vaihiria has to be crossed a great many times
ascending to the head of the valley, where lies the beautiful lake
A'^aihiria. This lake is about half a mile in diameter and has little bays
whence issue rivulets, coming from a semicircle of low gr&en-clad
hills, which are watered by high blue mountains that pour down cascades
fresh from their cloud-capped summits. The rugged declivity which forms
the outer side of the lake appears to be made of broken fragments of a
great avalanche that came from a mountain standing perpendicularly to
the right, some évidences of which are that many great detached rocks
lie ail around, some forming islets on the outer border of the lake. And
far down the hillside to the right, bestrewn above and below with heaps
of sharp broken rocks, is a great, dark chasm called Te-ra’i-tû-pô (Thesky-standing-in-darkness), the extent of which has not been explored.
Another evidence has been found to the left of the road where the water
The winding
in
from the lake for some distance undergound, and sounds as though
The current in this direction once formed
a Whirlpool
that was dangerous to approach, but the passage is now
obstructed by débris and wood from the surrounding trees.
The lake is very deep and owing to little flow of water overland has
a scum upon the surface close to the brink.
The landscape is nature’s
garden. Fine trees are there and an abundance of good food, such as fei
escapes
rushing through loose stones.
(mountain-plantains) growing thickly upon the mountain sides, tô ’a’eho
(wild sugar-cane) growing with apura (wild taro) in the little bays; and
tree ferns and moss grâce and soften the beauty of it ail.
The scene is
enlivened by wild ducks that start out of their hiding places and swim
with their young upon the calm water, scarcely frightened by the unusual
presence of human beings.
In good weather pleasure parties visit the
lake and camp Ijeside it, using buts covered with fehi leaves. Rafts of the
buoyant fehi trunks are made and paddled over the water; swimming is
another récréation.®®
The scene, especially by moonlight, is enchanting
and is long remembered by a visitor.
eut
Moved
resplendently refers to the moving away of the land after the throat
An eel
peciiHar to this lake is described (p. 615).
(p. 439).
of the fîsh was
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
83
abyss and a little farther ont is an ancient pare
(fortification) of stones standing in ruins. On the inner side of the lake
is a mountain pass leading down into Papeno’o Valley on the opposite
side of the island, which mountaineers find easy to traverse. More rugged
passes also connect Punauia and other deep valleys with this center.
In
a
line with the
Pape-ari.—From Te-rua-mo’o to Màtà (Beginning) is Papeari or Vai-ari (Billowy-river) in the southeast. The mountain above is Puraha (Open-to-receive) ; the
assembly ground, Fà-roa (L,ong-stalk) ; the point outside, Tau-noa (Just-alighting) ;
the river, Umi-nui-ma-varu (Great-ten-fathoms-with-eight) ; the marae was Fare-pu’a
(House-of-limestone) ; the harbor outside is Te-inara-uri (The-dark-mara [fish] ), con¬
necting with that of Te-hura-ia-matu’u (The-dance-put-forth) or Hotu-matu’u (Raging-forth), which is very rough and faces the Isthmus of Taravao. The high chief
was Mahea-nu’u (Paleness-of-hosts').
The messenger or orator was Pa-ne’e (Fathercrawling). The arioi house was Fare-’ute (House-of-song), and its chief comedian
was
Ti’a-pou (Stand-by-post).
Following is a song of the district:
O Vaiari iti a muna e !
muna ia te ma’a,
Vaiari iti a muna e !
Ua rau te ara i te fenua e,
E fenua poto i te ’Aua’a.
E
E a’a vau i te ’Aua’a,
Ta’i tahi rea ia a’a a’e;
E ha’a faura’o a ta’a e atu ai
O Vaiari iti i te ’e’a rau !
O dear Vaiari of enchantment !
Thy food then was enchantment,
Dear Vaiari of enchantment!
Many are the paths in thy land.
Near are the lands at the ’Aua’a (Butfor-that [straitl ).
I shall fathom the ’Aua’a ;
It measures a few fathoms across ;
By
a conveyance
is left behind
Dear Vaiari of many paths !
Thp Isthmus ot Taravao
With Papeari and Hitia’a in the west, the open sea in the north, Tai-’a-
rapu, the lesser peninsula, in the east, and the loch of Te-’aua’a in the
South, is the Isthmus of Taravao (Corner-plain), which was neutral ground
frequently the scene of strife and bloodshed between
“Taravao nui ari’i ’ore” (Great Taravao
without a king) it is called (p. 88). The isthmus is 2 miles wide, 45
feet high across the center, and rises still higher toward the graduai slopes
in olden times and
the people of the two peninsulas.
of the mountains
on
either side.
The French hâve built
a
fort there in
commanding position, and hâve made a good road, which soldiers hâve
a fine avenue by planting orange, lemon, and lime trees.
Some
of the trees hâve been grafted with one another, thus producing a pleasing
effect. Attractive homes and fine coconut plantations are on Taravao. The
beautiful loch of Te-’aua’a^® affords good anchorage for ships.
a
made into
The enchantment refers to t'he tiine of the cutting of the fish (p. 439).
Named Port Phaeton after a French ship-of-war by that name, which anchored there in
early fifties to take the hydrography of the harbor under command of De Bovis.
the
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
84
Thë Districts ot Tai-a-Rapu
(Orderlywwall) to Pare’aito (Casuarina-house), is
(Dashing-rock), in the Southwest of Tai’arapu (Disturbed-sea). The hill
above is Fa’a-rei (Uplift), standing alone on a plain ; the as'sembly ground is Tô-’erefau (Drawn-without-a-chief) ; the point, Pou-riro (Pillar-taken) ; the river, Ao-mà
(Clean-world).
The marae was Pou-riro (Pillar-taken). The harbor is Te-puta (The aperture).
The high chief was Moe-te-râ-uri (Sleep-of-darkened-sun), and the under chiefs were
Tane-ra’i (Sky-man) and Tû-tea (Standing-white). The messengers or orators’ were
Tavi (Rustling) and Tirahate (Stopped-by-invocation). The arioi were United with
those of the district of Mata’oae, also under the chief Moe-te-râ-uri.
To’a^hotu.—From Te-ihi-pâ
To’ahotu
The evil record of To’ahotu is
as
’Tis’ Toahotu, recoursed to
O To’ahotu ti’ira’a tapu !
fices !
A bad
E fenua ’ino,
Fenua fao, e fenua tapu,
’E’ita e fa’aherehere i te ari’i,
Ua
rave,
ua
rave
follows ;
for sacri¬
land,
Land of black art, land of sacrifices.
It spares not princes,
When it takes, it takes to keep,
roa,
Triuinphant
Opapa, opapa Vairaô !
over
Vairaô !
Vai-ra-ô.—From Fare-’aito to Pâ-’ute (Red-wall) is Vairaô (Now-stay-there),
formerly also called Pape-uru or Vai-uru (Enchanted-watef), in the Southwest. The
mountain above is Ma’atea“ ( White-sling) ; the assembly ground, Poti’i (Girl) ; the
point outside, Ahu-rau (Many-walls) ; the river, Vai-rutu (Water-of-the-rutu [a plan¬
tain] ). The marae was Nu’u-tere (Moving-host). The harbor is Tapu’ae-raha (Extended-footstep).“
The high chief was Te-aha-huri-fenua (The-prayer-that-overturned-the-land), and
the under chiefs were Vai-rora (Extending-water) and Vivi-rau (Many-front-ranks).
The arioi house was Tava-ni’a
Fa’afana (Guardian).
The messenger or orator was
chief arioi was Tû-mata-riri (Stand-with-angry-face).
The school was Te-vana’a-a’e-hae (The-herald-rising-fiercely), and its teacher was
Hae-te’Oa-Tahuea (Fierceness-of-the-’Oa-of-Tahuea).“
(Upper-cloth-bark),
and its
SONG OF VAIR.'VO
Fa’a
rua
rahi ta’iripû te
Na-ni’a iho na Ma’atea,
I pa’ipa’i e Hamuri,
Totoro a’era i poutini,
I te ’utuafare o te toa !
I hitimahuta to’u ara,
I te rau tou i te tamaru
mata’i e !
Creeping round many pillars,
Of the home of the warrior !
o
Tane ra,
Oh, I was startled in awakening,
With
leaves'
shade.“
of the
Cordia
in
Tane’s
A pe’e mai e !
As they fell !
Now fill up (the sails) and travel;
The wind is whistling at Toa-roa (Long-
Tapu’ae raha, te ava nei e !
At
E faa’i rà e ta’ai,;
Te ta’i mai ra te mata’i i Toa-roa
I
great double valley of concentrated
breezes!
Over (mount) Ma’atea (White-sling).
Corne gusts and Hamuri (Trade-wind),
O
A fa’ati’a i te tira, e tira,
O Tapu’ae-raha i te haere ;
This hill
U.)
was
rock),
harbor of Tapu’ae-raha
tended-footstep) !
(Ex-
bird Manu-i-te-a’a (Bird-of-roots).
(See
the
Erect the masts, masts
To pass through Tapu’ae-raha;
said to hâve been overturned by the
The extended footstep means the wide stride o£ Maui when he noosed the sun at Vairaô.
The ’Oa was the mucl god that assiimed the appearance of a man in Ra’iatea (p. 548).
The shade or night of Tane, god of beaiity.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Ei tutua tira ei
Ei tau fenua
tetere
a
va’a.
Let there be many masts
canoë.
a
to
sait the
Along my shofes you must sail,
tere,
A tere i mata’i ’oe, e fa’aî i te’ie
I te hi’u O te tira.
Te fenua i mua i umea mai,
Sail in the wind that filhs the sails
In the trail of the masts.
The lancls before [us] that were drawn
apart,
O Vaiari iti a mima e,
O Vaiuriri nui a tere i mahoa,
O
85
Are, Vaiari of enchantnient,
Great Papeuriri that moved off resplendently,
[And] Great Papara of 'Oro of yellow
body.
Exhausted quite, soon fatigued,
Papara nui ia Oro hua re’a.
Ua matata ia noa, rohirohi vave,
Fa’aea noa ihora te pu’e tahu’a
I ti’atere to’na aroha.
E ’Oputu te manu na’na i Kipa,
Then rested the artisans”
Whose émotions overcame them.
The albatross' was the bird that proudly
tunied,
I hipa ti’a a tai,
Ua ao mai nei i te aroha,
O ta’u fenua ra, o Vai-uru.
O Ma’atea te mou’a,
Tahua o Poti’i, te aha ri’i
That proudly turned out to sea.
And returned in love,
For my land, Vai-uru (Enchanted-water).
Ma’atea is the hill,
I Nu’utere
Are at Nu’utere [marae] of King Moe-
o
The assembly ground is Poti’i, the little
prayers
Moe-te-rà-uri Ari’i.
te-ra-uri ( Sleep-of-darkened-sun).
Oh, I hâve bathed in the sea of Vai-uru,
When the sea was rolled by the wind of
Chieftains of long coast.
Ua hopu i te tai au i Vai-uru e,
O vehia tua i te mata’i a
Te to’ofà i taha roa.
Tatou e noho à
I te hutu manu noa,
Ta heê mai i te are.
Let us dwell on
In the spray of the birds,
And ride upon the waves.
In this district there is a spring called Vai-ru’ia
(Darkened-water), from which
ît is affirmed by people living that Te-mehara, goddess of wisdom, whose marae was
close by, emerged on certain moonlight nights, and bathed and combed her
long,
glossy tresses.
On such occasions women sought her favor and held conversation
with her from the brink.
Long after Tahiti was Christianized, Mrs. Nuu Hills said
that her grand-aunt, Pùrua (Two-pools), of Vaira’ô, held regular communion with
Te-mehara as they sat together upon a- sraonth stone slab bj' the spring.
But at
length the old woman’s son, Fà-te-ata (Cloud-appearing), who was a zealous Chris¬
tian convert, being determined to break up their
intercourse, disturbed the stones
around the spring, carried away the slab, which he buried beneath the
public road,
and thus ended the vis'its with the
goddess.
Ma-ta’o-ae.—From Pâ’ute to Tai’ari’ari (Sea-in-waves) is Mata’oae (With-bid•ding), in the south. The mountain above is Pou-o-mata (Pillar-of-beginning) ; the
assembly ground, Ta’a-iva (Separate-sight) ; the point outside, Hiti-’a’a (Border-of
roots) ; the river, Te-a-rehu (Burned-to-ashes). The marae was Mata-hi-hae (Eyesflashing-with-rage). The harbor is Te-ava-iti (The-little-passage). The high chief
was
Moe-te-râ-uri (Sleep-of-darkened-sun), and the under chiefs were Tane-ra’i
(Sky-man), Tane-tû-fenua (Man-standing-on-land), and Tû-tea (Standing-white).
The messengers or orators were Tavi-hau-roa (Greatest-rustling) and Tira-hate
(Stopped-by-invocation). The arioi house was Matiti (Pendant), and its chief
comedians were Fleiva-’ino (Bad-play) and ’Upa’upa-’ino (Bad-music).
The school
was
Fare-ti’i (House-of-fetchers), and its teacher was the priest Pou-’ou-ma-fenua
( Post-barked-to-the-ground).
,
The artisans who
eut the
sinews of the fish (p. 439).
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
86
SONG O]? MATAOAË
Tuti’i fa’efa’ea o Mata’oae,
Mata’oae nui ia aifenua ! '
O Mata’oae te atua hiva e riri noa,
Te ai O Mata’oae te mea ro’o rahi;
E au’ati te ma’a roa,
E au rima o ma’a poto,
E noha ta’i vinivini
O Pouou-ma-fenua,
I
Mata’oae nui
Fickle ancestor is Mata’oae.
Great land-grasping Mata’oae !
’Tis Mata’oae of hasty gods of clans.
The eating at Mata’oae is proverbial ;
The under attrition is the long vegetable,
The upper attrition is the short vegetable.
A sage who wept bitterly was'
Pouou-ma-fenua (Post - barked - to - the-
ground),“
Of great-land-grasping
aifenua !
Mata’oae.
Te-ahu-upo’o.—From Tai’ari’ari to Ra-pa’e (Receding-sun) is Te-ahu-upo’o, gen-
erally shortened to Te-ahu-’poo“
(The-wall-of-heads), formerly called Mata-hi-hae
(Eyes-flashing-with-rage), in the southeast. The mountain above is Te-ahu (Thewall) ; the ass'embly ground, Uru-maru (Shady-grove) ; the points outside, Fare-nuiatea (Great-expansive-house) and Fare-mahora (Lawn-house) ; the rivers, Vai-hiro-
(Winding-river) and Vai-a-’ai’a (Water-of-heritage). The marae was Mata-hiThe harbors are Hava’e (Sea-egg) and Vai-’au (Swimming-water), United into
one."” The high chief was Te-ari’i-na-vaho-roa (The-chief-supreme) or Vehi-atua-ite-mata’i (Wrapping-the-god-in-the-wind), and the under chief was Te-atua-nui-ha’amaru-ra’i (The-great-god-who-shaded-the-sky). The messengers or orators were Tavi
(Rustling) and Tira-hate (Stopped-by-invocation). The arioi houses were Tahu-na-
hiro
hae.
(Kindle-the-ten) and Te-pu’u-maru (The-shady-peak), and its chief comedian
(The-quite-sacred). The school was Fare-orometua-nui (House-ofgreat-teacher), and its teacher was Te-ahu-marua (Fallen-wall).
At the foot of a hill in this district is a dark cave in which is a deep pool of
clear, cold water, called Vai-poiri' (Dark-water). On entering the cave people hâve
the custom of beating coconut leaves at the opening, in order, they sajq to s’end in
the light.
In the midst of the water is a table stone upon which bathers sit, and
from which they plunge to swim. The effect of a bath in this water never exposed
to the Sun is a drowsiness which has been attributed to legendary causes from time
immémorial. Many are the stories sad and pleasant connected with the cave. Here
in days gone by, a foe was sometimes decoyed and then slain by an enemy awaiting
him ; or a fugitive was concealed by a friend, who set him free as' soon as danger
ahuru
Te-ra’a-roa
was
was
passed.
people slain
Teahuupo’o was derived from a wall of heads taken from
battle between the districts of North and South Tai’arapu.
One party contended that the other did not observe the proper boundary line between Tautira
Matahihae.
So when the matter was settled by strife and bloodshed, the victorious
Southern s'ide decapitated their slain foes and at Râpa’e made a wall of
for the boundary line.
In that battle fell the warrior giant Tuatau of
cave
marae
of Pa’ea (p. 78). His head Was discovered in the wall and
his two sons, who also found his great spear and carried both
to
Tautira.—From Râpa’e to Te-re’a-iti (Little-Tumeric) is Tautira
The name
in
a
and
their heads
the
and
stolen by
relies home
Pa’ea.
(Set-mast),
formerly also called Fatu-tira (Master-of-masts'), Paiumara’a-o-te-râ (Climbing-placeof-the-sun), and Paiumara’a-o-te-atua (Climbing-place-of-the-gods), in the east. The
mountain above is Tahua-reva (Floor-in-space) ; the assembly ground is Ti’ara’a-oPere
(Standing-place-of-Pere [Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of
the volcano] ) ; the
point outside is Tautira, a long wide point with the following fine stream of water.
The river is Vai-ta-piha (Water-in-rooms), two basins United together. The marae
were Pure-ora (Saving-prayer) under Ta’aroa’s sway, and Taputapuatea
(SacrificesSee st'ory (p. 440).
For history of the name, see p. 241.
These two united harbors are called
taking t’he hydrography
of the place.
Port Beaumanoir after a government
brig, which was
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
87
from-abroad), after ’Oro came to Tahiti. The islets close together are Tiare-iti
(Small-gardenia), Fenua-ino (Bad-land), and Ai-hutu (Eater-of-Barringtonia). The
harbors are Vai-urua (Enchanted-water), Vai-o-nifa
(Water-of-nifa [fish] ), and
Te-’afa (The-crack) in Tautira Bay. The high chief was
Te-ari’i-na-vaho-roa (Thechief-supreme), the same as in Teahtiupo’o; and the under chief was Te-atua-nui-
ha’amaru-ra’i (The-great-god-who-shaded-the-sky).
Tavî (Rustling) and Tira-hete
The mes'sengers or orators were
The arioi house was Pa-raro
(Mast-for-invocation).
(Lower-wall), and its chief comedian was Te-ra’a-roa (The-qiiite-sacred).
The grand précipitons Southern coast, known as the Pari
(Cliffs), is without a
reef, and the winds and sea hâve free play. Up the steep mountainside of a
place
called Anuhi (Sliding-off) is the FIoro-nui-a-Pai-i-te-Ruea
(The-great-ascent-of-Paiinto-the-Mist)" culminating in the peak of Fare-tua (Sea-house), 3,188 feet high.
Ancient SuBDttasiONS
Teahuupoo
oe
In primitive times the districts of
Teahuupo’o and
ruled over by petty chiefs, arïi-ri’i, and
.and
Tautira
Tautira
were
subdivided and
beginning with Teahuupo’o in the south they
were subject to the
high chiefs in the following manner :
From Tai-’ari’ari (Sea-in-waves) to
Ofa’i-papa (Stratum-rock) was Tahiti-’ea
(Escaped-Tahiti), and from Ofaipapa to Uru-maire (Maire-breadfruit-grove) was
Apu-a’a (Shell-of-roots), both under Chief Fare-atae
(Coralladendron-house).
From Urumaire
to
Fara-’ura
and from Fara-’ura to Vahine-taraire
(Red-fara)
was
Tu-aiva (Standing-in-darkness),
(Woman-of-effectual-prayers) was Atipou (Tribe-
of-pillars), both under Te-tû-manu-a-te-Fatu (Standing-secure-in-the-Lord).
From Vahine-taraire to Vai-piere
(Water-splashing) was Maomao-reva (Deepseaweed), embracing two subdivisions’, Ati-tautu-raro
(Lower-domesticated-tribe) and
Ati-tautu-roto (Inner-domesticated-tribe), under
Te-tû-manua-a-te-Fatu and Ati-pou
( T ribe-of-pillars ).
From Vai-piere to Ta-pena
(By-omens)
Râ-hero
(Sun-obscured-and-shining),
in three subdivisions; Ati-tama-tea
(Tribe-of-blonde-child), Hotu-tua’ana (Birth-ofelder-brother or sister), and Hotu-teina
under
Te-tû-manua-a-te-Fatu.
was
(Birth-of-younger-brother
From Tapena to Ati-viri
(Foremost-tribe) in Tautira
Tane (Man), Itia (Still-small), Ta’aroa-i-te-fa’a
Mahu-ra’i (Sky-mist), Ati-tupua’i
named
were
or
sister), also
the
subdivisions
(Severed-in-the-valley),
(Tribe-of-summit), Topa-tai (Drop-seaward), Ati’Oro (Tribe-of-’Oro), Ati-ie-nia-ave
(Tribe-with-train), and Ati-viri (Foremost-tribe).
These subdivisions were called Fenua-ai-hua-ra’au
(Land-eating-small-wood), signi-
fying that they were tributary to a conquering power ruling over them, a condition
which they were subjected after conquest by the chiefs of the
South when they
erected a Wall of heads (pp. 86, 314). Upon these subdivisions
were placed chiefs
and marae from the south, according to the custom of
conquerors.
to
i-tai
After Ati-viri
came
Flo’ata-uri
(Mirth-rendering-purple), comprising Flo’ata-uri-
(Flo’ata-uri-seaward), Ho’ata-uri-i-uta (Ho’ata-uri-inland), A-te-to’ofà (Of-thechiefs), Moa-’ura (Red-fowl), and Ati-oro-i-oro-i-te-pua-tea (Tribe-of-rosette-wearers-with-rosettes-in-white-flowers), over which ruled Te-’ie’ie {Preycinetia).
From the outer border of Ati-oro-i-oro-i-te-pua-tea to
Vai-paea (Water-of-escape)
were the two districts of Rua-hua
(Retreat-for-the-weak) and Tapoa-uri (Dark-firstslain-warrior), subdivisions which were also called Ati-hau (Peaceful-tribe) and Atinua
(Tribe-above), respectfully, under Fa’a-ara-hia (Awakened).
See legend of Pai
(p. 578).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
88
(Hooked-point) was Ma’a-tea (White-sling), under
From Vai-paea to ’Outu-roua
Metua-’aro ( Lost-parent ).
Outu-roua to A’a-hutu (Barringtonia-root) was Fa’a-hotu (Be-fruitful)
Tane-ua-poto (Man-of-showers).
From Fa’a-hutu to Vai-pâ-rà-tà (Water-fenced-with-Metrosideros) was Vai-arava
From
under
(Water-of-petty-chiefs), under Te-matua (The-vigorous).
Pueu.—From Te-re’a-iti adjoining Vai-pà-râtà to Vai-mahanahana (Warm-water)
is Pueu (White-Jumbo) or Anuhi (Slip-out), in the north. The mountain above is
Tara-to’i (Axe-peak) ; the assembly ground, Te-one-uri (Dark-sand) ; the point, Fara’ari (Fara-of-the-waves) ; the river, Vai-turumu (Murmuring-water). The marae was
Tahiti-aea (Tahiti-joined). There are two harbors named Rau-tea (White-leaf) or
To’a-tea (White-rock) or Taha-roa (Long-side), and Umauma (Pinching) or To’a-pû
(Mid-ocean-rock) or Titau (Aim) or Hania (Upper-covering). The high chief was
Te-ari’i-na-vaho-roa (The-chief-suprême), and the under chief s were Te-’tua-nui-maraetaata (The-great-god-of-marae-of-men, or of human sacrifices), Tane-ua-poto (Manof-short-shower), Tematahiapo (The eldest), and Te-matua-nui (Great-vigor). The
messenger or orator was Piha’a (Spring).
The arioi houses were Fa-iti (Little-fish),
Fare-naonao (Mosquito-house), and Taha-roa (Long-side) ; and the chief comedian
was Tuturu-ma’a (Dropper-of-food).
A-faahiti.—From Vai-mahanahana to Vai-o-va’u (Water-in-weeds) in the
northwest of the isthmus, adjoining the district of Hitia’a, and thence to the
little guif of Te-hihi-pà (Perminkles-walled-in) in the southeast, which is also the
boundary of the district of Toahotu, first named on Tai’arapu, in the district of
Afa’ahiti (Make-a-border). It is in the northeast and borders on the peninsula and
the isthmus.
The mountain above is Vai-ori-hi (Rambling-gushing-water) ; the
assembly ground, Paruru-mata’i (Screen-from-wind) ; the point outside, Marumaruatua (Shade-of-the-gods) ; the is'let outside, Motu-nono (Morinda-Islet), and the river
is Vai-hi (Gushing-water).
The
marae
Umauma, of
was
Marumaru-atua
niany naines,
(Shade-of-the-gods). From
the
harbor of
in Pueu, there is a sunken reef extending about
three
along the coast of Afa’ahiti and the bay in the north of the isthmus to Putaimaru, or Papeivi Harbor, in Hitia’a ; it has many inlets for boats or canoës.
The
high chief was Moe-aru (Sleep-in-the-woods), and the under chief was Rati
(Comely). The drioi houses were Na-nu’u (The-hosts) and Paruru-mehau (Screenfrom-wind), and its' chief comedian was Hua-atua (Pattern-of-the-gods).
miles
SONG OF
E fenua tera, e fenua terera’a no’u e !
O Taravao nui ia nu’u’tu na raro e,
To farapai e te ara.
Te patia ri’i mata’oi’oi.
Te huira’a mapua i te vai maru,
Tara’a i te tuna tapahi noa.
O matai tupuna te taro
Pota ao nunui i te aia.
Toia va’a tei vaiova’u
O aru hotu
I te amara e rurura’a tini,
I te tupe iti i te ara o te ava.
This refers to the mode
AFa'aHITI
O, that is land, my land that moved !
There
is
great
below,
Taravao that moved
By émulation and adoration.
In piercing with
The
water
river,
sharpened (tools).
weed lies thick in the shady
Where the eel is cleaved asunder.**
An heirloom is the taro
With broad leaf, of the héritage.
Launch the canoë Vaiova’u
Of the breaking waves
Over the numerous tiger shells,
Over the numerous little cockles of the
passage.
of chopping eels to catch them as they
swim.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Over the long-eyed little crabs
of the
s'hore,
The Tridacna in the white sand of the
I te ohiti mata-roroa i tahatai e,
Pahua i te
tea
one
o
te
a’au,
reef,
The turtle and rayfish with stinging tail,
E honu, e fai i te aero haavinivini
I
To’a-pû i te parau ri’i here.
Pô na Afa’ahiti,
Tai haruru i te
ava
At
Puna tea
e
na
Toa-pu (Mid-ocean-rock) with the
dear little pearls.
When night falls on Afa’ahiti,
While the sea rolls in its shifting course,
The little cockcrowings
Are heard from inland.
At Afa’ahiti are fishes spreading [fins]
That resemble the rainbow.
Satisfied is the appetite at night,
At Motu-nono of the crouching octopus ;
Then there eat the tapering plantain,
The leaning sugar-cane, and purple taro
of the héritage
With clear spring and the waiting maids.
fa’ahaha,
E Vorara’a-moa ri’i
Te fa’aro’ohia mai i uta.
Tei Afa’ahiti te i’a ma’a
I tû ti’a i te anuanua.
Opu pa’ia i te tai e pô,
I Motu-nono i te fe’e onohi noa ;
’Ai urà i te fe’i fa’ari’ari,
I te tô farara, i te poti, i te
89
’ai’a
hui tapairu.
The highest mountains of Tai’arapu are Niu (Sky-omen), rising 4,3SS feet
and forming a central boundary between the districts of Pueu, Tautira, Teahu’poo,
and Mata’oae; and in the district of Teahu’poo, Rooniu (Ominous-wind), almost
rivalling Niu, being 4,342 feet high.
MOOREA
Introduction
Extending 31 miles in circumference, nine miles northwest of
Tahiti, is the beautiful and luxuriant Island of Mo’orea (Offshoot), also
named Aimeo, or Aimeho (Eating-in-retreat ; it was formerly the retreat
of Tahitian fugitive warriors).
It is poetically named Aimeo i te rara
varu (Aimeo of eight radiations), as eight mountain ranges dissect it into
eight natural divisions, and it was also sometimes called Fe’e (Octopus).
Mo’orea was formerly also called Tahiti-iti (Little-Tahiti), before this name
was applied to Tai’arapu in Tahiti-nui.
As Tahiti-iti (Little-Tahiti), the
counterpart of Great-Tahiti the fish, it has been divided from time immémo¬
rial in the following manner :
Three districts named Ma’a-tea (White-sling), the most southerly dis¬
trict of Mo’orea, Haumi (Dew), and A-fare-aitu (Belonging-to-house-ofgods), the adjoining districts southeast, are called Te-’i’o-i-ni’a (The-upperhesh) ; Vai-’are or Pape-’are (Water-of-waves) and Te-’avaro (The Premna
[tree]) in the east are Te-’io-i-raro (The-under-flesh) ; Te-’aha-roa (Thelong-cord) in the north is Te-pehau-i-to’erau (The-fin-in-the-north) ; ’Atimaha (Tribe-of-four) in the south is the Pehau-i-to’a (The-fin-in-thesouth) ; and the districts of Moru’u (Land-mark-tied) and Ha’apiti (Northeast-wind) in the west are the turn (props) of Mo’orea or Little-Tahiti;
Pape-to’ai (Straight-river) in the northwest is the Hiti-i-rapae (Outerborder).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
90
Thë Upper FeESh
oe THE
Fish (te-i o-i-nia)
Ma’a-tea.—From Pâ-roa
(Long-fort) to Te-rua-upo’o (Pit-of-heads) is Ma’a-tea
The mountain above is Te-mou’a-iti-o-Ro’o (The-littlemountain-of-fame) ; the asseinbly ground, Ti-’ura (Red-ti) ; the point outside, Tû-ofao (Stand-foundation-stone) or Tû-pau
(Standing-chief) ; the river, Mahae-rua
(Severed-in-two). The marae was Nu’u-pure (Praying-host), a national marae.
The harbor is Ti’a-pito (Adjusting-link).
The high chief was Te-ari’i-mana (The
great-prince), and the under chiefs were Papa-uru (Enchanted-rock) and Te-tù-ae-
(White-sling), in the South.
aha
( Standing-over-slain-in-sennit).
Hanmi.—Froin
Te-rua-upo’o to Matau-varu (Eight-fishhooks) is Haunii (Dew),
The mountain above is Pu’u-tapairu (Waiting-maid-peak) ; the
assembly ground, Tahi-’ura (One-parrakeet) ; the point- outside, Outu-taata (Pointof-people) ; the river, Puni-ava (Sheltering-passage). The marae was Ta’ero (Inebriate). The harbor is Ta’a-tira (Fallen-from-mast). The high chiefs were Ma’i-rau
(Many-s'icknesses) and Ta’ero (Inebriate), and the under chiefs were Hopu’u
in
the
southeast.
(Lumpy) and Mere (Orion’s Belt).
A-fare-aitu.—From Matau-varu to Manino (Smooth) is A-fare-aitu (Of-houseof-gods) in the southeast, formerly called Fare-ari’i (Royal house) of Mo’orea. The
mountain above is A-ra’au (Of-the-woods) ; the assembly ground below, Te-iriiri-pû’uru-tahi (The-pebbles-of-one-breadfruit-clump) ; the point outside, U-marea (Againstparrot-fish) ; the river, Pû-to’a (Rocky-pool) or Vai-toa (Rocky-river). The marae
was
Umarea (Against-parrot-fish), a national marae. The harbor outside is Tupapa’u-rau (Many-ghosts), and the islet is Motu-ahi (Clam-island). The high chief
was Te-pa’u-ari’i (Regal-splash), and the under chiefs were Ti’a-hani
(Stand-to-love)
and To’i (Adz). The arioi house was Tau-mata-’ura (Red-eye-shade), and its chief
comedian
was
Omama’o
(Thrush).
The Under Feesit
oe the
Fish (te-io-i-raro)
Pape-’are.—From Manino to Fara-mo’o (Fara-of-lizards) is Vai-’are or Pape(Water-of-waves), in the east. The mountain above is Mou’a-puta“ (Piercedmountain), 2,591 feet high; the assembly ground, Vai’are or Pape-’are (Water-ofwaves); the coast is the Bay of Pape-’are; and the river is Pape-’are. The marae
was Mara’e-te-fano
(Mara’e-that-flew). The harbor is Vai’are or Pape’are, safe for
ships. The islet is Motu Pohue (Convolvulus-islet). The. high chief was Tû-tapu
(Sacred-standing), and the under chiefs were Puta (Pierced) and Rau-pua (Beslaria/on/oKa-leaf).
Te-’avaro.—From Faramo’o to To’a-’ura™ (Red-rock), now called To’a-tea Palerock), is' Te-avaro (The-Premna), in the northeast. The mountain above is Ou-tûana
(Turn-to-stand-in-cave) ; the assembly ground is Arue (Praise) ; the point out¬
side, Pae-tou (Cordia-side), the river by it is Pae-tou. The marae was Pae-tou.
The harbor is a continuation of Pape’are. The high chief was Marama (Moon),
and the under chiefs were Uira (Lightning) and Pehe (Song).
’are
At the Paetou
is
a stonc erected to
represent two dolls which had been
Russian navigator to a high chiefes's of Ha’apiti named
Te-vartia-hara-ê” (The-spirit of strange-deviation).
She long held the dolls sacred
for fetish worship as representing two deceased women of the family named ’Omito
(Grudge) and Haputua (Drawn-away). The dolls had eyes that opened and closed,
marae
given in early days by
This mountain
is needle shaped
legend of Pai (p. 589).
The
name
To’a-’ura
by the royal family.
71
Te-varua-hara-e
Ninito Sumner.
a
was
was
changed
with
to
an
open
eye,
the
romance
of wliîcli
To’a-tea, because the word ’tira
was
is given in the
adopted in
naines
great-grandmother of the late high cliiefesses, Ari’ita’imaî Salmon and
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
91
thought that they assumed the likenesses' of the persons they represented
At length, when the aged lady embraced Christianity,
not wishing to incur the displeasure of ’Omito and Haputua, she encased the dotls
in bamboo joints and had them buried in a sequestered spot, invoking them to re¬
main in peace and only to linger around their effigies in stone at the marae, with ail
the other relies of the past.
It is' said they were well pleased to do this. In recent
years, some young members of the family had the temerity to take one of the stones
and throw it into the sea close by, just outside of the coral bank of the seasicle
shoal.
But these young people affirm that they were so haunted at night by the
enraged spirit that they soon replaced the stone ; and ever s'ince it has remained
and it
and
was
in touch with them.
were
untouched.
The Fin
Te-aha-roa.—From
north-northeast
in
to
the
North
north
of
the
island
is
Te-aha-roa
Te-ma’e, Maha-repa, Paraoro, Paopao, Piha-’ena, Vai-here
and Uru-fara.
(1) From To’atea to Rua-neneva (Source-of-giddiness) is Te-ma’e
(The-tiger-shell). The picturesque background of Tema’e hills has no prominent
mountain.
The point in the eastern extremity is’ Te’a-vivo (Whizzing-dart), or
Fa’au-pô (Night-braving), outside of which the sea is often very rough and dangerous to pass.
The point in the western extremity is Ti’a’ia (In-touch), which has
a safe entrance for boats and canoës, called Ava-iti
(Small-passage). The assembly
ground is Tema’e, facing which is a long plain of white sand that borders upon a bay
extending from point to point. The river is Tema’e, which feeds a long beautiful
in
seven
subdivisions:
lake that connects with the
and abounds in fish of sait and fresh water,
famous
A little east of this water and of a
similar nature is a small lake named Vare’a (Asleep). Verdure s'urrounds it, and its
peaceful waters are sometimes enlivened by wild ducks, which sportsmen hunt. The
marae was Ti’a’ia (In touch).
The high chief was Ta’aroa-ari’i (King-Ta’aroa), and
the under chiefs were Te-tumu (The-foundation) and Te-ti’a-au (Agreeable-standing).
The sea outside of the point Fa’au-po mentioned above is called Aru-fe’efe’e
(Inflated-breakers). Two strong currents from within the channel between
the two islands, Tahiti and Mo’orea, meet there, and it is most dangerous to pass in
stormy weather, when boats or canoës are sometimes engulfed. Many stories ai'e connected with this place concerning phantom boats and canoës s'aid to be seen sometimes
by modem travelers in the tempest mist. From the boats are heard the cries of
women and children, amid the
resolute voices of sturdy men saying, "Mau, mau,
mau!" (Hold, hold, hold)—the Tahitian mariners’ manner of tirging each other on
in plying the oar or paddle under difficulties and amid dangers.
These assertions',
made in good faith by the natives and affirmed by white people, are remindful of European and American sailors’ stories of phantom ships sometimes seen along danger¬
among
ous
sea
which are fine ’ava, of the salmon genus.
coasts.
(2) From Rua-neneva to Te-’aua-pua’a (Enclosure-of-pigs) is Maha-repa (Fouredges), so named perhaps from the appearance of the sharp-edged mountains in the
background. The mountain above is Te’a-ra’i (Ski'-dart), 2,542 feet high; the assembly
ground was Te-one-’ai’ai (Sand-undermined). There is no prominent point by the
assembly ground. The river is Pape-’ahi (Clam-water). The marae was Ahu’are
(Wiall-of-waves), central to ail the subdivisions. The harbor is ’lri-honu (Tortoiseshell). The high chief was Ta’aroa-ari’i (King Ta’aroa), and the under chiefs were
Tauhiro (Round-stone) and Maemae-a-rohi (Frown-of-courage).
The arioi house
was Te-one-’ai’ai
(Sand-undermined).
(3) From ’Aua-pua’a to Apapa (Layers) is Paraoro (Cloth-smoothing). The
mountains above are the Paraoro Range.
The assembly ground was Paraoro. The
coast is' the eastern border of Paopao (Hollowed-out), or Cook’s Bay, where Captain
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
92
Cook anchored, east of the peninsula of North Mo’orea.
The river is Paraoro, and
the passage outside is Te-ava-roa (Long-passage), the entrance to Cook’s Bay.
The
high chiefs were Ta’aroa-ari’i (King-Ta’aroa) and Te-hu’a-ihi (Wisdom-spray), and
were Te-upo’o-ihi
(Wise-head) and ’O’ua (Jump).
(4) From Apapa, south of the bay, to Vai-pipiha (Spring-water) in the north,
is Paopao (Hollowed-out), which forms the opposite or western side of Cook’s Bay.
The mountain above is Rotui
( Soul-dispatching), 2,722 feet high ; the assembly
ground, Paopao; the coast, Paopao; the water, Vai-pipiha (Spring-water) ; the harbor,
Paopao, or Cook’s Bay, safe for ships'. The high chief was Ta’aroa-ari’i (KingTa’aroa), and the under chief was Maheu (Revealing).
(s) From Vai-pipiha (Spring-water) to Vai-pahu (Water-Iock) is Piha-’ena (Expeditious-room), the northern border of the peninsula from east to west. The hills
above, of varied shapes and peaks, form a chain gradually rising through the center
of the peninsula and terminating with Rotui. This mountain is majestic with cloudcapped crest, steep ravines, projecting rocks, and pierced peaks. It resembles a great
castle, having buttresses, wings with Gothic Windows, and the detail of even layers
of great stone blocks in its formation, which appear to hâve been
placed by giant hands.
The assembly ground, the point, and the river were called Piha’ena. A reef
extending to the shore at each end encloses a harbor with shallow passages, through
which only boats and canoës can enter.
The high chief was Ta’aroa-ari’i (Uniqueking), and the under chief was Te-tû-ae-a’a (Stander-on-roots). Their dominion
extended to Vai-here, bordering on which stood the chief’s marae.
(6) From Vaipahu in the north to ’Apu’u (Hilly-risings) in the south is Vaihere or Pape-here (Water-beloved), forming the western side of the peninsula and
the eastern side of the Bay of Opu-nohu (Nohu-fish-pauch), or Tareu
(Sheltered).
The mountain above is Rotui ; the assembly ground, the points, and river were ail
the under chiefs
called Vai-here. The marae of the two districts United was Marae-te-uta
(Templethe-carrier). The harbor facing Vai-here is ’Opu-nohu or Tareu (Safe-for-ships).
From ’Apu’u to Te-uru-tuia-i-te-au
(The-head-pierced-by-the-billfish) is ’Opunohu," intercepting the seventh division of Te’aharoa and uniting with Paopao behind
Mount Rotui.
It forms a great central plain, which geologists say is a marvelous
overlooking the two bays from the south. It was formerly one with
Ha’apiti. It lias level and undulating ground extending to the inland mountains,
which form an amphitheater facing Mount Rotui and the two bays, and from this
radiate the eight dividing chains' of the island, whose high and low fantastic peaks
and pinnacles of romande grandeur are capped by clouds. ’Opunohu is well watered.
A deep stream flows into the Harbor of ’Opunohu, or Tareu, and many rivulets
wend their way through the rising and falling ground.
It lias' also a minerai
spring with water of some virtue. Its subdivisions are Hue (Gourd), Tahu-mate (Invoked-to-death), Pina’i (Echo), Poa (Scale), Hitihiti (Border), ’A’araeo (Nowfathom-to-there), and Te-uru-tuia-i-te-a’u (The-head-pierced-by-the-billfisli), of which
it was said, “Bi tari i Ha’apiti na Marama” (They are a bunch of
Ha-apiti belonging
to Marama [Moon, the high chief] ).
Ha’apiti is only separated from ’Opunohu by
a low ridge of the central mountain
barrier, over which is a pass connecting the two
extinct crater,
sides of the island.
The highest peaks of the mountains which surround ’Opunohu
feet,
on
are Rotui, 2,722
the peninsula in the north; Tohi-ve’a (Hot-spade), 3,975 feet, the highest
See mention of Rotui in the legend of Tafa’i (p. 564).
73
Over fifty years ago ’Opunohu was purchased from the natives by some English
capitalists,
who made of it a coconut plantation under the supervision of Mr. Brodien, the Swedish consul of
Tahiti and Mo’orea. It was afterwards the property of Mr. Alfred W. Hort, a Tahiti merchant,
who raised cattle upon it and also cultivated part of the soil.
Dr. Micheli, an Italian who once
served in the army of Garibaldi, became the next owner.
And finally, as a coincident, ’Opunohu
has become the property of the Salmon and Brander familles, who inherit the titular
high chieftain
name, Marama, of the district of Haapiti, the late Mrs. Darsie, formerly Mrs. Brander, nee
Salmon,
having borne the title as chiefess of that district until her death.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
93
mountain
on the island, in the southeast; dose
by Tohi-ve’a is Putuputura’a (Assembling), i,8oo feet; Mou’a-roa (Long-mountain), needle shaped, 2,945 fed, and Atiati
(Endrded), 2,473 fed, both standing in the south ; and Ti-’ura (Red-ti), 2,469 feet,
in the Southwest.
Bprdering upon the shore at the head of ’Opunohu Bay are two great stones that
hâve stood there for âges, which are called Na-’otare
(The-orphans). According to
a legend, two orphan brothers rode thither
upon the waves' from some distant land
and there became petrified.
(7)
From Te-uru-tuia-i-te-au to Te-ahu-o-te-a’e (The-wall-of-the-slain) is Uru-
fara (Fara-grove), the last subdivision of Te’aharoa.
The mountain above is
Mato-tea (White-rock), 2,515 feet high; the assembly ground, Urufara. The coast is
the western side of ’Opunohu or Tareu. The river and the marae were called
Urufara. The high chief was Ta'aroarii (King-Ta’aroa), and the under chiefs were
Miha (Gliding-wave) and Marei (Snare).
Thiî Outer Border oe the Fish
From Te-ahu-a-te-a’e to Afa’a-letea (Pale-phantom-spring)”is
Pape-to’ai (Straightriver), or Fa’a-to’ai (Straight-valley), in the north-northwest, where the Government
représentative formerly resided. The mountain above is Te-ra’i-maoa (The-dear-sky) ;
the assembly ground, Tarava (Extended) ; the point outside,
Taputapuatea ; and the
waters are Ma’a-o-te-honu (Food-of-turtles) and Vai-’ai’a or
Pape-’ai'a (Water-of-theheritage). The marae was Taputapuatea.'®
The harbor is a continuation of Tareu, entered by the Tareu or ’Opunohu Pas¬
sage.
The high chiefs were Taua-roa (Long-war) and Taura’a-atua (Alighting-ofthe-gods), and the under chiefs were Ti’i-hiva (Clan-fetcher), Amaru (Shade), and
Manea (Uoof). The arioi house was ’Uramea (Pink), and its chief comedian was
Taura’a-atua
(Alighting-of-the-gods).
The Props
oe
tpië
Fish
Va-rari (beginning the prop of the fish).—From Afa’a-tetea to Maenu (Dishevelled) is Varari (Wet-recess), in the northwest. The mountain above is Tatiri
(Throw) ; the assembly ground. Pa-hoa
(Friends’-enclosure), the point outside
Nu’u-rua (Two-armies) ; the river, Tai-a-miti (Outward-sea) ; the marae, Nu’u-i'ua
(Two-armies), a national marae still standing. The harbor for small vessels is
Tao-taha (Slanting-s'pear), extending along the western coast.
The islets are
’lri-’oa
(Plank-of-the-speckled-rail), Motu-iti
( Small-islet),
Fare-one
(Sandhouse) or Tahua-nui-o-anâ (Great-floor-of-aster), and Tarehu (With-ashes). The
high chief was Pu-nua-i-te-ra’i-atua (Trumpet-above-in-the-sky-of-gods). The arioi
house was Te-atae-pua (The-blooming-Erythrina), and its chief comedian was Tohe’ura
(Red-foundation).
Mo-ru’u.—From Maenu
to Ruarei
(Source-of-necks) is Mo-ru’u (Landmarktied), in the west. The mountain above is Ti-’ura (Red-ti) ; the assembly ground,
Pehau (Fin) ; the point outside, Vai-otaha
(Water-of-the-man-of-war-bird) ; the
river, Vai-ou’a (Plunging-water) ; the marae, Vai-otaha. The high chief was Te-
a'u-ta’aia
(The-billfish-tied).
Ha’apiti.—From Rua-rei (Souce-of-necks) to ’Oio (Gull) is Ha’apiti (Northeast-wind), in the Southwest. The mountain above is Tahu-ara (Flighway-invocation) ; the assembly ground, Fara-tea (Light-fara) ; " the point outside, Maraete-horo (Marae-that-ran) ; the
river, Pivai-’ura (Red-water-splash) ; the marae,
See page
130.
Chief Taura’a-atna was the comedian.
Some ripe fara strobiles are yellow and
fara) and fara-ua (red fara), respectively.
some
are
red, and they
are
named fara-tea
(light
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
94
The harbor outside is Te-ava-iti
Marae-te-horo.
(The-small-passage)
or
Te-ava-
(The-cut-passage). The high chief was Marama (Moon). The arioi house was
Te-au-rouru (Like-hair), and its chief comedian was Te-au-rouru. Of this district it
is said “O Ha’apiti i te tia’i aitu" (Ha’apiti that waited for the gods), because of the
belief that the gods first alighted there on arriving from Ra’iatea.
There was at Ha’apiti a marae set upon a hill, called Marae-tapu-horo (Maraeto-run-to-for-vows). It was the custom for people who desired certain blessings to
endeavor to run up there without stopping, and if they succeeded in doing so they
were entitled to partake of the sacred
food from the marae and obtain the desired
motu
blessing..
’O’io.—The little district of ’O’io
(Canoe-bow) ends' the prop of the fish and
with Ati-maha, the fin in the South. The mountain above is ’Ati-ati (Encircled), 2,473 feet high; the assembly ground, Te-hà-’a-rupe (The-mountain-pigeon-
unités
valley).
There is
no
prominent point. The river is Te-ha’a-rupe ; the marae, ’O’io.
(I-am-afraid). The high chief was Te-au-tai’a
The harbor outside is Mata’u-vau
(Liking-to-fish).
The Fin in the South
Ati-maha.—From ’O’io to Pà-roa (Long-wall) is Ati-maha.
The mountain above
(Returning-to-the-sky) ; the assembly ground, Fare-lou (House-ofCordia) ; the point outside, Tû-area (Standing-in-space) ; the river, Pae-tohe (Foundation-s'ide) ; and the harbor for small vessels is Fa’auru-pô (Night-landing). The
high chief was Mahine (Daughter), and the under chief was Tupu (Growth).
Though ail the old landmarks and subdivisions of Mo’orea are still observed and
loved by the people, the land is now blended, officially, into four districts, in the
is
Hohoi’i-ra’i
following
manner :
Papetoai, extending from ’Opunohu to ’Afa’a-tetea, in the north-northwest.
2.
Ha’apiti, from Varari in the northwest to Maatea in the South.
3.
Afareaitu, from Haumi to Papeare, in the east.
4.
Te’avaro-Te’aharoa, from Te’avaro in the northeast to Piha’ena in the north.
Many of the old chieftain familles of these islands hâve died out, and other persons hâve been put in their places, only one chief now being nominated for each
1.
district.
Chant oe Mo'orea^®
’O ’Aimeo i te
Te fenua i
rara
’Tis ’Aimeo of eight radiations'
varu
(mountain ranges),
The land where dwelt
pa’i hia
King Raa-poto
duration).
F te Ari’ii Ra’a-poto.
Fa’ato’ai is the land, O,
Of the warrior chiefs !
’O Fa’ato’ai te fenua e,
Opo’o-tû tauà e !
Matiti
’O Matiti te marae,
’O
marae,
the river,
Tau fe’e ro’oa
is
To the black stone pavement.
’I paepae-ara.
Mr.
( Water-of-the-heritage)
Flowing gently, flowing swiftly,
Flowing in the woods amid
shouting, O !
Thy octopus " [cornes],
’O Mave iti, o Mave rahi,
Mave i te ’uru tuouo e !
From
(Growth-of-verdure) is the
Vai-’ai’a
Vai-’ai’a te pape,
Papeto’ai.
(Sacredness-of-short-
Pliillip
The octopus means
Henrj’’,
son
of the Rev. William Henry,
the people of ’Aimeo of eight radiations.
who lived many years at
Henr^}—Ancient Tahiti
’I te fare muhu area,
To the house of occasional
ings',
Te fare orerorero-ra’a o te hui toà
’E ru’uru’u opu,
’E mà’a na te toà.
To’eraii i te aria roa
95
murmur-
The house of warriors’ parliament
Where the abdomen is girded,
Where the food is for the warriors.
North wind from distant régions
Cornes upon the shades of Sacredness
Na iii’a mai i te uri a Ra’a.
(the god).
THE LEEWARD ISLANDS
Raiatua
The leeward islands
were
nexed to France in 1888.
Ra’iatea,
or
discovered
ancient Havai’i, is
over
by Cook in 1769, and were anone
hundred miles northwest of
Tahiti, 16° 45' S., 153° 52' W. Its loftiest mountain rises 3388 feet.
Opoa,^ in the southeast of Ra’iatea, ranks as first of nine districts ; but
owing to the good harbors and entrances, Utu-roa, in the northeast, has
become the capital and also the résidence of the Vice-Governor of ail
the western group.
The mountain above, at
Opoa, is Te-a’e-tapu (Prevading-sacredness).
The assembly ground was Mata-ti’i-tahua-roa
(Face-of-the-fetchers-of-long-
floor) ; the point outside Mata-hira-i-te-rai (Face-flinching-at-the-sky) ; the
water Vai-tiare (Gardenia-water: a small sacred
pool); the international
Taputapu-atea (Sacriiices-from-abroad), the home of the god Oro ;
(Turn-angry) ; the harbor outside Te-ava-moa (Thesacred-harbor) ; the high chief the king of ail the land, Tama-toa
(Warrior-child) ; the arioi houses Na-nuu (The hosts), Fare-’ohe (Houseof-bamboo), Fare-mei’a (Banana-house), and Tairoiro (Resentful). The
chief arioi were Te-râ-manini
(The-setting-sun) and Airiha (Décliné).
marae
the islet ’O’ohi-a-riri
Opoa was the original home of the comedians, and it was the seat of ail
knowledge.
The districts that follow
first in
prestige:
Opoa in prestige are four on the eastern side
(1) Faurepa (Marae-prayers) was the district, Te-pà-
hau-a-i-tai-pare (The-peaceful-enclosure-in-seaward-fort) the high chief.
(2) A-vera (Cooked-with-heat) was the district, Te-upo’o-nui (The-greathead) the high chief. (3) Tu-fenua-roa ( Stand-on-long-land) was the dis¬
trict, Te-hinu (Oil) the high chief. (4) Tu-fenua-poto ( Stand-on-shortland) was the district, Pani (Closure) the high chief.
'
The
of districts and chiefs
obtained from Tataura of Uturoa, by
obtained from French geographical
marae and arioi houses are from the
manuscript by Mr.
Orsmond. Stories relating to some of the islands hâve the author’s' names
attached.
“
Opoa is mentioned in the chapter on the International Marae as having been the
emporium of the “Friendly alliance” of some of the Polynesian
groups (p. 119).
Mrs.
G.
names
were
Brodien; positions of the islands
Works; and
names
of the
were
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
C)6
On the western side are four
(Rocky-water)
to’a
was
districts second in prestige:
(5) Te-vai-
the district, Mehao (Wind) the high
chief.
(6) Tu-inaraa (Stand-to-bear-up) was the district, Tai-ra’au (Verdant-seaward) was the high chief. (7) Va-ia (Torrent-of-fish) was the district,
(Children) the high chief. (8) Hotu-pu’u (Bearing-lumps) was
Puhi-ava the high chief. The aiiaha (orator) of the royal
house was Te-ira-mata-tu-fenua-roa (The-spot-on-the-eye-fixed-on-distantland). The auaha (orator) of ail the people was Taero-i-te-po-ai-roa (Mercury-of-the-long-night), and his title was Te maha 0 Raiatea nui e vau
(The orator of the eight of great Ra’iatea) in presenting himself to the
king or queen, whose regai power always came from Opoa—a district consequently not included with the others. The faatere hait (prime minister)
Tamari’i
the district,
Tamari’i, Chief of Vaia.
was
Running through the center of North Ra’iatea, is the range of moun-
tains called Te-mehani-’ura
the lower part,
[The-heat-(home)-of-the-paroquet], which is
and Te-mehani-ave-ari’i
(The-heat-of-the-train-of-kings),
rising into the highest peaks on the island; the former containing the
crater mentioned in the “Création chant” (p. 338) as the entrance into the
Po, the home of the gods Tumu-nui and Rua-tupua-nui, who took promi¬
nent parts in the works of création, and whose abode was by the Vai-tu-po
(River-standing-in-darkness). Down in a level part of this crater can be
seen from the brink a shallow pool of water called Apoo-hihi-ura (Pool-
Vai-toti-tota, the latter name signifying the sound
rebounds before disappearing below
A modem description of Te-mehani-’ura, verifying allusions to it in
folklore, has been given by Edward T. Perkins.^
With two companions lie ascended throngh Tepua Valley, which faces the historié
of-red-periwinkles)
or
of a stone thrown into the crater as it
Te-ava-rua Harbor on the eastern side of Ra’iatea. He describes the place as follows :
“After passing several small streams, some of which had worn deep channels in
the rock, we reached the vicinity of the cave. The side of the mountain seemed one
of porous rock (volcanic) scantily covered with creeping végétation. . . .
“The famous cave was apparently nothing more than a deep fis'sure in the
mass
rock
A small
that
and fell in
favorable point for observa¬
about 30 feet long, 15 broad, and 80 feet deep by measurement.
stream
had worn a deep channel shot over the ledge at its upper extremity,
a
shower upon the loose shingle at the bottom.
The most
tion is from the lower side, or towards the sea ; but owing to its depth and jutting
points, a small portion only of the bed is' discernible.”
A rope was let down, and Mr. Perkins descended to
the lowest part, 80 feet
below.
He continues :
“The area of the bottom was considerably greater than that of the mouth,
to the receding of the sides.
These were basaltic, and for about 30
massive boulders piled, up in curvilinear rows, and partaking of the trappean
At the upper end a dark pas'sage led downwards and with a
the descent. He goes on to say :
owing
feet consisted of
formation.”
torch he commenced
”
Na Motu, Those islets,
ian Historical Society.
1854.
A copy of the book is in the library of the Hawai
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
97
“No stronger évidence of the volcanic origin of the island would be
required
the appearance of this fissure, which was in
every respect similar to those
noticed in the immédiate vicinity of
Kilauea, with the exception that the others bore
traces of more recent igneous action.
The cavern consisted of a number of low,
irregular passages', branching ont in varions directions and inclining seaward, with a
rapid or abrupt descent. I took the principal one, sometimes walking, and again
crouching almost to the earth, until it terminated in a chasm.
I found it was
but little more than lo feet deep, after which there was a continuation
of the gloomy
vault ; the descent was easy by the irregularity of the sides. But here the
path was
obstructed by massive rocks.
I groped along, making another des'cent similar to
the first.
Since entering this subterranean vault, I had heard a faint Sound as of
than
...
...
percolating ainong loose rocks, which as I advanced gradually increased, until
it seemed rushing above and around, while its'
roaring through the narrow pas¬
water
now
sages was
almost deafening.
The atmosphère was damp and chilling.”
Standing by the pool of water, Apoo-hihi-ura, is a stunted fara clump
following legend generally told by the
of great âge, concerning which is the
guides who accompany visitors to Te-mehani :
There was a man front Tahiti named Tii who took a
trip to the Leeward
Ma-pihaa (With-spring) lie found a young
eel in a spring called Faatoro-i-manava
(Send-forth-affection), which he
caught as a pet and kept alive in water in a Tridacna shell. Taking also
a small fara
plant he went to Mau-piti (Hold-two). Then he placed his
eel in a bamboo joint with water and continued his travels fill he arrived
islands.
at
At the little island of
Ra’iatea.
Here he searched for
a sequestered
place in which to place his eel
finally obtained permission to take them to the pool in
Te-mehani. He regarded them as his children, calling the eel his son,
Nana-i-Tahiti (L,ook-to-Tahiti), and the fara his daughter,
Tupai-tupai-i-
and
fara
and
te-fara-roa (Beat-beat-the-long-fara).
Tii remained a year or two at Ra’iatea and
visited his pets, which grew and
flourished.
during that time frequently
Finally he took leave of them,
saying of the eel to the fara tree “To tuane iti’e" (See to thy dear
brother) ; and to the eel he said, “Bi ona orua e to tuahine iti e” (Remain
here with your dear sister).
And he returned to Tahiti, leaving them
strongly attached to each other.
Tii sometimes returned to Ra’iatea to
his pets,
and in approaching
seeing sea birds hovering over the
crater.
But on an evil day some eel fishers, named Hi-rama-oiro
(Fisherwith-flaming-torch) and Hi-rama-tutui (Fisher-with-candle-nut-torch), were
attracted to Te-mehani by the birds,
saying that there must be fish there;
and lo, when they looked down into the pool
they saw the great eel lying
the land he knew the eel was safe upon
see
there with his head out from under the fara tree.
So they put bait on to a strong shell fishhook with a
long thick line
and let it down into the pool, and it was not
long before the
caught.
But in being drawn
poor
up,
eel was
it clung to the fara, which extended
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
98
protecting limbs to hold it, till the tree became terribly shaken and was
In order to save its sister
the eel then relaxed its hold when it was taken ont and killed by the two men.
So ended the happy life of the poor eel, and the fara tree still stands as a
proof of the story.
When Tii returned again to Ra’iatea he knew from a long distance
that his eel was taken, as he saw no sea birds hovering around the crater.
When he learned the sad story, he wept and pined away and finally died
of grief.
Some long cracks along the lava rock from the mouth of the
crater are said to be the impress of the fishing^line.
its
in danger of being drawn up bodily with the eel.
and in the largest
people say once existed a great ferocious monster, which no one
saw, but of which there were frequent proofs in newly disturbed
Te-mehani-ave-arii has several open winding craters,
of them
ever
earth and ferns around the crater.
On one occasion, it happened that a king named Tai-è
was
(Odd-cry), who
much hated by his people for his tyranny, went up with a party of his
subjects determined to explore the crater and ascertain what kind of cré¬
dwelt there.
He had a long strong rope, and being the bravest
man in the party, attached himself to one end of it, telling his men to hold
the other and to pull him up quickly when he gave the signal by jerking
a
small rope attached to the upper end of the big one and hanging
by his side.
With this understanding, while the men held on, the king descended
and disappeared in the labyrinth below. Soon he violently jerked the signal
rope, but no heed was paid, and he continued doing so for some time,
till gradually the pulling ceased.
After waiting still longer the treacherous attendants drew up their king, whom they found with his flesh devoured
from his bones. They carried home what remained of him, saying as they
did so, "Ua ora râ te fenua i tcie nei ari’i ino” (The land is now free of this
bad king), which was ever afterwards regarded as a terrible warning to
other kings against despotism.
ature
Tahaa
Taha’a or ancient Uporu is enclosed within the same reef with Ra’iatea
and separated
from it by a strait from two to three miles wide.
feet above sea level.
mountain is 1925
Its highest
Taha’a-nui-ma-Ra’iatea was divided into four districts as follows :
1.
Hau-
(Bad-rule) was the district, Te’iri’i-faao-tua (King-entering-behind),
high chief. 2. Iri-pau (Stranded-on-shoal) was the district, Te-papa
(The-rock) the high chief. 3. Ruutia (Bind-the-loins) was tlie district.
ino
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
99
Te ’ri’i-faatau
(Dilatory-king) the high chief. 4. Nitia (Foundation-laid)
(Small-burdens) the high chief.
The national marae was Apu-i'oa
(Long-wall), the home of the god
Tane. The a7'ioi houses were Tapu-te-mu
(Murmuring-convention) and
Tua-o-te-uira (Back-of-lightning) at Vai-to-are
(Water-of-waves). The
chief ai'ioi was Muta-ha’a
(Tow-muttering).
was
the district, Utaa-rii
These two moimtainous and beautiful islands.
Ra’iatea and Taha’a, with
deeply indented with bays, and ornamented with many islets, large
small, hâve ten harbors : i. Te-ava-rua (Double-passage), at Uturoa,
coasts
and
the
capital, northeast of Ra’iatea, which has the best anchorage for ships
2. Iri-ru ( Stranded-inhaste), east. 3. Te-ava-moa (The-sacred-harbor), at Opoa, southeast.
4. Naonao (Mosquitoes), south.
5. Puna-e-roa (Source-entirely-strange),
and extends into the strait between the two islands.
6. Toa-maro
Southwest.
(Dry-rock), west. 7. Tiano (Desolated), north(Many-great-rocks), northwest. 9. Paipai (Seablubber), west of Tahaa. 10. Toa-hotu (Rock-of-breakers). From the
8.
west.
Rau-toa-nui
north of Taha’a to the two entrances east and west, the reef is
unbroken,
and although this island forms naturally a
part of the dominion of Ra’iatea
yet in former times it was a bone of contention between Ra’iatea and Porapora,
soinetimes belonging to one side, sometimes to the other.
HuahinP
About twenty miles east of Ra’iatea and Taba’a, and
eighty miles north¬
Tahiti, 16° 47' S., and 153° 20' W., lies Pluahine, unique in its
beauty, in two natural divisions, called Huahine-nui (Great-Huahine),
north, and Huahine-iti (Little-Huahine), south, which are United in a
beautiful strait by a narrow submarine isthmus,
partially showing above
water at low tide.
Ancient poetic lines refer to this island : “Huahine
west of
te
ti’ara’a
te mata
to’erau; Huahme hu’ahu’a
te ’aru; Marama pùpù
(Huahine standing in the face of the north
wind ; Huahine in the spray of the waves ; in
moon-light over broken shells ;
obstinacy is their diversion!) The Huahineans are proverbial for their
obstinaey, which was part of their portion given by Prince Maro-te-tini of
Rotuma in forming the friendly alliance.^
Much of Huahine-nui is beautifully bordered
by lagoons, formed by
outer strips of low land connected with reefs here and there and
densely
0
fatifati, màrô
o
te heiva!”
wooded like the mainland.
called Fauna-iti
In the north of this island is a lake of brackish
(Small-head), which belongs to the royal family
(a species of salmon) and other fine fish. When
tlie sea is high, or in the
rainy season, it flows into a large sait lake named
water
and is famous for its ava
'
See
p.
119.
Bcrnicc P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
100
Fauna-nui
(Great-head), which is connected by a narrow
the outer body of water.
The
following legend^ reveals how the
ceived their names :
channel with
districts of Huabine-nui re-
Tû-tapu (Stand-to-pledge), a king of Ra’iatea at a very remote period,
a daughter named Hutu-hiva (Splash-of-clans), who as a resuit of inspirational révélation was sent on a voyage in a great sacred druni to meet
ber future husband at Huahine.
She traveled safely, coiled up uncomfortably in this way, and was borne upon the crest pf a wave on to the shore
of To’erau-roa (Distant-north), where stands the- warriors’ marae of that
name.
As she emerged from the drum she found herself crippled with
numbness in ail her limbs, for which reason the point was afterwards called
Manunu (Benumbed).
It was not long before two warrior princes, named Tû (Stability)
had
(The-great-world-overshadowed), approached her
the lagoon to their home at
Maeva; and in due time, she became the wife of Te-ao-nui-maruia, of the
first dynasty that reigned in lîuahine, called Te-pà’u-i-hau-roa (The-excelTe-ao-nui-inaruia
and
from the
marae
and bore her kindly across
lent-waist-cloth).
She bore him ten sons, after whom the ten districts of
Huahine-nui are
A-tu-pii (Stand-to-call) in whose district is included
the subdivision of A-turu-a-nu’u (Supporting-army), Atiti-ao (Firmnessof-the-world), Miru (Gloom), A-turu-a-nuu (Prop-to-niove), Fare-ihi
(House-of-wisdom), Fare-tou (Cordia-house), Taura-i-mua (Cord-before),
Taura-i-muri (Cord-behind), E-ama ( An-outrigger ), Atea (Vast-expanse).
These names were also given to the respective social marae of the districts
they embrace.
The names of the four districts of Huahine-iti,** which are dependencies
of Huahine-nui, are: Maro-e (Strange-obstinacy) having a background of
three remarkable mountain peaks called Mou’a-toru (Mountain-in-three),
Te-fare-ri’i (The-three-small-houses), Parea (Towering), Plaapu (Re¬
course). The capital of Huahine is Fare-nui-atea (Great-spacious-house) —
generally shortened to Fare—in the western district, A-tu-pii, in Huahinenui. Above Fare tower the two highest central mountains of the island,
Turi (Deaf), 2,230 feet, and Mato-ereere (Black-rock), 1,901 feet. The
harbor is Peihi (Gained-wisdom). The highest mountain in Pluahine-iti is
Ma-ufene (With-cramming), 1,495 f^et.
The national marae of Huahine-nui were Faao-aitu (Entering-of-thegods), upon the hill of Mata’i-re’a (Joyous-breeze), another name also comnamed, as follows:
Received from Tataura by the aid of Mrs, Brodien.
Received from Teihoari’i a Pô ara, a member of a
Huahine-iti.
'
'
high chieftain family of
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
101
monly giveii to the marae itself, and Toerau-roa.
Huahine-iti was Anini (Dizzy)J
The national
marae
of
The arioi houses were; Te-rua-o-te-mata’i (Source-of-wind), Ti-va’u
(Eight-ti), and Para-raau (Yellowness-of-trees). The chief arioi was Atae
(Erythrina).
Following is a record of the fall of the first dynasty:^
Many years after the royal line of Te-pa'u-i-hau-roa had been reigning
peacefully over the land, there arose a warrior prince distantly related to it
named Pua-ra’i (Flower-of-the-sky), whose influence became so
great in
the land that lie had many followers who decided to make the attempt
to establish him as their king.
Finally this rival prince sent to Ra’iatea for
(bosoni-friend) named Pa-he-ro’o (Enclosure-of-famous-caterpillar), who was a noted warrior, to corne to his aid. Pahero’o was very tall
and ungainly in appearance.
He had remarkably large ears and long legs,
which in his own land no one noticed; but on arriving at Maeva he soon
found himself the cause of much ridicule among the young women whom
he met.
A pool of spring water in which he happened to see himself
his tau’a
reflected” made him understand the
cause
nothing.
of
so
much mirth ; but he said
The warriors prepared themselves for the décisive blow; and Puara’i
sent his friend Pahero’o to
represent him with other members of the family,
leaning stones (ofai-tnrui) up in the marae of Mataire’a, where
they went preparatory to going to war to partake of sacred pork from
the hands of the priests.
But the priests seeing a stranger in the place
of Puara’i passed him by unserved, as it was contrary to custom thus to
who had
substitute
without
for another, and Pahero’o returned to his friend
having had his share of the repast. The kneeling stone is still
one
person
as the Ofai’i-turui-o-Pahero'o
(The-leaning-stone-of-Pahero’o).
Soon the uprising took place, and Pahero’o proved himself to be the
most valiant of ail the warriors in pursuing the conservative
party out of
shown
Maeva, over the hills and across the strait in canoës, and at last overtaking
and conquering them on the other side of the island. He had an immense
’omore (wooden spear) which few other men could wield; and there is still
shown at Maeva
a
spear as a pathway.
to
the
new
one,
marshy spot over which on that occasion he used the
Finally the old dynasty of Te-pa’u-i-hau-roa gave place
named Te-hau-mo’o-rere
(The-government-of-the-flying-
scion), which is the royal house at the présent time.
Pâhero’o became re-
’For more about these marae see pp. 119-156.
Received from the late Huahine scholar, Raiti, grandson of Tua-roa-nui-i-ae-pau
“
(Great-long-back-resting-in-peace), the last high priest of Maeva, whose ancestral
was Oro-hahaa
(Warrior-working) at Maeva.
marae
*
The pool to this' day is called Te-hioraa-o-Pahero’o
(The-mirror-of-Pahero’o).
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muscitui—Bulletin 48
102
admired for his valor
by men and women despite bis iinprepossessing appearance.
The following war song^” contains a prophecy that during this révolu¬
nowned in Ra'iatea and
Huahine as
a
great hero,
tion became fulfilled:
E tapiria i te pua hau-ou ”
E ta’aia i te aha o Vai-tarae,
Hold close to the flower of the pledge of peace,
Tie with the sennitof Vai-tarae (Water-
la mau te ’iato o to va’a,
A ro’ohia ’oe e te mata’i,
Te Fa’a-rua roa ia Mere.
No te outu i To’erau-roa,
Tahirihiria na i te tahua
O Tama-pua,
Make fast the
Tahiripaoa te mata’i
No te tara i pi’iura.
E fatifati
na
te nuanua
Mou’a-tapu,’’’’
O
la ta’aia
e
te more o
of-weeds; land),
outrigger props of your canoë,
Lest you be overtaken by the wind,
The North-wind from distant tOrion’s Belt],
From Cape of To’erau'=roa,
Fanning the assembly ground
Of Tama-pua (Limestone-child ; at Maeva),
Tempestuous is the wind
From the raging corner.
When the strength is broken
From Mou’a-tapu (Sacred-mountain),
When it is traversed by warriors unprepared of
iti
Ti-rave,
la tu’ia e te ava-roa o Tù-’opa
E riro atu ai te mou’a
I te tahi ari’i ê atu.
Ti-rave
battle
a
was
Ti-rave
When it is' struck with the long stone
Then will the mountain belong
To some other king.
the home of Pua-ra’i, the
sacred long stone
of Tu-opa,
conquering prince, and in the
named Tute-amiomio (Repeated-force)
was
priest named Tii-oea (Stand-to-strike) of Tû-’opa (Stand-toroyal champion of the king, whom it killed. Upon the
fulfilment of the prophecy the king’s adhérents were struck with terror,
and the cause of the old dynasty was lost forever.
hurled by a
topple)
upon a
PORAPORA (BoRABORA)
154° W. stands the picturesque little island of Poraancient Vavau. It lies about ten miles northwest of Taha'a and is
encircled by a reef decked with numerous woody islets and long strips of
In 16° 30' S. and
pora, or
land.
It has but one passage—in the west—called
Te-ava-nui (The-great-
passage), which leads into a magnificent harbor having spacious anchorage
for ships of ail sizes and extending north and south of the island.
Here
deep bays offer charming scenery. From southeast to north is a beautiful
lagoon only navigable to boats and canoës.
Porapora has eight districts: i. Nunua (Carefully-nursed), the home
of the royal family, in the west, wherein is Vai-tape (Remuant-water), the
capital of Porapora. The high chief was Haapoua (Put-down).
Given by the scholar Raiti :
“The Fragraea berteriana which the god Tane brought down from his sky.
A famous hill on Huahine-nui, also named Mou’a-te-roro’o, which was' likened
to
Te-a’e-tapu at Opoa.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
In the
103
backgroiind is a fantastic and scraggy basaltic mountain, about
which clouds float; it is
a shattered crater of an extinct volcano, and a
long deep fissure flanks it and extends beyond on the Southern side. The
mountain
is
named
Tai-manu
(Sea-of-birds) and is 2,378 feet high,
towering above numerous gently sloping bills ranging from it. To the east
Tai-manu, like two steps,,are Mount Paia and another hill, completing
of
the background
of the pretty village.
The assembly ground is Vai-tape (Remnant-water), the river is
the point is Pare-rua or Fare-piti
marae
of
Vai-tape,
(Two-houses), whereon stood the national
Farerua, built by the nation for Te-fatu, the prince from Rotuma,
also named Te-one-ha’a-i-apapa-i-te-ra’i
(The-working-sand-that-built-up-the-
sky), and the Porapora princess named Toa-huri-papa (Rock-overturningstratum-rock), whom he married. This marae was the cradle of the inter¬
national alliance, called the Flau-faatau-aroha
(Government-of-friendly-alliance). (See p. 119.)
The point of Farerua is on a peninsula that faces the
passage into the
natural landing place for the Etranger, the prince
of Rotuma. The arîoi house of Porapora was on the same
peninsula and
harbor and
was
a
very
named Fare-rua. The chief arioi was Puna-ru’u
(Fishing-ground). In
the South of the district of Nunue is a
prodigious coconut tree, 265 feet
was
high, four times higher than the average tall coconut tree, and its âge is
not recorded ;
but a still taller tree is in the north.
( See below in the fifth
district.) 2. Ati-vahia (Severed-circumference). About a mile from the
mainland, opposite Nunue and within the same reef, is the hilly island of
Too-pua (Fagaraea hlock). A small detachment in the south, called Toopua-
(Small-Toopua), divided from Toopua by a narrow strait, contains tbe
Upon the Southern shore of the bigger island stands
the mushroom-shaped rock, named Tumu-iti.^‘
iti
district of Ati-vahia.
In the shoal northwest of
Toopua is Motu-tapu (Covenant-islet), so
friendly alliance of the Hau-faatau-aroha was established ;
the high chief of Toopua was Mare
(Cough). 3. The Southern extremity
of Porapora is the district of Ati-ti’a
(Enclosed-with-reason), the high
chief of which was Teri’i-i-te-po-ta’ota’o
(King-of-utter-darkness). 4. In
named after the
the east is the district of Anau
the
high chief of which
was
northeast is the district of
a
Te-vai-tapu (Sacred-water). In this région is
feet high, exceeding the height of the one in the south
The high chief of Te-vai-tapu was Te-poi (The covering).
coconut tree
by 40 feet.
”
(Reciprocal-yearning-of-parent-and-child),
(Retained-friendship). 5. In the
Vai-taio
305
See note in the “Création chant” (p. 338).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
104
Iti-aa^® (Few-parrakeets),
(Of-plebeians), the high chief of which was
Putoi (Under-shelter).
7. On a central plain bordered by a semicircle
of mountains of the districts of Nunue, Anau, and Tevaitapu, is the dis¬
trict of Tii-poto. The high chief of this district was Te-hui-ari’i (The-royalrace). 8. Bordering Tiipoto on the west is the ancient district of Faanui
(Great-valley), the seat and cradle of Porapora’s remotest royalty, the
marae named Faa-nui being the spot where her kings and queens were invested with the royal insignia of their race.
6. From north to northwest is the district of
also called
A-manahune
Facing this district is the deep beautiful bay of'Faanui.
of Faanui was Te-maui-ari’i
(The-prayer-for-kings).
The high chief
that
Porapora dérivés its name, which means “first born,” from the belief
it was the first island that sprang up after the création of Havai’i (Ra’iatea).
(See p. 571.) It was always noted as a land of brave warriors; hence its
poetic names Porapora-i-te-hoe-mamu, meaning “firstborn-of-silent-paddle,”
and Porapora-i-te-nuu-ta-rua, meaning “firstborn-of-the-fleet-that-strikesboth-ways.”
Tubai
Included in this little dominion is Tubai,
islets in 18°
consisting of a group of low
15' S., 154° 8' W., about ten miles north of Porapora.
islets are connected with a circular reef
These
forming a lagoon; they are famous
fishing grounds and though well covered with verdure, Tubai is
permanently inhabited. It is mentioned at the end of the legend of
Tafa’i (p. 562) as being the abode of the famous volcano goddess Pere
(Hawaiian Pele) and her attendants in their roamings south.
for their
not
Maupiti
Maupiti or Maurua or Sir Charles Sanders Island is a small island with
of hills rising to the height of 250 meters, in 16° 26' 30" S., 154”
32' W., about twenty-five miles west of Porapora.
From time immémorial this island was independent until it became
United with Porapora under the last reigning family of that island.
Maupiti has nine districts: 1. Te-fare-ari’i (The royal house), the high
a
range
chief of which
the
was
Taero (Inebriate).
high chief of which was Tetua-raa
2. Te-mataeinaa (The-district),
(The-sacred-princess). 3. Vaiea
(Refuge-water), the high chief of which was Tetua-ririi (The-small-prin4. Tetei (Emerging-above-water), the high chief of which was Te-
cess).
Iti-aa means “few parrakeets.” Porapora has
keets with red, yellow, purple, and green feathers.
“
always beeii famous for its parra-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
105
(The-fissure). 5. Vai-tia (Remain-standing), the high chief of
A-puhi (Of-eel). 6. Faanoa (Make-common), the high chief
of which was Tua-rae
(Great-forehead). 7. Taa-toi (Severed-with-axe),
the high chief of which was Mateha
(With-the-four). 8. A-tipi (Ciit-withknife), the high chief of which was Ope-i-te-arau-roa (Ward-off-the-longwave). 9. Huru-manu (Bird-feather), the high chief of which was Manutahi (First-bird).
There are three central hills on Maupiti: Ffutu-paraoa
(Drooping-Barringtonia), Ffutu-tavae-roa (Barringtonia-of-long-parrakeet),
and Uru-faatia
(Standing-forest).
mavae
which
was
The assembly ground for ail the districts United is Rere-aitu
(Flight-of-
gods), the point outside Vai-ahu (Remain-walled), the river Ma-puna-toerau
(Big-north-spring), the
marae Vai-ahu (Remain-walled)—the only
The royal abode is Tarava-nui-a-umera (Great-
national one on the island.
constellation-to-praise) of Te-arii-maeva-rua (Sovereign-twice-hailed), the
Porapora queen. The only passage through the encircling reef is Ono-i-au
(Sword-fish-that-swims), between two islets in the south-southeast. As
the water is shallow and
a
strong, sweeping current passes through, only
small vessels can enter the harbor in calm weather.
Maupiti is famous for its stone of a grayish color, which the natives
formerly prized for making into adzes and varions other implements of
primitive use.
Mapihaa, Manuae,
and
Temiromiro
Lying Southwest of Maupiti, 16° 52' S., 156° 20' W., is Mapihaa or
Mapetia or Lord Howe Island, a small, high island enclosed in a
ancient
reef with
one
entrance for
natives.
boats.
It is
only occasionally inhabited by the
Manuae, or Scilly Island, is a lagoon noted for its good pearl fisheries,
16° 31' S-,
157° 5' W., lying northwest of Mapihaa.
Te-miro-miro, or Bellinghausen, formerly named Papa-iti, is a low
by a reef which has guano strata that may prove to be
rich.
Maha’i of Raivavae (p. 454) States that this island was named
Te-miro-miro (The-Thespesia-trees) very long ago by a
Porapora sovereign,
island encircled
Queen Uru-ma-rai-hau (Forest-of-clear-peaceful-sky), who visited it in a
ship (pahi) built of miro (Thespesia) wood, which was named Are-miro
(Wave-of-Thespesia). She called the island Te-miro-miro (giving the
Word the plural form) in honor of ail the
people of her company and thus
commemorated their visit.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
io6
THE TUAMOTU ISLANDS
List op Islands®^
Of the
numerous
islands of the Tuamotus;
those given below are the most important.®Mata-liiva
chief
consisting mostly of atolls,
(Face-of-company), or Lazareff, 8 miles long and s wide : The high
(A-few-warriors), and the marae, Metua-i-te-râ (Parent-in-
is A-tahi-toa-ri’i
the-sun).
The island of Makatea, Ma’atea in Tahitian (Wliite-sling), formerly named
Papa-tea (White-rock), Ile de la Récréation of Roggewein, $ miles by 4 miles: The
high chief is Ta-m’i-apo-fatu (By-night-receiving-master) ; and the marae, TapnHina (Hina’s-pledge). This
borders disclosing numerous
island, rising 230 feet above sea level, with précipitons
deep caverns, stands conspicuous and hides its accompanying train of low islands. Upon its surface is good soil, densely wooded, producing coconut, breadfruit, and many fine trees peculiar to Tuamotuan soil, that
make good timber.
Some years ago Captain Bonnet, a retired French officer in
Tahiti, found that the island abounded in phosphate rock, and in 1908 it was opened
to commerce for agricultural purposes.®^
The island of Tika-hau (Peaceful-landing), or Krusenstern, 12 by 8 miles: The
high chief is Tû-ma-Ta’aroa (Tû-with-Ta’aroa), and the marae, Vai-moho (Chancewater).
The island of Rangi-roa, Ra’i-roa in Tahitian (Long-sky), Vliegen, Deans, or
Naisa, 42 by 20 miles, second in size in the group : The high chief is Tute-houa
(Heated-foot-run), and the marae, Hitia’a (East).
(Ocean-wave) or Rurick, 15 by 15 miles:
(Entwined), and the marae, Ahu-roa (Long-wall).
The island of Aru-tua
chief is Torohia
The high
The island of Kau-kura, ’Au-’ura in Tahitian (Red-vapor), 26 by 10 miles: The
high chief is Te-à-vi’u (Burned-crisp), and the marae, Kotuku-rere, ’Otu’u-rere in
Tahitian
(Flying-stork).
The island of Ni’au (Coconut-frond) or Fa’aau (Agréé), Greg, 7 by S miles.
The high chief is Piri-tua (Attached-to-the-back), and the marae, Tai-noka, Tai-no’a
in Tahitian (A creeping plant).
Apa-tai in Tahitian (Divided-seaward) or Hagemeister,
The assembly ground is Pakapaka, Patapata in Tahitian (Spotted) ;
The island of Apa-taki,
by 17 miles:
the high chief,
coconut-tree).
20
Te-pu-ava
(The-harbor-trumpet) ; and the
marae,
Nîu-tahi (One
or To-a’u (Drag-billfish)
or Elizabeth, 20 by 10 miles:
assembly ground is Pagoi (Résistance) ; the high chief, Te-mataki-Havai’iki
The island of Tô-va’ti
The
In the
Tuamotuan dialect g and k hâve
been added to the Tahitian alphabet.
Some of the spécifications about the islands were obtained in 1893 by Mrs. Walker from
the Tuamotuan scholar Taroi; others in 1908, more complété, from François Donat Rimarau of
Pape’ete, at the request of his cousin Madame Butteaud of Pape’ete. Other historié information
was obtained
from three Tuamotuan scholars, Marei-nui-a-tapu-rangi (Great'-marae-of-the-heavenly-
pledge), Tau-arii-o-atea
(Royal-address-abroad) and Vahine-itî-marere-nui-a-Tapu-rangi (Tittlewoman-of-extensive-flying of sky-pledge)—the first two well-known men of good family, the latter
a woman of note in her land. '
The dimensions of the islands and some of their foreign names
M'ere supplied by F. T. Picquenot Ccited in his geography of the islands), and other foreign names
were supplied by W. T. Brigham of Honolulu in his “Index to the Pacific Islands.”
By the Pacific Phosphate Company, under the supervision of Mr. Arundel, for many years
well known in the business in the Pacific.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
(The-wind-from-Havai’i) ;
Ture-moke
the
(Law-graspiug).
water,
Te-vai-hi
107
(Gushing-water) ; and
the
marae,
The island of Faka-rava, Fa’arava in Tahitian
(Make-dark), Wittengenstein,
formerly called Havai’i, 32 by 13 miles, is the largest in the group and is in two
divisions under the high chief Tangaroa (Ta’aroa in
Tahitian) ; bold rocks and
craggy peaks are along its borders.
The divisions are :
Te-tamanu (The-Calophyllum), of which the assembly ground is Nuku-hau-marô
(Army-of-great-persistence) ; the water, Vai-o-kura (Water-in-red-bed), and the marae,
Nana-hao-tanga-roa (Aspiring-greatness-attained), of which Ta’aroa and Tû were the
gods.
Te-aha-tea
(The-light-colored-sennit), of which the assembly ground is Maratara
(Prickly-mara-fish) ; the. water, Flare-i-ragi ( Aspiratioii-skyward) ; and the marae,
Kotuku-rere (Flying-stork).At this island there is also a marae named
Taputapu-atea,
of which ’Oro
was
the god.
The island of Anà (Aster), Chain Island, or Todos los
Santos, 18 by 9 miles;
assembly ground is Nuku-rua (Two-armies) ; the water, Vai-ava (Passagewater) ; the high chief, Tua-mea (Many-things) ; the marae, Mata-ho (CommencingThe
to-shout).
This
little
cluster
was
noted
for
its verdant
and
flourishing condition until
February, 1906, when a tèrrible cyclone, contrary to the usual course,
in full force in passing north and west, the sea
swept over it
drowning hundreds of inhabitants,
carrying off and sinking trading vessels, most of the trees, houses of wood and stone,
and the soil, even the graves of the people, and
leaving in most places only bare
rocks.
The island of Aratika (Road), Carlshow of Kotzebue, 20
by 13 miles: The
assembly ground is Tahua-manu (Floor-of-birds) ; the water, Pû-nau (Thy-water) ;
the high chief, Tama-nui (Great-child) ; the
marae, One-ura (Red-sand).
The island of Fa’a’ite (Show), or Milloradowitch, 16 by
13 miles:
The assembly
ground is Vai-hau (Remain-peaceful) ; the water, Vai-marere (Disappearing water) ;
the high chief, Tane-te-fau-kura (Man-the-ura-chief ) ; the
marae, Mata-e-ho (Commence-to-shout), of which Tane was the god.
•
The islands of Taka-poto (Short-separation), ii by
S miles, and Taka-roa
(Long-separation), 12 by 15 miles: The high chief is Tu-hà-riua or Tû-fà-riua
(Stand-appearing-filled), and the marae, Matiti-maru (The-shady-pendant), in Taka-roa.
The island of Tahanea (Siding) or Tchitschag, 27 by 12 miles: The
assembly
ground is Papa-roa (Long-stratum-rock) ; the water, Va-na-mua (Foremost-space) ;
the high chief, Rua-apa-hapa (Lopsided-source) ; and the
marae, Rangi-hoa (Heavenof-friends).
The island of Kau-e-hî (Alight-to-fish), 13 by 13 miles: The
assembly ground
Fanga-tapu (Make-sacred) ; the water, Te-vai-puna (The-spring-water) ; the -high
chief. Papa (Stratum-rock) ; and the marae, Vai-moho (Chance-water).
is
The island of Rà-raka (Tame-sun) or Wilkes island, 14 by 9 miles: The
assembly ground is Mata-hai (Small-beginning) ; the water, Te-vai-nui (The-greatwater), the high chief, Honohona-tai (Seaward-line) ; and the marae, One-make
(Deathly-sand).
The island of Tai-aro (Seaward fight) or King, 3 by 3 miles: The
assembly
ground is Maro-tau-e-tara-te-maro-here (Hanging-girdle-undoing-the-favorite-girdle) ;
the water, Hopu-ariki (Royal-bath) ; the
high chief, Tau-ae’a (Season-of-humanofferings) ; and the marae, Ragi-maeva (Moving-sky).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
io8
The island of Katiu (Young-coconut) or Sacken, 20 by g miles: The assembly
ground is Mahina (With-gray) ; the water, Pape-to’a (Rocky-water) ; the high chief,
Tihi-nui
hous'e).
(Great-corner-stone) ;
and
the marae, Tupua’i-fare-ika
(Suminit-of-fish-
The island of Motu-tunga (Island-of-eels) or. Adventure, 9 by 6 miles:
The
assembly ground is Ku-po-ru (Stand-night-in-haste) ; the water, Puna-ragi (Expandedwater) ; the high chief, Te-fa-takotako (The-comine-darkness) ; and the marae, Vaiahu
(Standing-walled).
The island of Tua-naki (Tied-back) or Keid, 5 by 4 miles:
The assembly
ground is E’a-tû-motu (Road-on-island) ; the water, Te-vai-tumu (The-foundationwater) ; the high chief, Mahuta (Flight) ; and the marae, Pae-rato-rohi (Side-drawnwith-energy).
v
The island of Makemo (Slipping-out), Phillips, or
The assembly ground is Te-pu’a-roa-i-makemo
Koutousoff, 37 by 10 miles':
(The-long-limestone-of-Makemo) ; the
water, Mokorea (Ofïshoot) ; the high chief, Vaku-ari’i (Princely-bearing) ; and the
are Maramarama-i-tc-atea
(Eight-abroad)
Tama-te-fau-here (Child-chief-warrior-beloved).
marae
of which Oro
was
the god, and
The island of Hara-iki (Small-deviation) or Croker, 4 by 4 miles: The assembly
ground is Tokotoko (Rapping) ; the water, Puna-ragi (Expanded-water) ; the high
chief, Tau-rere (Period-of-flying) ; and the marae, Metua-i-te-rangi , (Parent-inheaven).
The island of Maru-tea (Clear-shade) or Furneaux, 20 by 10 miles:
The
assembly ground is Te-rû-naga (The-haste-of-fold) ; the water Vai-pao (Water-cleft) ;
the high chief, Rua-tama; and the marae, Pu’a-tau-humu (Eimestone-threatening-death).
The island of Taenga (Arrivai) or Holt, 16 by 7 miles: The assembly ground is
Te-fara-vivo (Resounding pandanus), the water, Tà-tu-vai-tapu (Strike-standing-in-
sacred-water), the high chief, Tû-ata
(Wfth-refuge).
(Standing-in-clouds), and the marae, Ma-ofa
(Three-necks) or Bird, 4 by 4 miles: The ass'embly
Patiti-i-te-ragi-haea (Spray-the-changing-expanse) ; the water, Orai-tama
(Flinching-of-child) ; the high chief, Marere (Flying) ; and the marae, Toko-na-iThe island of Rei-toru
ground is
te-ragi ( Knock-at-the-expanse).
The island of Nihi-rû (Hasty-beauty), 10 by S miles: The assembly ground is
(Extended-sand) ; the water, Te-fare-toga (The-rock-house) ; the high chief,
One-roa
(Great-clan) ; and the marae, Fara-togo-ao (Fara-drawing-the-world).
(Seven-diggings), 10 by S miles: The assembly grounds
are Te-moko-hiku-eru
(The-boxing-at-seven-diggings) and Te-mahae-o-more-te-aura’a
(Tearing-fallen-leaves-that-suit) ; the water, Ora-i-kama (Life-in-child) ; the high
chief, Marere (Disappearance) ; and the marae, Pou-tupu (Growing-post).
The island of Raroia (Leaning) or Barclay of Tolly, 27 by ii miles: The as¬
sembly ground is Te-rua-patiri (The-source-of-thunder) ; the water, Vai-reia (Watercaught) ; the high chief, Maru-ate (Clear-shade) ; and the marae, Pû-tû-aru (Trumpet-upon-the-waves).
Mahi-nui
The island of Hiku-eru
(Hanging-girdles), 11 by 8 miles: The assembly ground
(Encompassed-borders) ; the water, Te-rangi-pû-nau (The-sky-of-desired-pool) ; the high chief, Te-aro (The-face, or front) ; and the marae, Heke-ua
( Rain-appearing).
The island of Maro-kau
is Orere-anoa
The island of Ta-kume
ground is Fare-fare-matagi
(Beat-pulling) or Wolkonsky, 4 by 4 miles: The assembly
(House-harboring-wind) ; the water, Vai-tohua (Water-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
109
predicted) ; the high chief, Va-roa-nui (Very-long-recess) ; the marae, Fare-ura (Redhouse).
^The island of Reka-reka (Dredged) or Good Hope, 10 by 6 miles: The assembly
ground is Te-one-ma-hina (Sand-with-gray) ; the water, Te-toro-omo (Extendingin) ; the high chief, Ta’o-rau (Many-biddings) ; and the marae, Peau-ura (Red-side).
The island of
miles:
Te-poto (The-short)
or
Mau-rua (Hold-two)
or
Eliza,
10
by
4
The assembly ground is Toruru, (Assembly) ; the water, Te-vai-heru (Water-
cleared) ; the high chief, Hiva-roa (Long-fleet) ; and the marae, Motu-o-Koro (Islandof-’Oro).
The island of Hao-rangi (Encircling-sky), or simply Hao (Encircling), Bow
Island, or Ea-harpe, 25 by 10 miles; The assembly ground is Te-pito-tauira-tea
(Umbilicus-turned-white) ; the water, Vai-iti-reo-rura (Little-water-with-commandingvoice) ; the high chief, Muna-nui (Great-talisman) ; and the marae, Pou-reva (Des'cent-f rom-space).
is
The island of Fangatau (Keep-back) or Araktcheff, S by 5 miles :
Te-hono
the-sky).
(The-thatch-section), and the
The island of A-manu
(Float-away)
marae
or
The high chief
(Division-in-
is ’Apa’apa-i-te-rangi
Moller,
4
by
4
miles:
The assembly
ground is Oro-mania (Oro-calm) ; the water, Te-vai-kopuna (Water-basin) ; the high
chief, Te-ari’i-te-rupe-hara-tau (The-sovereign-mountain-pigeon-deviating-as-it-alights) ;
and the marae,
To-tara-mahiti (Thy-prayer-to-extricate).
Gênerai, Information and History
The Products of these islands are coconuts, and pearl shells, in the
animal of which sometimes
On
are
found beautiful
pearls.
of the islets which form the beautiful
lagoons of the group
found within solid papa (stratum rock) extensive caverns, some of
which lead to unknown depths below sea level, and thus furnish additional
some
are
proof of volcanic activity.
In the chain of islets that form Anâ (Aster)
they are Pereue (Night-vapor)
and Te-ua-’ura (Red-rain) in the islet of Tu’uhora (Extend-clemency),
Eaua (Réceptacle) in Te-mata-hoa (Eace-of-friend), famous for having
been the hiding place of some native men who murdered a Erench gen¬
darme, and Pape-ua-re’are’a (Red-rain-water) and Arai (Mediator) in
are
some
Te-marie
of the most remarkable caverns;
(Silence).
The chief gods of these islands were
Tangaroa, Ta’aroa in Tahitian
(Unique-one), Tû (Stability), Tane (Man) and Atea (Vast-expanse) ;
next to them was held in dread and worshiped as a secondary god, Ti’i, the
malicious first man.
Like the Tahitians, even the most intelligent and
educated Tuamotuan scholars still hâve a superstitions awe of their
gods, which prevents them from naming them in connection with the marae,
for they say the gods were varua ino (evil spirits), once all-powerful in
these islands and perhaps still able to do harm if offended. Therefore if
pressed the natives will purposely sometimes give the wrong names.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
IIO
From the Tuamotuan scholars, Marei-nui-a-tapu-rangi (Great-snare-of-
the-heavenly-pledge) and Tau-ari’i-o-atea (Royal-address-abroad),
following information :
the
cornes
In former times
sovereigns ruled over the chiefs and people of these
Originally there were
two of them, Te-peva (Supremacy), the greater king, and Tû-fariua (Standturned), between whom the islands were divided as follows :
islands in the saine manner as in the Society Group.
E moti O Taha-titi, i to’a i Fakarava,
haere roa i Hao i hiti’a, o Te-peva te
Ari’i.
Na’na ana’e te mau fenua i ropu,
i ni’a e i raro.
Tei Fa’aite toiia fa’aeara’a Te-porioeha tona ava.
e
E moti
oia
na
poto, o
ari’i.
Taka-roa, e haere roa i Ahe,
e hà ;
o Taka-roa, Taka-
fenua
Manihi,
e o
Ahe,
o
O Matiti-maru, te marae,
roa
te ava,
Tûfariua te
e o
tei ni’a i Taka-roa.
Te-ava-
From Taha-titi (Side-peg) bordering
the West, Fakarava to Hao in the
east, Te-'peva was king.
AU the cen¬
tral islands, iip and down were his.
At Fa’aite®* was' his home.
Te-porion
oeha
was
(The - fatness - of - the-fishing-net)
his harbor.
From Taka-roa (Long-separation)
Ahe
four
to
(an exclamation), comprising the
Taka-roa,
Taka-poto
(Slide) or
Wilson, and Ahe, Tu-fariua was king.
Matiti-maru (Shady-pennant) is the
marae, and Te-ava-roa
(Long-harbor)
is the harbor, on the Island of Taka-roa.
islands :
( Short-separation),
Manihi
These islands in the north are of commercial importance.
West of Fakarava, the eight islands, Ni’ati, Toa’tt Apataki, Kaukura,
Arutua, Rangiroa, Tikahati, Makatea, and Matahiva, were independent little
kingdoms ; the scattered uninhabited islands lying south and east, being of
no importance and seldom
visited, were not counted with the districts of
the chiefs.
Not long after King Pômare I had become monarch of ail
Tahiti and Mo’orea, it occurred to King Tû-fariua that he would seize
the eight independent islands and add them to his little dominions in the
north. This he was preparing to do when Pômare with masterly diplomacy
armexed ail the Tuamotuan group to his own kingdom and thus put an
end to the strife among them.
Having a hereditary prestige in the group,
being a descendant of their kings, and being nearly related to Piti-mau’a
(Two-mountains)—the wife of the high chief, Tangaroa of Fakarava—
Pômare sought for and obtained a political meeting at Papa’oa, where he
and his statesmen met those of the Tuamotu Islands.
It was agreed
that he should extend his empire over them, while the two former kings
retained their titles and dominions under him and ail the chiefs retained
As a pledge in confirmation of this conven¬
(Ro’o [Famé]),
in the ground at the feet of King Pômare, indicating agreement ; in like
manner Te-peva planted his, named Te-uto-i-Ma’ava
(The-coconut-planttheir
positions unchanged.
tion, King Tû-fariua planted his spear, named Rongo
^
See page 107 for the other définitions of the Island of Fa’aite.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
111
of-Ma’ava
[Operculum] ) ; and Pômare planted his, named Tû-pô-rii’i
Each maii then drew iip his spear, and the new
order of things was promulgated with
great satisfaction on ail sides. At
(Stability-of-midnight).
the reqiiest of Pômare, it
was also agreed that cannibalism, which was
extensively practised in the Tuaniotus, shoiild be prohibited; but it took
tinie to stop it altogether.
Pômare sent
his
as
représentatives to his
faniily, whom he named Vaira’a-toa
(Prince-apart).
Vaira’atoa
was
new
islands two
after
himself, and Ari'i-Paea
members of
appointed viceroy over the dominion of Tû-fa-riua in
eight independent islands in the west; they were
the north, and over the
specified iiiider him and his siiccessors in the following manner :
O
E moti i Taha-titi e Matahiva, e va’u,
Pômare Vaira’a-toa te ari’i na vaho
roa.
i
Tana
Tahua,
o
Pu-rourou-te-iri-haea,
Eanau i Kau-kura.
Ta’na Ava, o Te-momi-ta-here-taura.
Ari’i Paea’s
him it was said:
His assembly ground is Pu-rourou-teiri-haea (Center - united - with-stripped-
bark) at Fanau in Kau-kura.
His harbor is Te-momi-ta-here-taura
( Swallow-with-noose).
viceroyalty extended over the kingdom of Te-peva.
I Anâ te nohoraa o Pômare Ari’i
Paea.
Tana Tahua, o Ngaehe i Tu’uhora.
Tana Ava, o Katia.
In
From Taha-titi to Matahiva (Face-ofcompany), eight [islands], Pômare Vai¬
ra’atoa is king suprême.
Of
Anâ is the résidence of Pômare Ari’i
Paea. His assembly ground is Adjustment at Tu’u-hora.
His harbor is Katia
(Girdle).
presenting their tribute of food to Ari’i Paea, the subjects of Te-
peva would say;
Teie
te ma’a na te Ari’i, na Te-peva,
moti i Taha-titi, e haere roa i Plao.
Tû nui, Pômare tara e, a tû e a a tù
àte Ari’i na vaho roa, Pômare Ari’i
■a
Paea, a motu te oti’a e te oti’a.
Tahua i raro, o Nuku-hau-marôrô Te
unu i ni’a iho, o
Te-peva. Ua ti’a ia,
a
mau !
Here is food from King Te-peva,
from Taha-titi extending, to Hao. Tù
nui,
Pômare flourishing, continue to
to stand on, King suprême, Pô¬
mare
Ari’i Paea, from boundary to
stand,
boundary.
The assembly ground is Nuku-haumaroro
(Army-of-great-persistance) (at
Fakarava) : The carved ornament chief
upon it is Te-peva.
So be it, take hold !
In the same way the people of Tû-fariua and the other
eight islands
presented their food. Thus were the two groups peaceftilly United, and
silice the French hâve governed the islands a French résident lias
sented the Tahitian
quarters and
now
repre-
Government there, formerly making Anâ his headresiding at Fakarava.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
112
Of the great rocky atoll, Fakarava, which the natives afifirm is an exploded mountain, the following is an ancient chant:
Havai’i nui a nae’a !
A tû te Râ uta,
Tû te Râ tai.
Te henua ia o te taehae.
A rehia ’ana’ana tua mea,
na pute vai e.
O Havai’i.
Havai’i ra, nu’u mau atua,
O Vavau ra, e nu’u mau ta’ata;
Havai’i tautau atu,
Havai’i tautau mai,
Havai’i tautau i ni’a.
A nae’a Havai’i
A pari ’ite toto o Atea.
A tai
Havai’i (Fakarava) great attained !
The gun stands' inland.
The Sun stands sea-ward,
It is the land of savages.
Encompassed with much brighthess.
Outside the pools of vrater.
Is Havai’i.
Havai’i, the home of gods,
Vavau,“ the home of men;
Havai’i, ’ leaning out-wards',
Havai’i leâning inwards.
Havai’i leaning above.
reached.
Charge her vrith the blood of Atea.
When Flavai’i is
Notwithstanding the destructive cyclones and tidal waves which occasionally visit these océan gardens, the inhahitants still adhéré to their
homes there, to which they like to return after seeking refuge in Tahiti
or
elsewhere during stormy weather.
According to tradition, some of
the desolate atolls on the eastern side hâve only gradually become so,
probably owing to the course that the tempests and tides hâve taken. The
following stories are about these islands:®®
(World Prize) or Clermont-Tonnere (14 by 5
formerly luxuriant, abounding in taro and ape (arums), and
it was the home of a peaceful people unacquainted with warfare, until
some warriors headed by Te-o-marama (Garden-of-the-moon) and Ra-vera
(Burning-sun) came from Tata-koto (Resounding-beat) (11 miles by 1
mile) and Nuku-tavake (Advancing-fleet) (8 by 5 miles), respectively—^two
flourishing islands. The warriors, armed with spears, landed in great
war canoës and were. kindly received by the unsuspecting inhabitants of
Re-ao.
Soon the visitors chose a place of encampment in the interior
of the island, where without asking permission they planted themselves
and lived on the fat of the land; finally, thinking that they could easily
take possession of the island and make the people their slaves, they showed
themselves hostile.
But there arose to the emergency a giant chief named
Tai-huka (Bounding-sea), noted for his great head and dauntless bearing.
He mustered a band of valiant men, who made ironwood spears and soon
so well adapted themselves to the war tactics that they saw practised by
their foes that they routed them in battle and caused them to take to their
The Island of Re-ao
miles)
was
canoës
and return to their own dominions.
The Vavau here referred to cannot be identified.
Received from Mr. Donat Rimarau.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
113
The giant,
Tai-hiika, lived happily with his people long afterwards
chief named Te-kono-heka (Sent-tolament), who maintained the dignity of his people by cruising among the
islands with his men, formidable in war canoës.
On one occasion they
laiided at Puka-ruha
(Worn-prick) or Serle Island, 9 by 4 miles, now
tributary to the Gambiers, where they fought with the inhabitants, subjugated them, and there remained several months, when they suddenly become
homesick and returned to their own
island, leaving the rightful
and was sncceeded as a warrior
by a
owners
of Puka-ruha to retain their homes in
peace.
Ail the
of this island lie in
an easterly direction from north to
Now in ruins, they were formerly
about 6 feet high and 60
long. Shut in little chambers excavated in
the piles of stones are found fetishes of human
skulls, hair, and teeth
marae
South; there
are
noue
in the west.
wrapped in matting. Three of the marae in the south are Te-pito (The
navel), Vae-rota (Orderly-division), and Te-tupu (The-growth). Ail the
Tuamotuan royal marae were built low,
having no steps like those of
Tahiti, but their great stone altars for human sacrifices were the same.
The customs of the Tuamotuan people hâve been the
Society Islands.
They
same
as
in the
fine, hardy, loyal-hearted race, and from
them Pômare I chose many of his
bodyguards. They bave their romances
of the tender passions, and
they hâve strong émotions, as their legends
show.
When prompted by desperation to commit
suicide, they resort to
throwing themselves down from a high tree, taking the deadly poisonous
gaul of the huehue (globe-fish) or drowning themselves outside of the
reef. They hâve learned to be shrewd in business,
having learned and
sometimes adopted the “tricks in the trade” which white men hâve
too
often practised upon them.
Like the Tahitians they hâve been fearless
navigators, taking long voyages in their large canoës (pahi), with the
same
knowledge of geography and astronomy. Prominent among their
navigators was a great chief named Màha-’tura (Satisfied-then).
ORDER
OF
are
a
PRESTIGE OF TAHITI,
MOOREA, AND
THE
TUAMOTUS
From the time that Tahiti and Mo’orea and the Tuamotus were United
into
kingdom under King Pômare I, the people hâve strictly adhered
order of prestige in their districts in
assembling for national
gatherings, such as yearly festivities and royal marriages or funerals.
Taking as a center, Arue, the seat and cradle of the monarchy, Pômare
to
one
the
same
thus distributed the districts:
Teporionu’u, embracing ’Arue and Pare in North Tahiti, was the fore-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
114
procession, next to which carne Te’aharoa, from North
they were his mainstay and most loyal
support in time of trouble; of them Pômare said; “B rua i Teporionu’u, e
0110
i Te’aharoa, e va’u Teporionu’u.”
(There are two [districts] in
Teporionu’u, and six in Te’aharoa, Teporionu’u is eight [strong]). Continuing from the west, there followed in unbroken succession Te Fana (or
Fa’a’a), Mano Tahi, Mano Rua, and Te Teva i uta, ending the districts
of the greater peninsula.
Next came Te Teva i Tai, comprising ail the
districts of Tai’arapu, commencing with To’ahotu in the south and ending
most
rank in
Tahiti eastward to the isthmus, as
with Afa’ahiti in the north.
the districts of Mo’orea; Papetoa’i first, Afareaitu
the districts of the eastern side; then the western dis¬
tricts, now ail called Ha’apiti; and lastly Te’aharoa.
Afterwards
came
next, followed by
Finally, the people of the Tuamotuan Islands filled in the rear: Anâ
(Aster-behind) first, Anâ Tau-aro (Aster-before) second, and
Tau-tua
Anâ i te Uhu-taramea
(Aster-of-the-parrot-fish-and-star-fish), meaning ail
the other atolls and islets, last.
each district came in procession, they were headed by
high chief or chiefess escorted by the under chiefs and accompanied
by a standard bearer holding high the national flag, upon which was imprinted the name of the district represented; occasionally more than one
flag appeared, representing a plurality of districts under one high chief.
King Pômare, surrounded by his court and the people of Teporionu’u,
met them with great dignity, upon the assembly ground at Arue generally,
and commencing with Te’aharoa the following is a sample of the addresses made by the orators of the districts as they presented themselves
As the people of
their
before him ;
E Pômare Ari’i i Taraho’i, Tû nuie-a’a-i te atua i te ra’i ma te ata, Teri’i
e tui i te ra’i.
Teri’i Hiiioi-atua, i te
tautua i te ra’i, i ra’i a naunau, Te-niuroa e ti’a i hiti, te vî e tupu i te moaiia,
Te-Ari’i-nui i 'Tahiti !
O King Pômare of Tarahoi,” Tû (Stability-who-settles-the-gods-of-the-cioudyskies) the king who pierces the sky,
King Hinoi-atua (Silent-with-the-gods),
of the numerous skies, of the beloved
skies ; Te-niu-roa (The-tall-coconut-tree)
ta’ata o Te’aha¬
e ono, tei Taraho’i nei, tei mua i
great-king of Tahiti !
Here are thy people of the six dis¬
tricts in Te’aharoa, here at Taraho’i,
Teie mai nei to pu’e
roa,
to aro.
And
the
that came.
that stands on the border, Te-vi (Thevî-tree) that grows in mid-ocean,** the-
in
thy
presence.
king’s orator responded appropriately to
®^Taraho’î, the national marae of his district, at Papa’oa, ’Arue.
The-tall-coconut-tree, the vi-tree, and so on are figurative sobriquets
greatness acquired.
each
company
indicating Pomare’s
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
115
The practice of this
imposing pageantry, with modifications according
circumstances, at Pape’ete under Queeii Pômare, was characteristic
of the people and did not cease to be a cnstom
up to the end of the
monarchy, the French ruiers being warmly included by the natives with
the Tahitian sovereigns.
Perhaps no assemblage was more brilliant than
that given in Pape’ete in June,
1869, in honor of Prince Alfred, under
the direction of Queen Pômare, and Governor De la
Roncière, just then
succeeded by Governor de Joulard, when the British
prince received ail
the honors of a prince impérial and of a son of the Tahitian
queen.
to
HAVAII, OR RAIATEA, ITS POSITION AND NAME
The name Havai’i with its équivalent forms is known
throughout Polynesia.
Hawai’i is the name of the largest island in the Hawaiian
and it is
V
pronounced like the Tahitian Havai’i, the
in the Hawaiian dialect.
group,
w
being accepted
This island is known in Tahitian folklore
as
as
Havai’i-â
(Burning-PIavai’i), from its volcano, which was formerly always brightly burning.
The island of Fakarava in the Tuamotus was
once called Plavaiki, the k
replacing the inverted apostrophe of the Tahitian.
The Samoans hâve their Savai’i; the Marquesans and New Zealand Maoris,
Havaiki; the Rarotongans, Avaiki; the Tongans, Plabai. According to
S. Percy Smith, the name given in Rarotongan folklore to the
Society
Islands is ’Avaiki-mua (Windward Plavai’i) ; to the Samoan,
Fijian, and
Tongan groups ’Avaiki-raro (Leeward Havai’i) ; and to New Zealand
’Avaiki-ta’uta’u (Burning Havai’i)—showing their ancient knowledge of
ail these places.
Mr.
named
Smith also
States
that
a
very
learned chief of New Zealand,
Taare-Wetere-te-Kahu, in describing the original Havaiki of Maori
tradition pictured it as a ‘‘tua-ivhenua”
(extensive land), in Atia (India), in
extensive area of level country, bounded
inland by very high mountains, which were
perpetually capped with snow.
Through this expansive country flowed a great river called Tohinga
(cleansing by immersion), a word that plays an important part in Maori
tradition. This description of land points to India, the mountains
perhaps
to the Himalaya
range, and the river to the Ganges, in which to this day
which
was
to be
found
a
very
the Hindoos bathe to cleanse themselves of their sins.
The Maoris hâve
probably retained this old tradition pure from their most ancient tribes,
owing to their isolation from more modem blendings, while it has become
lost to the central Polynesians.®®
Smith, S. P., Hawaiki, the original home of the Maori,
Op. cit., p. 58.
55-57,
London,
1910.
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
116
To the New Zealand Maoris,
in
a
Tohinga is the ceremony of immersion
river, of name giving, and cleansing from sin and impurities, or re¬
leasing from vows and pledges named tapu (sacred) ; but to their kindred
Polyiiesians the broad océan became the sacred emblem of
immersion for ail the above purposes except name giving.
Havai’i
purification by
was of undisputed prestige among
is still the proudest island in ail the
(Invoked-space-that-filled)
the islands in ancient times and
Society group, being the center of their history, their religion, and their
heraldry. Pormerly, as is shown in pure archaic records by its ancient
bards, which are corroborated by its sister island groups, Havai’i exercised
a political and moral
sway as the emporium of ail the Maori tribes of
Polynesia.
Dividing Havai’i equally in two by a meridian, ail the islands on its
side were named Te-ao-uri (Dark-land), those on the west Te-ao-
eastern
(Light-land) ; these names were shortened into Uri (Dark), for east
Havai’i, and Tea (Light), for west Havai’i; and in the course of time
tea
they were blended together, and Uri-e-Tea (Dark-and-light) became a new
name for the whole island, which was gradually corrupted by some into
lore-tea (White-rat). The name Ra’iatea (Clear-sky) was of last adoption,
and the following is its history.®^
familles from Opoa had
of Papara, named
Atea, who was the proprietor of the marae named Maha’i-atea (Expansivemitigation). He went to Uri-e-tea, where he married a princess of Opoa
Not
long after the Flood and after royal
established themselves in Tahiti, there was a high chief
named Ra’i
(Sky).
The wife became prégnant, and meanwhile the husband, being a valiant
warrior, was called off by some of his clans to battle; so in taking leave
of his wife he said pathetically :
e
la fanau ra to taua
faarue ia’u i te i’oa
te mea ra e e
nui-atea ;
ae ia.
e
When our child is boni,
clude me from naming it.
tamarii e, eiaha
i nia iho. Mai
daughter, name her Rai-nui-atea
potii, e topa ia oe ia Raitamaiti ra, o Atea noa
To this the wife
do not exIf it be a
(Great-
expansive-sky) ; and should it be a son,
let the name be simply Atea.
agreed, and the child that came, being a girl, was
and father conjointly.
named Rai-nui-atea, after her mother
Chief Atea
was
slain in battle, and he was
cleeply mourned by the
princess and ail the royal family of Opoa, so that eventually
the name was transmitted from the child to the land, when it was contracted into Rai-atea (Expansive-sky).
bereaved
As
explained bj" Mrs. John Platt, tu’au
(chieftainess) of that island.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
117
COMPARISON OF NAMES
The
Society group divided by the meridian just described
(Sea-of-the-moon), on the eastern side of
Ra’iatea, and Moana-urifa (Sea-of-rank-odor), on the western side.
sea
called
was
of the
Moana-a-marama
In the
closing chant of the legend of Honoura®^ Te-ao-tea (Whiteland) and Te-ao-uri (Dark-land) are spoken of as One-tea (Whitesand) and One-uri (Dark-sand), showing that those names were Tahitian
synonyms for the same places, and were applied to them according to
taste.
In Fornander’s work^^
latter
names
are
in
Deluge, also referring to Tahiti (Kahiki) :
O ka ale hakoikoi,
I kahiki,
A hiki a ola,
No riei make ia oe la
a
of the
song
Oh, the overwhelining billows.
e
In Kahiki (Tahiti).
Salvation cornes
From this death by
Lono.
E kaukau nou e Eono,
E Eono i-ka-Po,
E Eono i-ka Hekili,
E Eono i-ka-ETwila,
E Eono i-ka-Ua-loko,
E Eono i-ka-Oili maka akua nei la,
E Eono, e Eona, raaka-hia-lele ;
A lele oe i ke kai uli,
A lele oe i ke kona,
I kai koolau,
I One-uli, i One-kea,
(Roo, Famé).
you,
O
Eono
An altar for you, O Eono.
O, Eono of the night,
O, Eono of the thunder,
O, Eono of the lightning,
O, Eono of the heavy rain,
O, Lono of the terrible, divine face,
O, Lono, O, Lono with the restless eyes.
Ah, fly to the northern sea (dark sea).
Ah, fly to the Southern sea,
To the eastern sea,
To One-uli (Dark-sand), to One-kea
(White-sand),
I mahina uli, I mahina kea.
To the dark moon, to the bright moon.
The Maori name of the northern island of New Zealand is Te-ao-tea-roa
(Tong-white-land), and it is called so also in the Tahitian chant of the
navigation (p. 464). The Maoris also called it Te;-ika-a-Maui
(The-fish-of-Maui).
circuit of
The Pacific Océan they call Te-moana-nui-o-Kiwa, which in Rarotongan
is shortened into Te-moana-o-Kiva.
MANGAREVA
Lying 23° to 23° 14' S. and 137° 25' W., somewhat detached from the
Tuamotuan division of the archipelago, is the Dominion of
Manga-reva
(Fruit-of-Cerbera), or the Gambier Islands, hilly and barren, the highest
peak, Mount Duff, rising 1,315 feet above the sea. The islands hâve
good entrances to a fine lagoon, in which are valuable pearl fisheries, and
See GilL W. W., Polynesian Soc., Jour., vol. 4,
pp. 257-94, 1895.
Fornander, Abrahatn, The Polynesian race, vol. i, p. 93, lyonclon, 1878.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
118
their
capital is Riki-tea (Small-white).
since i88i.
This little group
They also belonged to the French
bas also bad its warriors and navigators of ancient
The following interesting legend cornes
famé.
from there:®^^
(Callophyllum), at Mangareva, there is a
Tapae-ture (Landing-law) that is noted for its rocking stone
of black lava rock, named Togotago in imitation of its motion. Upon this
Upon a point called Tamanu
hill named
was built a great canoë (pahi), of ancient famé, called Tô-rara-nuku
(Launched-among-the-woods), by warrior navigators named Pô-a-tû-tô
(Night-to-stand-to-draw), the leader, who was a noted wizard, Tôraga-nui
(Great-laimching), second in command, and Ta-poko (Make-short), who
bad traveled most abroad and was appointed pilot of the expédition for
which they were preparing. When the bull of the canoë was finished, Pô-atû-tô magically caused it to fly up on to the rocking stone, from whence it
descended on to a great level stone called Te-avaava-rora (The-inlet) ; then
it flew on to another stone called Po’o-nui ( Great-slap ), on the islet named
Akena (Of-that), and from thence it departed to the islet called Ao-rere
( Flying-world or Flying-Heron), the modem name of which is Aka-maru
(Shady-cloud) ; and there it remained. Then they rigged the canoë,
loaded it with provisions and water for the voyage, manned it with more
warriors, taking plenty of spears for self-protection, and set ont to visit
lands of which they had learned so miich from their ancestors. They visited
many islands and were entertained kindly by the inhabitants; they stopped
at Rapanui (Easter Island), where they were allowed by the chiefs to
encamp upon the hills, and there they made eight pa, or enclosures, in
which they erected huts, and sojourned peaceably many months.
They
eventually returned safely home.
hill
of
Finally in the outer border, to the southeast and outside of the Tropic
Capricorn, the lirait of the Gambiers, are three small islands, which are
British
neers
possessions: Pitcairn, the home of the descendants of the mutiship “Bounty,” and Elizabeth or Henderson Ducie and Oeno,
of the
both uninhabited.
Received from Mr. Donat Rimarau.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
119
RELIGION
INTRODUCTION
The people of the
Society Islands were very religious. They invoked
gods in every undertaking, whether war, fishing, house-building,
canoe-making or the like. Each occupation had its attendant priests, called
tahu’a (authors), and attendants, who ofhciated at the
many marae built
for worship of the tutelar
gods.
their
THE MARAE"
There were three classes of marae of public
al, the national, and the local;
importance ; the internation¬
also five classes of domestic
marae:
the
family, or ancestral marae, the social, the doctors’, the canoe-builders’, and
the fishermen’s
marae.
The marae were built of stone without cernent
made very high, in parallelogram pyramidal
form, or low and
square, according to the desire of those who erected them.
The stones of
these structures were considered
very sacred and to them are still attached
and
were
many
superstitions.
Internationa!, Marae^
AT RAIATEA
The great international
southeastern side of
marae
named
Taputapu-atea at Opoa, on the
Ra’iatea, is the most ancient of ail royal marae in the
Society group (pp. 131-38, 363)- It is said to hâve been erected by highest
royalty in the remotest period of the island’s history. It was of widespread
famé and was resorted to
by many people of eastern Polynesia as the seat
of knowledge and
religion and for Moloch worship. To its royal household the higl\est chie fs throughout the
groups are still proud to trace their
origin.
This
of
antiquity, now in ruins, stands in an easterly and
little inland, upon a spacious cape bounded by the
beautiful bai^s of Toa-hiva
(Rock-of-fleets) on the north and Hoto-pu’u
(Notchy-spear) on the south. In the background are verdant valleys. The
temple is shrouded by a dense forest of ancient marae trees, the ’aito predominating. In the rear of the marae and lying in the saine direction with
it is a low range of hills
extending from the central mountains of the
island and terminating in a crest of three domelike hillocks that form a
monument
westerly direction,
triangle.
^
Based
a
They overlook the unchanged landscape and the sea locked in by
on
information received in 1833 from Tamera and Pati’i.
Given by Mrs. John Platt, Tti’au (chieftainess) of
Uturoa, Ra’iatea. Corroborations from
Rarotongan and New Zealand Maori history were collected by Mr. S. P. Smith of New Zealand.
2
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
120
an ancient barrier reef, in which is the passage Te-ava-moa
(The-sacredpassage), where in times of Opoa’s ancient glory, great canoës from far
and
near
entered.
extremity of the cape, flanking the seais a long low marae, now somewhat dilapi-
Beneath the aito trees at the
side and the sacred passage,
dated, made of coral slabs. Taura’a-a-tapu (Landing-place-for-sacrifices)
is its name, and it formed the outer border of Taputapu-atea, where sacri¬
fices that were brought from abroad were deposited on their arrivai.
Upon
the paving of the groimd on the inner side, within a stone’s throw from this
marae,
and
stands the fanions white stone. pillar, nine feet high, five feet broad,
foot thick, called Te-papa-tea-ia-ru’ea (The-white-rock-of-invest-
one
ment), beneath each corner of which, tradition States, was placée! a live
man, whose spirit was supposed ever to stand firmly to his post as guardsman.
On this accoimt the stone
was
also called Te-papa-o-na-maha
(The-
rock-of-the-four). On to this pillar a prince or princess of the ’ura girdle,
seated on a great stool, was raised when proclaimed sovereign, in the prés¬
ence of a multitude, on the day of the regai inauguration ceremony.
The
great inner marae is in a direct line from these precincts.
Ail the cape was consecrated to ’Oro.
The marae houses (p. 133)
were built on the grandest scale ; great was the sacred canoë named Anuanua
(Rainbow), upon which the image of ’Oro travelled; numerous were
his war canoës lying in grand array along the shores of either bay, where
spacious accommodation was afïorded for the great double canoës of his
guests.
always so called, and it was not always an
remote period, before ’Oro was boni at
Opoa, it was the national marae of Havai’i (Ra’iatea), named in full, Tinirau-hui-mata-te-papa-o-Feoro (Fruitful-niyriads-who-engraved-the-rocks-ofFeoro), but it was briefly called Féoro, and to it were attached eight
memorial stones which represented eight kings who had reigned over the
land, and which became eight symbols of the royal insignia of the kings
and queens in long succession afterwards. The stones were named, Te-’iva
(Somberness), Feufeu (Reserve), Nuna’a-e-hau (Peaceful-multitude), Teata-o-Tu (The-cloud-of-Stability), Manava-taia (Conscience), Ffuia-i-te-ra’i
(Piercer-of-the-sky), Paie-o-te-fau-rua (Supporter-of-twice-chief^), and
Taputapu-atea^
international
was not
marae.
At
a
very
Te-ra’i-pua-tata (The-sky-with-aurora). (See p. 193.)
When ’Oro, god of war, was born of Ta’aroa and Hina-tii-a-uta, at
Opoa, his father gave him Opoa with the marae, Feoro, as his home. ,So
he
soon
waxed very great, and the
people of ail the land and beyond the
®
This account was given to Mrs. Platt by her grandfather, Tai-noa
of the last old scholars capable of giving it.
^
The meaning of fan is high chief, the addition of ma signifies
chief.
(Sea-of-sweet-odor), one
doubly high, or highest
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
shores of Havai’i
air.
The
name
121
acknowledged him as the suprême god of tlie earth and
was changed to Vai-’otaha
(Water-of-the-man-of-
Feoro
war-bird) which, in addition to their local names, became the clérical name
of ail
marae
shadow
dedicated to ’Oro, becaiise the man-of-war bird
was
’Oro’s
(pp. 387-88), and the water meant human blood. ’Oro’s high
priest at Opoa was named Tiri (Throw-out), meaning extension of power
and also nurse of the god.
The
image of ’Oro in this marae was woven with fine sennit into the
shape of a man, two or three feet long, and covered with red and yellow
plumage. It wore a girdie of red feathers. The title ’Oro-maro-’ura
(Warrior-of-the-red-girdle) was given to it, associating ’Oro in his earthly
capacity with the highest royalty.
At the
ancient royal marae of Fa’a-nui
(Great-valley) in Porapora
(pp. 359-60) kings, called the arii marotea (royalty of the yellow girdie),
received the maro-tea (yellow-girdle of
parrakeet feathers) instead of the
maro-ura
(red-feather-girdle) of the kings of Opoa. Another name for
this marae, Vai-’Otaha, indicates that the
royal scions of the house of
Porapora, from Opoa, took their chief corner stone from the parent marae
while it was so named. Over it was
placed Oro-maro-tea (Warrior-of-theyellow-[or light-colored]-girdie), his image being woven in the likeness of
that at Opoa but covered with yellow feathers instead of red.
To
Taputapu-atea, the national marae of Ra’iatea, were taken most of
decapitated as they lay dead or wounded
upon the battlefield. The heads were cleaned and closely stacked in rows in
the crevices and nooks of the marae, where contrasted with the
background
of stones, they produced a
terrifying sight. Bleached with âge, these skulls
lay sacred upon the marae, untouched by native or white residents, until
recently, when tourists deemed it not bad manners to repay their native
guides by laying on a desecrating hand and carrying them away. Ail those
the heads of warriors, who were
that reniained hâve therefore been secreted
by the natives.
Rarotonga is an offshoot of Tahiti, and intercourse between the two
peoples has always existed. When the royal family of Rarotonga became
numerous, they decided to strengthen their ties with the
royal house of
Opoa. So a prince named Poiriri (Shades-of-night) took a marae stone
and accompanied by two princesses, Te-unii-tai-ahu
(The image-on-walledsea) and Te-unii-tai-marae (The-image-on-marae-sea), and a retinue becoming their rank, sailed to the southwestern coast of Havai’i. They landed
point named Tai-nu’u (Moving-sea), where they were kindly
and allowed to establish themselves and build their marae. These
at
a
sonages
received
high per-
intermarried with the royal family of Opoa and thus Consolidated
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
122
relationship between the royal bouses of Rarotonga and the
Society Islands. Since then other matrimonial ties bave been formed.
Some time after Prince Poiriri’s trip there came to Porapora (Vavau)
from Rotuma, northwest of the Tongan group, a prince named Te-fatu
(The-lord), a god’s name, which only the highest of Polynesians ever dared
assume, and which brought this prince great authority upon land from the
god Te-fatu, lord of the océan. He was allowed to land with his marae
stone and was received into the royal house of Porapora, where he married
a princess named Te-’ura (Redness), in conséquence of which a new royal
marae was erected.
As the stone brought from-Rotuma was used as the
chief corner stone, the royal marae of Rotuma and Porapora were
blended, and the new marae was named Fare-rua (Double-house).
It
became the second great national temple of Porapora. The regai names to
which this marae entitled the reigning family were Tari-’oe (Travelledthou), from the husband, and Te-’iva® (Somberness), from the wife; the
official name of the high priest was Pu-tara (Cluster-of-thorns).
forever the
Following is an ancient historié
the words of the old scholars :
Te-fatu ia Te-ura i Pora¬
fanau ta raua tamari’i, o Maro-tetini e o Te-vae-a-ra’i.
A haere o
Te-fatu e te tamaiti, o Maro-te-tini, i
Taha’a
(’Uporu), a tu’u ta Taha’a
vahi, e uira, e auri, e ato’a, e a-taurearea.
A haere i Ra’iatea (Havai’i)
a tu’u i
ta Ra’iatea, e tore, e havaemata-pe, e urua-puru ; e moe te heiva.
A haere i Huahine, a tu’u i ta Huahine, e fau-tu, e fau-aha, e uri, hotu_,
a nui ;
e maro te heiva.
Ho’i attira i
Porapora, a tu’u i ta Porapora, e au,
e rori, e u’u e ’oti’oti i te tara fare o
Havai’i ; e hoe te heiva.
noho
A
pora,
record known in the entire group, in
Te-fatu took to wife Te-’ura at Pora¬
and the children they begat were
(Persistent-myriads) and
Te-vae-a-ra’i (Divider-of-the-sky). Tefatu and his son, Maro-te-tini, went to
Taha’a (’Uporu) and gave to Taha’a
lightning, saplings', athlètes, and everlasting-Iuxuriance.,
They
went
to
Ra’iatea (Havai’i) and gave to Ra’iatea
the oval sea-urchin and the globular
sea-urchin with small spines, the sodden
cavalli fish ; and sleep was their diver¬
pora,
Maro-te-tini
They went to Huahine and gave
Huahine straight hibiscus and hibis¬
cus'
with fissures, to shade, blossom
and become great ; and argument was
their diversion. Then they returned to
sion.
to
Porapora and
sea
snail, the
to Porapora the
cucumber, and the
gave
sea
mussel to eut ofî the end of the house
of Havai’i
and paddling was their
diversion.
they continued their course, creating friendly feelings with the
peoples of Te-ao-uri and Te-ao-tea, of which are recorded, Hua¬
hine, Tahiti, and dependencies, Mai’ao, and the Australs—then named
Te-ao-uri o te fa’a tau aroha (Dark-land of the friendly alliance) ; and
Rotuma, Tahaa, and Porapora, with the smaller adjacent islands, and downAnd
so
kindred
®
The ancestral name Te’iva from Opoa being adopted at Porapora shows the
tionship between the royal families.
«
To eut ofï the end of the house of Havai’i means to be independent of them.
close rela¬
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
123
wards to
Rarotonga, extending finally to Te-ao-tea-roa o te Maori'^ (Thelong-light-land of the Maori), or New Zealand, which were named Te-aotea O te fa’a tau aroha (Light-land of the
friendly alliance). In commém¬
oration of this event were sung the following words :
Na ni’a Te-ao-uri,
Na rare Te-ao-tea,
E tô roa te manu e
E hi’o i te hiti o te râ !
E mo’otua no Piho i te maro
E hume i
to maro
E hoe
heiva.
Porapora i te hoe
te
Above is Te-ao-uri,
Below is Te-ao-tea,
Ail encompassed by the birds
As they look towards’ the east !
taino’a,
Grandson of Piho (Splash-and-shout)
of the seaweed
taino’a.
Gird
girdle,®
thy girdle of seaweed.
Porapora of the silent paddle,”
Paddling is thy diversion.
mamu,
on
These allied island
kingdoms formed a Convention for their priests,
to meet periodically at Opoa for great religious
observances and international deliberations. The
appointed time was exactly
reckoned by numbering the year and naming the season, the lunar
month,
and the day of the month. Te-ao-uri chose a
primate, called a’o (counsellor) or ti’a (intercessor), whom they named Pa’oa-uri (Dark-Turbo’^®) ;
and Te-ao-tea (Light-land) chose their primate, whom
they named Pa’oatea (Light-Turbo).
They were appointed guardians of the alliance, called
Tia’i-hau-atea (Keepers-of-expanded-government), at Opoa, where
they
dwelt as guests of the royal family.
Then the name of the marae became
scholars, and warriors
Tapu-tapu-atea (Sacrifices-from-abroad).
So it became the custom from a remote time until about the
year 1350
(according to the calculations of S. Percy Smith), for these groups to send
représentatives with offerings to ’Oro in great double canoës, distinguished
te-va’a-roa-o-te-mata’i
(the-long-canoes-in-the-wind), from which
long pennants of their respective colors, dark and light. Each
had one or two great deep-toned drums, called ta’i-moana
(sounding-at-sea),
and a great conch-shell trumpet, called pû-ta’i-i-te-aeha
(trumpet sounding
over the sea from horizon to
horizon), with which they kept track of each
other at sea and signalled, and when
approaching the sacred goal triumphantly announced themselves.
The time of such a gathering was one of awful
solemnity to those on
land and sea.
The old and infirm, and women and children, with their
domestic animais, retired to places far inland prepared for them; all was
still along the shore, even the sea and éléments, which, tradition States,
were hushed in unison for the
festivity of the gods.
as
streamed
Te-ao-tea-roa may mean “the distant light land” as well as
“long,” and is claimed as belonging to the Maori (native) to distinguish it from the lands west, not included in Te-ao-tea of
the alliance.
*
This is a poetic name applied to the offspring of the Rotuma royal line connected with
Porapora,
*
enemy
The
as
they
came
tlirough the
sea.
intrepid warriors of Porapora
unawares.
The Turbo is
now
called ma’oa
were
more
noted for mufîling their paddles in approaching
commonly than pa’oa.
an
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
124
Upon approaching the sacred passage of Te-ava-moa, just at daybreak,
canoës United in procession, and out from the horizon, as if by magic,
they came in double file, each representing a separate kingdom. To the
north were those of Te-ao-tea, to the south those of Te-ao-uri, approaching
side by side, the measured strokes of the pàddles harmonizing with the
Sound of the drum and occasional blasts of the trumpet.
In grand array
appeared the numerous voyagers of high degree according to their different
ranks, ail unarmed and unaccompanied by women or children.
the
connecting each double canoë was a floor, covering
containing idols, drums, trumpet shells, and other treasures
for the gods and people of Ra’iatea; and upon the floor were placed in a
row sacrifices from abroad, which consisted of human victims brought for
Across the bows
the chambers
and just slain, and great fishes newly caught from fishing
grounds of the neighboring islands. There were placed upon the floor,
parallel with the canoë, alternately a man and a cavalli fish, a man and a
shark, a man and a turtle, and finally a man closed in the line. Behind
this grim spectacle stood two or three priests in sacerdotal attire, which
consisted of a plain loin girdle, a shoulder cape reaching down to the waist
and tipped with fringe, wide or narrow according to their grades, and a
that purpose
fitting closely to the head—ail made of finely braided purau
Seated at the paddles were the navigators and warrior
chiefs in gay girdles and capes of tapa and helmets of varions shapes, and
wise men in plain girdles, capes, and turbans of brown or white tapa.
circular cap
,bark bleached white.
As this terribly earnest procession arrived, the canoës were quietly drawn
along the shore, and the guests were met at the receiving marae by an
imposing procession of the dignitaries and warriors of the land grandly
attired, and also unarmed, headed by the king, the two primates, Paoa-uri
and Paoa-tea, and the priests of the realm, who greeted them in low,
solemn tones.
Then everybody alike set to work silently disposing of the
sacrifices just arrived, combined with others of the same mixed kind prepared by the inhabitants of the land. They strung them through the heads
with sennit, an act called tu’i-aha, and then suspended them upon the
boughs of the trees of the seaside and inwards, the fish diversifying the
ghastly spectacle of the human bodies, a décoration called ra’a nu’u a ’Oro-
up
mata-oa
(sacredness of the host of Warrior-of-long-face).ii
After this the
priests of ’Oro chanted :
ra i te ia vavae roroa na ’oe,
ta’u ari’i, e ’Oro-mata-’oa !
A ’ai i
te i’a O te tai na ’oe, e ta’u ari’i, e
’Oro-tauà! Manava ’outou e te nu’u
A ’ai
e
called
Now
of
thy long-legged fish,
(Fighting-warrior) ;. Welcome to you,
appellation was in reference to the distorted
“long-legged fish.”
This
eat
’Oro-mata-’oa ! O my king. Eat of thy
fish of the sea, my king, ’Oro-tauà
features of the poor human victims here
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
atua, i te tairurura’a mai ia ’Oronei
i to’na ’utuafare, ei ’iituafare no te mau
ato’a.
Maeva te atua !
atua
125
O host of gods, in coming here to
’Oro in his home ; the home of ail tlie
gods. Hail to the gods !
Upon the roacl that led up to the inner marae were then laid as rollers,
called ra’o, the hodies of slain men, and over them were drawn the canoës
still containing idols and precious
things, ail présent deeming it an honor to
aid in the arduous work.
Soon the canoës were systematically drawn up
heneath the spreading trees,
extending from shore to shore of the two
hays, those of Te-ao-tea keeping northwards, and the others southwards of
the point.
While the mystic rites were
being performed that day by the priests
at the marae at Opoa, no lire was kindled and no food was eaten.
When
ail those who were not of the clergy had retired to the
fare-opu-nui (houseof-august-stomachs) and to the farc-tara-toa (house-of-all-wisdom), the
priests from abroad carefully took their idols, closely covered in choice tapa
and gay feathers, with offerings for ’Oro in his home, and
accompanied the
priests of the land, also carrying gifts, up into the marae. The presiding
high priest, the primates, and other high priests entered the inner sanctum;
the greater body of priests took places
according to their respective ranks
upon the walls and outer borders of the marae.
Then was performed the
most sacred of ail their sacerdotal
rites, the pai-atua (assembly-of-gods),
when it would hâve meant death for any of the
laity to hâve approached or
looked on.
After this exchange
of civilities of the gods, the idols were again care¬
fully covered and replaced in their respective chambers, the image of ’Oro
being returned to the fare-ia-manaha (house-of-sacred-treasures), and then
mortal beings could breathe freely at Taputapu-atea.
The clergy finally went into the front
courtyard of the marae, where
before daylight had been laid out upon the numerous altars the best food
that land and sea could produce, and
invoking ail the gods visiting to partake of ’Oro’s hospitality,
they partook of the sacred repast with the utmost
reverence and retired to
join the other devotees, who in the same way broke
their fast on sumptuous fare with their hosts, the
opu-nui, outside of the
sacred grounds. Then nightfall came and shrouded in darkness the
scene,
still terrible with the suspended and
prostrate hodies of the dead, which
were intended to be
pleasing to the gods.
Early the following day, the “long-legged fish” of ’Oro, but not the
sea
fishes, were taken down and buried with the mutilated hodies that had
served
as
rollers for the canoës;
they were placed in sitting postures in
their graves, heneath the trees, and were
supposed to render
the home of ’Oro. This ceremony was called
more
ha’apou (getting down).
These rites
arc
described
on
p.
157.
sacred
The
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
126
relatives of such victims
were
not allowed to
reclaim their dead for home
for them, as it was believed that such démon¬
strations would incur the great displeasure of ’Oro and bring down consuming vengeance upon them and ail theirs. Thus were painfully marked
the periods of religions and social gathering between those widespread
burial or to indulge in grief
insulars.
remained upon the sacred grounds, acquiring and exchanging knowledge at the fare-tara-to’a (house-of-all-wisdom),
while observing the utmost décorum and retiring outside the marae grounds
to eat their meals.
Then they withdrew to the settlement of Opoa to
enjoy respite and public feasting, giving and receiving présents. The peuple
who had fled to the woods also returned home ; and the visitors were
For some days the devotees
hospitably entertained until they wished to take their departure, when sometimes they took with them from Ra’iatea some of their kinsfolk of either
sex who wished to accompany them, there being no restrictions observed
in going away.
At last, during one of these conventions, after the religions
observances
quarrel arose between the
primate named Paoa-tea and a responsible high chief of Te-ao-uri, named
Te-po-rou-a-ra’i-ari’i (The-short-night-of-royal-sky), who grew fierce and
slew Paoa-tea unknown to anybody else.
When he was missed, another
high chief of Te-ao-tea, named Te-mauri-aid’i (Royal-trance), enquired of
Te-po-rou-a-ra'i-ari’i what had become of Paoa-tea. U a polie ia’u
(I hâve killed him), was the startling answer. Then Te-mauri-ari’i became
enraged, and before he could be prevented rushed forth and struck the
primate, Paoa-uri, who fell senseless to the ground. He was carried away
as dead by his countrymen, who, however, succeeded in resuscitating him
and bore him away to his own land, somewhere in the southeast, while the
people of Te-ao-tea believed him to be dead and felt themselves avenged.
Great anger and confusion between the two sides followed, and there might
hâve been more bloodshed had not the people of Te-ao-tea at once taken
to their canoës and fled.
They rushed precipitately forward into the bay
of Toa-hiva (Rock-of-clans), and not looking to the right towards the
sacred harbor (Te-ava-moa) by which they had recently entered with
much pagan dignity, they fled in a northerly direction.
They passed
through the double passage called Te-ava-rua (The-two-passages), in the
middle of which is an islet covered with high trees.
Against the reef on
were
ended and the
peuple
were
feasting,
a
the northern side is another islet.
Thus ended the friendly alliance which long had United many kindred
islands.
The people of the east also returned to their homes, and after
that time only Ra’iatea and Tahiti continued to exchange the Taputapu-atea
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
12J
rites, meeting alternately at Opoa, Ra’iatea, and at Tautira, Tahiti, for at
Tautira also was a great
royal marae named Taputapu-atea, from the
old parent marae of
Opoa.
of the nineteenth
centnry,
This State of affairs existed until the beginning
when Christianity was ushered in.
COMPARATIVIÎ POLKLORË
The researches of S.
Percy Smith show that the history of TaputapuRarotonga and New Zealand. In
both these lands Ra’iatea is called
Rangiatea, and the word Tara-’to’a (Allwisdom) is called Tara-ti’a.
atea
is still
fresh in the folklore of
Concerning the quarrel between Paoa-uri and Paoa-tea the Rarotongans
that the two
priests went to Rangiatea to présent a big drum named
Tangi-moana (Sounding-at-sea) to the god ’Oro at Opoa, where they were
State
both killed.
Williams^®
that in their folklore
they also say that
formerly Rarotonga was part of Ra’iatea and that it drifted away to its
présent position in conséquence of the priests’
crime—perhaps confusing the
story with the legend of Tahiti, a fish.
States
The New Zealand Maoris retain the name marae with
its uses unchanged
Tahitian, and referring to Taputapu-atea they say that it was “A
marae at Hawaiki, belonging to the warrior
chiefs, to the great
from the
great
chiefs of the sacrecl cuit, used for their invocations in time
of war.
That
marae was a
temple and the name included both temple and marae. It was
where the deliberations of the
people were held and was a place of great
mana.
Hense is our saying, He kakano i riiirui ia mai i
Rangiatea (We
are seed scattered from
Rangiatea). The church at Okati, West Coast,
Wellington, was named Rauparaha, in memory of our island home in
Hawaiki, for it was a sacred island to our ancestors.” At that place, they
also say, was a zvhare-tarati’a
(fare-tara-’toa) where they acquired know¬
ledge and learned prayers and invocations which they could obtain nowhere
else.
Their
use
of the two
évolution of the
name
names
Hawaiki and
Rangiatea shows that the
from Havai’i to Ra’iatea was known to the ancient
Their history also States that their canoë that fled
New Zealand Maoris.
from Opoa was named
Te-ao-tea, a very appropriate name, and that its
commander was Turi of Tahitian and Ra’iatean
legend, who became a great
ancestor of Taranaki and several other tribes of
the West Coast of the
North Island of New Zealand. These tribes hâve
crystallized the historié
event in song as follows :
Williams, Rev. John, Missionary Enterprises, New York, 1837.
128
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Tenei
ano
nga
whakatauki
o
mua
Toia e Rongorongo “Aotea”,
Ka tere ki te moana,
Ko te hara ki Awarua
I whiti mai ai i Hawaiki.
These are the sayings of ancient
times
’Twas Rongorongo launched “Aotea,”
When slie floated on the sea.
Becatise of the sin of Awarua
Tkey crossed
from Hawaiki.
over
The second line rendered into Tahitian would be :
“Tohia
e
roro ’o
‘Aotea’’'
(Launched for prayer chanting was “Aotea”) which perhaps it
originally signified. Moreover the sin of Awarua (Ava-rua, Double-harbor)
is frequently referred to in their records.
With such vivid descriptive
power do they tell of a great atae (prythrina sp.) tree that they
saw
full of red blossoms on the shore bf Ra’iatea when passing
out through Te-ava-rua that Mr. Smith at once recognized the tree, which
was in
bloom when he visited Tahiti.
From an aged teacher named
Tamarua-’Orometua of Rarotonga, Mr. Smith learned also that the Ao-tea
canoë
commanded by Turi touched at Rarotonga on its way to New
Zealand.
Thus, by oral traditions of tribes widely separated, faithfully handed
génération to génération for over five and a half centuries, is
revealed accidentally the history of the appellations of the groups Te-ao-uri
down from
and Te-ao-tea.
HAU-PAHU-NUI
Te-ao-uri and Te-ao-te’a, an alliance was made
of Tahiti, Huahine, Ra’iatea, and Maupiti for
aid in maintaining their independence when invaded by the warlike people
of Porapora and other islands. On such occasions they adhered to this agreement.
But in time of civil war no interférence occurred, though sometimes
help was received from personal relatives and friends among the allies. This
alliance was called the Hau-pahu-nui (Government-of-the-great-drum), and
it remained in full force until French rule was permanently established in
Tahiti in 1847. Afterwards it gradually slackened, and finally ceased.
After the dispersion of
between the little kingdoms
Attëmpts
to
Estabtish Marae AT Tahiti
Tane, god of beauty, ruled
by
peiësts from
in Tahiti for
Raiatëa
long period
gods of the catalogue, the chief deities presiding over the
royal marae being Tû, Ra’a, Ro’o-te-roro’o, Fatutiri, Ma’u’u, Tipa, Punuamoe-vai, and Te-meharo. Tane and Rua-hatu l'eigned suprême in Mo’oi'ea ;
Ta’aroa, Tù, Atea, and Tane were gods of the Tuamotus ; Ta’aroa at
Pô’ura in Mai’ao; Tane at Màta’irea in Fluahine-nui ; ’Oro at Anini in
FTuahine-iti ; Rua-hatu at Tahue’a in Ra’iatea (a marae now forgotten, see
over
supi'eme
a
the many
The tradition given in the fourth and fifth paragraphs is from Peue, chieftain of Fautau’a,
Tahiti; that which follows is from the priests Tamera and Pati’i, who passed over the first tradition,
though it is mentioned in the inauguration chant of the kings of Ra’iatea, p. iS8.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
page 454) ; and
129
’Oro at Opoa in Ra’iatea; Tane at Ahu-roa in Tahaa; ’Oro
Ra’a at Fare-rua in Porapora; Tû and Ta’aroa at Vaiahu
at Vai-’o-taha, and
in Maupiti.
Ta'aroa, Tû, Tane, Atea^^ ^nd other gods of the Tahitian category,
équivalent names, had also their shrines in the other islands of
Te-ao-tea; and in New Zealand Tane was god of the forests and the
with their
source
of animal
life, and Ta’aroa dominated
over
the
océan.
To Tane
were
occasionally offered a few human sacrifices in Tahiti.
god of peace until he developed a taste for human flesh, and
then he became warlike in a small degree, his rival
god in war being
Hiro; these two headed the conflicting forces for war in primitive times.
Since the legend of Tahiti being a fish from Ra’iatea was believed to
be a historié fact (a belief that has not yet died out
among the native
people), the priests of Ra’iatea claimed Tahiti for ’Oro after he had been
established at Opoa.
He
was
a
Tamatoa I there came to Tahiti a high priest of ’Oro,
Tupua-nui-te-fa’aonoono (Persistent-great-growth), accompanied by
his two brothers, Te-tupu-amiha (Steady-growth) and Te-haruru
(Thenoise), who were priests under him, and also a sister, Toa-te-manava
(Brave-hearted), who was a learned scholar. They brought with them a
stone from Taputapu’atea
(Sacrifices-from-abroad) at Opoa, to set up in
a marae in Tahiti.
Their great canoë, Pa-tarava (Extended-fort), was
In the reign of
named
for
built
the
occasion
on
the
builders’
(Fanned-by-birds).
marae,
named
Tahiri-a-manu
It was well laced and ornamented with sacred sennit,
so that it was said to be
possessed with great power or magnetism (mana).
The visitors also brought becoming gifts to présent to the Tahitian gods
and chiefs, such as poe-mata-uini (pearls), ahuara (soft, fine mats),
’oro’oro hiirnhurti ’otaha (bunches of man-of-war bird feathers), ’ttra (parrakeet’s feathers), and fau fringe.
While
they were preparing to take their présents for the gods to the
Tû-marama (Stability-of-the-moon), of the god Tû, represented
by the meho birds, or rails (p. 385), the marae that faced the
passage of Pape’ete by which they had entered, the warriors of Te-oropa’a
perceived the canoë moored out in the shoal and were about to seize it
when the sister of the priest loudl)'- invoked the aid of ’Oro to deliver
marae,
them out of the warriors’ hands.
In an instant the canoë, with its owners,
caught up into the clouds and borne speedily by a strong wind to
Opoa, where they told their story to the king, who went with them to
the great marae and presented the ofïerings from the canoë to ’Oro in
gratitude for the god’s act of deliverance.
was
Ateâ
means
“light”
as
well
as
“vast-expanse.’"
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
130
Finally ’Oro’s zealots set out for Tahiti, and they went to Tai’arapu,
the head of the fish, and landed at the
point called Ta’ata-tua (Man-ofthe-sea) at the marae called Te-ahu-o-rua-tama (Wall-of-the-source-offair-child), chief of the fire gods, and there they presented their gifts
and religions homage.
They wei'e well rèceived with ail due ceremonies,
and allowed to set up their cornerstone, called
Tupu-i-mata-roa (Growthof-long-face), for a home in the east for ’Oro. As ali Tahiti and Mo’orea
regarded this as a natural sequence in the history of Tahiti, the fish,
they peacefully United in building a great national marae for ’Oro, which
they named Taputapu-atea. The incarnation mf the god in it was a small
log of toa or alto (also meaning warrior), about six feet long, which was
decked in sennit and red, yellow, and black feathers to
give it ail the
original attributes of the terrible god. Soon, during the usual solemnities
of the
occasion,
with flashes of
came
a
strong southwesterly wind, on which ’Oro rode
He entered into the image, which was then
lightning.
called ’Oro-rahi-to’o-toa
(Great-’Oro-of-the-toa-image), and thus his hold on
Tahiti commenced.
The sister,
Toa-te-manava, was kindly received at ’Uporu (Ha’apape),
where she established
a
school for the
aristocracy of Tahiti and taught
them the folklore of the mother land, Ra’iatea.
Thus encouraged, the priests of ’Oro went to the
body of Tahiti, the
fish, with a sacred stone from the marae they had just made. They landed
at
’Utu-’ai-mahu-rau
hata
or
Ata-huru
There they
(Cape-eating-many-mists), at Pa’ea, then called Ata(Fleecy-clouds)
were
allowed to take possession and
were
building their marae, which was called ’Utu-’ai-mahu-rau.
(’Oro-of-the-bird-feathered-body) became
also aided in
’Oro-hu’a-manu
master there; the image was
Opoa and covered with red, yellow, and black
feathers from the image at Tautira.
woven
the size of that at
Gradually, as the priests of the new order increased, new marae to
in the feather body were erected ail around
Tahiti, and finally
Pepeto’ai in Mo’orea had its 'fiaputapu-atea, which was originally Tepua-tea ( White-flower) (p. 453): The change of the name was occasioned by a marriage which took
place between a high chief of the
Manea family in Papeto’ai and a princess of Opoa. The
princess brought
her marae stone from the original
Taputapu-atea, and she and her husband
named it Tûra’a-ma-rafea (Kneeling [stone]
of-two-meetings). This stone
’Oro
So named because tlie billows rise high at this
wind forms into fine mists ahvays hanging over the shore.
point
and
throw
up
spray
that
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
raised the
marae
from
a
social to
a
national
Taputapu-atea of ail Mo’oread'^
131
grade, so that it became the
Meanwhile many princes and princesses of the royal house of
Opoa
intermarried with the familles of the high chiefs of Tahiti, in
conséquence
of which more royal marae were erected to ’Oro and some to other
gods.
The many restrictions and ceremonies that resulted became a burden to
the people,
i
until at last they bitterly cried :
Toti, Total
marae !
te
E papahia Tahiti i
Bowed down, forsooth 1
mua
be Tahiti before the
Crushed will
marae !
Before ’Oro’s forces in war, those of Tane and Hiro
generally fell, so
Taputapu-atea at Tautira became a réceptacle for decapitated heads
like that at Opoa; and Taputapu-atea in Mo’orea was a receiving place
for heads whence they were carried to Tautira. These marae trophies hâve
been hidden away from foreign desecration.
that
National Marae
When
national
royal marae was to be built in a district, a branch
planted upon the assembly ground of the royal house,
H patia (ti stuck in), to show that religions restrictions were put upon
pigs and fowls and ail the produce of the land and upon the fishing
grounds. The best of everything was to be cultivated and mature for
the time of building, and the restriction lasted for two or three years.
When the time to work arrived, the people entered a most solemn period.
A puhapara’a, or encampment, was made in the woods for the laborers,
of ti
was
a
or
taken and
who withdrew from their familles to consecrate themselves to their work;
and other encampments, called fare-hua, were made far inland for the old
and infirm, for the women and children, and for domestic animais, so
that their voices could not reach the
appointed place, and that they might
No living créature was allowed to approach the new site,
no fires were kindled
along the neighboring shores, where people even
spoke in hushed voices.
enjoy freedom.
No able-bodied
man
of the realm
the chief and ail classes deemed it
Some
were
food
an
was
idle
on
such
honor to aid in
an
so
occasion, for
sacred
a
work.
providers and cooks for the respective encampments,
which were well looked after.
Others collected stones from land and
sea
accordlng to the directions of an artisan, who was called the tahu a-marae,
and they shaped the irregular stones into blocks and slabs with hard
stone implements, leaving the round stones in their natural State to fit
A little octogan church first built of coral limestone by the Rev. Mr. Platt of the London
Missionary Society, and recently rebuilt under the supervision of the Rev. Monsieur Brun of the
Paris Missionary Society, now stands upon the site of this marae, and to the right of it, about
six feet above ground and one foot square, is the famous kneeling stone.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
132
in between the others.
This work took many months, and relatives or
friends of the
sovereign from other little kingdoms sometimes lent their
god ’Oro were distinguished from ail others
by stones that were shaped like turtles’ heads and set at regular distances
along the sides of the construction.
Marae dedicated to the
aid.
When ail the stones
collected, the ground for the marae was
sprinkled well by the priests with sea water to make it
holy. A long stone was taken from sorne other grand marae, as the
’ofa’i-faoa (chief-corner-stone), a man was slain and placed in the hole
dug to receive the stone—his spirit supposedly remaining to guard the
marae—and the erect stone was planted firmly upon the corpse, while the
priest prayed to the tutelar god in the following manner ;
were
cleared and then
Tahi t’ia mai e te atua
nei
pure !
e,
i ta matou
Inaha, te pûpû hia ’tu nei e matou, na
va’a mataeina’a o teie nei hau, i teie
fenua, ei vahi mo’a
marae
e
Teie
matou
na
’oe, ei ti’ara’a
ei ti’ara’a fare no ’oe.
te ’ta’ata ei tapu ha’amo’a na
i mua i to’oe ei aro, e te
teie te ’Ofa’i-faoa mo’a no te
’utuafare ta matou e ha’a no ’oe e no
te nu’u atua e haere mai ia ’oe nei ei
manihini na ’oe, e te atua e !
’O ta
Atua e,
matou
Atua
teie
e !
pure,
a
tahiti’a
mai
e
te
Hearken unto
Prayer !
Behold,
we
us
O
god, in this
the clans
our
of this king-
dom présent to thee this land, to become
sacred to thee, upon which to
build a temple and houses for thee.
Here is a man as a pledge of con¬
sécration from us in th}’’ presence, O
god, here is the sacred ’Ofa’i-faoa
(chief-corner-stone) of the home we
shall
make
for
thee
and
the
host
of
gods who will corne to visit thee as
thy guests', O god ! This is our prayer,
hearken unto us, O god !
corresponding stone, which was called the ti’a-va (standplaced at the opposite corner, and these two stones were
called the tihi-marae (horns of the marae), which answered the same purpose as the horns of the Jewish temple.
Another
towering)
was
After the performance of
the terrible consécration ceremony by moonlight, the people silently carried out the stones collected and reverently
placed them in heaps around the place prepared, according to the directions
of the presiding artisan.
Some immense pièces of stratified rock, twelve
to eighteen inches thick, about twelve feet long, and nine feet broad were
used, as well as large rocks of other kinds, which the priests and workmen
declared were made light in their hands by the gods, so great was their
enthusiasm in the work.
If built upon low ground or upon a terrace on
the side of a headland,
shape of the royal marae was a parellelogram. If built upon the
summit of a prominent hill, it was square and formed a crest of a single
steep wall, divided into two departments, one for the marae proper, the
the
other
for
marae
were
the
outer
court.
The
either checkered steps
walls, called ahu, which formed the
with various kinds of stones closely
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
133
against each other in pyramidal form, or great perpendicular slabs
only in the front. These walls were adjusted
to a nicety to form the
angles of the four corners in a straight line
with each other, and inside of them were
piled stones of ail sizes closely
packed with earth. This solid mass was called the puo (heart) of the
marae.
The first layer of the pyramidal marae was called the niu
(foundation). Some marae had but two steps, others had three, and others
ten.
The steps were from four to six feet wide and
up them the priests
and other worshipers were obliged to climb when
they were required periodically to visit the summit. It was not made easy to ascend an édifice of
the gods. The end of the marae with the two tihi was called the ahu-mna
(front-hall), and it was more elevated and more sacred than the other end,
which was called the opani (closure) or rau-poto
(short-side). The two
set
of stratified rock with
steps
sides were called rau-roa (long-sides).
The wall of the summit formée! a bulwark about five feet in
height in
order to shut out from view ail that was held most sacred there. The floor
of this enclosure was carefully paved with
flagstones and was called the
paepae; the four inner corners were called the tau-peho.
surrounded the
marae
within the walls of the aua-teni
The ground that
(exalted-enclosure)
also paved with flagstones and called a paepae.
Upon the paving of the summit towards the front of the marae was an
enclosure about six feet long and four wide, the ava’a-rahi
(great-enclosure), in which was placed the image of the tutelar god when it was carried
into the marae in its little ark.
(See p. 136.), Beneath a flagstone in
this enclosure was a repository in which were placed its discarded roverings, which were regarded as too sacred to be taken elsewhere.
The ava’a-rahi, being the réceptacle of the god’s image, was called the
vahi-mo’a-roa (most-holy-part) of the marae, reminiscent of the
holy
of holies in the Jewish temple. The space between it and the front wall
was also considered extremely
holy; and in the corner of the wall to the
right of this space was a small chamber of stone slabs, called the ava’a-iti
(small-enclosure). In here was kept an image of a whale, shadow of the
^od Ta’aroa, made of the sacred puupuu (breadfruit) wood that grew on
marae ground.
It was charred black with sacred lire, made by burning
wood of the sacred atae (Brythrim sp.) trees
upon marae ground, which
gave the image the appearance of black stone.
With it, but uncharred, was
another image made of the same kind of wood,
representing the handsomeblue-shark of Ta’aroa.
This little ava’a was also called the fare-toroa
(house-of-the-tropic-birds), because wooden images of tropic birds were
was
placed around it to guard the vahi-mo’a-roa.
At the other end of the most-holy-part, towards the center of the
was
a
space
where the drums were placed for religions ceremonies.
marae,
Next
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
134
to them
of low stone pillars called the vaira’a-tapa’au (holdersThe tapa’au were small figures of men made of braided
coconut leaves, representing in effigy the priests praying before the vahimo’a-roa.
These pillars and figures combined were called the aho (life)
was
a
row
oi~th&-tapa’au).
of the marae.
Extending from the right and left of the front steps and from the
vahi-mo’a-roa to the center of the marae, behind the aho, a place called
the pu-marae, were set planks six or seven feet high, about ten inches
wide, and two inches thick,
upon which were free-hand engravings of
designs. Termiiiating the top were carvings of gods and other
figures divided off with three or four open spaces about a foot deep, some
of which were fork-like.
These planks were painted over with red ocher
and were called the unu-marae (marae carvings). They served as holders
on which to attach the property of the
gods. (See pa’i-atua, p. 157.) The
planks represented the ana mua, ana roto, ana mûri, and ail the other great
stars of the heavens,^ which may indicate that they were substitutes gradually adopted for candies burning upon the altar.
varions
These red unu, with numerous little figures of gods and goddesses
grinning and staring at the property of the gods placed among them, were
considered most imposing and their constant presence upon the marae was
called ra’a-unu (sacredness of the unu), ra’a-ti’iti’i (sacredness of the
fetchers, of a good kind), and hui-tapairu (host of waiting maids).^
In the midst of the
unu were stood, side
by side, two stones three or
high, one representing a king and the other a queen, called the
pû-maro-ura (center for the ’ura feather girdle), upon one or two of
which, as the case might be, the new sovereign was seated in concluding
the ceremonies of his or her inauguration.
(See p. 188.)
four feet
Next to the unu stood two stone slabs about four feet high, called
’ofa’i-tuturirala (kneeling stones), or ’ofa’i-turu’ira’a (leaning stones),
against which the king and chief next in rank to him kneeled, crouched,
or leaned to pray, each one
adhering to his own side. When a queen
reigned, the king’s slab remained unoccupied in her stead. Behind the
chief’s kneeling stones were others of the same kind for the officiating
priests, called tahu’apure. Behind them, at the closure of the marae, upon
the pavement without kneeling stones and upon the steps and down upon
the paving of the courtyard, patu-ha’amorira’a (paving for worship), prayed
the lay brethren, who formed the congrégation, opure (worshipers).
For
them to hâve ventured to go farther forward would hâve been considered
a
desecration to the
marae.
See the Création Chant (p. 336) and the chapter on the Birth of Heavenly Bodies (p. 359).
The last appellation suggests the Hebrew custora of having, “women which assembled at the
door of the tabernacle.”
Exodus 38:8.
^
"
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
135
In orcler. to render the
great édifice prominent and imposing, the paving of the rau-roa (long side) of the marae, flanking the seashore or
highwa)'-, was kept bare; hence the following saying: “Te aJm marae nei i te
tahatai ’ra i te arati’a e auae ia, te
papa’i noa niaira a tau è a Iiiti noa ’tu.”
(The ahu, platform, of the marae to the seashore or the
highway is a jawbone, challenging on forever and ever.)
Behind the great stone slabs
forming the wall of the inner side of a
marae or beneath the pavings
surrounding it were here and there
royal
secret
vaults that were excavated and
closely
the chiefs, in which
in timest of disquietude for a few days after the performance
religions rites for the dead. The bodies were removed by the same
year or two,
of the
paved by faithful servants of
temporarily to place their dead—in time of peace for a
faithful hands
to hidden caves in the mountains of the
district, in which
spread, ornaments and other precious possessions of the chiefs
were placed.
mats were
Near the inner side of the
marae were set
closely and firmly in the
ground slender stones rising about two feet high, which represented the
bygone rulers of the realm. They were called ofai-manava-ari’i
(stoneThe first were set parallel to the marae,
placed in an outward direction, gradually
memorials-of-kings [or queens]).
and others that followed
were
forming a small square. Several squares were thus sometimes formed
showing the antiquity of the marae. Unfortunatley most of these stones
hâve been overlooked and allowed to
old landmarks.
disappear in the falling away of the
Upon the paving close in front of the marae was a great fiat stone altar
for human sacrifices; and farther out
made of polished wood,
were
altars of different dimensions
attractively placed with posts tastily carved. There
were great altars from six to twelve feet
long and four to five feet wide,
called fata-rau (diversified altars),
upon which were placed for the gods
whole hogs and great fishes, vegetables, and coconuts.
And there were
small, low altars, square and standing upon four posts, oblong and
supported by two posts, and round standing upon one post, called fata-’ai’ai
(altars for small eating), upon which were placed dainty morsels for the
gods. Beneath each post of the altars was buried a small stone, covered
with a leaf
or
sacred altar.
two
of the most sacred niiro,
which was called the iho of the
Farther out, in front of the marae, was a good-sized
house, called the
fare-ia-manaha (house of sacred treasures), where the keepers of the
marae dwelt, and in which were
kept the images of the gods, the sacred
apparel, the drums, and other most sacred appendages. Here also sacred
objects for the marae ceremonies were made. (See p. 133.)
136
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
In
erecting a fare-ia-manaha, a man was slain and buried beneath the
of the building. For out-
niiddle posts, supposedly to insure the stability
houses no human victims were required.
On the inland side of the marae stood a long low shed called the
fare-va a-a-te-atua (house of canoës for the gods), in which were kept the
va’a-raa (sacred canoë), for the tutelar god to travel about in, and the
va’a-lioehoe (canoë for common paddling), in which the keepers of the
marae
went on
sacred errands.
The god’s canoë, named fe-va’a-roa-i-te-mata’i (the-long-canoe-in-thewind), was large and deep, and in its bows was- a chamber, about six feet
long, for the god in his house, covered ovér with pknks, which formed
a
deck where men could walk without desecrating the sacred presence.
Upon the canoë were elaboratel}^ carved, hideous figures of ti’i and décora¬
tions of sacred feathers, the prow and stern rising gracefully twelve or
fifteen feet high and ending in the carved figure of a ti’i or the head of a
sacred sea bird.
The canoë for the god’s errands was plain and smaller
than the god’s. Both were carefully carried out by able-bodied men when
required to be put to sea.
Ta’aroa made the first fare-atua
(god’s house or ark) out of his own
which he easily replaced with another body for himself.
This fare-atua was supposed to hâve been the model for the house
of a god for ail time.
It was a neat little ark made of sacred polished
wood, with arched roof covered with fara thatch, square at each end
and having a level floor.
Its dimensions were about four feet long, two
and a half feet wide, and three feet high, varying in size according to the
form of the god that was placed in it.
One end was closed. The other
end had a circular entrance for the god, with a close-fitting stopper of
Imdy,
sacred
cloth.
To this ark
were
attached cords of sacred sennit, which
passed under it to either side, forming a loop at each corner, through
polished pôles of miro wood were passed that extended far enough
for two men at each end to bear upon their shoulders.
The ark containing the god rested between. In the same manner, the Israélites carried
their Ark of the Covenant. This little house was placed in a recess in the
fare-ia-manaha upon a stand about four feet high, supported with four
curved and nicely carved, polished legs, forming two arches.
were
which
The house of every god had a spécial name that accorded with his attri-
butes; Ta’aroa’s house was called Ro’i-i-te-fatu-Ta’aroa (Bed-of-the-lordTa’aroa) ; Tane’s house was called Ro’i-Tane-hua-manu (Bed-[of]-Tane-inbird’s-down) ; the house of ’Oro, the warrior god, was called Ro’i-nui-i-te-
(Potent-bed-for-sleeping-among-canoes), because his image
frequently carried to war in his canoë with the flotillas. Captain
moe-va’a-va’a
was
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Cook® has
Papara;
137
giveii the following account of a god’s house in the district of
The first time Mr. Banks saw this coffer, the aperture at the end was stopped
with a piece of cloth which, lest he should give offence he left untouched. Probably
there was' then soniething within ; but the cloth was taken away, and upon looking
into it, it was found empty. The general resemblance between this repository and the
Ark of the Lord among the
Jews is remarkable; but it is still more remarkable that
enquiring of the Indian-boy, what it was called, he said ; ‘E waharra no
Eayua " (The house of God) ; he could, however, give 110 account of its signification
upon
or
use.
Throughout their early intercourse -with foreigners, the natives kept
in regard to the fare-atua, as it would hâve seemed
sacrilege to them to hâve done otherwise. Since becoming Christianized
they hâve always been careful in regard to those to whom they hâve confided their religions history, partly from fear of ridicule, and partly from
a feeling of inborn vénération for the
gods and their cuit.
The inauguration of the national marae was performed with
great
festivity; the clans of ail the kingdom were represented, and a great feast
was prepared on the
assembly ground. On the appointed day ail work was
done in the morning, and .in the afternoon amid impressive stillness the
people in their best attire, followed the queen and chiefesses and other
members of their families, gathered at the new marae, and took their stand
at the place for the congrégation in the rear.
Then followed the cere¬
monies, which thrilled the hearts of ail with joyous but silent religious
enthusiasm. The first-born young virgins of the royal family of the king¬
dom represented their respective districts.
They were arrayed in flowing
white tapa and decked with wreaths and garlands of tiare (single Gardénia)
blossoms, their emblem of purity. Carrying round green coconut-leaf bas¬
kets of these flowers in their hands, they led a procession formed by the
clergy in sacerdotal array (p. 152) each of whom carried a miro
branch in his hand. The king wore his royal feather clothes and the chiefs
their regai raiment.
The procession halted on reached one side of the
marae, and then the young virgins walked around it, casting their flowers
upon it as high as they could reach and upon the paving close by.
The
high priest followed calling upon the gods to flll the place with their
silent when questioned
■
presence.
This was called the rao-marae (setting of the marae). Then the young
maidens returned to their post at the side, while the high priest, taking sea
water in a gourd, went up into the marae and sprinkled it everywhere, as
he called upon the
of his new home,
^
tutelar god, whose name he repeated, to take possession
and to make welcome his guests, the hosts of gods. This
Cook, James, Voyages round the world, snd ed., vol.
form is E fare no ie Atua.
The correct
2,
London,
1777.
138
was
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
called the hao-marae
(establishing the marae).
After this part of the
ceremony, the king ascended and crossed the middle of
descended on the opposite side, and returned to his
post.
act, called the eera’a 0 te ari'i (the mounting of the
the
structure,
Following this
king), the high priest
(superlatively holy), and the procession
pronounced the marae mo’a roa
again resumed order and repaired to the assembly ground. Ail the
people
that had been présent foliowed
and the commonalty and women returned
,
more
no
to
that
marae.
The division of food next took
place. A portion of the best was
presented by the orator to the priests for the gods, then a
goodly portion
was presented to the
sovereign, the remainder was distributed
among the
propriety was observed by ail parties concerned in the sacred marae
inauguration feast, as it was believed that
eating greedily or indulging in any excess of rioting would bring upon the
offenders immédiate calamity from the
gods, such as choking while eating,
strangulation, blindness, and many other troubles.
different clans.
The greatest
the:
last
nationai,
marae;®
When
King Pômare I had subjugated ail Tahiti and Mo’orea, he
splendid dimensions to be built at Maha’iatea, on a spot called To’o-a-ra’i
(Drawer-of-the-sky) in Papara. It was
the combined work of ail Tahiti and
Mo’orea, aided by relatives of the
king from Ra’iatea and the Tuamotu Islands, and every able-bodied man
caused a new national marae of
of the realm furnished
AU
a
stone from sea
or
land for its construction.
the usual ceremonies had been observed in
building
was' to hâve been
To’o-a-ra’i, considered most
the marae;
appropriate, but
when the time came for its
dedication, it was found that no god had been
its
name
chosen
to
rule
over
it.
A Ra’iatean chief named Fa’a-nounou
(Cause-to-
desire) proposed to enshrine ’Oro there, but the Tahitians objected, as
they did not wish to hâve their ancient gods altogether effaced by the
new one.
At last the dispute became so heated that the
people ail turned
away in anger and dispersed to their homes, leaving the
questions unsettled. The very océan became so
agitated that the canoës of the Ra’iateans
got swamped at sea in going home, and they had great
diffiiculty in arriving at their destination. Only one of their chiefs, Ari’i-mana (Great-
king), remained with Pômare in Tahiti.
So the marae stood abandoned by ail, like a modem tower of
Babel,
and still unconsecrated when
Christianity came in. It fell into ruins as
the gods of Tahiti, even to ’Oro, sank forever into oblivion.
®
Received
from Mrs. John Platt of
Ra’iatea, and Mrs. Ninito Sumner
of
Tahiti.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
139
The Locae MaraE
The local marae, called
mataeina’a, was built like the royal
No immolation took place. This temple
had also for the consécration of the chief and chiefess, two
représentative
stones placed among the unu, called the pû-ari’i
(center for the chief).
To this marae were attached the titles and généalogies of the chieftain
families or the nobility of the land. There the people of the clans, called
va’a-mataeina’a (canoës of the district), assembled for annual célébrations
and for local religious rites, over which a high priest also presided,
acconipanied by his staff, but without the offering of human sacrifices.
The opening ceremonies of the local marae were in many respects the
same as those of the national but on a smaller scale.
The people of an
independent district invited guests from other friendly districts, and their
own chief and
dignitaries performed the ceremonies ; but the people of
islands or districts under subjection to a king invited him to perform the
marae,
marae
but not so extensively.
e’era’a
(mounting) ceremony.
Many of the wealthy gentry of the land built their ancestral marae in
pyramidal form and inaugurated them with great pomp. They aspired to
the honor of having their king or high chief perform the eera’a ceremony,
feeling this the highest temporal dignity that could be bestowed by man.
But the chief never again returned to it.
Marae Mahaiatea
The great district of Papara was noted for its grand maraes, ancestral,
social, and local; and the high chief of the ’ura girdle, Teri’irere (Flying-
king), thus honored many of them. Following is a description of his great
Maha’i-atea (Extensive-mitigation) P”
marae
The great morai of Oberea [Purea] stands on a point a little to the eastward:
thither I went, to hâve a view of so great a curiosity.
Otoo has one of his re¬
présentative houses here; and in passing it, some of his servants, judging whither I
going, followed me, and were very assiduous in explaining everything to me.
This morai is an enormous pile of stone-work, in form of a pyramid, on a parallelogram area; it has a flight of ten steps quite round it, the first of which, from the
ground, is six feet high, the rest about five feet; it is in length, at the base, two
hundred and seventy feet, width at ditto ninety-four feet; at the top it is one
hundred and eighty feet long, and about six wide : the steps are composed partly
of regular rows of squared coral stones about eighteen inches high, and partly with
blueish-colored pebble stones nearly quite round, of a hard texture, ail about six
inches in diameter, and in their natural unhewn State; this is the outside.
The
inside, that is to say, what composes the solid mass (for it has no hollow space),
is composed of stones of varions kinds and shapes. It is a wonderful structure ; and
it must hâve cost them immense time and pains to bring such a quantity of stones
together, and particularly to square the coral of the steps' with the tools they had
was
Wilson, James, Missionary voyage to the Southern Pacific Océan in the ship
207, 208, Eondon, 1799.
“Duff”,
pp.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
140
when it
was raised ; for it was before iron came
araong them ; and as they were
ignorant of mortar, or cernent, it required ail the care they hâve taken to fit the
stones regularly to each other, that it
might stand. When Sir Joseph Banks saw
this place, there was on the centre of the summit a
représentation of a bird carved
in wood, and close by it the
figure of a fish carved in stone ; and both are now
gone, and the stones of the upper steps are in many places fallen : the walls of the
court hâve also gone much to
ruin,'‘ and the fiat pavement is only in some places
discernible.
The above-mentioned gentleman, speaking of this
court, says, “the
pyramid constitutes one side of a court, or square, the sides of which were
nearly
equal ; and the whole was' walled in and paved with fiat stones :
notwithstanding
which pavement, several plantain and
trees, which the natives call etoa,“ grew within
the enclosure.”
At présent there is within this square a
house, called the house
of the Eatooa,'” in which a man
constantly résides. Sir Joseph further says, “At
a
small distance to the westward of this édifice -was
another paved square, that
contained several small stages, called ewatta"
by the natives, which appeared to be
altars whereon they placed the offerings to the
gods”; and that he afterwards saw
whole hogs placed upon these stages or altars.
“My guides,” says’ he, “led me to
this spot, which appears also to hâve
gone much to ruin : he showed me the altar,
which is a heap of stones, and how
they lay their offerings upon it; he then went
a few yards
back, and laying hold of an upright stone, like a grave-stone, he knelt
with one knee, and looking
upwards', began to call on the Eatooa, by crying, ‘Whooo,
whooo’ ; and by afterwards
making a whistling noise, intimated it to be the way
.
in which the
Eatooa ànswered them.”
The grand morai formely belonged
descendant Temarre,’® and now, since the
The
Maha’i-atea has
to
Oammo’°
conquest, to
and
Oberea,
Otoo,’”’
then
to
their
mythical history. After the Flood (pp.
445-52) the foundation stone of Maha’i-atea -was laid by Rua-hatu, the
Tahitian Neptune, -who, as Raivavaean
legend States, s-wam from his home
in the
marae
a
reefs of Raivavae
on his visits
among the islands. Upon being
by the Tahitians who he was, he replied : “B atua vau i te maha’i
atea” (I am a god of extensive
mitigation) ; hence the name which was
adopted for the point of land and the marae at Papara and also as a
royal family'name in Raivavae.
Of this marae, with the
prodigious number of ten steps, it was said
asked
in Tahitian song:
Inaha Maha’i-atea !
Ua mou’a rua Papara,
E mou’a e o Mou’a Tamaiti,
E mou’a e o Maha’i-atea.
Eaha ’tu e au ai
I tereira ha’apaoraa?
The
Behold Maha’i-atea !
Two [kinds of] mountains has Papara,
One kind is Mount Tamaiti,“
Another kind is Maha’i-atea.
To what else may be compared
such
a
construction?
then neglected because of the unsettled State of affairs with
Tu, or King
Pômare I, here written Otoo.
Btua is the word, meaning that the plants sprang up from roots that were
there, and so
they were sacred to the grounds.
E atua, in two words, meaning “a god.”
This was the Fare-ia-manaha.
E fata (altars), the letter e being appropriate for the singular and
plural.
“
Amo and Purea are the correct names, ’o signifying “it is” when used before a
noun.
Temari’i (The little-cleansing) was another name for Teri’i-rere, before mentioned.
He
was the son of ’Amo and Purea.
Tu, or Pômare I, as conqueror, received an honorary name from the marae, called an
i’oa fa’auta (name to lift on), but he could not own it otherwise. as it was not his
inheritance,
and it remained the property of the rightful owners.
In this way he was recognized as king în
ail the districts.
Mou’a Tamaiti is one of the prominent hills of Papara.
marae
was
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
E
marae ahu ati Maha’i-atea,
Mai te tarava ra’a mato ra
la
paiuma.
The
141
temple encompassed with steps is
Maha’i-atea,
A
Like extended rocks
To mount upon.
long remained firm and almost perfect, a befitting monu¬
past, not unlike the pyramids of Egypt.
But in 1865, its finely shaped stone steps were wanted by a planter for a
stone bridge across the river of Taharu’u, between
Papara and Atimaono.
The planter influenced the French governor, De la Roncière, to force Mrs.
Ari’i’ta’imai Salmon (Chiefess of Papara) and her people to consent to the
breaking down of the monument, which they regarded as too precious
to destroy, and from those stones was erected a fine
bridge. This, however, did not compensate the people long for their loss, as the river is
subject to heavy freshets in the rainy season and soon destroyed the
structure, and so both the marae and the bridge were lost.
ment
marae
and valuable relie of the
Only a mound overgrown with trees remains to mark the site of the
temple, and this is fast disappearing, as the limestone forming the structure
is being removed and burned into lime.
The Family, or Ancestral Marae
The family or ancestral temple, called marae tupuna,
the god of which
always a family secret, was erected upon every portion of land that a
person owned.
To the marae were attached the hereditary names of the
family, without which they could give no proof of their ownership of
the land, so that to this day the memory of this class of marae does not
cease to be of importance to the heirs of those families, for it is
necessary
when dealing with land to State their title name is from the marae
was
named so-and-so, from most of which a few uneven heaps of stones still
remain. They hâve transmitted to memory and to writing, in. these later
times, their généalogies on both parents’ sides, which they carefully conceal
from others who might wish to dispute their rights to lands, and wouldbe claimants are put to confusion and shame when they cannot promptly
answer these assertions with
equally good records.
a
Every foot of ground in these islands was owned by some one, and if
encroached upon a neighbor’s land by moving a boundary stone
person
erecting a marae upon its borders, it was considered a disgraceful way
claiming it. Such an act was called ai-fenua (eating land), and it
was seldom attémpted because of the odium it would
produce.
Children of adoption in a family were made legitimate heirs to land
by receiving a name from the marae, which was called the vauvau i’oa
or
of
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
142
(name container), and it was considered an injustice to such children not
to hâve them so admitted
into the family. Hence it is that so much stress
is laid upon a name in land controversies, and
although the natives often
give themselves other names, they lay them aside at pleasure, but jealously
daim and guard their
hereditary names from encroachers.
Whenever it was necessary for the land of a household to be divided
into shares, each portion was nicely measured off
by the etaeta (fathom),
and the boundaries were marked with stones. Then the
people who were
leaving the old home took a stone from their marae, suitable for a
chief cornerstone (ofai haoa) for a new marae
upon their respective
shares. When this was laid, they collected stones
unconsecrated, to com¬
plété the structure. In their turn and in due form these stones were also
The sacred
consecrated.
obtained
from
the original marae was
replaced by a new stone taken and consecrated to the tutelar god or
goddess with prayers and sprinkling with sea water. With the stone taken
stone
from the old marae were also taken the
hereditary names, which had been
bestowed upon the new proprietor, and from that time forward the other
marae holders were disentitled to them.
The new temple was dedicated
the
deity as the old one, who was considered the great
family. The opening was celebrated with an inauguration
feast called the faato’moraa (entering).
The form of the simplest family marae was a
paving set upon
the ground and walled in with stone slabs three or four feet
high, each
slab to the left and right representing a member of the
household, against
which he or she leaned or knelt to
pray, and it was called the ofa’i-tuturira’a (leaning-stone). The foremost slabs were for the masculine memto
tutelar
same
friend of the
bers and those in the rear for the féminine members of the household.
a
marae was
built in pyramidal
If
form, the leaning slabs were placed in the
its summit.
family fétiches, in the shape of images, ancestral skulls,
jawbones, and feather amulets, were secreted in flagstone cavities in
the front part of the marae. The tutelar
god or goddess was not made
known by the family to any outsider for fear of
being betrayed by enemies
or
supplanted by them in the good grâces of the deity. Moreover, each
individual had a secret patron spirit represented
by something within or
close by the marae, such as a tree, snail, lizard, or stone, to which invoca¬
tions were made at any time.
same
way upon
The sacred
Around the
was a
square fence or wall, called the aua teni
(exalted enclosure), within which trees grew high and no stranger dared
marae
enter.
In the back part was a deep pit called the
tiri-a-pera (to cast off
rubbish) into which were gathered ail the cast-off things from the marae,
as they were still
regarded as superlatively sacred. Around the tiri-a-pera
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
was
an
embankment of
143
fragrant flowers and herbs to keep the air sweet.
In the pit of the ancestral marae families of ail ranks were careful to
ail Personal effects, which were regarded as the iho (essence) of the
for safe keeping in charge of the gods.
by priests:
Eiaha
te
rouru
paoti hia
e
tahu hia
i te auahi, a pahure te upo’o o te ta’ata
no’na te rouru. Eiaha te mai-u’u ta’ata
i ’o’oti hia ra, eiaha te a’ahu ri’i piro,
te tenu ri’i peue e te ma’a tapa no te
ro’i ia tahu hia i te auahi ; e iho ia no
te tino ta’ata, e humehume hia te iri e
e po te mata o te ta’ata no’na tana mau
mea ra ia tutui hia i te auahi ; e tanu ra
i taua mau mea ra i roto i te apo’o, i
te
tiria-pera,
e
i te tai hohonu.
No women
’aore ia
e
ha’amo’e
children
roa
bury
body,
Following are injunctions given
Let
not the cuttings of the hunian
be burned with fire,
lest the
owner of the
hair become bald.
Let
not the nail prunings of a person, or
the worn out clothes, or shredded mats
hair
tapa from the bedding be burned
with fire ; these are the essence of the
or
and there would follow moles
the skin and blindnes’s to the
owner
if they burned them ; but bury
those things in the hole, tiri-a-pera, or
drop thera into the deep sea.
person,
upon
allowed upon the scene
when a new marae
being built ; but the men of the farnily went reverently to work, excluding themselves from their families and having their food prepared by
spécial masculine hands until it was completed.' Great care was taken not
to remove stones from strange lands,
extending even to the sea shoals,
without the spécial permission of the owners, and also not to violate the
sanctity of old marae sites by taking any of their stray stones. Death by
the hands of the proprietors, especially if they were of high rank, was
considered the legitimate penalty for such transgression.
In such a marae, the head of the household offered farnily prayers at
sunrise and sunset; there, confession of sins was made, and private
pétitions to the gods were offered by any member of the farnily; there,
marriage ceremonies were performed; there, prayers were offered for the
safe delivery of a woman in childbirth, and the child dedicated to the
or
were
was
gods when it came into the world; there, also invocations for the sick
dying were made. A man went into the front part to offer his
prayers and gifts, but a woman offered hers at the back part; she was
and the
considered insane if she ventured forward.
When a woman was about to be delivered of her child, a small house
erected for her behind the marae, which was thatched with the maire
was
(Polypodium pustulatiim)
The building was called fare-rau-maire (maire-house), and there the
child
was
boni.
The sea was the “suprême” marae, into which princes, priests, and the
people plunged to wash off crime and pollution of ail kinds, spiritual and
This fern was regarded as sacred and as possessing auspicious influences at such a time,
for it was believed to hâve sprung from the umbilical cord of Tane’s messenger god, Ro’o, whicli
became entangled on a fai*a tree and grew there.
(See p. 373.)
Bernicc P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
144
temporal. On the seaside the wanderer or exile who owned no land worshipped his god. There he presented his son or daughter in marriage,
there he offered his newborn child to his tutelar god, and there he pre¬
sented himself or members of his family when sick or dying to the healing
gods, and to Ta’aroa. To the océan wer'e committed the crimes and sins
of the nation when troubles and afflictions assailed them.
THË ANCËSTRAIv MARAF, OF
In
TUA-TAU-®
précipitons valley of Puiia’auia is an ancestral marae belonging
good old family of Vai-tua-mata’i-te-upo’o-Tahiti (Stay-seawardwind-[at]-the-head-of-Tahiti), and it was dedicated to a deified family
hero named Tua-tau (Many-periods).
It is well preserved, and within
its viciiiity, it is affirmed, po lire will blaze.
In the saine valley is a cave
where Tua-tau is said to appear in visible form, sometimes in ancient
warrior’s garb and holding a long wooden spear. Some of his descendants
State that they are in communication with him and that he occasionally
leaves Tahiti for a period of several months, when he visits the subterranean Elysium,
beiieath the volcano of Kilauea, Hawaii, where many
Tahitians and Hawaiians still believe that the spirits of their royal families
meet and dwell together in bliss.
to
a
the
Thf Sociaf Marae
The social temple
{marae-o-te-va’a-mataeina’a) of the clan was of con¬
importance to the people, as it distinguished them as a community. It was made after the manner of the family marae, presided
over by a priest in
partriarchal form, and dedicated to a god of the first
class. There the men of the clan assemblée! to présent pétitions and obla¬
tions for their little community in times of rejoicing or sickness; and
there the priest received offerings to the gods from persons going away
or upon their return home, and offered
appropriate prayers on their behalf.
There also in like manner he bid the stranger welcome.
sidérable
The clans were thus classified into dénominations which never displayed
bigotry toward each other, as the gods belonged to one common category.
The clans whose god was Ta’aroa were called ’Ati Ta’aroa, meaning
“tribes of Ta’aroa”; those of Tane were called ’Ati Tane; of Ra’a, ’Ati
Ra’a; of ’Oro, ’Ati ’Oro; of Hau, ’Ati Hau; of Tû, ’Ati Tû; and so on.
Many gods were thus enshrined.
Strangers from other lands were cordially received at the social marae
So when
they came and wished to offer gifts and thanks to their god for their safe
if they were of the same dénomination as the people of the clan.
The information nnder tliis head is not
from the priests
Tamera and Pati’i.—Ed.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
145
arrivai, they would enquire of the clan, "E ’ati ha ’outoii?” (Of what tribe
you?) If the answer was favorable, they would say, “Oia ’toa matou”
(That is the same as ourselves), and they were at once received with open
arms; the priest officiated for them, and they were no longer considered
Etrangers.
But if newcomers found no dénomination corresponding to
their own, they felt that they were Etrangers indeed, but not forsaken by
their gods, for they turned to the great moving sea and there offered
thanksgiving tributes. The kind-hearted people of the land then also bid
them welcome to their shores and received them hospitably in their homes,
saying, “Haere mai i te fare nei” (Corne into the house). Strong attachare
ments
were
sometimes thus
formed.
Thë Doctors’ Maraë
The
doctor’s
temple {marae-tahu’a-ra’au) was built in sequestered
as tahu’a-ra’au (medicine-doctor), aided sometimes by
his family.
It was small and had but oire leaning stone, where he alone
prayed. He dedicated it himself to his healing divinity, such as Hau
(God of peace), Tipa (Healer), or to the goddess Aitupuai, daughter of
the warrior god ’Oro, whose marae was called Paepae-ruahine-te-pupuplaces by himself,
m a i r e-i-’a r
depth).
i
(Paving-of-the-old-woman-the-clump-of-maire-of-unknown-
The doctors of Hau were famous for their healing powers by massage,
accompanying the use of ointment (which they prepared from coconut
oil), and for this reason they were named tahu’a-mori (anointing-doctors),
as well as tahu’a-ra’au (medicine-doctors).
They were called upon to cast
out evil spirits, by invocations and anointing, from persons under the influ¬
ence
of sorcery (pp. 203, 212), and to heal fevers (fefera) and aches
and pains of the body. They were said to possess great healing or magnetic power.
In a little house close to his shrine, the doctor prepared
his medicines, from plants chiefly, with great secrecy, for to make them
known he thought would take away their virtue.
He consecrated them to
the deity on the marae.
A woman might be a doctor. The knowledge of remedies was handed
down from parent to child, and such persons were regarded with great
vénération as being god-inspired.
CURES^^
The surgical knife was the sharp outside surface of
the bamboo.
It is
well authenticated that the natives mended broken skulls with the shell of
a
half-matured coconut;
that they replaced
The information under this head is not from the
a
person’s scattered brain
priests Tamera and Pati’i.—Ed.
146
Bernîce P. Bishop Musemn—Bulletin 48
with
dog’s brain ; and that they meiided broken shinbones by taking ont
splinters and replacing them with nicely fitted pièces of wood of the
the
sacred ti.
In confirmation of this statement there are found in caves
skulls and shinbones that hâve been thus
mended, some with a ridge to
the bone that has grown around the
patch,
holding it firm.
Until 1904, there lived at Fautaua an old chieftain named
Peue, who
was one of a few
surviving doctors of this class, and who testified to the
fact that he and his father, also named
Peue, performed such cures among
their people during the French-Tahitian war.
He has performed many astonishing cur^s with his remedies.
a native girl, after
being shot with a bullet that
1882
About
lodged in the back
head, lay in great pain between life and death for several hours,
while the best French doctors of the
Military Flospital and of an admiral’s
ship tried vainly to extract the bullet and give her relief. Her life was
despaired of, and as a last resource the girl’s friends applied to Peue
of her
help.
for
He got cool
a
to
soothing herbs, pounded them into a soft juicy pulp for
poultice, and went to the afflicted girl, who appeared very low. True
the custom of his ancestors,
before applying his remedy, he prayed,
but to the Christian God, despite the remonstrances
of some standing by that there was no time to lose.
Then he placed the
poultice upon the wound and said that there was no need of extracting
the bullet, that if it was not lodged in the bone of the head it would
work
not to the marae gods,
A man was still living with a bullet in his head who had been
cured
out.
by him during the war time, and another one who had just died.
Soon the
girl ceased groaning and fell into a deep peaceful sleep
accident, and from that hour she steadily ini-
for the first time since the
proved under Peue’s treatment and was cured with the bullet not located.
Canoë Buiëdërs’ Maraë
In the evening of the last
night of the nioon, a canoë builder of either of
place it for the night in a recess of
the marae, an act called ha’amoe ra’a to’i
(putting the hatchet to sleep), at
the same time invoking the
presiding gods, Tane, Ta’ere, Te-fatu, and
Ta’aroa, in chanting the following song:
the two classes would take his axe and
A ti’i a naonao i te to’i,
I te rua to’i i Havai’i ;
E naoa, e iritia tiruuru hia,
E pepee hia, ia hoa hia
I te ha’a tua mea.
I fa’aina hia i te one mata huahua ;
*
land
Go and take hold of the axe.
In the aperture in Havai’i d
Hold, that it be taken out enchanted,
Made light; that it may produce sparks
In doing varied work.
It is whetted with fine sand;
Havai’i was the sacred nams applied to the artisans’ marae in
Ra’iatea,
which the axe belonged being always mentioned in the invocation.
to
the
name
of
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
I tavai hia i te one mata ri’i ;
I tapiri hia i te miro moa ma
E fana i te aha mata tini
E
raa te to’i
I te aha mata ioio
a
te
Eue mau
Ei maro no te to’i,
Ei fafau no te to’i.
Te tua no te to’i,
Ei ’ o’iri no te to’i ;
Ei marna no te to’i,
Ei taputapu no te to’i,
Ei tuitui no te to’i,
Ei fa’aoti no te to’i,
Ei ta mana no te to’i.
a
fau tu,
Tane.
tahua,
147
Made smooth with loose-grained sand ;
It is set in a firm handle of sacred
miro,
United with many-stranded sennit of
Tane.
The axe will become sacred
In the brilliant sennit of the artisan,
Which touches' and holds
As
a.
girdle for the
axe.
For the handle of the axe,
The back of the axe,
To make one the axe and the handle,
To make light the axe,
To consecrate the axe,
To impel the axe,
To complété the axe,
To give power to the axe.
.
Ujpon the marae ground, they prepared a feast called the ’aira’a tahua
ohipa (artisans’ feast), which was sacred to themselves. They killed a
fatted pig, and as they wet it with water and steamed it over the tire to
loosen the scarfskin, they took off handfuls of the hair and placed them
on one side for Tane, saying; “Ei mata ora te Iia’a, ei to’i horo”
(Work
with wakeful eyes, and with expéditions axes), which was the motto for
ail who worked for the god Tane.
When the pig was cooked, they eut
off the tail, which they took with the hair they had saved to their shrine
and dedicated them specially to the god Tane, while they presented ’ura
feathers to ail the gods of the marae collectively.
They then partook of their feast, and feeling strong from it, retired
until the early dawn of day, when each man took his respective
axe to awaken it in the sea with the following invocation:
to rest
E fa’arara’a no te to’i !
Ta’ai atu na i te to’i,
Pupu,
e
aro,
e
ra’ai.
Fa’atae atu i te to’i i
mua
E rahiri i te maro rere,
E ara no Tane,
Atua tahu’a nui;
E ara no Ta’ere ma opoopo,
E ara no Te-Fatu nu’u,
E ara no Ta’aroa,
Metua a te nu’u atua.
i te ’au,
The awakening of the axe!
Let it travel a little seaward.
Présent it
(there), let it fight
attack.
Let the axe go against the spray
and
Inaugurating its flying girdle,
Awake for Tane,
Great god of artisans ;
Awake for Ta’ere of all skill,
Awake for Te-fatu of hosts,
Awake for Ta’aroa,
Father of all the gods.
before the sun had risen, the artisans put on
(loin-girdles) and went, axe in hand, to eut and trim
off' suitable wood for their canoë, which they brought to their shed to
make.
They labored assiduously throughout the work, closely observing
every sign of an omen.
(See p. 225.)
After this ceremony,
their working maro
148
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Fishî;rmh;n’’s Maraë
The fishermen formed companies and built themselves
marae
(marae
o-te-feia-tai’a) and dedicated them to the gods, the chief of which were :
Rua-hatu-tini-rau
called
in
the
(Source-of-fruitful-myriads), the Neptune of the sea
story
of the
Deluge Rua-hatu-o-te-tai-euea
(Source-of-
fruitfulness-of-the-thrown-up-ocean), and Tino-rua (Body-of-two-natures)
lord of the océan, the
merman
who had the tail of
swordfish.
a
The
fisherman placed in their secret depositaries stone or wooden
images of
the fish gods and other sacred relies with birds’
feathers.
Ruins or Marar^®”
Owing to the absence of cernent and to abandonmeilt in modem times,
marae that still stand in the
Society Islands are gradually collapsing
into heaps of stone. With a little care
by people still living who remember
their construction,
they could be restored and preserved just as Europeans
hold to their stonehenges. Such is the case with
Taputapu-atea at Opoa,
which is of the greatest historical and
anthropological value.
the
At the pretty settlement of Maeva in Huahine-nui
is
of national and ancestral
préservation.
In
crowned with
a
a
an
assemblage
which remain in a remarkable State of
dense old forest the level summit of Maeva hill is
marae
high stone wall about 120 feet square, forming a marae
A passage like a narrow lane leads
through the center
from the ascent, and by it the
priests entered and carried their ofïerings
to the god Tane, sometimes
including a human sacrifice. Upon a strip
of land on the outer side of the beautiful
lagoon, is a point called Manunui-te-ra’i (Benumbed-in-the-sky), where beneath the
waving wailing boughs
of an aito (Casuarina), a marae stands with a
high wall of stratified rock
and round stones, the chief corner stone of which
(p. 452) was declared
to hâve been set
by Rua-hatu in his circuit of mitigation after the
in two sections.
Flood.
These great marae
were
the homes of the god
(Breeze-of-space) in Huahine-nui.
re’a
Tane of Mata’i-
Along the mainland shores of Maeva, still in perfect order, are square
ancestral
marae of varions sizes
belonging to the people. Most of these,
formed of limestone slabs about three feet
high upon pavings of the same
stone, remain white.
Upon the site of a local marae near there, close
by the banyan tree with many trunks stands the pretty little Pro¬
testant church of the district.
is
the
an
enclosure
where
the
In the outskirts of the
old
clothes
and
other
village of Maeva,
cast-ofï
effects
of
royal family of the island hâve been carefully buried and burned by
*3®
Contributed by Miss Henry.—Ed.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
faithful servants since time immémorial.
of
149
No native intrudes there for fear
being stricken with king’s evil or some other dire complaint.
Marae grounds and burial
places and produce from them are generally
carefully shunned by the natives, as disfigurements and infirmities hâve
been attributed to carelessness in disregarding such sacred matters.
In
the reign of King Pômare V, a white man obtained the king’s consent to
sell him some fine aito trees that shaded the central cape at Papa’oa, where
the national marae,
Tara-hoi, had stood, and where the royal tomb of
The idea greatly shocked the people of the
neighborhood, and they warned the foreigner not to commit such dépréda¬
tion.
But he derided them as superstitions, felled the trees, and disposed
the
Pomares
of
the
now
beautiful
covered with
stands.
wood
for
cabinet
work.
Soon
the
white
man
was
loathsome, incurable disease, from which he died about a
afterwards—a fate that the natives firmly believed to hâve been in
conséquence of the act.
a
year
Porapora an old lady of the royal family, named Tu’ia Vahiné,
day lit her cigarette from a live coal ofï a pile of wood that was being
burned from the ruins of a house in which Queen Maevarua I had lived.
Very soon afterwards she became ectropion, which was attributed to
smoking the cigarette because she was of lower rank than the queen. More
At
one
remarkable still,
the natives and old residents of ail nationalities at Pora¬
pora affirm that no person outstide of the royal family and no
créature could approach the royal vault in the
village of
other living
Vaitape without
immediately becoming ectropion and having their features distorted! The
rats and lizards of the locality were seen in this State, and it became a
common practice to shoot
sheep and hogs and chickens that chanced to
stray in that direction because they came away so afflicted. At Porapora
were some royal heirlooms—beautiful feather cloaks and wreaths—which
the retainers of Queen Maevarua II dreaded to handle because there were
instances cited of the same calamity having befallen some of their fellowservants in keeping them in order.
About 1875 owing to political disturb¬
ances the royal bodies were removed from the vault and buried in the
mountains; but the evil still remained at the dreaded place. Early in the
nineties, when King Pômare V was visiting the Queen of Porapora, his
niece, a family council was held concerning the troubles, which resulted
in burning the empty vault and ail the old family relies that had belonged
to the ancient royal family.
Thus were lost those valuable vestiges of
Tahitian art.^^
**
Hon.
C.
Bernice Pauahi
R. Bishop of Honolulu,
Bishop Muséum.
Hawaii, took steps too late to
procure
them
for the
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
150
Chant on Marae^s
O te marae nei te mo’a e te hanahana o te fenua; ’o te teoteora’a ia o
te ta’ata no teie mau fenua.
O’ to te
fenua ia unauna te marae ; a aora’i ia
i pupu hia na te atua.
’A’ore e ta’ata i ta’ahi noa i to te
tahi e ra marae, i ha’apao ra i to
ratou iho.
No te marae tupuna nei i
tao hia ai e e ai’a fenua to te ta’ata.
E vahi hahano rahi
marae; ei tere pure to
atu ai i reira ’a’ore atu
atua
te
vahi
i
te hau rahi te
e
te ta’ata i tae
tere
e
ê, A’ore
vare.
la
tae
te
ta’ata
ra,
e
nao
e
atu
marae
i
te
ia te
mai te
haere, e tu’u i te ahu i raro
tapono e tae atu i te papa, e mau
raro hia te hopoia i te rima, e ia moe
taua
atu
marae
ra.
Marae were the sanctity and glory
of the land ; they were the pride of
the people of these islands.
The ornaménts of the land were the marae,
they were the palaces presented to the
gods.
People did not intrude upon others’
marae, but they adhered to their own.
It was owing to the ancestral marae
that people could say they had an in-
heritance.
A place of dread and of great silence
was
the marae;
a
person’s errand
must be to pray in going there, but for
no other purpose.
The gods could not
be deceived. When persons approached
a
place where stood a marae, they gave
it
wide
berth, they lowered their
clothes from their shoulders down to
their waists, and carried low their
burdens in their hands, until they got
of sight of it.
Upon the prominent points were the
royal marae ; in the bays were the
gentlemen’s marae ; and behind them
were
the marae of the girls, that is,
the common people.
A holy place was the marae, an aweinspiring place; it was a place that
awakened conscience, a dreaded place.
out
Ei te
otue
toro
i tai
ra
te
marae
ei te 00a ra ta marae o te
ra’atira; ’o uta ra na te mau poti’i ia,
ari’i ;
oia te manahune.
E vahi ra’a te marae,
fa’atupura’a
e
iriha
te
manava
marae.
e vahi hahano;
hirahira, e vahi
E mea ri’ari’a
roa te marae o te hui
ari’i ; te marae tupuna e te marae o te
fenua ! E vahi turuma ta’a e roa, e
vahi amiami e te
hauriria ;
e vahi
mamae no te tahu’a e te fatu, e na te
mau
ta’ata ato’a.
E mea mamae te
patu marae ; ia hape noa te pua’a i te
patu marua ra, e ’ore roa te fatu pua’a
e ’ite fa’ahou atu, mo’a ihora ia na te
atua.
Te va’a e hoe na tahatai ra e
fa’a’ateatea roa ia tae i te otue marae
ari’i ra, e tu’u te ahu o te ta’ata i raro,
e hoe
maru noa e
ia ta’a e atu taua
vahi
ra.
E
mana
a’ua’u
e
te
hia
to te tihi marae; te ta’ata e
e te
’aito ra, te orure hau
titi, ia a’ua’u hia
horo i
e
tupai
ra,
e
i te marae e ora ia. Area
ra
te ta’ata i ha’apaohia ei tapu ra,
’a’ore a’na e vahi oraora i te fenua
nei.
la horo oia i mua i te marae
ra,
o te
ha’apohe ra’a ’tu ia, o te
vaira’a mau ia.
I
mua
riro
marae
22
te
no’na;
fare
e
o
ora
From the priests,
te ta’ata mana ei
te ta’ata ia horo i
Tamera and Pati’i.
Terrible
were
the
marae
of
the
royal line; their ancestral and national
marae!
They were places of stupendous silence, terrifying and aweinspiring; places of pain to the priests,
to the owners, and to ail the people.
The walls of these marae were repelling; when a pig chanced to stray upon
a Wall fallen down,
its owners never
saw it again,
it became sacred to the
gods. When a canoë passed along the
shore, it withdrew far off as it ap¬
proached the point where stood the
royal marae, the people lowered their
clothes, and paddled lightly until they
passed the place.
Potent
were
the horns of the marae;
fugitives that were chas’ed by warriors,
conspirators
and
captives
who
were
chased to be slain, would run to the
front of the marae and were saved.
But persons destined to be sacrificed,
found no place of refuge in ail the
land.
When they
ran
before the
marae,
they were slain there, that was
their proper place.
The house of a
his marae; persons
great man became
escaped being slain
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
i
roto
taua
fare
ha’apaohia ei tapu.
i
Ilia
nao
nei
eiaha te feia i
No reira te parau
ra,
“E
e :
’oe
are
i
te
iriaputa mua o to’u fare ; o ta’u marae
hoi to’u fare, o te ahu mua tei to’u
iriaputa mua.
E mea poiri rumaruma i te ra’au
nui
o
taua
roa
i
te
amara;
E
marae
o
no
te
E ta’ere
te
ra;
e
o
ia,
miro
te hau
oia
te
tera no te ’oro’a; E
Ari’i ; E fa’a’ara i te
ha’amau i te maro o te Ari’i.
ta’ere tera
atua ;
mau
ra’a
151
when they ran into his home, except
those appointée! for sacrifices.
From
this circumstance arose these words :
“Beware of the front door of my
house ; my house is
my
marae,
the
front door has the front step.””
It was' dark and shadowy among the
great trees of those marae ; and the
most sacred of them ail was the miro
which was the sanctifier.
That was
the basis of the ordinances ;
It was the basis of royalty;
It awakened the gods ;
It fixed the '«ru girdle of sovereigns.
Maraë Attendants
Stalwart, hairy men of dark-brown complexion were chosen by the
priests from the laity as keepers of royal marae. They were called
’opu-nui (august-stomachs), becatise when on duty they were privileged
to
cook their victuals with lire made
from wood of the marae grounds,
partake of food ofïered to, the gods, and to clothe themselves and sleep
in sacred brown tapa, which
they never dared to do when off duty at
home for fear of being struck blind or dead.
One party of ’opn-md took turns with another to live
exclusively,
apart from their families, upon the sacred premises, dwelling in the fareia-manalia, to dust and keep away rats and insects from the images and
goods of the gods. They kept the pavement around the marae clear of
weeds, leaving nioss to accumulate upon the stones of the marae and the
weeds to grow and dry leaves to accumulate
upon the marae grounds
beyond, until an appointed day, when the best men of the land deemed
it the highest privilège to be allowed with the
priests and men in charge
to help remove them.
The ^opu-nui planted 'aute (paper mulberry) upon the sacred grounds,
and from it they made the ’apa’a (thick cloth scented with aromatic
juices
of plants) by moonlight, so as to be viewed by the goddess, Hina in the
moon, their patroness.
Thus the cloth was rendered most sacred, as
covering only for the gods, for whom they also braided mats. These
articles they kept in the fare-ia-manaha and carefully aired them three or
four times a year. When handling the ’apa’a they sang the
following song:
to
E ruru,
e ruru tuatua,
I tae mai te varovaro
O hi’i ma epa epa,
Homai ei puro’u
o
Ei fa’ano’ano’a a te fenua
Ro’o te roro’o,
A nini te aitu.
Oi rè, oi rè,
Oi roro vau nei e !
23
This is similar to the old
ta’na
o
i’e
e !
O roll
’Tis to
[of cloth], O immense roll,
with Sound of its mallet !
nurse, to give rest, rest,
Almost
overcome,
That
came
To give as a wrapper
For sweet odor in the land of
Ro’o, the prayer chanter,
To let the gods corne to and fro.
Overpowered
am
English saying, “My house îs my castle.”
overcome,
I!
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
152
the
Only a priest called a tiri (god’s nurse), chosen from the fraternity of
highest class to serve at the marae for a season and living a most
secluded life while there, ever dared to handle the
image of the tutelar
god in his ark, for fear of being struck dead.
The ’opu-nui fed the pigs, dogs, and fowls of the
gods, and they kept
the altars before the
there whole
pigs.
filled with the best food of the land,
placing
systematic arrangement, when summoned by the
marae
With
great marae drum, these provisions were supplied
Old vétéran priests, called hui-tua-uri
much revered, also had upon marae
former pupils in active service.
by the public.
(body-of-black-backs), who were
gtound exclusive feasts prepared by
The sacerdotal vesture of the priests, made of bleached
purau bai'k by
the opu-nui of the marae ari’i and by the priests themselves of the social
was called haanatoroa
(uniform),-® and consisted of a tipiita
(cape), a vane or finely braided scarf worn over the shoulders (like the
Jewish ephod), a maro (loin girdle), also a tatPa or tatua (waist girdle).
The tatPa was worn tightly around the waist
during long fasting in
religions ceremonies, when the priests were said to feel manava-huhui
(intestines-filled-with-emotion). The cape of the high priest was large and
bordered with a deep fringe; capes of the other priests varied in size and
depth of fringe according to their different classes. This apparel retained
no warmth but
conveyed cold to the body during night vigils in prayer
upon the marae, producing a sensation called iri-anu (chilled-skin) or
hau-m-ariri (dewy-chills), which was considered most
pleasing to the gods.
While performing ordinary duties at their marae, the
priests wore
white loin girdles of the pu’upu’u (breadfruit tree
bark) cloth, called
maro-uo (white
girdles). But when they and the 'opu-nui did heavy work,
they wore loin girdles of strong brown cloth, called maro-ute (red girdles),
with a tati’a of flexible fara or rno’uraupo (grass) secured round the
waist with a cord of moré (purau bark). On
leaving the marae, ail sacred
clothing was placed in the fare-ia-manaha.
The priests were sincere in the belief that they were
taught of the
gods. On spécial occasions they passed many hours of the day and night
in seeking for signs and omens.
(See p. 225.) They also sought knowl¬
edge from the oracle of the marae in answer to their prayers—such
as the
croaking of a lizard, the cry of a bird, the chirp of insects, the
Sound of the wind in the trees—and there they sometimes
slept, hoping
to hâve révélations from the
gods through dreams or in person.
Under the influence of spirits they delivered
messages to the people
(most of which were so ambiguous that they could be understood in
diverse ways) and became so strong that they could do things impossible
marae,
A
uniform
is
now
called
ahu-toroa
(official
clothes).
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
153
them at other times.
During these spells they wore a strip of sacred
Kings
Pômare II and Tamatoa III and the early missionaries testified to having
seen priests while possessed in this way thrust hand and arm up to the
shoulder, without in jury, into the solid ground of hardtrodden pathways.
They foamed at the mouth, had their eyeballs distorted and their limbs
convulsed, and uttered hideous shrieks and éjaculations. Captain Henry
once saw a priest, after making such a display take hold of a great canoë,
which ordinarily required three or four men to launch, push it into the
to
cloth round the left arm, as a sign that they must not be disturbed.
water, and set it adrift with great ease.
the
The man then plunged into the
held his head under water for a long time, and then sat up among
sea,
waves
and delivered his
prophecies.
While under
could ask for whatever he wished and obtain it, even to
a
spell a priest
the wife of the
king, as it was a god that was supposed to speak. When thus possessed,
priest was said to be autihe.
Priests of ail kinds were well paid for their services, and lived
comfortably.
the
The; Tute;i,ar God
In the
fare-ia-manaha were kept the treasures and the images of the
The great tutelar god was represented by an image of wood,
marae.
to’o, or of fine wickerwork covered with feathers, called a huawas wrapped in a bed of ’ura feathers in
’apa’a, and was kept
in a little ark upon a stand set on a smooth stone slab in an inner corner
called
manu.
a
It
of the house.
Its head was turned seaward.
Many smaller images, representing the minor gods in attendance upon the great one, were carefully
wrapped also in aromatic covers and placed side by side upon shelves
along the walls of the house. Sacred sennit of the god Tane for images
and for other purposes was also placed upon the shelves. Numerous rolls
of fine white pu’upu’u cloth and bright-brown cloth, fine and coarse, made
of 'aute, and mats of varions textures, for sacred use,
were
cords to the ridgepole
attached with
and side beams of the house, as were also the vestpriests and sovereign, carefully wrapped in tapa. Upon the floor,
against the sides of the house, stood the marae drums and other sacred
objects. The rest of the floor, where the keepers of the marae spread their
ments of
mats
and made their beds, was open.
THE PRIESTHOOD“
Persons skilled in varions professions were called tahu’a
chief
ones
This
were
account
classified as follows :
was
(authors).
given by Tamera and Anani, high priests of Tahiti.
The
Bernice P. Bishop Muscum—Bulletin 48
154
Tahu’a-pure (author-of-prayer).
Priest.
Tahu’a-nui or
tahu’a-rahi (great-author).
The high priest.
Tahu’a-parau-tumu-fenua (author-of-original-earthly-knowledge).
Both men and
■women teachers.
Piguratively called ana-vaha-rau (cave of many outlets),
meaning varions kinds of knowledge.
(author of medicine).
Doctor of medicine, both men and women.
Tahu’a-marae (author-of-temples).
Director
of marae building.
Tahu’a-fare (author-of-houses).
The one who plans and builds houses.
Tahu’a-va’a or ahitu (author-of-canoes).
Adepts in canoë building; also called
te-varu (the scrapers), because they scraped wood.
Tahu’a-tautai (author of fishing).
One who studied fishing seasons by means
of a calendar (p. 327).
Tahu’a-ra’au
Priests and teachers had schools in which
they imparted
their
respective vocations.
instruction
degree.
oral, thus
As they had
knowledge of
written form of language,
memory to an extraordinary
no
developing the
The priests’ schools, for men exclusively, were called fare-’ai-ra’awas
(houses-in-which-to-absorb-invocations) ; and being devoted to clérical
exercises, they were always erected upon sacred grounds. The teachers’
schools, called fare-ha’api’ira’a (houses-of-learning), for men and women,
upu
were
built in convenient
The
main
places. Teaching was principally by chanting.
subjects in the teachers’ schools were : history, heraldry,
geography, navigation, astronomy, astrology, mythology, time, numbers,
seasons, généalogies (by which they counted the générations, which marked
their chronology), and studying enigmas and similes, called
parau-piri
—a
favorite pastime.
The students of both classes of schools paid their teachers with the
best of food, with birds’ feathers, images of wood and
stone, rolls of tapa,
choice mats, and every kind of wearing apparel and ornament of the time.
The order of
priesthood generally descended from father to son in
districts, the elder line having preference over the younger.
As the priests represented the most learned men of the land
they were
respected and reyered by ail classes. When a body of priests near of kin
to each other lived in one district
they were called pae-tau-aitu (sidedwelling-with-the-gods) or pae-mua-fare (front-part-of-the-house) of that
district, which they were deemed to render most respectable.
The men set apart for the priesthood were able-bodied and most of
them were tall.
They were free from personal defects, as the gods were
supposed to reject a man with a blemish, such as having a hump back,
bald head, blind eye, or eyes that squinted.
They must also be deft of
hand and sure-footed, so as not to be awkward in the service of the
gods.
After becoming an adept in ail the knowledge of the land, a candidate
for the priesthood, called a muhu, withdrew from his family and people
to go through his novitiate with the priests at the fare-’aira’a-upu. There
their respective
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
155
and mystic rites of the clergy, communing with
in solitude, often at night, and sometimes going down into dark
caverns to hold intercourse with the gods and to pray, and thus become
immune to contact with good and evil spirits—a practice that resembles
the initiations of Egypt, India, and other old countries.
He learned to recite without hesitancy the following subjects; upu
marae, marae prayers ; tahu tumu, religions and political speeches for the
public; upu ti’a rau tî, or rau tî tama’i, war songs and enchantments with
the ti leaf ; hopu, the manner to sue for peace, and to eut short a prayer
in emergencies; upu fa’auru i te mehoi 0 te atua, invocation to inspire—
idols or other objects—with the dignity of the gods ; upu nanati ’aha
invocation for tying prisoners in sennit (p. 302) ; upu auea or ’ai-apa,
disenchantment from witchcraft or the black art; upu haere ru’i, night
invocation ; upu rava’ai, fishing invocation and guiding rules which were
taught to fishermen.
Adoration of the gods still is called ha’amori atua, upu for invocation
or
prayer is obsolète, pure remains extant.
Preliminary words to a
prayer at the marae were called tarotaro, now obsolète.
Night invocations
were taught in the dark or moonlight stillness upon the hills in the woods
and upon the seashore, where the novice learned to observe omens and
signs in the sky and upon the earth where he walked: the fall of meteors,
the flight of clouds, the cry of birds and insects—ail having forcible
language to the scholars of those times, the study of which they never
tired and frequently pursued until early morning.
The closing invocation
he learned ail the prayers
the gods
was :
E te nu’u atua e ! E ma’ma’ te upu.
Ei poiri i vaho ei maramarama i roto
mai te tahe vai u’e.
Ei manu’u a
horo, ei ueue a vi, ei tau taoa
ohie.
Homai i te upu, homai i te vana’a,
homai i te orero, ei te pô tahi nei e te
atua e !
Fano i te ra e hiti aéra. Tei
te ra e hiti a’ere te ora, e te atua e !
When the novice had
host of the gods !
The prayer
close.
Send obscurity ont, and
let light corne in as' the flow of the
freshet.
Let it move and run, let it
shake ont [to fill] tightly; let it be
means of accomplishing much.
Give [me the gift of] prayer; let me
become a herald, an orator, in one
night, O gods ! Fly to the rising sun,
with the sun that is rising is life, O
O
must
gods !
acquired proficiency in his recitations, he was
required to appear before the fraternity, called autahua, to display his
éloquence, and if he broke down in any part of his speech he had to take
up his lesson again and reappear later for examination.
Upon graduating
with honors, he was received by the body of priests as an utu-pa’â (Hpsinured), and then he was ready for inauguration, called amo’o-upu
(forerunner-of-prayers). This consisted of a good feast prepared by his
family, for the priests exclusively, on the marae ground, and of it they
156
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
solemnly partook after placing an appropriate share upon the altars for
the gods. Then the new priest was established
permanently as a member
of the fraternity.
If anyone questioned bis right to bis title he would
proudly answer :
’E’ere
i
tipara, ’e’ere au i te
Ta’ere ^u.
E purau ta’u i hopoi na te ’orometua; e i’a ta’u i tapupu na te ’orometua ; e ahu vane ta’u i hopoi na te
’orometua ; e pe’ue ta’u i hopoi na te
’orometua ; e popoi ta’u i papahia na
te ’orometua;
e e pua’a
feti’i ta’u i
hopoi na te ’orometua.
aihamu !
au
E
te
I
upu
scraps !
ani
beggar; I am no eater of
An invoker from Ta’ere"' am I.
no
Purau [bark] hâve I taken to tlie
teachers ; fish I hâve chopped for the
teachers ; finely braided clothes' hâve I
taken, to the teachers'; mats hâve I
taken to the teachers; fruit batter hâve
I pounded for the teachers ; and fam-
ily pigs hâve I taken to the teachers.
Then he would enumerate the schools he had attended, and the famous
teachers and priests who had
taught him, which always secured him his
standing. His first official oration in public was called the tauirara’a-upu (opening-invocation), or vahi-a-piha (breaking-from-the-room).
proper
Drums
No
religions or national festivity was considered complété without the
accompaniment of the pahu (drums), which were made of cylindric pièces
of wood of varions dimensions hollowed out from the
top end and tightly
covered over with shark’s skin strapped
tastily with sennit to the lower
closed end. The drum stood upon a pedestal of wood, or was carved out
of one solid piece with it.
The
great drum of the chief or king was called the pahu-a-te-ari’i
(the sovereign’s drum). The ordinary ro) al marae drums were called
pahu-nui (great-drum) or pahu-rutu-roa (1 .mg-beating-drum). Most of
them were made of the beautiful close-graiued wood of the
god Tane’s
sacred pua, and were well polished.
Many were two feet in diameter,
and some stood six or eight feet high, so that the drummer mounted
upon
blocks of wood to beat them. But the appalling drum, from the sound of
which peuple shrank and fled in terror, sometimes in the dead of
night,
was the to’ere, a
high drum about one foot in diameter, which was beaten
with different
strokes
indicate
the
and
of
the
The marae keepers had a great drum called the pahu rufu ma’a na te
opu-
to
commencement
close
offering of a human sacrifice.
nui
(drum to beat for food for augu.st-stomachs), by which they called upon
the peuple to supply them with food at the marae.
In the service of the chiefs and priests were also great conch-shell
trumpets, measuring about a foot in length and seven or eight inches in
Ta’ere
was
the
god and
source
of ail knowledge.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
157
diameter, which
were blown through a hole near the apex.
They were
processions and for announcements by heralds and messengers.
Warriors were stimulated to battle on land and sea by a great portable
drum, called the pahu-nui a te toa (great-drum of the warrior), accompanied with trumpets.
Dancers had their drums, called pahu-’upa’iipa (drums-foi'-music).
Besides ordinary drums, also shown in Captain Cook’s work, a long solid
cylinder, which the drummer set upon the ground and beat with sticks,
was used, and also small ones,
prettily ornamented, which were beaten
with the hands.
AH native drums hâve been replaced by the modem tariparau (speaking-bunch), which is hewn out of a solid block of wood, both
open ends of which are covered with goat’s skin.
It resembles the foreign
used in
drum and is carried and beaten in the
same
way.
To the natives the
indispensable in their public processions, gatherings and
festivities ; it thrills them with life and energy for work or pleasure.
drum
is
still
Rëligious Cérémonies
PAI-ATUA AND VAÉRÉA
MARAé’®
The greatest of ail marae ceremonies was the pa’i-atua
(assembling
of the gods), which was performed at the national marae
on certain
occasions, such as for the inauguration of a sovereign, the
prolonged illness of a sovereign, laying the chief corner stone of a new
national marae, praying for rain in time of drought, and after great
calamities.
Only tahu’a were permitted to witness the pa’i-atua and live.
In preparing for the pa’i-atua, everything about the marae was renewed.
The ahitu consecrated themselves to their work and examined the god’s
canoë.
If they found a hole or rotten spot in it, it was carefully eut into
shape and a patch of Sound wood neatly set in—a process called ainaratifai (patching restriction) and supposed to be most pleasing to the gods.
If a new canoë was needed, the ahitu made it in their marae shed, carried
it backwards, sometimes a long distance, to the marae, and deposited it in
its shed. The discarded canoë was saved for sacred firewood. The people
prepared offerings of everything acceptable to gods and men, and the
opu-nui prepared fine white pu’upu’u cloth for the marae.
Meanwhile the priests consecrated themselves at their homes for the
solemn event in the following manner : The priest did not mingle with
his family or cook, or do any domestic work. He bathed often and girded
in his waist, abstained from eating too niuch food, and had a bed apart
from ail, upon which he lay rehearsing his prayers to himself.
His hair
was not eut or anointed
with oil, nor did he wear flowers or sweetand uncovering
Received from
Pômare II,
Maliine and the priests generally.
158
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
scented leaves.
His leaves
brought to him apart from everybody,
point at what
unclean hands
touching it, and his water was poured out and set by him, so that his hand
might not render the family water gourd sacred, and exclude others from
using it. He did not bite oflf mouthfuls of méat and fish but eut them into
small pièces to eat.
He ate nothing that had been bitten by peuple or
rats or insects, and whatever remained from his meal was given to the
sacred pigs to eat, as it was desecration to throw it out to the commun
animais. Ail that belonged to him remained untouched until the restrictions
were
that he should not put out his hand to take anything or
he wished for.
His food was served with purau leaves, no
so
were
over.
The
high chief and a chosen few, called the apure (prayers), who
to the marae to pray with the priests, also purified and consecrated themselves for the occasion, but less strictly.
Early in the
morning, two days before the pa’i-atua service, when ail the food and
offerings for the gods were collected, the high chief issued a proclamation.
It was carried throughout his dominion by messengers, who sounded a
conch-shell trumpet to call the attention of the people, and who halting
at certain stations spoke as foliows :
to go
were
E fati ’ava,
fati ’ava !
e
Auanei e fati ai !
Te ara i te tai e taimara hia,
No te va’a hoehoe a te atua,
Eiaha te va’a ta’ata ia fa’afarerei.
Eara i te ’e’a i uta, na te ari’i,
E ara, aua’a e haerea
Te ara nui e te ara ri’i !
Aua’a
ana’e
ia !
Ei ahi tapo’i ;
Eiaha ei turama, a mahuta te atua ;
Te ra’a no te atua e purara.
E vaere’a marae apopo;
Ei a’ahiata apopo atu,
E fa’aarara’a,
E fa’aaraara’a i te atua.
A
ara
tahu’a,
taura
o
mai apopo !
E hopu i te vai,
Mirimiri i te mata,
E hume i te maro ’uo,”
E noho i ni’a i te mahora
E noho e upu i te ahoa
No te vaere’a marae.
O te ara o te ari’i,
Te ara o te ta’ata,
To ara o na hui tapairu,
A
ara
E e’e i te
The
The
god’s
papa.
ava
Burn
no
breaking, the ava breaking!
It is soon to break !
Avoid the sea restricted.
For the god’s canoë for errands,"®
The people’s canoës must not meet it.
Avoid the roads on shore, for the king,
Take heed and pass not
The highway and bypaths !
Avoid them all !
The fires must be extinguished ;
light, lest the gods take fiight;
Sacredness of the gods will pervade.
Weeding of the marae tomorrow;
The following morning early,
The awakening,
The awakening of the gods.
Awake, O body of priests,
Awake and corne tomorrow !
Bathe yourselves,
Feel your faces,
Draw on the white
And sit upon the lawn
To
girdle.
recite the ahoa (life giving)
For weeding the marae.
’Tis the awakening of the king,
The awakening of the people,
awakening of the waiting maids
(lay worshippers),
Who
will
alight upon the stones
The
(marae).
for errands then guarded the shores from profaners.
was made of the sacred white pu’vpu’u
of the marae.
canoë
maro'uo
The
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
E
ra’a apopo,
E vaere’a marae.
Ei te a’ahiata nui atu
E fa’arara’a atua.
O te atua i ni’a, te atua i raro;
Te atua i tai, te atua i uta;
159
Sacredness tomorrow,
Weeding of the marae.
And in the early
morning following
Awakening of the gods.
the gods' below ;
The gods of the océan, the gods of
The gods above,
the
Te atua i roto, te atua i vaho :
E tae ana’e mai i teienei oroa.
E ra’a, mo’a !
The gods
land ;
within, the gods ■without ;
They will all corne to the ordinance.
’l is sacredness, holiness !
These directions were strictly observed by people of all ranks.
Enough
day, when the
restriction would be removed.
At nightfall the beat of the chief’s great
drum ushered in the sacred spell, no lights burned, and on the morrow
food
all
was
was
cooked in all the bouses to last until the third
hushed.
It is said that
living being must
No
a
dead calm extended
over
land and
sea.
about, no dog must bark, no cock must
crow, and no pig must grunt or squeal ; only the occasional Sound of the
marae
the
roam
drum should break the silence.
Then the marae weeders—the king or high chief, the men of rank, and
gentry—with bodies bare to the waist humbly scraped the accumumoss from the marae stones and
reverently collected and threw it
into the sacred pit, blindness or death from the gods being the supposed
sure
conséquence if they scattered it to the winds.
Then they swept and
weeded the grounds, carefully collecting the rubbish into heaps, which
they also threw into the pit. They began to work on the west side and
faced the east as they went forwards.
lated
The opu-nui cleared away the altars for new food for the gods and
they decorated the marae. Along the sides of the marae they set up long
rods called tira (masts) and short ones called hoe (paddles) in readiness
for the gods, in the incarnation of birds, to alight upon in coming to
the festivity, and they placed new strips of cloth and matting in the unu
(carved boards), collecting all the old ones that the winds had spared
and also the former coconut-leaf tapa’au (images) from the priests’ kneeling stones, which they threw into the pit. They also committed to the
sea
strips of cloth and matting for the océan gods.
Meanwhile, the fraternity of priests, who were then too holy to unité
with the laity, sat apart arrayed in the maro-’uo as stimulators of the work,
chanting what .was called the ahoa (breath-giving), which they improvised
according to circumstances in the following manner :
E
vaere’a marae i
Te ra’u a rimu
Na Ro’o-te-roro’o,
It is marae weeding!
The scraping of moss
For Ro’o-te-roro’o (Fame-the-prayer-
E te
And for the host
The moss will be
nu’u
E raua ia
atua.
rimu.
chanter).
of gods.
scraped.
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
i6o
E vaere’a marae !
Te huti a mo’u
It is marae weeding !
The pulling up of grass
E te nu’u atua,
E hutia ia mo’u,
E vaere’a marae !
O pohue toro i uta,
And for the host of gods.
The grass will be pulled up,
It is marae weeding!
Pohue spreading inland,
The hands will weed out
Na
Ro’o-te-roro’o,
Na
Na
te
E
rima
e
vaere
For
e
Ro’o-te-roro’o,
nu’u atua.
Purau nui e toro i uta
Na te rima e ha’amarari,
E tahiria te repo.
Riro ai te marae ei mea ’ai’ai
la Ro’o-te-roro’o
E i te nu’u atua,
E vaere ai nu’u.
Vaere ai ra’i,
Vaere ai fau-upo’o-tû.
Ei to’o’a te tua,
Ei hiti’a te aro,
Vaere atu ai
I hiti’a O te râ,
Te vaere’a marae
Na Ro’o-te-roro’o
E te nu’u atua.
na
te
Before
Ro’o-te-roro’o,
For Ro’o-te-roro’o,
And for the host of gods.
Great purau spreading inland
The hands will clear out.
And swept will be the ground.
To\. render the
marae
To Ro’o-te-roro’o
attractive
gods,
weeding ;
Why the king is weeding,
Why the chief warriors are weeding.
To the west (turn) the back,
To the east the face,
And to ail the host of
Is why the assembly is
Then weed on
Towards the east,
The marae weeding is
For Ro’o-te-roro’o
And for the host of gods.
the
sovereign and his followers had finished the weeding
where they observed the solemn restriction
in common with the people.
If light rain fell upon the scene during the
marae weeding or afterwards, it was regarded as a token of
good will
of the god Ra’a (Sacredness).
Heavy rain was supposed to show displeasure of that god, and no rain was considered ominous of some
approaching evil, which, in either case, the priests endeavored to ward off
by prayer.
noon
and had returned quietly home,
The
priests and ’opu-nui had much more to do at the marae during
day. The priests braided new tapa’au and placed them
upon the stone slabs erected for that purpose in the marae ; they twisted and
knotted coconut leaves, called viriviri (twisted), which served them as
rosaries by which to note their prayers during the night’s vigils, and they
also placed a fine mat upon the paving within the ’ava’a (holy enclosure) for
the réception of the tutelar god and his guests.
Outside of the ’ava’a, at the
two corners facing the body of the marae, were placed two great drums
called pahu-rutu-roa,
(See p. 156.) The to’ere was not used for the pa’iatua ceremony, as human sacrifices were not offered.
The ’opu-nui placed upon the fatarau (altars) fresh coconut-leaf mats,
called paua, draped with green and yellow coconut fronds, which were
torn off the stem at full length and braided half way, leaving a fringy
edge. They were called pareu-fata-rau (side-covering-of-the-altars) and
produced a most pleasing effect.
the rest of the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
i6i
Along the border of the altars, the priests set closely in single file,
indispensable miro, which were called rau ava (ava leaves)
for the gods.
The priests named in rotation each god for whom the leaf
was intended, according to the category in their chants, having previously
disposed of the classes of gods they were to serve. It was believed that
to forget a god would be to incur his great displeasure.
Thus, if Ro’ote^roro’o were forgotten, the priests would stammer in their recitations
and become clumsy in handling the gods ; if Ra’a were forgotten, he would
withhold his sacredness, and there would be no halo around the sun
leaves of the
during the festivity ; if Hau were forgotten, there would be trouble ; if
Punua-moi-vai, the water god, were forgotten, there would be heavy rain.
So after naming the principal gods, there was mention of the gods of ail
classes collectively, as in the proclamation of the previous day, which was
supposed to cover ail omissions. People of the highlands used leaves of
the real ava for their altars, as this plant is plentiful inland.
As evening approached ail préparations were ended.
The priests and
’opii-nui partook of their last cold meal before the coming solemnity, bathed
and dressed afresh, and retired to the fare-ia-manaha, the ’opu-nui to rest
for night; but the priests to array themselves in their sacerdotal attire
(p. 152), each providing himself with a sprig of miro to carry in
his left hand and having his viriviri attached to his left wrist, ready
for
duty.
then proceeded to the marae. The high priest led with
of the ape (Alocasia macrorrkim) in his hand, and the other
priests carried the messenger gods. These they set in order upon the
stone paving next to the front row of kneeling slabs, while the high
priest placed the leaf to form a basin in a circle of stones put for that
purpose before his place and poured into it water, as he chanted the
The clergy
a
great leaf
following song:
I
E
A
A
hara
rau
te
marumaru,
tupu e !
tupu a ao,
rito a mahora.
Fa’aipu
a
rara.
Te ’ape i hara i te
Marumaru o rau tupu e.
A ato i te ’ape
I hara i te marumaru
Teie rau tupu e.
Ua tohe atura i te vai ;
’Naha te vai
I toina mai na.
A mà tohe,
Mà te vai nu’u,
O te vai tapu.
Te vai hopu aitu
e !
Astray in the shade,
Did this leaf grow !
It grew, it unfolded,
Became comely and expanded.
Formed a cluster and extended,
Did the 'ape that strayed
In the shade where this leaf grew.
Then plucked from the ’ape
Astray in the shade
Was this leaf that grew.
It forms' a basin for the water ;
Behold the water
That has corne forth.
Clean is the basin,
Clean the moving water ;
’Tis the holy water,
The bathing water for the
gods !
102
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Ua ha’apa ’tura !
Ua ha’apa o Ro’o-te-roro’o,
Ua ha’apa o Mâ-u-i a nu’u,
O Mâ-û-i a ra’i.
’Tis accepted!
Accepted by Ro’o-te-roro’o,
Accepted by Mâ-u-i of hosts,
Mâ-û-i of heaven®
Te ha’apa o rima ia pupuru,
Te ha’apa o rima ia rarave;
Oia i ha’apa hia mai ai
I te tino i te aha o te aitu nei.
Accepted from firm hands,
Accepted from hands that grasp,
Accepted for the use of
The bodies in sennit of the gods
here (présent).
E apa !
It will
ward off evil !
Then the fraternity, taking off their
capes and standing by their
kneeling stones and facing the front of the marae, held up their hands,
and chahted what was called Mâui- -marae and Mâui-fatarau
(Mâ-û-i’s
marae and altar
blessing) ;
la
ora
te
fenua ! Ua
te marae, ua vaere hia,
ora te ma’i o te unu.
o
Ua
Ua
ora
ua
te
ioio.
ma’i o te fata rau.
ora te ma’i o te ’utuafare o
atua.
E haere ana’e mai te atua,
û ma te uri.
ora
May the land live ! The marae is
it is weeded and become
ma’i
Ua
restored,
handsome. The carved ornaments are
renewed. The altars' are renewed. The
te
home
te
of
the
gods will ail
e
darkness.
gods is renewed.
The
and gather in the
corne,
Kneeling on the right knee and placing the left foot upon the paving,
they laid the miro sprigs down before them and United in chanting the
following tarotaro preliminary invocation :
E te atua e !
tahu’a
’opu-nui,
nei.
E
e
aroha mai i to taura
fare nohora’a to te
e to te mau uru, e pure ’iri
matou, e ’ore e ta’oto, i teie
’aru’i, e rari i te hau, eiaha rà ia rari
i te ua e te atua e !
anu
ra
O gods !
Hâve mercy upon your
body of priests here (présent). The
’opu-nui and the possessed images hâve
a house, but we shall be praying
chilly,
without sleep, this night; we shall be
wet with dew, but let us not be wet
with rain, O gods !
They then sat down cross-legged upon the paving, and as the high
priest uncovered the messenger images in their respective turns, facing
but not bathing them in the water, he chanted the tu’utu’ura’a ’arere
(sending off of the messengers), which was suited to the marae and
tutelar god concerned. At Taputapuatea, ’Oro’s home in Opoa, he said :
E Ti’a-o-atea, arere a te atua, a t’ia
i ni’a, a mirimiri i to mata, a hopu
i te pape, a hume i te maro, a ahu i
to puri nui hamatua, e toto’o nui i to
rima, a horo i Mou’a’ura“ i ’Uporu
(Taha’a), ia Tane e ta’na nu’u atua,
e haere mai i
Opoa nei, ei atua i teie
nei ’oro’a.
*“
The fîrst priest on earth (p. 429).
Mou’a-'ura, a sacred mountain in Taha’a,
his hoets.
O
Ti’a-o-atea
(Approver-of-exten-
sion), messenger of the gods, arise and
feel thy face, bathe in the water, draw
on thy loin-girdle,
put on thine official
clothing, take a great walking stick,
and run to Mou’a-’ura (Red-Mountain)
in ’Uporu (Tahaa), for Tane and his
host of gods to corne to Opoa, as gods
for this ordinance.
was
regarded
as
the earthly home of Tane and
163
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
E
O
to te
pure
’Oro Tauà.
nei, i te ’utu’a fare
ao
E Rei-tù, arere a te atua, a ti’a i
ni’a
e a horo
i Tai-nunà, ia
Tû ma Te-mehara, e haere mai i Opoa
.
.
.
There is prayer in this world, in
the home of Warrior ’Oro.
O Rei-tu (Straight-neck), messenger
of the gods, arise . . . and run to
nei, ei atua i teie nei ’oro’a.
Tai-nuna (Mixed-up-shoal, land), for
Tû and Te-mehara (Memory), to corne
A horo a, Rei-tu, i hiti’a, ia Ro’ote-ro’oro’o e i to na hoa, ia Hoani, e
haere mai
E Nevaneva
a horo i Fare-
Go also, Rei-tu, to the east for Ro’ote-ro’oro’o and his friend Hoani (Tempter) to corne . . .
O Nevaneva (Look-around)
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
papa-ha’uriuri i te moana ia Rua-hatu
e
ia Hau, e haere mai
A
horo atu ai i Papa-uri e i Papa-tea, i
te nu’u atua i Hiva, e haere mai . . .
...
E Irinau
a
...
horo i Paparoa,
atua, ia Ra’a, e haere mai . . . ;
e horo ai ’oe i te papa nui i te vao, ia
To’a-hiti, e haere mai . . . ; e na
te pae vai ’oe te ho’i mai, e Irinau,
ro’o hia ’tu, o Punua-moe-vai, e haere
mai
i
te
.
.
.
Ti’a-o-uri
ia Ta’aroa
E
...
a
horo
i
te
Rua-tupua-nui
; e a horo atu ai i raro i Ruapapa-nui, ia Ta’ere-maopo’opo e tena
pu’e tahu’a
A horo atu ai ’oe,
e
Ti’a-o-uri, i Rohutu-no’ano’a, ia
Pô,
.
.
ma
.
...
horo mai ai na
te
ahu-ta’a, i te ’oromatua hamani
maita’i, e te ’oromatua hamani ’ino, e
haere ana’e mai i Opoa nei
.
.
E
a horo
a’ena, e Ti’a-o-’uri, i na ofa’i
turu’i nei, ia Ro’o-te-roro’o, te atuatahu’a-nui, e fano mai i teie nei oro’a.
Roma-tane
...
;
a
.
run to Fare-papa-hauriuri
(Rock-houseof-rank-odor) in the océan, for Ruahatu and Hau to corne
Then
run
to
Papa-uri (Dark-rock) and
Papa-tea (Light-rock, Ma’atea) for the
host of gods of Hiva, to corne . . .
.
ti’a
i ni’a,
a
horo,
e
na
’arere
nei, i tera pu’e atua, e na ratou e ta’o
tera mano atua,
i raro te atua i
tai, te atua i uta, te atua i vaho, te
atua i roto, te atua o te pô, te atua o
te ao, e haere ana’e mai ei atua i teie
atu i tera tini- atua, i
te atua i ni’a, te atua
nei ’oro’a.
E pure to te ao nei ; tu’utu’ua te arere !
Te ’arere ia vai?
O Ti’a-o-atea, te
’arere ia Tane.
E manava ta Tane,
e manava ta
te nu’u atua :
“Mana,
e
Ti’a-o-atea !”
Te ta’o o Tane: “E Ti’a-o-atea, a
tahi tere nui?”
“E ! E tere nui to’u ! Horo mai nei
au ia ’outou i Mou’a-’ura nei e haere i
.
.
(Healing-skin)
.
.
run
(Long-rock), to the god
Ra’a to corne
; then run
to the
great clifï of the inland recess, for
O
Irinau
.
Papa-roa
to
...
(Bordering-rock) to corne
and return hither by way of
the river bank, O Irinau, and get Punuamoe-vai (Sleeper-in-side-pool) to corne
To’a-hiti
.
;
.
.
(Approver-of-darkness)
Ti’a-o-uri
O
Pô for Ta’aroa and
Rua-tupua-nui
and run also
down
to
Rua-papa-nui (Great-rockcavem), for Ta’ere-maopo’opo and his
artisans
Then run, O Ti’ao-uri, to Rohutu-no’ano’a (Paradise)
for
Roma-tane
(Voluptuous
man)
; and corne on by way of the
wall-of-skulls, for kind ghosts and the
malignant ghosts, all to corne hither, to
Opoa
And just corne, O Ti’ao-’uri, to these kneeling stones, for
Ro’o-te-roro’o, the high priest god, to
.
to
run
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
corne
A
ordinance.
Opoa, as gods for this
to
to
.
.
this ordinance.
Arise, and run, O messengers here
présent, to those gods, and they will
bid the numerous gods, the thousands
of gods, the gods above, the gods below, the gods of the sea, the gods of
the land, the gods without, the gods
within, the gods of darkness, the gods
of light, to corne as' gods for this
ordinance.
There is
prayer
messengers
are
in this world, the
dispatched I
Whose messenger is it?
It is Ti’ao-atea, the messenger for Tane.
Tane
welcomes him, his host of gods welcome
him :
“Welcome,
Ti’a-o-atea !” Tane says :
a great errand?”
“O Ti’a-o-atea.
a great errand,”
s'ays Ti’a“I hâve run hither to Mou’a-
“I hâve
o-atea.
,
Bcrilicc P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
164
Opoa ; e pure to te ao. E pà, e tu’u
roto, e penapena, ’imi aitu, e aitu hia
mai, i te ’utu’afare
o
’Oro taua.”
’ura for you ail to go to Opoa ; there
is prayer in the world. There is exclu¬
sion and admittance of an assembly, a
seeking of gods, and gods
“E Ti’a-o-atea e, ua ti’a to tere e
fano matou i tena ’oro'a i te ’utu’afare
O
’Oro Taua.”
Te ho’i mai nei o Ti’a-o-atea, ’e pe’e
hia mai e Tane e te nu’u atua.
Te ’arere ia vai? O Rei-tû, te ’arere
ia Tû ma Temehara i Tai-nuna
.
.
.
are
’Oro.”
to the home of Warrior
coming
“O Ti’a-o-atea, thine errand is agreewe shall go to the ordinance in
the house of Warrior ’Oro.”
’Ti’a-o-atea is returning hither to be
followed by Tane and hi host.
Whose messenger is it?
It is Rei-
able,
tu, the messenger for
of Tai-nuna (land)
Tû and Temehara
.
.
.
Thus the chant continues to enunierate in rotation ail the messengers
respective errands already given, with favorable results.
subject changes, and the coming of the gods is announced:
cited and their
Then the
E arere e horo mai !
O Ro’o arere.
Eaha te tere i te ao nei?
Te vana’a
mai nei ia Tane e te nu’u atua a Tane,
i te ra’i hamania tua tini, o Tane
fenua roa, e fano mai
nei i teie ’oro’a.
E ’arere e horo mai ! O Rei-tû. Te
vana’a mai nei i Tû-nui-ae-i-te-atua,
ia Te-mehara, e ia
fano mai i teie nei
Ro’o-te-ro’oro’o,
oroa.
e
Ovai teie ’arere e horo mai nei ? O
Nevaneva.
Te vana’a mai nei ia Rua-hatu e ia
Hau, o te moana, e i te nu’u atua Hiva
e
fano mai i teie
oroa.
A messenger is coming ! It is Ro’o,
What is his errand?
Tane and the host of
gods of Tane of the open tenth sky,
of Tane of distant lands, who are flying
the messenger.
He is heralding
this ordinance.
A messenger is coming !
It is Rei-tu.
He
is
Tû-nui-ae-i-te-atua
heralding
to
( Stability-greatest-of-the-gods), and Te¬
mehara, and Ro’o-te-ro’oro’o, who are
flying to this ordinance.
Who
is
this
messenger
coming
hither? It is Nevaneva.
He is heralding Rua-hatu and Hau,
of the océan, and also the host of gods
of Hiva, who are flying to this ordi¬
nance.
Ovai teie ’arere e horo mai nei ? o
’lri-nau.
Te vana’a mai nei ia Ra’a, iaToa-
hiti,
i
e
ia Punua-moe-vai,
teie nei ’oro’a.
E arere e horo mai!
e
fano mai
O
Ti’a-o-uri.
Te vana’a mai nei ia Ta’aroa
ma
Rua-
tupua-nui, ia Ta’ere ma’opo’opo e ta’na
pu’e tahu’a; ia Roma-tane e i te nu’u-’
oromatua hamani maita’i, e te ’oromatua
hamani ’ino, te fano ana’e mai nei i
teie nei ’oro’a.
Ovai teie atua e na mua roa mai
nei ?
O Ro’o-te.-roro’o, te atua tahu’a nui,
i fano mai i teie nei oro’a.
Na ho’i te ara o te atua ! Ua ara
ana’e te atua, te fano mai nei i teie
nei ’oro’a !
Who
is
this
messenger
running
hither? It is ’lri-nau.
He is heralding Ra’a, Toa-hiti, and
Punua-moe-vai, who
are
flying to this
ordinance.
A messenger is coming.
o-uri.
He is heralding Ta’aroa
It is Ti’a-
and Ruatupua-nui; Ta’ere ma’opo’opo and his
artisans ; Roma-tane and the host of
kind ghosts and malignant ghosts, who
are
flying hither to this ordinance.
Who
most ?
is
this
god who
cornes
fore-
It is Ro’o-te-roro’o, the high priest
god who has corne to this ordinance.
Behold the awakening of the gods !
The gods are ail awake, they are fly¬
ing hither to this ordinance!
By the time this chaut with ail the répétitions and embellishments,
interrupted with short intervals of rest, was ended, the night was far
165
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
the priests ushered in the dawn of day by chanting in the
following strain ;
spent, and
Ua taha te ata i te
Ua ara te ata !
ra’i,
Enà te ata e hiti
E hiti i te po’ipo’i;
E ata i puia—
Puia ia ata poiri,
I oti matietie,
E mara’ara’a mai ’Oro-pa’à,
Te fatu moana, mai.
O maru i te pô
A taha te ata e hiti,
O te ata e tautape,
E fana ’tu i te râ.
I puia ia ata,
Aua’a i oti matietie,
E mara’ara’a mai ’Oro-pa’à,
Te fatu moana mai.
O maru i te pô
A taha, a ohiti te ata,
E tautape, e tatapa
E fana ’tu ia ata ’ura’ura,
No te râ e hiti mai
Mai ’Oro-pa’à o te moana mai.
When
by saying :
The clouds are bordering the sky,
The clouds are awake !
There are the rising clouds
That ascend in the morning,
Clouds that are wafted—
Wafted are those dark clouds,
Made perfect,
And lifted from ’Oro-pa’à,
Lord of the océan.
In the shades of night
The clouds that rise emhank,
The couds' condense, and
Form an archway for the suu.
The clouds are -wafted,
Perfected betimes,
And lifted from ’Oro-pa’à,
The lord of the océan.
In the shades of night
The clouds do rise, and part.
Condense, and reunite
Into an arch of red clouds,
For the Sun as it rises
From ’Oro-pa’à of the océan.
daylight appeared, the high priest -would end the night’s vigils
Ua ao, e ti’i ra tatou i te atua, ia
oti te pai atua, o te ro’o noa hia mai
ho’i e te ta’ata e pohe atu i tona^” aro,
It is daytime, let us now fetch the
gods, that we may get through the
assembling of tliem before peuple corne
and die in
their presence.
priests went to the fare-ia-manaha, -wliere the priests of
Still bare-shouldered they soon formed
•what -was to them the most a-vre inspiring of ail processions, which only
the ’opu-nui -were privileged to -witness from the fare-ia-manaha.
The
high priest took the lead ; then came the image of the tutelar god in its
ark, attachée! on either side to a pôle about nine feet long, by -which
four priests, called hi’i-atua (nurses-of-the-god), carried it, each bearing
an end of the pôle upon his shoulder, taking care to keep their bodies free
from the ark, to them so sacred. As they went they cried, “Ho, ho, ho!”
called ho-ho-atua (calling-of-the-gods), for the gods were supposed to
hâve arrivée! at the marae from their varions places, and to hâve assembled
around the tutelar god in his home.
Behind the ark followed ail the
fraternity, including those of social and royal ancestral marae, with
their minor gods in their coverings ; and as they advanced, they were
joined by the doctors, canoë builders, and fishermen, with their gods als.o
Then
local
33
the
marae
had left their images.
When
plurality of the gods was implied, the possessive adjective, like the pronoun, was
a
always used in the singular number in addressing or speaking of them.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
i66
Finally came the sorcerers with their fetchers in ail their odd
covered.
costumes, placed upon a plank and carried upon the shoulder open to view.
They were supposed to meet the evil spirits there, the pa’i-atua being the
only occasion when they were admitted into the royal marae gathering
or when there was such a general assembling of the gods of ail régions.
procession advanced in awful solemnity to the marae, and if
perchance the bearers of the image of the tutelar god stumbled and let it
fall to the ground the procession was at once disbanded, and a human
sacrifice was ofîered to appease the anger of the god. Then the procession
commenced anew from the fare-ia-manaha.
Thus the
On
arriving at the temple the hVi atua placed their burden in the
ava’a and mingled with the fraternity gathered in a group just outside, the
taking their respective places, according to their rank, upon
When ail were seated, the high priest opened the
ark and took out the dreaded image, and as he uncovered it upon the
mat, the others ail uncovered theirs in unison with him as he chanted:
other orders
the walls of the marae.
Tara e, te niatara e!
E tai e! Tai-nunâ!
Tae i Tai-nunâ
O ti’a.
O tara e !
O tara tara’tara
Aha matara !
E
E
E
E
E
E
metua
Ta’aroa.
’aitû i te ra’i mea
’aitû i te ao e ati roa a’e
tara e, matara e !
tae i Tai-nunà.
ha’apà, Aitû mo’a,
E Aitû hau roa nei !
E ha’apà i te rima e pupuru,
E ha’apà i te maui a nu’u,
E ha’apà i te maui i ra’i,
E ha’apà i to rima e pupuru,
E ha’apà i to rima ia raverave!
Tara e, te matara e !
E tai e! Tai-nunà!
Tei Tai -nunà ua ti’a,
Tei te ao e ati noa a’e.
O Tara taratara
Aha matara !
O tara iriti
Aha
matara,
E aitu hau
roa
nei I
The minor gods
O enchantment, O undoing!
O seas! O Tai-nunà!
Extending to Tai-nunà
Is righteousness. O enchantment !
Enchantment of undoing
Sennit yielding !
Ta’aroa is the parent.
The ruddy sky contains gods.
Ail the World contains gods.
O enchantment, O undoing !
It will extend to Tai-nunà.
Hold hack, holy god,
O god here suprême !
Control thy heavy hand,
Control the force of armies,
Control the force of the skies,
Control thy heavy hand,
Control thy hand as I handle (thee) !
O enchantment, O undoing!
O seas, Tai-nunà!
Righteousness' extends to Tai-nunà,
Extends throughout the earth.
O enchantment of undoing
Sennit yielding !
O enchantment of uncovering
Sennit yielding,
O god here suprême !
then exposed, with their wrappers folded under them,
remained in the hands of their owners, facing the ’avaa, ready for présen¬
tation to the tutelar god, while the sorcerers with their ti’i upon their
boards took an outer post, to the right and left of the holy pale, as they
were
présent merely as lay guests at the assembly of
the gods.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
167
When the
image of the tutelar god was revealed from the profusion
yellow feathers lying upon its many coverings on the mat
within the ’ava’a, the worshippers prostrating themselves thus addressed it:
of red and
la
ora
to
taera'a mai.
na
’oe i te haere
raa
mai,
e
Tohoi-maro ! la ora na ’oe i te haere
ra’a mai!
Teie e au noa nei teie aau
i
Greetings to thee on thine arrivai O
Tohoi-maro ( Inspirer-of-the-loin-girdle) !
Greetings to thee in coming! Joy fills
this heart on thine arrivai [here].
And the high priest answering
for the god,^^ said : “Biaha e hepohepo
(Do not thwart your god lest there be sickness). The
Word “sickness” in this casq literally
implied death, so that if a priest contracted a fatal illness and died
shortly after the pa’i-atua service, it was
said of him, “Ua ravea e te atua no te
fa’ahaere’a a ’ore i ti’a” (The god
has taken him because he failed in his
duty).
i to atua
e
ma’i”
Then followed the présentation of the minor gods
by their owners
ofiferings of new ’ura amulets and loose feathers,
which were given through the high
priest to the tutelar god in exchange
for some in his possession. This act was called taritoara’a-atua
(the god’sexchange) and was supposed to add new power from the greater god to
the lesser ones.
The fishermen’s gods were presented last because
they
in their proper turns, with
’
were
from the
sea.
Occasionally a vétéran idol rescued by its owner after being stripped
most of its feathers
by the enemy in battle was produced and it
required more consecrated feathers to replace those missing—a predicament supposed to be most ludicrous to the
gods and exciting dignified
mirth among the beholders when the high priest, in
acknowledging it
with its offering, would exclaim: “Ua polie tena atua, e ua
polie paha
fatu e! Inaha ’a’ita roa e ’ura.” (This god is beaten, and perhaps his
master is beaten also!
Behold he has no feathers).
But the laws of
décorum did- not permit responses to be made, and the image was soon
amply supplied with new feathers in place of the stolen ones. Finally
the wrappings of ail the images were changed for new ones
brought
for the occasion, upon which they were laid out exposed on the mat of the
tutelar god, within the ’ava’a. The former wrappers were kept for
deposit
of
in their own marae.
Then were brought newly made, uninspired
images of wood and stone,
fully decked with feathers and sennit, to be consecrated by the high
priest, who, as he received each one in turn in his hands, would address
by name the god or goddess represented and say: “Teie te to’o, teie te
’ura; te to’o ’ura fa’aau ia ’oe e te atua e! E u i ô, e mau i ô ta’u upu e.”
’Oro was the god, the high priest said:
back Warrior ’Oro, ’Oro warrior of armies).
..'‘Ha’apa, *Oro taiia, ’Oro taua nu"u”
(Hold
i68
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
(Here is the image, here are the feathers ; the image with feathers reprethee, O god ! My invocation will enter over there ; it will hold over
there). Thus inaugurated, they also exchanged feathers with the tutelar
god, and were placed according to their rank in like manner with the others
upon the mat.
sent
Finally came the sorcerers with the imps to pay their homage and
exchange amulets at the sacred shrine, and then they withdrew to their
former stations, still keeping the imps upon their boards.
The old
wrappings of the image of the tutelar god were then removed for new
ones, and as it remained uncovered, lying in State with its guests within
the ’avaa, a sacrifice, called a fei-ai (petition-with-food), was offered.
A pua’a tapena (sacred male pig), secured for that purpose a short
distance from the marae, was throttled to death by the priests holding it
suspended in the air with two sticks, which were held tightly across its
throat and the back of its neck. It was then dipped into water and passed
over sacred fire, called ahi-fai
(magical-fire), which was made of atae
(Ërythrina sp.) wood for that purpose, after which it was easy to clean
off its hair.
A short slit was made in its abdomen, through which the
intestines, flare, and vitals were taken out. In so doing, the blood which
flowed was smeared over the clean, white body, which after being singed
upon the live coals until it had a cooked odor, was placed on banana
leaves upon a high fatarau.
The flare and liver, also passed over the
coals, were served on purau leaves upon a rounded altar, called
a fata-’ai’ai a te atua (altar of small eating for the gods) ; and the intes¬
tines were burned to charcoal.
In concluding the service, the priests
chanted the foliowing prayer addressed to the god suprême :
Tahiti’a, mai, te atua e, i ta matou
Teie te pua’a taraehara na
’oe, e pua’a tapena, e pua’a porao ore.
nei fei’ai !
E pua’a ha’ape’e, fa’ati’amà i e ta’ata
hara nei.
Teie atoa te ’ai’ai hinuhinu,
na ’oe, e na te atua nei i mua i to ’oe
na
ta
aro, e
matou
farii mai !
teie fei’ai, tahiti’a mai !
te Atua e, a
O
Hearken, O god, to our pétition with
Here is the sacrificial pig for
thee, a sacred pig, a pig without blemfood !
ish.
It is a pig of atonement, to set free
sinful man. Here also is the fat small
eating, for thee and the gods' here in
thy presence, O god, accept it ! This
is our pétition with food, hearken unto
us !
By this time the sun had risen about two hours high, and the smoke
which ascended from the ahi-fai had been the welcome sign to the awaiting
populace that the great ceremony was about to close; and now the roll
drums announced that it was ended, and that the dreaded
gods were soon to be removed. While the minor idols were being wrapped
up by their owners, the high priest in great awe covered and replaced
the image of the tutelar god in its ark (p. 133), as it was supposed
of the great
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
169
image and live—
priests of King Tû to allow Captain Cook and
his companions to look into the ark containing the god ’Oro, which they
saw
during the piire-arii (king’s-pi'ayer) ceremony in North Tahiti.
The discarded wrappings were carefully folded and placed in a cell for
that purpose beneath a slab in the ’ava'a, as they were too sacred to throw
into the tiri-a-pera.
that
no
one
but he could
corne
in close contact with the
hence the refusai of the
beating of the drums which were retained on the marae,
high priest remained with the image of the tutelar god, the
images of the minor gods were returned to the fare-ia-manaha. On arriving there, those of the royal marae were replaced upon their shelves, the
others were left upon the mat to be taken by their owners on their return
home, and the imps were kept apart upon their boards.
So sacred was the pa’i-atua regarded that were a stray man to appear
upon the scene, whatever his rank or station, he was immediately seized
and slain as a sacrifice to the gods and buried near the marae to add to its
sacredness. And even if a little boy chanced to break away from home
and go to his father at the marae, the father would say resignedly to the
high-priest :
Amid the
where the
Take this child and slay him for the
teie tamaiti e hopoi e
te atua !
Inaha ua fifi te
aha^® marae ia’ na, ua fifi te aha atua.
E tamaiti ia na’u, na’u iho i fanau,
A
rave
taparahi
i
gods !
Behold the order of the marae
by him, the thread of the
prayers to the gods is entangled.
He
is my son, I begat him, but I must not
regret [losing him], because he has
erred in coming here to the ass'embly
of the gods.
na
eiaha ra vau e nounou, oia i hape
i te pa’iatua nei.
is disturbed
mai
Then the
high priest approvingly would hâve the child sacrified in
just described—as he would his own child. But if a woman
or little girl were the bfîender, she was not slain, as only male offerings were
supposed to be acceptable to the gods, but she was regarded as demented
or possessed with spirits, and after she was led quickly away appropriate peace offerings were presented to the gods in her stead.
At the sound of
the last beat of the drum, the people breathed freely—for the restrictions
were removed—and soon columns of smoke arose in every direction, showing that food was being prepared for the gods and the people. In the meantime the chosen few who were still in touch with the gods concluded the
service at the marae.
The officiating priests took their places at their
leaning slabs, and the other orders and the sorcerers and the ’opu-nui from
the fare-ia-manaha filled in the rear of the marae to form part of the
congrégation or apure (worshipers). They were joined by the king and
the
manner
Aha, meaning sennit,
was
used in this
sense
formerly.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
170
others who had aided at the marae
weeding
for the occasion, dressed in their official
and who were still sanctified
habiliments, the king taking his
place in the center of the temple, the priest sitting with those behind and
upon the side walls.
AU bared their shoulders as before described.
Women and children
were excluded
from these gatherings.
The mass
people were not acquainted with the prayers and figures of speech
of the clergy, and they left
religious rites to them, believing that they
were inspired to
say only what was right.
of the
The priests
officiating, then kneeling on one knee, with the other one
voices,' “Ho, ho, ho !” prolonging
whistling to call the attention of the
up and the foot down, shouted in shrill
the intonation and varying it with
gods, and when the notes resounded in the woods or among the rocks
if any stray bird’s cry was heard,
they believed that the gods were
responding to their call. The shrill “ho, ho,” instead of a loud shout, was
the spécial call for the gods ; hence the
saying, when at those times the
people were irreverent: “H ho, ho ta te atua, e ta’o ta te ta’ata, eaha
ihora ’outou ’e ’ore ’e fa’aro’o ai?”
(Ho, ho, is for the gods, and talking
is for people, why then do }''ou not heed
it?) When the shouting was
ended, the whole assembly rising United in the following responsive chant,
called the umere a te ta’ata (praise of the people) :
or
Tahu’a ; “E tau aitu maona!”
Priests : “We are wrestling in prayer
with the gods !”
’Opure : “Maona !”
Tahu’a : “Hu’ihu’i !”
’Opure :
Tahu’a :
’Opure ; “E tôtô!”
Tahu’a : “E tôtô !
tatou
a
tau a
’Opure :
tatou
a
Worshipers: “Wrestling!”
Priests : “Throbbing !”
Worshipers : “Throbbing !”
“Hu’ihu’i !”
“Ra’a ’iu!”
hiti
Priests :
“E tôtô !
tau
a
hiti
pôpô mai
A
ma
ra’au.”
te
A
ma
te
pôpô
a
“Most
ancient
sacredness !”
Worshipers : “That knocks !”
Priests : “That knocks !
Let us clap
hands for ever and ever with the
trees.”
our
mai
ra’au.”
a
Worshipers ; “That knocks ! Let us
clap our hands for ever and ever with
the trees.”
Then ail présent United in clapping hands, after which
they continued;
Tahu’a:
“To unu,”
’Opure : “To unu,”
Tahu’a :
unu.”
“Ei
fa’i
to
unu,
(’Opure e tahu’a pa’ato’a) :
i’oa fa’i nua, ratou te fa’i
te ta’ata nei.”
nua
ei ite to
“E i’oa, e
i te
rave
a
At
Priests :
“Thy carved ornaraents,” ”
Priests :
“Thy carved
Worshipers: “Thy carved ornaments,”
to
tell, they
ornaments
are
witnesses.”
Worshipers and priests uniting-: “Names,
names, will they disclose above, they will
disclose the deeds of men.”
are
the end of this chant,
they remained standing in silence with
uplifted hands for some time, after which the congrégation resumed their
The carved boards represented waiting maîds.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
seats, while the fraternity took their
foliows a toa’e (opening invocation) :
A hura ’orero, a re’a toa’e, e tamà!
Te ari’i fa’atauira i te iho o te pà.
Tera ’tu te pô, tei te ari’i te ao. Fétu,
marama, te râ ’ei avei’a, e apua, e
haora’i.
Na upu iti, na upu ’oreore,
na
upu
tahu’a,_i na upu vana’a, teie nei ’orero,
tuau
te
papa
fau rua, i te ra’i
mumuhu. Tau’oa nui, a tui ia rohi, tai
ai Hiro i te upu, i te ’orero ma te
vana’a !
former positions and chanted
171
as
Speak exultingly, enter worship cheerfully, to purify!
The king is’ opening worship in the
vital part of the sanctuary. The night
is passed, day is for the king.
Stars,
moon, and sun are guides, garlands encircling the sky.
Silent prayers, oral prayers, prayers
of the priests, prayers of orators, these
will reach to the divided rocks, to the
murmuring skies. Great assembly, shout
out lustily, to make
Hiro shout in
prayer, in speeches, and in orations !
The fraternity tlien recited portions of the Création Chant and
mythology, according to taste, and ended with the upu fa’atonu (saving
invocation) :
Tahiti’a mai e te atua e!
Tena
tini atua, tena mano atua, a fariu mai,
a fari’i i ta matou nei upu !
I ora te
fa’ao ta’ata o teie nei fenua, ia ora te
huia, ia ora i te atua. la ora te mua
fare ta’ata.
E ara i te ta’ata papari’a
taratara, i te ta’ata papari’a hoai, i te
hufapapai, i te maro ta’iri i te hauroa
mua.
E tu’u ana’e ia na vaho roa.
la ora matou, te ta’ata nei, e te nu’u
atua e!
O gods !
gods, those thougods', turn unto us, accept of
our
pétitions !
Preserve the population of this land;
preserve the génération ; may they live
in the gods.
Preserve the frontiers of
the people’s habitations. Watch against
the man with rough cheeks, the man
with angry looks, against the incendiary, against him who lets fly the ends
of his loin girdle.“ Put ail those things
entirely away.
Preserve us human
beings, O host of gods !
Hearken unto us',
Those
sands of
numerous
In times of peace, the dévotions were long, but when there was political
strife, they were made short, the prayers being chants chosen to suit the
occasion.
“The prayers of the priests are holy, for they corne from
persons beloved of the gods,” said the people of those days.
During this occasion, it was considered sacrilege to steal away from
assembly, in which case it was said that a fall of rain would be the
immédiate conséquence, so that the high priest would inquire who had
thus ofïended the gods, when the culprit would return and with contrition
présent himself at his post, saying, “Teie au, ovau te hara!”
(Here am
I, it is I who «hâve sinned). Then the rain would cease, and the service
the
would be resumed with
no
more
trouble.
During this service, several more sacred hogs were slain as peace
offerings, called pua’a fa’atina na te atua (hogs to proffer the gods).
They and dogs also were killed and opened in the manner described (see
This
girdle to fly.
expression meant that the
man
of evil
was
fleet of step, causing the ends of his
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
172
p. 168) ; but only the intestines and not the vitals were taken out and
burned in a new fire called the ahi-ha’apena (sacred-fire).
The hairs of
of these hogs were
removed, as before described, but the bodies were
were singed over sacred fire to produce a
sweet odor and placed upon the altars on banana leaves, alternately with
the hogs that had been washed with the hairs retained—black, white, gray,
red, spotted, and striped—and not passed over the fire.
The general
efifect of these ofiferings was regarded as highly pleasing to the gods.
As
a pledge of peace, upon the stone altar for human sacrifices was
placed
with a sheath of coconut blossoms a long banana shoot, called ta’ata-omei’a roa (man-long-banana), in lieu of a man.
some
smeared with
not
As noontime
blood; they
approached, and the devotees had become wearied and
famished, the king suggested to the high priest to close the service,
saying, “A taiiru aena i ta tatou pure, e ho atu i mûri, ua po’ia” (Conclude
our service and let them retire, they are hungry).
To this the high priest
replied, “Ua ti’a” (We agréé), and he had the smouldering fires of the
ahi-fai and the ahi-ha’apena extinguished and buried.
Then
came
the
the apure save the
dismissal) :
Parima !
leave-taking from the marae of the sovereign and ail
fraternity, a performance called the parima-nui (grand-
Parima-nui fa’anoa
Dismissal !
noa !
ordinary!
opure.
E haere
matou
i mûri
e
e, ei
e te
rimarima
e
e
tauteute, e ’omo’omo i te
tapara i te mati, e pupuhi i te
auahi, e tuhi, e momoto, e tata upo’o, e
fai, e hanihani, e tomo i te ahu noa, e
amu i te pua’a, i te urua, i te ma’o, i
te mai’a ; e inu i te ’ava ; eiaha ia ’oe
e
matahihira mai, e te Atua e !
ha’aha’a :
tiare,
e
Ei onei ’oe, ei te vahi moa nei e
fariu ê i to mata i te Pô, eiaha e hi’o
mai i te ha’a o te ta’ata nei.
The
make
ordinary.
become
Let Iroliness be thine, O god, let the
priesthood hold the sanctification of the
sovereign and congrégation.
We are
retiring to use our hands and
now
become
vile:
deeds of
men.
we
shall
do
domestic
Work, wear flowers, paint ourselves
yellow with mati, blow fire, curse, give
each other blows, practise black art.
caress,
put on unconsecrated clothes,
eat pork, cavalla fish, shark, bananas ;
and drink ava; look not upon us in
anger for this, O god !
Remain thou here, in this' holy place,
turn thy face to Pô, look not upon the
high priest responded:
Ua ora te ma’i o te marae, ua vaere’a
ua
ahoa hia !
Ua ora te mai o te
ari’i e o te va’amata-eina’a ; ua tui roto
hia, ua pe’e te hara ; ua pure hopu hia,
ua mâ.
Teie te ’ura, teie te hauniu,
teie to ta’ata o mei’a roa ; te omi’i ma
te avae, te avae ma te omi’i, ei utu i to
riri hotua nui, e te Atua ; no te hara
nui, no te tu’utu’u no te tae reo, no
e
to
Let sacredness remain here, that we
Tapu atu na, noa mai nei.
E ia ’oe na te ra’a, e te Atua
te huru tahua te mo’a o te ari’i
Grand dismissal
The evil of the marae is repaired,
it lias been weeded, accompanied with
the chant !
The evil of the sovereign
and of the clans is ended; the inner
service lias wiped out sin, the closing
is
finished,
and ail is clean.
feathers, here is the
peace token of coconut flowers, here is
thy man, long banana, from his head
prayer
Here
are
the ’ura
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
i ma’au hia, no te rimu o te
va’u hia i hara hia, no te
mimiro ’oau no te mata mataêa, no te
tuhi, no te ahua, no te fa’atomo i te
varua ino ia vetahi e.
Tei reira te hara
e uri mai ai ’oe, e te Atua?
te
atua
i
marae
E
tara
mai, e homai ia meia
roa
nei,
huri i tai nui atea, ia ora to maru.
E te Atua e a parima mai i to pu’e
e
’opure nei,
ua
mo’a.
173
down to his feet, his' feet to his head,
to arrest thine anger of great growth,
O god; for great crimes, for family
discord, for hasty words, for irreverto the gods, for imperfectly scraping off the moss of the marae, for
rankling rage concealed, for mutual
estrangement (of friends), for cursing,
for annihilating by sorcery, for sending evil spirits into others. They are
the sins which displease thee, O god?
Undo them, place them upon long
banana
here présent, cast them into
the trackless océan, that thy devotees
may be saved.
O god, dismiss these
thy worshipers for they are holy.
ence
.
They then withdrew from the marae, and in passing through the courtyard they took wreaths and garlands which they had left there on entering
and placed them upon the stone image that represented Roma-tane, the
god of Paradise, saying :
Tera
te hei na ’oe, te tahu’a aitu,
Roma-tane e.
E hei parima ; tapu
atu na.
Parima mai, parima mai, ia
fa’anoa noa.
e
There
wreaths
for
thee, O
O Roma-tane. Wreaths
dismissal ; let sacredness remain
are
priestly god,
for
here.
may
Dismiss
us,
dismiss
become ordinary.
us
that
we
men had gone, soon to return to the courtyard with food,
fraternity dismissed themselves. They left their miro sprigs and
coconut-leaf chaplets by their leaning slabs to represent them, and they
placed the little tapa’au upon the stones in front of the ’ava’a, in doing
which they recited the ripoa or turue (leave-taking) ;
When these
the
E Ta’aroa-nui tahi Tumu, e tena
ati tama aitu e !
Ei onei ’oe ei roto
i te reva o teie nei vahi a oa ia te
ta’ata nei. Ua api roa ia ’oe.
Ei raro
matou te ta’ata nei, e taahi noa i i te
E te ati matua
Pô mai, ei ona ’oe i
roto i te reva o te vahi moa ia te
ta’ata nei ; ei raro matou e ta’ahi noa
i i te repo fenua o te ao nei.
E te
matua maitatai o te Pô, ei ona ’oe ei
repo
fenua o te ao nei.
mai
manua
roto
vahi
i
te
te
ao
e
nei.
Then
to
o
te ao i teie nei
ia te ta’ata nei, ei raro
ta’ahi noa i i te repo fenua
marama
moa
matou
o
te
O, great Ta’aroa, the unique Tumu,
and thy great family of gods ! Remain
here, in the air of this place sacred to
man.
It is filled with your presence.
We mortals shall remain below, tread-
ing the soil of this’ earth. O hosts of
malignant spirits from Pô, remain there
in the air of this place sacred to man ;
we
mortals shall remain below, treading the soil of this earth.
O host of
good spirits from Pô
remain there in the height of the
World, in this place sacred to man ; we
mortals shall remain below treading the
soil of this earth.
addressing the tutelar god in the ’ava’a, the high priest pointing
symbols said :
the sacred
It is remarkable that great stress was laid upon the banana shoot to bear away the sins
of the people, whereas a hiiman offering was nierely presented as a fish or relish for the god!
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
174
Tapu atua na, noa mai nei !
aho
to
O
Tera
te
marae, to tapa’au ra’a mata,
tahu’a, o Anà-ni’a, o Anà-mua,
te
pu’e
Anà-roto,
o Anà-muri, o Anà-tipu,
Anà-heuheu, o Anà-tahu’a-ta’atametua, o Anà-tahu’a-vahine, e o AnàO
o
iva:
Te
maro
tahu’a
ia’na, to tuturi
ia’na, te pure ia’na, te aro tahua ia’na.
Parima mai i to pue tahua nei !
Finally, the loud beat
announced far and
of
the
Let sacrednes's
remain here, and let
become ordinary!
There is the life
of the marae [pointing to the
tapa’au
us
the
upon
slabs],
thy
sacred
tapa’au
with masks, the body of priests, Polaris,
Antares,
Regulus,
Zubenescharaali,
Dubhe, Alphard, Arcturus, Procyon,
and Betelguese.
[Then speaking of the
tapa’au in the singular number] : Thy
sacerdotal loin girdle is' with hira, thy
leaning slab is with him, his are the
prayers, he has the face of the priest.
Dismiss thy priests here présent!
drum
and
that the
souiid
of
the
trumpets
people were free to open the feast ail
ready to serve, and the fraternity returned to the fare-ia-manaha with the
image of the tutelar god in his ark, which was received in the arms of
the tiri, as he with reverence chanted :
near
O
hi’i rà
O
ha’apa’a tauai a maro
ma
tau
Now, this is nursing thee to rest,
Thine outstretched resting place!
Thy resting place of arms, arms,
Thy resting place of nursing arms !
The océan will ever exist, exist,
Sails will ever alight,
Upon the vibrating seas.
Enchantment on the [cloth] board,
Enchantment on the bark [cloth] ;
epa.
Tau epa e toro e !
Tau epa rima, rima.
Tau epa rima hi’i!
E tù, tû a o tai tüa,
Tau a ’ie,
O tai tovarovaro.
Tara papa.
Tara tava ;
O hahu ma te maru,
Oi re, oi re, oi
Made smooth and soft,
sweet-scented cloth
The
dry.
Well
re
I roo e,
A taviri ai ai i taha
Ua hi’i ma epa, epa!
ruru
e!
put out to
nigh defeat, defeat, defeat,
Overtook [me], O,
As I rolled up the cloth outspread !
Nursed and rest, rest [thou] !
By the time this chant ended, the ark was set upon its stand, from
which, for ordinary religions rites, the tiri alone carried it and placed it
unopened upon the upper front step of the marae, facing the altars. The
priests and ’opn-nui then went to receive a goodly share of the tumu-fara
feast, soon brought for them and the gods by the people, who also
presented a like portion to the royal family, with appropriate orations to
both parties, who in their turns
responded cordially.
They brought in hogs baked whole and placed in long ha’ape’e
(baskets) made. of coconut leaves, green and yellow—a manner of serving
them called pua’a-ta-h-a’ape’e (hogs-in-haapee). Those for the
gods were
placed by the priests and ’opu-nui upon the altars alternately with coconuts and bunches of
ripe bananas from which still hung the tapering
budlike extremity of unopened flower sheaths with here and there an
unplucked white chicken. There were also great deep-sea fishes, turtles.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
175
baked vegetables, and many kinds of sweet mixtures, of which the
for the gods were also placed attractively upon the altars
portions
by the marae
No one dared to eat any of the food of the tumu-fara before
dignitaries.
gods were served.
the
From ail classes, in addition to food, were brought a renewed store of
varieties of mats, rolls of cloth, and feather ornaments, for the
fare-iamanaha, where they were placed in heaps upon the mats to be put in order
by the ’opu~nui.
Duty to the gods and man then being completed, the people headed
by their chief assembled in the courtyard on the outer side of the marae
for final leave-taking of the gods, the fraternity standing down upon the
paving in front of the marae to dismiss them.
In
presenting offerings the people’s orator made the following speech:
E utu
O
ari
pana toa, e na
te ’ino, ia ’ore
Po ari
ao.
Pana
Here are peace offerings to the depth
of Hades, to the extremities' of the
World.
Push from the east and from
the west, O gods ; remove ail evil from
this World.
[Behold these peace offer¬
ings to ward off your anger, O gods],‘^
hiti
Atua e; afa’i e atu i
i te ao nei ! A fariu
mai i to aro ma te aroha ia matou, te
ta’ata hara nei !
E tapena pua’a, e
’uri,
tapena
e tapena moa, e tapena
te meia, teie te mau maa
te fenua, a fari’i mai, e te
Euru pani liia te uru o te
roroi;" teie
ato’a
Atua
mai;
O
e.
e
rau
to
oha mai
mai.
hihi;
e rau
maru, e te
faces with favor upon us sinpeople. Here are hogs consecrated,
dogs consecrated, fowls consecrated, coco¬
nuts consecrated ; here are bananas, here
turn your
ful
avari. Fa’aarAtua, tahiti’a
ail the fruits of the land ; turn to us,
O gods. Effective prayer will be offered
for the sick possessed ; many spirits will
flee away ; many people will recover.
Hâve pity in mercy on us, O gods,
hearken unto us.
are
The high priest concluded :
Na ho’i te ma, e ma no te aia’ai; a
i uta, a ma i tai, a ma i ni’a a
ma
i raro: a ma te Pô, a ma te ao,
a
ma te marae, a ma te opure, a ma
te feia noa, a ma te huia ato’a.
Homai
i te ’ai o te fenua, homai i te ’ai o tai,
homai i te hua’ai o te ta’ata ia rahi e
te Atua e.
Te haere ana’e nei ra te
va’a mataeina’a i te ’utuafare, e ai mai
te ai haere e ai ’ino, e ’ai i te atea ;
eiaha e hi’o atu, e te atua e !
Area
Behold the cleansing, cleansing from
sin; clean inland, clean séaward, clean
above, clean below, Po is' clean, the
World is clean, the marae is clean
[and then he enumerated everything
upon it as clean].
The worshipers are
clean, the people ordinary are clean,
ma
the familles
in the land,
hearken unto
Coconuts used
names.
Native
text
as
offerîngs to the gods
miasing.
Kd.
clean.
Give
us
food
food in the sea,
give us numerous offspring, O gods,
Now ail the clans are going home, to
eat moving about, to eat without order,
to eat abroad ; look not at them, O
gods !
But as for us, thy body of
priests, we .s'hall eat here in awe in
your presence.
O gods, hâve pity upon
us
that no evil befall us.
O gods,
matou, e ’ai’ai mai te horuhoru i mua
i to aro.
E te atua e, aroha mai ia
’ore ia tupu te ’ino. Tahiti’a mai, e te
atua e !
^
are
w<
■e
called roroi;
give
us
us !
niu and ha’ari
are
the
common
176
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Thus
they parted, the people to enjoy their feast in full liberty and
’opu-nui to remain and share theirs with the gods in solemn
awe.
On ordinary occasions when no restrictions were laid upon the
land, men and hoys were free to witness from a distance the offering of
the priests and
sacrifices and other ceremonies at the
marae.
This spécial feast was nicely spread upon leaves in the eating shed in
separate shares, the first for the gods, the next for the high priest
and
assistants, the tiri, the ho-lio-atua, the rest of the fraternity, and the
’opu-nui, respectively. The share for the gods was laid upon the altars
his
as
follows ; the head and tail of
a
pig, the head of a shark, the head of
whale, and the head and fins of an albicore and of a cavalla fish. Ail
these were taken out of the shares and placed with the pork and fish
a
already presented to the gods, accompanied with proportionate shares of
produce of the soil, and when birds descended to eat
the food of the gods, it was believed that there were gods within them
doing so. Then the priests and their assistants sat down and ate deliberately of the good things spread before them, which it was difficult for
men famished with hunger to do.
Those who ate with most dignity and
self-command were regarded as most pleasing to the gods, who were
supposed to he partaking spiritually of the feast. But any who ate
ravenously or irreverently, the gods were supposed to be watching and
to be planning soon to strike with blindness, sickness, or death in consé¬
bananas and other
quence.
hog at the marae
giving it to the gods on such an occasion, his soûl would enter
into a hog after death; or into a fish if he ate the head of a fish.
Thus the priests and marae keepers partook of the feast with the
gods; and when it was over, and they prepared to go home, they would
put their abundance of remaining food into baskets and say to the gods ;
“We are taking this sacred food home to our wives and children.
Look
not in anger upon us, O gods.”
And then the gods were supposed to
laugh approvingly, giving consent.
Similarly they begged cloth and mats of the gods from among those
that had been newly brought into the fare-ia-manaha—and so were not
yet impregnated with the sacredness of the place—and it is supposed that
the gods would kindly look away while they helped themselves moderately,
but that they would speedily punish those who took too much.
In leaving the sacred precincts to go home, the high priests said :
It
was
believed that if
a
man
ate
the head of
a
instead of
Tapu atu
nu’u
atua
matou
tomo
na
tena
noa
mano
mai nei,
atua
te
e tena
ho’i ne
i to matou mau ’utu’afare, e
i te ahu mo’a, e tauteute, e hani-
Let sacredness remain here that we
become ordinary, O host of gods,
those thousands of gods ! We are returning to our homes to put on unconmay
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
secrated clothes’, to do domestic work,
e fa’aapu e fa’anoa
noa,
Eiaha
mata roa mai, eiaha e taria roa mai
hani,
e
caress, farm and become ordinary.
Be
not farsighted, be not farhearing to us.
ia matou.
Fariu i to mata i te po e
fariu i to tua i te ao. Te vaiho atu
nei matou i te ra’a ei ona te mo’a, e te
Atua e !
Turn your faces to darkness and turn
back to the light. We are leaving
your
sacredness, let holiness be there [with
you], O gods !
Thus the sacred spell ended for the fraternity,
homes to
177
enjoy life as ordinary beings.
who returned to their
fish were publicly withheld
sacred for them to eat, but by spécial
Pork and turtle and the flesh of great white
from
women
and children
as
too
dispensation the priests allowed their wives and children to partake at
barring the heads, even when they had
been offered to the gods.
On favorable opportunities other men also
secretly indulged their wives and children in these forbidden méats.
home with them of such méats,
At ail feasts, women and children ate apart from the
boys and girls sat in separate groups.
men,
and the
First Fruits
Throughout the Society Islands a national feast was observed yearly
reaping the first fruits of the land, called the pararaa matahiti (ripening of the year). The season cornes in, varying at different times,
between the end of December and the beginning of January.
On such
an occasion, the chiefs and people of the districts brought to the capital
contributions of food, which they placed upon the assembly ground in an
immense heap, called a poropa, and systematically divided a liberal part
into shares.
With appropriate speeches by the official orators they presented these to the gods and keepers of the royal marae, to the royal
family, and to the clergy, reserving the rest for themselves.
in
Feasting and revelry lasted several days, in honor of which people of
professions anointed themselves with sweet-scented oil and
wore gay wreaths and garlands.
They invoked Roma-tane, god of Paradise, to corne with the spirits of their deceased friends to share their
pleasures. Some families, especially in Huahine, spread out upon lines
in their houses tapa, which they placed at the disposai of those spiritual
guests. In modem form the harvest feast lasted long after Christianity was
ail ranks and
established.
It has always been a custom to give présents and a feast called a
fa’a’amu’a (feeding) to guests from another place on their first arrivai
among their friends ; and the guests requite the présents with another, called
an ô
(welcomer).
178
Bernîce P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Casting
When members of
oFF
OP A
God
family were stricken with long, protracted illness
for their recovery to the gods (or goddesses) of their ancestral marae proved ineffectual, the family would hold
counsel together and say, “This god is no longer helping us; he is a mandevouring god. L,et us cast him off and seek the favor of another deity!”
Then the officiating family priest or head of the family, as the case
might
hâve been, according to the rank of the family, would go to the marae to
cast off the god {pô’ara’a Ui i te attia), saying :
a
and with deatli and the prayers
Tera te po’a, te po’a tu nei au ia
’oe ! Eiaha ’oe e uru fa’ahou mai i
roto
iau nei; eiaha vau ei nohora’a
fa’ahou no ’oe; eiaha vau e ’ite fa’ahou
ia
’oe; eiaha ’oe e ’ite fa’ahou mai iau.
E haere ’oe
e
’imi
e
atu
i te tahi taura
’oe, i te tahi utu’afare e atu. Eiaha
vau eiaha roa!
Ua poihu vau ia ’oe—
no
ri’ari’a a’era vau ia ’oe!
nei au ia ’oe.
E haere
ua
atu
i te Vai-tu-pô,
’oe na metua,
i te
aro
o
Ta’aroa te
Te
roa
Ta’aroa,
metua
o
va
’oe
to
te
atua ’atoa.
Eiha ’oe e ho’i fa’ahou
mai iau nei. Inaha te huia, te pohepohe
nei i te ma’i; te rave hia nei e ’oe, e
atua ri’ari’a roa ’oe e te ’ai ta’ata !
mau
There is
thee off !
casting off, I
Do not
corne
in
am
to
castiiig
possess
seat for
again; let me not be a
again ! let me not know thee
again ; do thou not know me again.
me
thee
Go and seek
some
other medium
for
thyself in another home. Let it not
be me, not at ail I
I am wearied of
thee—I
am
terrified with thee !
I am
Go even to the Vai-tu-
expelling thee.
po
(River-in-darkness), into the prés¬
of Ta’aroa, thy father, Ta’aroa,
ence
ail gods.
Return not
Behold the family, they
are
stricken with sicknes's ; thou art
taking them, thou art a terrible mandevouring god !
the
father
of
again to me.
After this proceeding, another god was chosen to take his place,
and so
until the evil in the family ceased. A new image to represent the new
god was made and inaugurated at the first pa’i-atua that followed the event.
If the priest or family imagined themselves haunted by the discarded god,
in dreams or otherwise, the image was removed from its grave to a new
one and if necessary moved again and again until the minds of those
on,
interested
were
set at rest.
Travêlers’ Prayers and Oppërings
In preparing
for a journey overland travelers invoked the gods at their
to guard them against accidents and ail
evil, and to grant them a safe and happy return home. Travelers’ prayers
were called e’itpu no te ratcrc.
But in going to sea, the religions ceremonies
were longer.
When the canoë was launched and ready for the voyage, the
travelers took strips of ’aute (paper mulberry) cloth, called a hopii
(bather) or repu (sea-rolling), and gradually casting them over the
approaching and receding waves of the sea, invoked the océan gods as
own marae
follows :
to keep watch over them,
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tahitia mai i te matou tere, e te
E aratai ora ’oe ia matou i
ni’a i te fenua. Ei tere tia ei tere ora;
eiaha ’oe e fa’arue ia matou i te moana
nei.
E horoa mai ’oe i te tahi mata’i
atua !
no
ei
e
matou, ei puhi na mûri, ei maoa tia
ra’i aneane.
Tahitia mai ia matou,
te
atua !
179
Hearken unto us throughout our voy¬
O gods ! Lead us safely to land.
Let our voyage be propitious, free from
evil ! leave us not in the océan. Give
age.
a breeze, let it follow us from behind, let the weather be fine, and the
sky clear. Hearken unto us, o gods !
us
Then they set out to sea in good faith, free and happy.
Relatives and
performed services for the travelers, whom they accompanied
to the social marae and there presented to the priest a piece of sennit about
a foot long, which had first been put under the outrigger of the canoë.
The
priest placed it straight and flat beneath a sacred slab, committing those
who were about to départ to the care of Tane, god of beauty and fine
weather, and also invoking ail the sea gods to watch over them and guide
the canoë safely away and back again.
friends also
This sennit, called ’aha moa (sleeping sennit), was left at the marae
was time for the voyagers to arrive at their destination.
Then
those at home went to the priest requesting him to uncover it to see how it
until it
If they found it lying quite straight, it was a sign that the canoë had
safely before a fine wind. If a little crooked, the canoë had met
with contrary winds, yet was still safe. But if the sennit was twisted over,
it was a sign that the canoë had upset and probably ail those on board
were lost.
Then there was weeping and great anxiety until they received
tidings of their absent ones or saw them again. If the omen proved to be
a false alarm, the priest claimed that a lying spirit had deceived them.
lay.
arrived
arriving at their destination, the father of a family representing
were with him and the single individuals of
either sex each carried a small piece of coral rock and ’ura feather amulets
to the social marae of their dénomination, where they were met by the
priest. Retaining the coral in their hands, they presented the amulets to
him, each one saying to the tutelar god through the priest, “Tera ta ’oemanu
a fa’a’au”
(There is your bird of resemblance). Receiving the
amulets the priest took them into the holy part of the marae, pointed them
to the image of the god in his coverings, which was brought there for the
occasion and thus introduced the new arrivais and commended them to his
care.
Then the travelers placed their pièces of coral upon the marae, say¬
ing, “Tera ta ’oe toa” (There is your rock), and concluded saying, “O ta
On
those of his household that
(These are our sea-offerings, O god) ; and
they were dismissed in peace by the priests. If the travelers found
no marae they presented their marotai themselves on the seaside for the
sea gods, as to neglect this duty was supposed to incur dire calamities from
matou
then
teie marotai e te atua e”
i8o
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
the gods such as death by
strangulation or some other painful way.
repeated the marotai on their return home.
If the travelers
or
their descendants returned and
were
They
perplexed to
know what had become of the stone of their marae, or of some
bad been hidden in it, they presented their amulets to the high
image that
priest, who
took them (in the same manner as just described) to the
image of the
suprême god in the local marae.
The god was supposed to know ail that
transpired among the minor gods, and the high priest soon gave the applicants satisfactory answers, purporting to be direct
inspirations from the
oracle.
Launching thë Canoë
When the
ship was finished, great importance was placed in
setting of the rollers over which it was to be drawn into the sea, the
builders chanting in the following manner as they set them :
canoë
or
the
E rao tu’ua
E rao mua i Atea
Fa’arotu u mata’i.
E matafa, manu aitu,
A fa’auru
A roller is laid
A front roller for Atea
To cause commotion against the wind.
Far-seeing god bird,"
ra !
E rao tu’ua,
E rao i roto Atea,
E rao fa’arotu mata’i;
E rua tufa a te manu aitu,
E rao tu’ua,
E rao peho Atea,
E rao o te vahiné metua.
Nau te tu’i, e tu’i no te aha?
E tu’i mai mua.
Ei mahu no te aha?
E uru hia e Tane;
E Tane,
E
rao
a
tu’ua
fa’auru
na
ra !
Ro’o te ro’oro’o.
E rao na Ta’aroa-Metua,
E rao na Te-Fatu nu’u,
E rao na Ta’ere ma opoopo,
E rao na Toa-hiti mata nui;
E Tane fa’auru ra !
Tu’ua te rao mûri.
Te rao na Tu pa nui
I fa’atu i te ra’i ;
E Tane, fa’auru ra;
Toro ra, fa’auru,
E Tane aitu !
Nau te tu’i, e tu’i no te aha?
E tu’i no te taruarua nui,
Na Tane te ’opiri napenapea,
E tu’i mai roto.
The fabulous red
sea
Now enchant it !
A roller is laid.
An inner roller for Atea,
A roller to contend with the wind;
Twice served is' the god bird.
A roller is laid,
A roller for the valley of Atea,
A
roller
for the motherly
woman
[Hina].
Mine it is to strike, to strike what?
To strike before.
To make spray for what?
For the enchantment of Tane ;
O Tane, now enchant it!
A
A
A
A
A
roller is placed for Ro’o the famous.
roller for Father Ta’aroa,
roller for Te-fatu of hosts,
roller for Ta’ere of ail skill,
roller for Toa-hiti (Bordering-rock)
of great eyes;
O Tane, now enchant them !
The hindermost roller is laid,
The roller for Tû, the great father
Who made stable the sky;
O Tane, now enchant it;
Now extend enchantment,
O god Tane!
Mine it is to strike, to strike what?
To strike the great rolling waves,
Tane will quickly turn them,
Wihen they strike the midships.
bird, pet o£ the god Tane.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
E tu’i mai mûri,
E tu’i tana aha mua.
E Tane e, fa’auru ra,
i8i
When they strike behind,
When they strike his sennit
bows.
O Tane, now enchant,
Tane turu rao,
Fa’auru ra!
Tane, supporter of the
Now enehant them I
in
the
rollers,
As they continued to place the rollers and until
border of the shore, the artisans
they reached the
repeated this song, the burden of it implying that the canoë would be enchanted by the rollers. The day before
launching, the canoë was drawn ont of the shed onto the rollers and there
propped up and rigged and decorated with pennants and garlands ; and
close by it the builders gave a feast at which
great hogs were baked whole.
They invited as guests men of the same profession as themselvesj to
whom they made liberal présents of baked
pigs and cloth to take home.
In the evening, the hatchets were again
“put to sleep” in the marae for
the night.
A piece of sennit about a foot long was taken and passed
under the foremost end of the outrigger of the canoë and laid down to
sleep also; it was placed fiat upon the marae ground beneath a flagstone to obtain an augury from the
gods. Early in the morning, the axe
was “awakened” as before, and the
flagstone was carefully lifted off the
piece of sennit, which the artisans examined with great interest. If it was
quite straight it indicated that the canoë had fine prospects before it, if
tortuous, the canoë would be beset with dangers, but escape safely, and
if the sennit had become twisted
or
turned over, the canoë would be in
danger of being lost at sea. Then to ensure safety for the canoë at ail
hazards, a piece of the hull of an old marae canoë wàs “put to sleep” in
the marae, there to remain untouched as long as the canoë lasted.
Soon the people assembled to see the launching and baptism of the
canoë, which was performed with great solemnity, superintended by their
sovereign, or the représentative (always a man), who laid his hand upon
one side of the canoë,
saying: “A to! A to! A to!” (Draw! Drawl
Draw!) Then it was launched into the sea gracefully, with little labor,
amid the admiration and loud applause of the spectators, which was called
umere.
After this it was immersed, bows first and up again, which was
called fa’ainuraa i te va’a (making the canoë drink), as the chief artisan
said :
Fano ta’u va’a nei,
I
te
’are
miti
fati,
Ei na raro mai,
Ei na ni’a ’tu ta’u va’a,
E Tane aitû e !
Fano ta’u va’a nei,
Na te tai vave’a,
Ei na raro mai,
Ei na ni’a ’tu ta’u va’a,
E Tane aitu e!
If I sail my canoë,
Through the breaking
waves,
Let them pass under,
Eet my canoë pas's over,
O god Tane!
If I sail my canoë,
Through the towering
waves,
Let them pass under,
Let my canoë pass over,
O god Tane !
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
i82
improvising his words to suit the occa¬
sion, until the baptism was finished. The ahi-tu were also called te-varu
(scrapers) because they did much scraping in polishing their work to a
superfine degree. Their marae and working shed were consecrated
entirely to the building of sacred canoës, which were those made for the
national marae and for war.
During the period of their work, their
persons being regarded as sacred to the gods, they were fed on the fat of
the land, and restrictions upon food were disregarded with impunity by
And
so
required it in preparing their meals.
those who
After
the artisan continued,
a
war
canoë
was
launched, the ahi-tii and priests inaugurated
by paddling about the harbor, chanting prayers, finally ending by suspending their paddles in the passage abreast of the harbor. While the
high priest broke open an opa’a (matured coconut) and carefully sank the
two halves in the sea with the hollow side turned upwards.
If they went
down steadily, maintaining their position, it indicated that the land would
be prospérons under long peace. If one-half turned over in going down,
it foretold war in the indefinite future. If both halves turned over, immi¬
nent war was anticipated.
Then they returned to the shore and drew
the canoë up on to the place allotted to war canoës, apart from ail others.
it
Rites eor Chiedren^®
THE ROYAL HEIR
When a queen was about to be delivered of her first child, called the
matahiapo, a restriction proclamation was immediately issued similar to that
of the pa’i-atua. Ail on land and sea along the coast throughout the realm
must be silenced so that sacredness might reign until the fifth or sixth day
after the birth of the child.
Except the members of the royal family and
their attendants, ail the inhabitants retired into the mountain recesses, where
they built buts and were at liberty to make fires and live comfortably until
the restrictions were over, but not without anxiety for some.
For an
ofifering of a human sacrifice must close the sacred spell, and the crafty
manslayer, unsuspected, already lurked among them.
A fence was erected and shaped upon sacred ground behind the ancestral
marae, the two angles being turned outwards.
In the outer space between
the angles was erected the fare-rau-maire (maire-fern house), in which.
the queen was to be delivered of her child ; in the inner space on 'one
side was the fare-hua (house-of-the-weak), into which mother and child
to be taken ; and in the space on the other side was the fare-noa
(ordinary house), where the attendants, a chosen few of near relatives and
were
retainers, were to stay.
Based
on
information from Pômare II, Mahine, and the
priests generally.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
183
While
awaiting the birth of the child, the paia (royal family doctor)
chanted upii (prayers) for the queen’s safe delivery, improvising cheering words, according to the circumstances of the case, and
appropriating parts of the chant of Ro’o, the famous messenger of the
god Tane. When the child was born, the paia said, ‘Ha muhuta mai nei
te atua” (The god has flown
hither) and ail présent extended happy
greetings.
and many others
The infant was allowed to cry long and breathe
freely so as to reçoive
(iho) from its mother, after which it was severed with the razorlike outside edge of a piece of bamboo that had grown
upon the promises.
full life
On such occasions the
plant used was said to leap with joy ont of the
In the following chant
mound to meet the paia as he approached to take it.
the
paia suited his actions to his words :
E ha’apa i te pito
Te pito tapu
o
te tama,
Lay hold of the cord of the child,
O te aitu O mahuta mai nei.
la roa, ei pito aho roa;
E taaai i te taura ia mau;
Tapu ai i te pito o te tama aitu
I te tipi moa o te ofe rare,
The sacred cord
Of the god that has flown hither.
Eet it be long a cord of life;
Tie it firmly with thread;
Then s'ever the cord of the child god
With the sacred knife of the flying
Hui i te pito, te pito rearea,
la marna te pito aitu.
Perforate the cord, the vigorous cord
That the godly cord be light.
bamboo,
The paia then took a cylindric piece from the heart of the stem of
banana
a
from the sacred
ground and rolled it over the skin of the
child, whom he then anointed well with sandalwood oil. Again he suited
tree
his actions to his chant:
Te
tama
teu, o te puo mei’a
Te mei’a o te aitu.
Ei horoi i te ’iri manina
Te ’iri paruparu o te tama
E tavai i te monoi
I te tino o te tama aitu
la maru, ia hinuhinu
I te monoi moa o te aitu
E nenei maro, e tamara
I te pito, ia marû, ia marô.
Ei hai i te ’a’i o te tama aitu ;
Haati i te ’a’i i te pito
Ei hei, ei tapu aho roa.
No te tama aitu nei.
This is the purifier, the heart of the
banana,
Banana [tree] of the gods.
To pass over the smooth skin,
The tender skin of the child.
Anoint with oil of sweet odor
The body of this child god
That it be soft, that it be glossy
With the sacred oil of the gods.
Squeeze dry, and saturate with oil
The cord that is’ flexible, be dry,
For a garland for the neck of the
child
Encircle the neck with the cord
As a garland a pledge of long life.
For the child god here présent.
Soon the babe was wrapped in soft tapa, and after short préparations
were moved into the
fare-hua, there to remain for five
six days, during which time oil was frequently used on the child.
mother and child
or
Every-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
184
thing that they left in the ferii house was at once carefully buried close by,
with appropriate invocations to render new sacredness to the ancestral center
of
royalty.
fare-hua the queen’s attendants conveyed her food and
her mouth.
The attendants and the nurses of the day
wore spécial clothes in which they never ate or drank for fear of bringing
upon themselves king’s evil.
When off duty they changed clothes in the
fare-noa (ordinary house), and they washed or bathed themselves before
taking their meals. The father of the child was not admitted into the
fare-hua until the last day of its stay there.
While in the
coconut water to
When the day arrived for the child to be bathed, the detached cord was
carefully wrapped in scented cloth and placed by the paia in a little box
formed of one end of a bamboo joint fitted iirto another, serving as a
cover, and hidden away in the little chamber for that purpose in the
ancestral marae.
Such a relie was regarded as the essence of the child.
In the middle of this marae were stacked cratelike for the occasion the
family war weapons as emblems of greatness, and in the hollow center of
(Alocasia macrorrhîza), forming
Thither the child was taken accompanied by the parents and other elder members of the family, called
the hui metua (parental clan), and placed in the arms of the paia, who
washed it with the water (uhi-a-iri), while chanting in the foliowing
the pile was placed a great leaf of the ape
the basin, which was filled with holy water.
manner :
Te uhi-a-’iri
o
te tama o te
Te uhi-a-’iri i
te
vai
Fa’aro’oro’o
te
mata’i
aitu
o
ora
o
Bathing the skin of the child of the
gods,
Bathing it in the living water of
aitu.
Tane.
moa
o
Tane.
te
Te mata’i maru o hiti
E ouhia mai nei
la manihinihi te ’iri o te tama.
ti’a Ta’aroa, a ti’a Atea, a ti’a
Tane
A ti’a e tena mano atua !
E ha’apa te tama nei i te meho tua
A
E ha’apa i te meho aro
O pa i ni’a ma te ho-ra’i,
E aitu e, e toa
As
a
riro !
Listen to the wind hallowed of the
gods,
The gentle zéphyr from the east
Which is blown this way,
To render sensitive the skin of the
child.
Arise Ta’aroa, arise Atea, arise Tane !
Arise, O host of gods !
This child will lay hold of fugitives
behind
And lay hold of fugitives
The
fort
above,
mid
shouts,
O gods', a
this) !
before
heavenly
warrior accomplished (is
sign of affection the hui metua then punctured their foreheads,
and each mingled the purple drops that
fell with a mixture of the juice of
sugar-cane and milk expressed from grated coconut upon a miro leaf, which
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
185
they held over their heads, and with a parent leading, they approached in
turn the babe, still in the arms of the paia, and touched its cheek with the
leaf, but not the mixture, signifying the union of blood. The father then
received his child thus initiated into the family circle and embraced it
tenderly, conferring upon it a royal name which had been duly and appropriately chosen beforehand, after which he was the first to pay it homage
by embracing its feet and saluting it as a member of the royal house and
heir to the throne.
But the reigning father or mother did not abdicate
their power and proclaim the young heir sovereign of the realm, as some
writers hâve stated, for inauguration ceremonies must be performed before
the people recognized a new ruler.
After the hui-a-iri ceremony the
marae,
royal party proceeded to the national
where they were received by the high priest and his assistants in
full array,
who for the occasion were called ti’a-ra’i (stand-by-sovereign).
The family assembled in the courtyard, and the babe was passed into the
arms
of the
high priest, who followed by the father and otlier priests
carried it to the avaa of the marae, within which was erected for the con-
cluding religions rite a little awning called a fare’ura {’ura feather house),
made of apaa (sweet-scented cloth) from the fare-ia-manaha.
The awn¬
ing was spread over a dôme formed of miro sprigs against the stones of
the Wall and
was
bestrewn with ’ura feathers attached to it with paste.
Upon the paving were spread fine mats, in the same manner as for receiving the image of the tutelar god, and upon the mats the high priest appropriately chanting a prayer placed the child and finally said “’Ura epaepa!
’Ura huhu! ’Ura moemoe!” (’Ura unapproachable ! ’Ura nurturing! ’Ura
reposing!) This simple ceremony was to assert the rank of the child god
above ail there.
Urom the national
marae
the babe
was
taken to
a
comfortable home,
fare aua teni (house with exalted walls), which was enclosed
within high fences or stone walls one within another, accessible only by
stiles, and which was guarded by stalwart men armed with clubs and
spears, whe were ready to slay any daring intruder.
There the royal
called the
mother and infant remained for about fourteen months
could run about and was
or
until the child
ready to be presented to the public.
During that
time the mother was free to stroll out of the aua teni, leaving the child in
charge of some near and trusted relative.
On the samp
day that the marae ceremonies were performed, messengers, called arere or ti’atî’a-vea, were dispatched in opposite directions to
officially announce the birth and well-being of the child. Each messenger
bore high
above his head a flag, generally torn oflf from red marae cloth,
(flags torn), in honor of which when they were leaving,
called reva hahae
i86
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
\
human sacrifice called e ia no te turu i te reva o te ari’i
(a fish to prop the
flags of the prince or princess), was ofifered and buried at the national
a
marae.
The flag was set upon the assembly grçund of each district of the
kingdom as the messenger passed, and there the people were summoned
from their retreat by the blowing of a trumpet or the
beating of a drum,
by persons appointed for the purpose, to hear the message.
When the
well received by the people they allowed the flag
by the messenger, to whom they showed hospitality;
but when the news was displeasing, the flag was torn down
by order of the
chief and gentry, the pôle to which it was attached was broken, and the
messenger was returned to his master with a challenge to settle the matter
in war—a circumstance that sometimes happened in
newly conquered pos¬
sessions, when the people still hoped to recover their liberty.
At the birth of King Pômare II, the ensigns wore beautiful flexible
vane
(mats) with fringed edges, decorated with garlands of ’ura feathers
called hei ’ura, a breastplate called a taumi, and bunches of black feathers
to
news
was
stand until taken
called ’oro’oro.
Two
sent around Tahiti and two around Mo’orea,
restriction, as the two islands had been united into
one kingdom by the father.
As the four messengers started from Tarahoi,
the national marae at Papaoa, the birthplace of the prince, a man was
sacrificed to ’Oro. One messenger went through the districts of Te’aharoa,
from northern to southeastern Tahiti and waited at Vaiovau, at the Isthmus,
for another messenger who traversed the other side of the island,
including Taiarapu. At Taputapuatea, the international marae in Tautira,
which
was
were
also under
another human sacrifice
was
ofifered to ’Oro.
From Vaiovau the messen¬
returned to Tarahoi with their banners unharmed. The two mes¬
sengers for Mo’orea landed at Umarea, the national marae in Afareaitu,
in the southeast, where the banners were respected.
There they parted,
proceeding in opposite directions and proclaiming the news as they went,
and finally re-united in the west at Nuurua, the national marae in Varari,
having met with no résistance and ofifered no human sacrifice. *
gers
After the messengers
had passed the districts, the- restrictions were
Within a few days, great
offerings of food, called ma’a-faiere (maternity-food) were brought in and
presented to the royal family by représentatives from ail the districts of the
realm, headed by chief s and chosen orators. Etiquette in regard to precedence was strictly observed, those of most anciently established dignity
confing first and those of newly acquired territory coming last. Besides
food were présents of ’ura feather wreaths and capes, called ’ura-moemoe
(’Mra-reposing), specially made by the women of distinction of the realm
removed, and it was a time of general rejoicing.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
187
child. Such démonstrations showed loyalty to the royal
family and created kindly feelings throughout the land, and the exchange of
courteous speeches between the orators of the people and the royal spokesman would hâve done honor to any people.
This pretty custom lasted
throughout the Society Islands until annexation to France took place.
for the queen and
NATAL CEREMONIES EOR OTHER
ÇHIEDREN
At the birth of the younger children of the royal family, no human
sacrifices marred the event.
The same ancestral marae ceremonies were
observed
and child
as
for the eldest,
were
ending with the nhi-a-’iri, after which mother
fare-aua teni. The présents were voluntary
taken to the
contributions of relatives and friends.
the
same
honors
were
bestowed upon
and so on with every heir apparent.
But if the first-born child died,
the next one to make it the heir,
and people rendered also for their firstborn,
dignity and honors they could muster without restrictions at their
respective marae, ail performing the uhi-a-’iri ceremony. The firstborn
The under chiefs, gentry,
ail the
children of the under chiefs
were
also entitled to the chieftain honors at
priests in their own local marae, where they erected an
awning covered with sacred apaa, without feathers, called the fare apaa,
where the priest invoked upon the children the blessing of the tutelar god.
the hands of the
They were also entitled to the use of the sacred flag within their own dis¬
tricts and without human sacrifices.
Their subjects brought présents of
food, mats, and feather ornaments; but they had no aua teni house.
Exiles in the land performed their ceremonies as they chose along the
seashore, erecting upon some rock within the shoal a fare apaa and plant-
ing in the sand their banners, if they were people of rank.
Other Ceremonies eor the Royal Heir
royal child was taken from the aua teni, a ceremony was
performed called vahi apa (breaking the barrier).' To give this sacredness, a human victim was offered at the marae.
The royal parents and
child borne upon men’s shoulders then went forth with an imposing
pageantry to meet a great throng of loyal subjects, foremost among whom
were the chiefs and other dignitaries of the land, who gathered on the
assembly ground to pay them homage and who as the royal herald cried
“Te ArVi, te Ari’i.
(The Sovereigns! the Sovereigns !), bared their bodies
down to the waist and cried “Maeva te Ari’i” (Hail Sovereigns).
With
courteous greetings and exchange of speeches between the two parties,
were presented to the young heir gifts of ail the produce of the land and
When the
i88
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
sea.
After this introduction the child was taken to the
the Ao-ra’i
(Sky-house, or place), to dwell.
royal abode, called
The next occasion for human victims was when the
young heir appar¬
the districts of the kingdom. For the
trip a new canoë was made, called the anuanua (rainbow), and as it landed
the royal child at each new district, a slain human
being was laid upon the
shore, a rao faaavariraa na te ari’i (opening roller for the prince, or princess), over which the canoë was drawn. Many human rollers were thus
ent was first taken
on a
tour among
used for the first boni of young
and Mo’orea.
Pômare II around the islands of Tahiti
It lias
always been the custom of the Tahitians to practise circum(feheraa), which formerly was called tehe and more recently péri
tome, as adopted from the Greek in the Tahitian Bible. The ancient Jewish expression of dérision, “Uncircumcised
dog” {’Urî tehe ’ore hia), is
also original with them.
The operation is performed by adepts called
tahu’a tehe, upon lads generally fifteen or sixteen
years old, and it was
formerly a religions rite accompanied with prayer at the ancestral marae,
cision
at
which the father and other male relatives of the lad
assisted, sympa-
thetically puncturing themselves freely with weapons of shark’s teeth and
causing the blood to flow.
For an heir apparent to the throne, one or more human sacrifices
offered by the priests at the national marae, while this rite was
were
being per¬
formed at the ancestral marae.
Several human victims were suspended
with sennit strings strung through the ears, as “’Oro’s
fish,” as they were
hung upon the toa tree around Tarahoi for Pômare II, under the direction
of the high priest Tua-roa.
When
the
young heir apparent became of âge a feast, called the
faatoira’a (becoming-of-age), was given at which he or she for the first
time appeared ofFcially among the dignitaries of the land. On this occasion
offered a human sacrifice called an amo’a-tapu
(putting aside of restric¬
For the firstborn of under chiefs thei'e was also a fa’atoira’a, and
their mno’a-tapu consisted of a fine
hog offered at the local marae of their
was
tion).
district.
As the Tahitians had no method for recording the
depended upon the maturing of the child.
years, coming of âge
The ceremony for the inauguration of a king or queen
(fa’aari’ira’a) of
Ra’iatea was the same as that for ail sovereigns of the
group.
It was a
time of the greatest moment to the nation, and extensive
made for several months.
préparations were
Food was cultivated for a great feast, to which
were to be invited
guests, représentatives from neighboring kingdoms; the
choicest materials for vestments, which were ruru
(rolls of cloth), tiputa.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
capes
189
of purau bark and of cloth, ornamented or plain, and also of ’ura or
black feathers were made ; and greatest of ail the work was the
concatenating
{’ura feather girdle), the royal insignia in
which the monarch of either sex was invested on the ascension
day. The
girdle derived superlative sacredness from some of the feathers, which were
taken from the image of the tutelar god, who in later times in Ra’iatea,
Tahiti, and Porapora was ’Oro, while Tane remained suprême in Huahine.
The royal girdle was an article of very skilful workmanship, which consisted of a close network of fine, strong threads of the ro’a bark
(a kind
of flax), and a background of choice ora
(banyan cloth), closely perforof a new lappet to the maro ’ura
ated.
In each little hole
was
set the stem of
an
’ura feather, which was
caught in a lock stitch on the opposite side with a long polished needle of
human bone, and set closely against the next one to imitate bird’s
plumage.
Artistic patterns, mostly in squares, were thus formed
by turning the
feathers in different directions, answering nearest to hieroglyphics of
anything in the handiwork of these islands. For they symbolize to the national
chronicler the name, the character, and the acts of every monarch that
reigned and the annals of the land which were faithfully recorded in
chants and songs of those times.
The sacred needle was never taken out of the work, which was intended
continue forever, a new lappet being added for each successive reign.
A human victim was sacrificed for the niau raa titi
(perforating
to
the cloth),
for the fuira’a 0 te au (first putting in of the needle), and for
piura’a 0 te maro (completing of the maro), and during the perform¬
of these cruel rites it is said that the gods manifested their
approbation
by sending flashes of lightning upon the scene with loud peals of thunder,
even when the sky was unclouded.
The royal red maro of the Tamatoa
fanfily of Ra’iatea being the most ancient in the group was the longest,
measuring twenty-one feet in length and six inches in width. It was sent by
the king in the early days of his conversion to the muséum of the London
Missionary Society.*®
the
ance
The canoë builders were busy choosing good timber and
skillfully making a new canoë, called te-va’a-roa-i-te-mata’i (the-long-canoe-in-the-wind),
for the god and paddles for it, called mehine-i-te-ata (moon-in-the-clouds),
when using which the paddlers looked up into the
sky. The discarded
canoës were
used for sacred lires at maraes.
The
priests had a marae weeding and pa’i-atua ceremonies, and they
prayed at the marae, invoking the favor of ail the hosts
of gods for the new king, that his sins of omission and commission
might
fasted much and
When the collection of the London Missionary
British Muséum, this famous maro was missing.—Ed.
Society
was
recently turned
over
to
the
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
igo
be forgiven and that his reign might be prospérons.
These dévotions were
huihui na te tahu’a (prayers with throbbing vitals of
the priests), for they felt the solemnity of the occasion.
called pure manava
On the eve of the great day, at Ra’iatea,
for instance, the clergy of the
royal marae held sacred vigils throughout the night at Taputapuatea marae
in Opoa, inviting ail the hosts of gods to be présent on the morrow, as
for the paiatua (p. 157). This was called pure toiaha, pure Iri anu a te
tahu’a
(weighty prayers, prayers with chilly skin of the priests) ; and as
morning was ushered in, the gods were said to be heard flying and
whistling around the marae and ail over Opoa. It was a most sacred spell,
and another human victim was slain in honor of the gods before conimencthe
ing the inauguration ceremonies for which ail who were to take part had
sanctified themselves.
It was said that a root of the great banyan' tree
believed to hâve corne from the moon, which struck out from a branch at
the royal
birth, on that morning reached the ground.
Soon upon the sea and along the shore a semibarbarous pageantry took
A long flotilla bearing nude men and women of the arioi and
headed by the new anuanua (rainbow) or sacred
canoë of ’Oro, which was distinguished from ail the rest by tapaau (coconut-leaf images), viriviri (braided coconut-leaf) chaplets suspended around
place.
hihimoa fast element,
its borders, and by the presence of opunui who named it, dressed in their best
marae
costumes, each carrying a tapaau on his left arm and wearing wreaths
of coconut leaves.
The canoë had a platform towards the center for ’Oro
coming sovereign. Inauguration ceremonies for either sex were
rank, waiving restrictions on State occasions. The heralds, called
tama horo fétu pao (sons running meteors), and people on shore contrasted favorably with those on the canoë, being arrayed in their gayest
and best attire, decked in wreaths and garlands.
Then came the solemn
procession with shoulders bare heralded by blasts of ’Oro’s trumpet, puo-roroi-tau (trumpet-of-ages), and his sacred marae drum, pahu-rutu-roa
(long-beating-drum), from Taputapuatea inland to the great sacred white
stone pillar, te-papa-o-ruea (the-rock-of-investment).
The following order
was observed: fîrst the tiri moa (holy nurse of the god) bearing ’Oro’s image
exposed to view in ail its brilliant ’ura feathers ; next the new sovereign in a
and the
the
same
by the chiefs of the realm,
shoulders on a large wooden couch;^'*
and closing in the rear the high priest followed by the clergy of his marae.
waist cloth of sacred marae tapa, accompanied
four of whom bore him upon their
The couch was hewn out of solid miro wood.
It had four legs, a raised
pillow, and carvings at each end. It was called the parahiraa or nohoraa ant
throne).
a
piece forming
(royal seat or
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
191
As the
procession passed, the spectators on either side gave it wide
image was carried on to the god’s canoë, followed by ail
the priests except the high priest, who remained with the
king or queen;
and the sovereign, surrounded by chiefs, seated himself
upon the throne
placed near the seaside. Thence, the high priest and the king went into the
sea, facing Te-ava-moa (The-sacred-harbor), where the king, keeping on his
waistcloth, simply immersed himself, while the high priest with a miro twig
in his hand sprayed water upon him,
pronouncing him clean and chanting the
pure utuhi (invocation for dipping).
’Oro’s
berth.
PuEiî Utuhi^^
Fa’aatea no te ari’i
E
e
tae
Tapu ;
i Motu
haruru
te ra’i i ni’a e !
’ura e!
Ua ’ura tini
I te ahu taa
I to maro ’ura na e tau ari’i e.
'fuia te ra’i i ni’a e,
E te ari’i nui ia ’Oro Toa,
Te tupuai fa’aari’i o Ra’iatea,
Rerea i te ’ura i Hauviri.
Horo te arere te haha i ni’a ia ’Oro
papa
e
I te
maro
la hio mai ai ia Ra’iatea
I mua i to maro ’ura na e !
Tau ari’i o te ra’i e te maro ’ura
Ua ’ura tini
e
I te ahu taa
I to maro ’ura na e ta’u ari’i e
Ei hea hume ai
To maro ’ura na e ta’u ari’i e?
Ei te tai tua mai o Taputapuatea.
A tiu ta ria roohia
Te pure ari’i i te utuhi
Ua pimi a’enei te uru o ’Oro
I te rau o te ’ura
Manu na te ra’i e!
Manu tahi atua
Te ’ura amo a’e
I te pure i te rau roa
Ua oti te maro o te ari’i
Tatou e noho ai e
Tui
te noroa
o
maeva
rua
’Oro te metua o ’oe.
E ti’i i te ’ura tei Tahuea
Na
Make
the
way
for the king onwards
Sacred
to
Isle ;
Loud peals resound in the sky above, O !
For the red girdle, O !
Numerous are the ’ura feathers
From the wall of jawbones*"
In thy red girdle, O my king.
The sky is reached above,
By the great Warrior Sovereign ’Oro,
The high investor of Ra’iatea’s kings,
Flying in the feathers of Hauviri.
Let the herald run up fearlessly
’Oro
As he looks down to Ra’iatea
to
Upon thy red girdle,™ O !
O my king of the skies and the red
girdle,
Numerous are the ’ura feathers
From the wall of jawbones.
In thy red girdle, O my king,
Where shall the girding on
Of thy red girdle be, O my king?
Upon the seaside of Taputapuatea.
In a vision the king saw in
His royal prayer for the immersion
Enchantment of ’Oro s'ecreted
In the body of the ’ura (feathers)
Of the heavenly birds, O !
The unique birds of the gods
The ’ura (feathers) carried.
To the service upon the long sides
the marae)
Finished is the girdle of the king
Which is why we are here, O !
(of
Strong are the prayers for the double
greeting
To ’Oro, the father, and to thee.
Fetch ’ura (feathers) from Tahuea
marae
Given in 1887 by Tupaia of Motutapu.
For several phrases in the native text, such as
tiu ta ria, tui te noroa, ei ono i to maro, Miss
Flenry gives translations which could hardly be
derived from these words.
Tt may here be assiimed that the native text has been disfîgured by the
typist, rather than tliat the author is incorrect, because the typist wrote miro for maro, nanu for
manu, tu for ti‘i, and has consistently written aru for ari’i—obvions errors that hâve been cor-
rected.—£)d.
kept.
The walls decorated with
jawbones and with skulls was the
marae
where these things
were
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
192
Raverave noa mai i te pua tiri
O ’ura i te ara o Tane
E noa’a i reira
O te ’ura rau nui
Ahiri ho’i e ora na o Tumaraa
Bring forth flowers in profusion,
’Ura (feathers) on the track of Tane
Ei ono i to maro ’ura
E ta’u ari’i e
Te ra’i e te maro ’ura e!
To stand by thy red
Obtained from there,
Great ’ura feathers.
Behold then, awake are Tumaraa
And Tevaitoa (Departments) to brave
Eo Tevaitoa i te Rapatia
Te’ura tini
O te ahu taa
I to maro ’ura na, e tau
E ti’i i te ’ura ia tini
la mano i anapanapa
I te ahu taa ha’amana
vicissitudes,
ari’i
girdie,
O my king.
The sky and the red girdle,“
Thousands be the ’ura feathers.®’
From the wall of jawbones
In thy red girdie, O my king,
e
Fetch ’ura (feathers) in abundance.
Let there be thousands resplendent
At the wall of jawbones, which gave
power
’Ura i tau
’ura feathers that settled and
flew
Were the rock” taken up, glory would
To the
rere
Iriti a te papa ia hute.
départ.
That is the strength of thy red
Te tapa ia i to maro ’ura na
E ta’u ari’i e!
Te ra’i e te maro ’ura e
la ’ura tini
Thousands be the ’ura feathers
From the wall of jawbones
I te ahu taa
I to maro ’ura na, e ta’u ar’i’i e.
Ta’u Ari’i ’oe, a ti’a i ni’a
I te tua o Marama ;
E ti’a i ni’a
la
Ra’iatea
nui
E to i te tini
e
hau
E to i te mata
O Ra’iatea nui e
red girdie, O my king.
My king, thou arise
In thy
From the Sea of the Moon;“
Arise
To great Ra’iatea of the peaceful
Moon
And draw the tens, and draw the thou¬
Marama
i te
to
mano,
sands.
And draw the whole
Of Ra’iatea of eight
vau.
roro
una,
Hei atu a i Taputapuatea,
Te ’Oro matau tua, ’oe e
ta’u ari'i
[districts].
My king thou, to be adorned,
Thy brain indeed shall be
Crowned by the god of Taputapuatea,
By ’Oro inured to the sea, O thou, my
king.
Tau Ari’i ’oe i te fa’anehenehe,
To
girdie,
king !
The sky and the red girdie, O !
O my
e.
faced the sacred passage, where it is said
deified sharks
Tuu-mao (Let-go-shark)
and Ta-hui (By-the-clan), which were always the first to corne and pay
their respects to a legitimate heir to the throne, but kept out of sight of a
usurper.
They swam in joyously and rubbed caressingly against the royal
person, who feared them not, and then returned to the open sea.®°
Then the king stood up and
that he was approached by two
The *ura
These
girdie
were
The rock
was an
embleni of the
featheî’S taken from the
means
the white
stone
aiirora
marae
in the sky.
for the girdie.
pillar of investment ite-papa-o-ruea).
Ra’iateà, Huahine, and Tahiti was called the Sea of Moon.
®^A11 the island kingdoms had their deified sharks similar to those of Opoa.
The
sea
between
This appearance was asserted as a fact by King Tamatoa,
enced it, and also by ail the most reliable authorities in the time
It was recorded by Ellis and Tyerman and Bennet.
who said he had himself experiof the first English missionaries.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
193
high priest condiicted the king back to his seat,
which the chiefs bore him reclining to the great stone pillar, at the
foot of which were placed in readiness the royal insignia: the famous
red maro, tipped with black feathers ; a waist girdle ; a red ’ura toque ;
a tahiri (fan), which was a waving cluster of tail feathers of the man-ofwar bird and the tropic bird, attached to a long pôle like a great duster
and resembling the royal kahili of Hawaii; a long toa spear; and a
miro walking stick.
By the pillar the high priest performed the inaugura¬
tion ceremony, called the pure rahi 0 te atoreiau (great invocation of
inauguration) :
After his chant, the
upon
The king, clad in a small dry maro cloth®" (loin girdle), stood in front
of the pillar with his chiefs in the rear and on either side of him, and the
high priest, introducing the royal symbols to him, explained their significa¬
tion and disposed of them in their proper places.
Pointing to the pillar,
the priest said, “To papa-ia-ruea” (Thy rock-of-investment) ; pointing to
the wooden pillow upon the throne, he said, “To rurua, 0 Fefeu” (Thy pillow, Spread-out) ; presenting the tahiri, he said, “To tahiri, 0 Nunaa-e-hau”
(Th};- fan, Nation-of-peace), which the king passed into the hands of his
it upright upon the paving beside him, the plumes
rising high above the King’s head,“^ “To taupo’o,^^ te Ata-o-tu” (Thy toque,
the Cloud-of-Tu), he said, placing the toque upon the king’s head; “To
tatua, 0 Manava-taia’’ (Thy waist girdle, Sensitive-conscience), adjusting it
upon him; “A rave i to omore ia Huia-i-te-Ra’i’’ (Take thy spear, Familyof-the-sky), which the king received and passed on to the next high chief;
“A rave i to to’oto’o ia Paia-i-te-faurua” (Take thy staff, Double-puredescent®®), which he placed in the hands of a third chief; and finally the
priest said, “A maro i to maro, ia Tc-raii-pua-tata” (Gird on thy loin girdle,
Sky-of-the aurora) ; and the most sacred of ail the symbols was so placed
upon the king as to hâve one end gracefully streaming before him, and the
other behind.
Then as he sat upon his throne bare-shouldered in that
sacred locality, the chiefs raised him to view on top of the pillar by stepping
upon stones placed to the right and left for that purpose, and there the
people on land and sea held up their hands and greeted him deafeningly
many times with “Maeva Ari’i! maeva Ari’i!” (Hail, King! bail, King!).
senior chief, who held
still enthroned, to the sacred
placed hlm side by side with the image of his spiritual father,
’Oro, the high priest standing beside them. Then the steerman gave the
signal for the flotilla to set out by striking the paddie against the side of
From the pillar the chiefs bore the king,
canoë
State
and
A queen put on more covering, wearing a pareil (waistcloth) and a light
In the same way England’s premier liolds a sword above his sovereign’s
occasions.
Taupo'o is applied to almost every covering for the head.
Doubly pure, being descended from the gods and high priests.
cape.
head on certain
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
194
the canoë, and immediately the trumpets biew and the driims beat and they
went
forwards, up into the bay of Toa-hiva and ont to the sacred passage,
high priest pronouncing the pure-fau-fenua (invocation-for-highestchieftainship), declaring the king lord of the land and sea and ail upon
and within them, and invoking the hosts of gods, still supposed to be around
them, to aid the new king in wisely governing his people, to be with him in
peace or in war, to extend sway to the east and west, to the north and
South, and to bring ail other monarchs under his feet.
On landing on the shore whence they had departed they returned to the
inner marae at Taputapuatea in the same manne'r as they had corne out. The
procession formed as before, except that the king, borne upon the shoulders
of the four high chiefs of the royal house, reclined in royal array upon his
throne. Following the priest carrying ’Oro’s image they went up into the
marae, where ail took their respective places, the image being placed upon
a mat in the avaa, the king by his
leaning slab, the trumpeters by the drummers, and the priests and chiefs in the rear.
Then the high priest concluded the inauguration ceremony by plucking out the eye of one more
human victim and proffering it to the sovereign, who niade a semblance to
leceive and swallow it, but in reality did not touch it. This was intended to
give keen perception and farsightedness to the récipient and was called
pivai-arïi (apart-with-sovereign). The high priest then said:
the
A hi’o i
to
A
i to
horo
roa.
mou’a ia
Te-a’e-tapu,
tahua, O Mata-tu-tahua-
A hopu i to vai, ia Via-tiare.
A
’au
i
to
vai, ia Ra’i-to-moana.
Pau i to vai ia Vai-tara-toa.
A
hi’o
ra’i.
i
to
’outu,
ia Mata-hira-i-te-
Behold the mountain
vading-sacredness).
Te-a’e-tapu (Per-
Run upon thine assembly ground, Matatu-tahua-roa.
Bathe in thy water, Vai-tiare (Gar-
denia-pool [a small sacred pool]).
Swim in thy river, Ra’i-to-moana (Sky-
drawing-the-ocean).
Splash thy water, Vai-tara-toa (Waterof-s'harp-rocks).
Behold
thy cape,
Mata-hiri-i-te-ra’i
(Face-flinching-at-the-sky).
They then took leave of ’Oro and the marae, in the manner described
(p. 172), the image was put to bed and carried home to the fare-iamanaha, and after announcing to the public that the solemnity was ended
and the festivity and gaieties were to begin, the trumpets and drums were
also put away.
The priests put on fine ordinary clothing, the chiefs their official feather
taumi upon their heads ; and over the shoulders
king, in his girdles and toque, was thrown a tiputa (poncho) of
glossy black, red, and yellow feathers, finished around the neck with ’oro’oro
(clusters of feathers) of the man-of-war bird, and extending down to his
throne. Again, amidst the assembled throng, the air was rent with “Maeva
vestments with the gorgeons
of the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
195
accompanied with the raising of hands. The nude party, some of
mounted upon trees, hailed him as monarch of their persons,
suiting actions to words in language too primitive to be repeated. A queen
was happily exempted from this undignified greeting.
ari’i!”
whom
were
Ail the dignitaries of the land were dressed in official garb, and the
king on his throne was finally borne on to a stone platform covered with
mats laid upon long ’aretu (grass) and sheltered with an awning of coconut leaves, which was beautifully decorated with green and yellow coconut
and ti leaves and flowers. Here, with the queen and royal household and
his counsellors, lie reviewed and received the loyal greetings of his chiefs
and chiefesses, who headed long processions of the people of their dis¬
tricts. The people were assembled in proper order for the great feast that
v/as to take place in long coconut-leaf sheds upon the assembly ground.
inauguration festivity, the king’s ’ura feather maro, the most
royal insignia, was carefully wrapped in tapa and a mat
by itself, and the cape and toque were in like manner wrapped by themselves and put away in the fare-ia-manaha.
The only other occasions on
which he appeared in State were: at the marriage of an heir apparent; at
a réception of the sovereign of another realm as a great guest ; and when
concluding peace after war. Without the other two appendages the king
wore his maro for the pa’i-atua service, and it was spread out to view
for the pure ari’i or prayer for the king before commencing war, as was
seen by Captain Cook.
It has been stated (p. 121) that at Porapora the royal investment was
performed at Fa’anui.®^ In Huahine, Maeva was the seat of inaugural
ceremonies, and the marae was Mata’i-re’a.
After the
sacred of ail his
Tamatoa II of Ra’iatea seems to hâve been the only king who was brave
enough to give Europeans his maro’ura, those of ail the others having
been carefully encased and buried in marae ground after Christian rites
superseded the old. Their past history rendered these relies so valuable
to their owners that they would not give them up for love or money.
When there was no direct heir to the throne the sovereign had the
prérogative to name the successor.
ruler at the demise of the former.
Otherwise the people elected a new
In ancient times when kings became despotic and detested by their subjects, the officiais and priests after holding counsel together went to his
abode, denounced him for his many cruel and wrong doings, and pronounced
the following verdict upon him: “Haere a amu i te huha pua’a anoi hia i te
tutae!
U a iriti to varovaro, ua tu’ua ’oe i raro ci taa-hi one, e haere noa
^
The maro tea of Porapora was a
inches wide.
It was bordered with red
also of the man-of-war bird.
light-colored girdle about six yards long and twelve
feathers and tippcd at the ends with black feathers,
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
196
ei ta’ata ino.”
(Go and eat the leg of pork seasoned with dung! Thy roy-
alty is taken from thee, thou art put down to tread the sand, to walk like
common
men).
Ail his prestige and dignity were then gone, he was called a taahi-one,
and his title and official insignia were transferred to another, either of his
own
household or of a neighboring kingdom.
HUMAN
SACRIFICE
Before the flood, when Maui the priest built marae and established
priests in ail régions, the world was luxuriant and the people were in
favor with the gods, so that they had no need of human sacrifices.
But
there came a time when there was a great drought and excessive heat in
Havai’i (Ra’iatea), so that the people exclaimed, “Ta’aroa, the Uniquefoundation, whose curse is death, is angry; he is consuming us!” And the
king, moved to pity for his people, told the priests to pray and présent
offerings to Ta’aroa that they might regain his favor and obtain rain from
heaven to restore the land. The priests reflected and said, “We must hâve
a pa’i-atua service,” which was donc with offerings of lean pigs, fish, and
bird’s feathers, having no fruit or other things to présent with them. The
was made and the leaves of Pandanus,
made, were dry and parched upon the trees. But
bark of trees from which cloth
from which mats
were
that pa’i-atua did not produce any effect.
Then the king said,
“We must humble ourselves before God; we must
tremble with fearl Let us offer a man as a tapu (pledge or sacrifice) to
atone for unintentional offenses and regain God’s favor in this our great
priests slew a man and offered him at the shrine of
Ta’aroa, and soon clouds gathered in the sky, and rain fell and restored the
land to its former flourishing condition.
Tlrus it was shown that the
gods liked human flesh, which was called te avae roroa (Long-legged fish) ;
and it remained the custom ever afterwards for the king or high priest to
décidé when such a sacrifice was required and for the priest to put his order
into execution.
But this happened very seldom until ’Oro, god of war,
came into favor after the Flood, when he required many human sacrifices.
distress.”
So the
always taken unawares, and
captives, called titi, men of the lowest
rank, called manahune, and men of the middle classes who made themselves obnoxious to those in power. When one of a family was taken, the
others were doomed to follow. Consequently expectant victims fled and hid
in terror when an occasion for such sacrifice arrived, and they did not
breathe freely until the to’ere drum announced that the man was obtained
The victims
were men
for human sacrifices
were
chosen from among war
Received from Tamera and
Anani, high priests o£ Tahiti, excepting paragraphs
3,
4,
and 5.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
197
altar and finally buried. From this custom arose the
“Baha ’oe? toea tapu!” (What are you? a remnant of
and offered upon the
ironie old taunt,
sacrifices !)
A
long banana shoot, called ta’ata-o-meia-roa (man-long-banana), was
otfered on ordinary occasions as a substitute for a human being, but when
required, the sovereign sent the order to an under chief to
The messenger, who was generally a stern-willed warrior,
would go with a club of toa or stone hidden under his clothes and
enquire of the chief, “Hâve you not got a broken calabash here?” or,
“Hâve you not seen a stray dog here ?” And when a person of the doomed
class happened to be near, the chief would answer with a significant look
towards him, and before he was aware of evil coming, the manslayer struck
him fatally upon the temple or back of the neck, taking care not to break
a bone of his body,
put him into a ha’ape’e (a long coconut-leaf basket),
man
was
obtain
one.
a
and carried him off.
,
Captain Henry was
house where he
saw
an
once présent
instance of
at
a
a
meeting of natives in
a
large
treacherous murder of this kind.
signal given by the chief, which was merely a downward glance of
suddenly despatched from the midst of the unsuspecting assembly and borne away, a sight which so horrified Captain
Henry that he forced his way out through the fence forming the side of
At
a
the eye, a poor man was
the house where he had sat and hurried home.
Soon he saw men pass on
the way to the marae with the bleeding body of the
time when a messenger came for a doomed man who
victim. At another
had hidden away, a
member of the household would go and treacherously decoy him to a spot
where the other could waylay and slay him.
Many other cold-blooded
stratagems were used. At times the under chief befriended the condemned,
when he would de fer giving an answer to the enquiry until he had slily
warned the intended victim to be armed and to try to redeem his life by
slaying his assailant and making him the victim for the sacrifice. If the
condemned man was the victor he secured his own émancipation and that of
his family, to whose former State the survivors of the new victim became
subject. In event of failure to meet the demands of his sovereign, the
under chief was in danger of losing his land and property by confiscation.
The occasions for
ofïering human sacrifices were :
Laying the foundatlon stone of a national marae.
Uhi-a-iri-o-te-matahiapo. Washing of the royal firsthorn.
Faora’a.
piha’era’a reva. Tearing of the royal flag.
First introduction of the royal child to the public.
Tehera’a o te ari’i matahiapo.
Circumeision of the firsthorn prince.
Fa’atoira’a o te ari’i matahiapo.
Coming of âge of the firsthorn
Reva hahae or
Vahi-a-pa.
princess.
prince or
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
198
Inauguration of the sovereign.
te maro.
Perforating tapa cloth to make a royal feather girdle.
Tu’ura’a-o-te-au.
First piercing of the needle into the cloth.
Fa’aari’ira’a.
Maura’a titi
o
Piura’a o te maro.
In completing the maro.
Rao-va’a-a-te-ari’i.
Canoë roller for the sovereign
a new land.
Matea.
Awakening the tutelar god to présidé
or
over
heir
In
equipping
a
canoë
In erecting a
visiting
in hattle.
to go with an olîering of peace to ’Oro.
Turu-ari’i.
To support a king after defeat in hattle.
la-no-te-fa’atau’aroha.
Pish for pledging international
Turua-fare-ia-manaha.
in
hattle.
Pure-ari’i.
Invocation for the sovereign to be victorious
Haea-mati.
In opening hostilities at war tlme.
Maui-feathers.
apparent
friendship.
house of sacred treasures of the
marae.
Only male sacrifices, htiman or otherwise, were supposed to be accept¬
gods, the sole exceptions to the rule heing a woman or girl
able to the
who died from the hlack art
or
was
slaiii in
war
Toi-mata, daughter of ’Oro.
ofifered to
time, when she
was
four offerings called taraehara (atonements) : (i) Ta’ata(man-long-banana), which was a long banana shoot used as a
substitute for a man by priests at the marae and also by doctors in healing
the sick. The banana shoot was also a Symbol of peace—their olive branch.
(2) The fei-’ai (petition-with-food), the sacrificial pig or dog besmeared in
its own blood and offered as a national atonement at the royal marae.
(3)
Tai-fenua (homesickness), food and other présents brought by exiles who
had been banished from home hy their sovereign during political distur¬
bances and who wished to regain royal favors. When the présent was accepted it meant forgiveness and restoration to former dignity; if rejected
it was a warning for the supplicant to make a speedy retreat.
(4) Faitera’ataua (reconciliation-of-friends), food or other présents exchanged between
There
were
o-meia-roa
friends who had been alienated from each other.
MORT AL
SINS®
{pahara aiaai) against the priests
during religions solemnities were : taute, violation of sanctity by doing
domestic work; hara faiaia, irreverance in offering human victims; hara
i te fa’ahaerea, clumsiness in processions or failing in religions récitals ; paoa
pure, hurrying over prayers to serve the food; ai haruma i te omu pua’a,
greediness in eating the head of a pig; ai haruma i te omu honu, greediness
in eating the head of a turtle.
The sins that were held as mortal sins
of these offenses, sure judgment upon the priest, people, and
supposed to follow, and if confession and atonement were
not quickly made the priest, it is said, would die in great agony by a curse
For any
the land
"
was
Received
from
Pômare II,
Mahine, and the priests generally.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
199
from the gods.
In that case the people made atonement witli peace offeriiigs at the marae. When a priest was seen committing such misdeeds during the sacred spell for which he had been purihed, it behooved the witness
of the act immediately to report him to the fraternity and ail the community, who would hold a general meeting and suspend the offender from
his sacred fimctions at that time.
This was a great dégradation, for he
thus remained among the people divested of clérical honor. At length when
festivity approached, one priest would propose to the
ofïender and receive him again into favor. When ail
agreed to do so, they would make it known to the high priest and community, who after assembling and deliberating would agréé also to the
proposai. Then a priest of good standing was chosen to fetch the offender,
who would corne with a chicken and a sprig of miro (called ava) in his
hand. If his offense had been domestic work, for example, he would say :
the time for another
others to pardon the
Teie
au, teie te pinia moa, teie te
’ava, ei taraehara a’e i taua hara
na’u ra, i taute ai au. Fa’aora ia’u i
taua hapa ra.
rau
Here am I, here is the chicken, here
is the ava sprig to atone for my sin,
when 1 did domestic work.
Forgive
me that transgression.
The offering was accepted for the marae, and ail présent would respond ;
A haere mai.
la ora ’oe !
A haere
mai i te ’oro’a.
A haere na ra e
horoi i taua mahuruhuru nau ra.
So the
Corne hither !
May you live ! Corne
the ordinance.
But go first and be
cleansed of your debasement.
to
priest who had fetched him accompanied him to the
foliowing prayer to the tutelar god :
there immersed him with the
Tahiti’a mai,
e te Atua, tohiu maro
i tohiu tahu’a nei ! Fa’atiama’i i to
tahu’a i hara nei, ia ma te taute i tai
nui atea ia moe i tai mauriuri ; ia ma
te mahuru huru, te hara o to tahua nei.
Fa’aho’i mai i te moa nona, ia tarai
sea
and
Hearken, O god, inspirer through the
e,
loin girdle, to thy body of priests !
Cleanse thy priest who has offended,
that his domestic défilement be cleansed
in the trackless océan, be lost in the
fa’ahou ’oia i te urua ia hi’i fa’ahou i te
the sin of this thy priest be cleansed.
Restore him to holiness, that he may
aitu, ia poro fa’ahou, ia ho, ho fa’ahou,
ia rutu fa’ahou i te pahu, e ia naupa
fa’ahou tana
te Atua e !
rau
’ava.
Tahiti’a mai
e
murmuring
sea;
that the debasement,
again eut up cavalla fish, again nurse
gods, again herald them, shout for
them, that he may again beat the drums
and again obtain the ava leaf. Hearken
to us, O gods !
the
Then the
offending priest was restored to the fraternity, pardoned and
purihed and again privileged to perform ail the rites of his calling.
regard to the tumu-fara feast, it was believed that the gods would
speedy judgment upon the people, from the king downward, if they
served themselves before setting apart the portion for the gods.
But if
they made speedy restoration for what they had taken, the gods forgave
In
send
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
200
them.
If
a
shark
or
other fish were eaten by some
of them from among
those that they had caught for the timiu-fara and they immediately obtained
another in its stead, the gods turned away their faces from the breach in
good manners, while the transgressors simply placed it among the other
fishes. But when a man stole food from the pile not yet divided and made
no restoration, his deed was soon made known by the gods to somebody,
who then took a bunch of prickly grass burs and tied it to the door of the
ofïender. This act, called taupiri (stick fast), was a warning to the thief
that his deed was known, and if he ignored the plain hint he was ostracized
by the community, and sickness or misfortune' followed him.
In présentations of food to the gods, the best of the first obtained was
carefully sorted for that purpose, as terrible conséquences were feared in
case of serving the gods last.
(vSee p. 241.)
IDEAS OF A FUTURE STATE
It
was
supposed that when people died violent deaths
their spirits
people who died from natural causes,
but that they remained at the places where the fatal accidents occurred,
rendering these places sacred or dreaded. Hence the belief still that certain
places, especially marae and former battle-fields, are haunted, and the oldtime adoption of certain sharks as being possessed with the spirits of
ancestors that the sea had engulfed.
The spirits of persons who had committed suicide from disappointment in love or jealousy ever afterwards
remained with the object of attachment.
Little babies murdered at birth
(puaru) became home guardians of their parents, who sometimes fancied
they heard their cries at night. Babies born prematurely went down to
Ta’aroa’s pools of water in Hades, where they entered into hihi (periwinkles) and o’opu {Blectris fusca), which were eaten by the gods; they
did not die, however, but slipped into new bodies whenever taken.
Babes
that had not seen the light from other causes were permitted to enter into
did not go the same way as those of
the
same
State
kind of fishes in rivers
went to
on
the earth.
Children in the dépendent
their ancestors.
a natural death they believed, like Theosophists, that the spirit
by the body three days before leaving it; and then adepts professed to see the spirit take its flight, describing its attitude and other
After
remained
spirits that sometimes accompanied it.
From the body, the spirit, warding off evil genii with the ’ura amulets,
went to Tataa Hill at Puna’auia, the grand place of assemblage for ail
disembodied soûls in Tahiti. If it alighted there upon the 0 fai-or a (stoneof-life) it could return by powerful attraction to its body; but if it went
on
to the ofai-pohe (stone-of-death), it was forever severed from its
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
201
In either case it ascended from Tataa, to Rotui (Soulmountain in Mo’orea, and thence to Mount Temehani
in Ra’iatea, where two paths branched from the main road along the ridge,
the one to the right leading to a lonely hillock, standing like a detached
buttress, called Pu-o-roo-i-te-ao (Center-to-arrive-in-heaven), and the other
to the left leading to a cone-shaped heap, called Pu-o-roo-i-te-Po (Centermortal remains.
dispatching),
a
to-arrive-in-Hades).
At the point of déviation stood the god, Tu-ta-horoa
(Stand-to-permit),
of life at Tataa hill met him he
would under certain conditions tell it to return to its body to remain a
while longer in this life.'*'* But generally he merely pointed to one of the
t-wo roads, which the spirit silently took.
When allo-wed to go to the right,
it flew on to Pu-o-roo-i-te-ao and there met Roma-tane (Voluptuous-man)
■who received the ’ura feather amulets as peace offerings, -wliereupon the
spirit was safely ushered into the desired Paradise, called Rohutu-noanoa
(Rohutu-of-s'weet-odor). But ■when directed to the left by Tu-ta-horoa the
spirit had no alternative but to obey and fly up on to Pu-o-roo-i-te-Pô,
and when the spirit coming from the stone
whence it flew down into the crater of Temehani and was soon ushered
into the presence of Ta’aroa-nui-tuhi-mate
(Great-Ta’aroa-whose-curse-was-
In this région the rank of mortal beings was not respected, but
ail were treated alike.
Kings, noblemen, and plebeians, according to their
capabilities, were food-gatherers, fishermen, planters, and menial servants
to the gods; queens and ail classes of women served the goddesses, for, as
the legends of old Tafai and the goddess Pere show, régions like
those above ground and the same kind of life were supposed to exist
below.
When their work was doue these captive spirits had to sit about
in the région of utter darkness—which to the gods was not obscure—by
the ever-rushing river where Ta’aroa and his coadjutor Rua-tupua-nui liked
to dwell; and when it pleased Ta’aroa, his cooks scraped the spirits into a
pulp with the shell of the tupere (cockle) as sweetening for his pota (taroleaf spinach).
But this process did not annihilate them, and they came
again to be at Ta’aroa’s disposai.
death).
After remaining about a year in this purgatory, the spirits looking misér¬
able, would be sitting with recent arrivais around Ta’aroa, who at last
moved to pity would ask if they were not happy, and on being answered
in the négative, he would ask what they desired.
They would say they
were homesick and would like to be released to visit the upper world.
Then
Ta’aroa, after enquiring about their homes and relatives, showing great
tell them they were free to go for a
interest in ail their answers, would
visit.
After this
See legend of
they became inferior gods, called ’oromatua, that were
Tafai (p.-552).
i
202
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
composée! of three classes: ’oromatua maitatai (good ’oromatua), who
entered into their own skulls as family gods or guardian spirits; ’oromatua
’ori’ori noa (rambling ’oromatua), who sometimes appeared to members
of their family to direct them in their worldly affairs or warn them of
Corning dangers; and ’oromatua nihoniho-roroa or ’ oromatua-ia-aru
(’oromatua with long teeth or people in the woods). (See p. 203.) The
first class were always benevolent; the second class were kind when
well treated, but abandoned those whom they would befriend; and
the third class, when vexed, strangled and devoured people, even their
relatives and friends and were invoked to do so by the sorcerers in their
black art.
Persons in trances
were
supposed to be dead, and after returning to
Pô, which they believed
consciousness confirmed the statements about the
they had seen. Such a statement was made by a little man named Pupu-tetipa (Healing-class) in Ra’iatea, a farmer who had a nice home and wife
and several beautiful daughters, and who, it was said, was once taken
bodily by the gods down into the Pô and kept several days, but at last
for the sake of lus family was released and returned home;
During the year when the soûl was supposed to be safe with Ta’aroa
Pô, ail the family and near and distant relatives planted food and
fattened live stock. When ail their plans were matured, at about the anniversary of the death, they made a feast in the home of the deceased, of
which they partook in the night, pô-tupapa’u called (ghosts’s night), when
they invoked the presence of their lost relative, bidding him or her welcome
home.
This practice, they said, insured the continued good-will of the
deceased, who then never haunted them.
in the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
203
BELIEF IN SUPERNATURAL INELUENCES
THE
Magicians
BLACK ART'
and
ThBir Agîîncies
which the class of persons called feia tahutahu or orou
(magicians) had, by the influence of the powers of darkness (laying
aside what was ludicrous and ridiculous), is almost staggering to one’s
sensés and astounding to one’s faith,” frankly States Mr. Orsmond in his
Work, fearless of ail criticism. At the close of the eighteeiith and the
beginning of the ninteenth centuries, in central Polynesia, such too was
the opinion of his co-workers as well as of the American missionaries who
arrived a little later.
The following Tahitian recordg are presented as
they stand, without attempting to solve the supernatural mysteries.
Varions forms of the black art were practised in the Society Islands
with little variation, for different purposes, by magicians of both sexes,
called feia-taJiutahu^ (kindlers), likened to the kindling of a tire, and
their principal médiums of communication with “familiar spirits” were
numerous little images called ti’i (fetchers), which were supposed by Tahitians to perpetuate the malicious magical practices of Ti’i the first man, who
had a white héron fetcher. The ti’i had spécial marae or consecrated places.
These evil workers exercised great authority and receivd great gain from ail
classes who consulted and employed them in their art, which they always
practised with much secrecy.
Their dread images were sometimes neatly and at other times roughly
hewn out of sacred wood from their marae grounds, especially the pua, and
out of stone and hard coral, in caricature form of human beings, which
were dressed as little men and women in varions kinds of tapa fastened
on with fine sennit, as the sennit was supposed to contain magical powers.
The feia tahutahu were technically called nanati-’aha or natinati-aha
(sennit-binders).
In strict privacy the magicians invoked to enter their respective images
the mehoi (presence) of démons, called varua-’ino, and of malevolent
disembodied spirits of ancient famé, called ’oromatua-ai-aru (devouringghosts-of-darkness) or ’oramatua-niho-roroa (ghosts-with-long-teeth), after
which the images were named. The magicians adopted them as sons and
daughters, carefully observing the prestige of their different âges and addressing them accordingly. And it is asserted that the fetchers were
“The powers
^
2
1823 and 1840 from Anani, Mo’o and Tamera.
Feia, like ta’ata, means person or persons; and tahutahu is the same as kahuna in the
when used in this sense, its New Zealand Maori équivalent being tohunga.
Received in
Hawaiian dialect,
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
204
prompt to respond to the call of their adopted metua-tahutahu (magicianparents) to do mischief to offending parties that they were directed to
besiege.
The
marae
or
inclosures of the ti’i
were
distinguished from ail others
a little house called farc-ti’i (fetchers-house) set upon
in which the images were systematically placed
upon
beneath which was spread a bed for the metua-tahutahii,
by
high pillars,
shelves and
who always
ostensihly slept with them (in person or in effigy represented by the bed
itself), no other mortal ever daring to approach them for fear of being
tortured to death.
Even the magician was ever in fear of unwittingly
offending them and, in conséquence, of being hurled down upon the stone
pavings and perhaps killed by their mighty power.
With the ti’i
was
also
kept the vava or tunshell (Dolium perdix),
a
shell of fine délicate texture, which owing to the soft murmuring Sound one
perçoives in applying its opening to the ear was supposed to be
municating messages from the tPi to the magician.
The ti’i
were
at
com-
certain times bathed and sunned and anointed with
fragrant oil, which the gods in feathers never required, and they were
kept dressed in choice, fresh clothes. They were always presented on great
occasions at the pa’i-atua, where they received their share of ’ava with the
gods. The metua-tahutahu prepared food with sacred fire and held mys-
night festivities with the ti’i alone in their house. In this capacity
called the ’opu-tara (incantation-stomach), in contradistinction to
the ’opu-nui (august-stomach), or national marae keeper.
terious
he
was
used to convey the evil spirits into a marked person was
(developer), which consisted of something tangible from
that person held in security hy the tahutahu in a réceptacle called a fari’itupu (developer-holder). In the ti’i house was kept a stone bowl, called
the ofa’i-raro (under-stone), with a stone cover, called the ’ofai-ni’a
(upper-stone), that fitted closely into the border of the bowl; the whole
was called the fari’i-tupu.
Into this bowl was placed the tupu, consisting
of something worn or used by the intended victim, such as hair or
nail prunings, a piece of wearing apparel, a wreath of flowers, leavings of
food or drinking water, and also saliva or any other émanation from the
body; and with it was performed what was called the pifao (subtlehooking), or torturing process. The enemy of the victim or the tahutahu
procured such things by art and treachery, as people were always on their
guard against being exposed to this danger. AU persons of high rank had
spécial hereditary attendants who took to the tiri-a-pera of the marae oi
burned, buried, or sank in the sea ail tupu belonging to them.
One
called
a
means
tupu
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
205
When the tupu was obtained and secured in the fari’i-tupu, it was taken
presented to the va’a-ti’i (assembly-of-ti’i), each of which the ti’i
by name to enter and destroy the person whose iho
(essence) was therein contained. As it is affirmed that the spirits assumed
their image forms and that some of them could thus be seen and heard
on approaching and entering their victim, they were called ti’i haere ta’ata
(fetchers who walked like people). Other ti’i worked their way into
persons through the ground on which they stood or sat and could not be
seen or heard entering them; they were called ti’i motoe (worm-wriggling
fetchers). On entering a person, the symptoms />î/ao (subtle-hooking), could
not be mistaken, as excruciating pain in the intestines was produced, the
rough coral imp lacerating them, imps of stone weighing down heavily,
and those of wood slipping and pushing and piercing through and through
the intestines, thus causing high fever, palpitation of the heart, and foaming
and
parent invoked
at
the mouth.
When awestruck spectators
enquired of them who they
each imp responded in a spécial audible voice from within, “O vau”
(It is I), giving a certain name. If the torture was not quickly checked
by a healing stronger power, the sufferer usually died within a day or
two, writhing in agony. Very acute pains produced death within six or
eight hours, such a case being called nati-poto (short-setting).
Braided baskets of coconut leaves with closely fitting covers were also
were,
for the pifao workings, in a
general way, such as a sleeping mat, a piece of beam, or anything
out of a house, in which case ail its inmates were liable to become afflicted
used as fari’i-tupu to hold greater developers
more
with the aforementioned evils
or
with madness.
the
By means of the pifao, hypnotism was occasionally practised upon
victim when it best suited the purposes of the tahutahu.
In such cases
completely governed by the magician and were at his
divulging secrets and betraying relatives and dearest friends, after
which some of the victims’ lives were spared ; but they generally sickened
and died from the effects of the evil spell.
Another form of witchcraft was called timoo (overshadowing), and for
this purpose the magician, supposed to be accompanied by the evil
spirits, clandestinely made an opening into an oven of food that was being
cooked or looked into a basket of food hung up or looked at some drinking water just ready for a meal. Then he uttered an incantation for the
spirits to enter and control the food or drink, which was regarded as a
most effectuai means of fiendish destruction to the partakers, producing the
same effect as the pifao.
the vicitims became
mercy,
A
magician’s house, called a fare-tahutahu, under the control of a
a superior order that excluded witches, was considered an indis-
wizard of
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
2o6
pensable appendage to every national marae, of which the numerous little
images were called the va’a ti’i a te atua (assembly of fetchers for the
gods). Most numerous of ail were those of ’Oro, the warrior god.
spirits that possessed the ti’i of this order were said to be
(disembodied spirits) of
famous rulers and warriors of the nation, whose skulls were used as
fetchers, and were said to be of a most irritable nature, implacable and
malignant to ail their enemies and even to their friends when offended.
The evil
terrible démons of darkness and also ’oromatua
Ellis®
saw
the ruins of the ti’i house of the national
marae
of Tane at
Maeva in Huahine, which stood upon strong posts, elevated about twelve
feet from the ground.
Its chief evil genii had been the ’oromatua named
Mauri (Entrancer), Pua-ra’i (Heavenly-flower), and Tea-fao
arrow)—names of famous warrior chiefs of olden times.
It
was
(Barbed-
the office of the tahutahu of the national marae to avenge
the
king and chiefs on their enemies, to annihilate ofïending tahutahu of an
inferior order, to destroy a national foe, and to aid the warrior by performing deadly rites upon slain or captured chiefs in time of war. (See
P-
310.)
This kind of tahutahu exercised a terrible sway over ail ranks of people.
At times he used his evil influences upon
his chiefs and even upon the
king, who then, if possible, had him slain by a priest or warrior.
In the reign of Pômare I a famous prophet and magician of ’Oro, named
Metua (Parent), one day had a lively discussion with the king and was
heard to say, “You must yield, you must yield, or I shall bend my bow
with force” {B tu’u ’oe, e tu’u ’oe, a fefe maite ta’u fana). This speech
was supposed to be in reference to his boasted power in the black art, for
not long afterwards the king’s eldest son, Te-ari’i-na-vaho-roa, the young
prince of Taiarapu, became ill and died with ail the symptoms of sorcery.
The death was laid at Metua’s door, whether rightly or wrongly was never
known.
The party robbed
lay the case before him, whose means, called
apovarua (spirit-reflector), of identifying the thief was as follows : In
the marae house was kept a black ‘unie te (wooden-trough) or a black
coconut cup, into which water was poured to serve as a mirror, the dark
receiver rendering a clear reflection in the water of objects before it;
in the ground below some bewitched houses was a basin-shaped hole which
the tahutahu lined with à great ape leaf and filled with water to serve as a
By fetchers, thieves were made to confess their guilt.
would go to the magician and
mirror.
®
These reflectors were called apo-varua.
Ellis, Wm.,
Polynesian
researches, London,
1829.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
After
207
being informée! of a case of theft, the tahutahu would take a
young banana shoot to represent the culprit, and holding it before the water
would invoke the
saying :
ti’i, calling upon each one by name, to reveal the thief,
E ta’u tamari’i e !
Na ’oro-matua
niho roroa, e te varua ’ino o te po, a
ti’i a fa’a’ite mai i te ta’ata i hara,
’oia ’o Mei’a-roa nei.
O my children !
teeth and devils of
fetch and reveal to
Long-banana.
This form of prayer was called the apua
Ghosts with long
darkness, go and
me
this offender,
(conjuring), and it is affirmed
by old natives still living that the likeness of the thief or thieves was by this
means soon reflected in the apo-varua.
Travelling thieves did not escape.
It is claimed that they too were traced and followed up with certainty by
the accomplished magician.
Sometimes when it became known that the
robbed party was
Consulting the dreaded tahutahu, the stolen goods were
stealthily to the owner’s promises at night, and the chief thus
escaped the terrible ordeal, as the matter was then dropped and forgotten.
returned
When a thief premeditated theft, he said to his god :
e, te haere nei au e
’oe e fa’aro’o mai ia he
to’u reo auanei ; ia maau vau ia ’oe
na, eiaha ’oe e hi’o mai, e te atua.
E
ta’u
eia,
eiaha
This
atua
was
O my god, I am going to steal; do
heed me when my voice goes
not
astray^ by and by; let me be a fool to
thee; do not notice me, O god.
called becoming maau i te atua
the thief felt that he could rob with
(a fool to the god).
Then
impunity, and when taxed with the
by the owners of the property, who were put on his track by the
he did not hesitate to deny it in the most solemn manner,
speaking thus :
theft
sorcerer,
’A’ita vau i rave i tena 11a taoa; e
topa noa ’tu na vau i ta’u atua, e topa
noa ’tu ho’i au i ta’u tamaiti matahiapo,
ei ’ite e ’a’ita vau i rave i ta ’oe tao’a!
The
owner
would
erty.
reply :
e huna màrô !
Tei ia ’oe
tao’a ra; na ’oe mau i rave,
ua apua hia ’oe e te orou.
’O ’oe mau
a
te eiâ, na apo hia to ’oe varua, ua
’itea hua hia to ’oe na huru.
Eiaha ’oe
mau
hâve not taken that property; I
call my god [to witness], I assuredly call my first-born son to wit¬
ness that I hâve not taken your prop¬
I
even
taua
Do not persist in denying it ! You
hâve really got that property, you really
took it, you hâve been conjured by the
sorcerer.
You are really the thief,
.
spirit has been reflected, you hâve
been clearly identified.
your
This was generally enough to make the thief yield and either return the
stolen
*
goods
The voice
or pay
for them.
But if the thief continued to deny the
going astray signifiée! telling lies to hide the theft.
Bernice P. Bishop Miiscum—Bidletin 48
2o8
charge, he was captured and taken to the sorcerer, who then used threats
make him confess, and if he still denied, the sorcerer used his art upon
him, which was called rua-ha’a (source-of-action), and the démon tortures
soon followed.
At intervals, the sorcerer would exhort the victim to con¬
fess, and when he resisted the sorcerer would say, “Ua niaau ’oia i ta’ na
atua” (He has become a fool to his god), and the tortures went on until
death frequently ended the terrible tragedy. Women and children were not
spared this fiendish treatment, as the sorcerer was inexorable.
to
conclusions evidently show that niany poor victims were
perhaps objects of hatred and spites, and granting that
the sorcerers were impartial in sacred writings is the statement that “lying
spirits” frequently deceived those who dealth with them.
Such tragic
innocent persons
When the
tahiitahu desired to discontinue their connection
with the
generally claimed to be
haunted and secretly dug holes three or four feet deep, in which they
buried each image separately, bidding farewell to the spirit it represented,
which was thus supposed to abandon its earthly abode and return to darkness.
This performance was called fa’arue-ti’i (casting-off-of-fetchers).
ti’i, they chose unfrequented ground that was
But in
some
cases
those ti’i were said to hâve been stubborn
haunted the sorcerers and their families in dreams
and to hâve
and otherwise, in which
the ti’i parent concluded that they were not pleased with their graves
and so would carefully remove them to more désirable places, sometimes
case
repeating the process again before the hauntings ceased.
was
Such strong hold had these beliefs upon the people that when idolatry
abolished they were careful to gather up and bury their ti’ij allowing
few of them to fall into the hands of incredulous foreigners. Occasionally a stray ti’i image is excavated from its hiding place by people digging the soil.'*
very
People of ail classes made hideous images of wood from their own
invested them with ail the power they could muster, and then
attached them to posts, in clusters looking in ail directions.
These they
firmly planted upon the boundaries of their land, and heaped around with
stones for private, incidental restriction of food.
They were called ti’i-pûmarae,
(clustered-fetchers-f or-restriction), differing only in dimensions,
who removed them at
rahui
according to the rank or class of the proprietor,
pleasure.
Isaac Henry, the father of the compiler of this work, once founcl one of stone on an
site in Hitiaa, Tahiti, which he presented to the Rev. Mr. Arboiisset, of the Protest¬
ant Parish Missionary Society, who took it to Paris as a choice relie of his sojourn in
Another one of stone was found deep in the ground at Taiohae, Marquesas, where a road was
being made and was given to me by Mrs. J, K- Browne, formerly of that place. A Marquesan
food pounder, the handle of which is crested with two ti"i heads to guard the food from
®
old
Mr.
marae
spirits,
was
Tahiti.
aîso received from Mrs. Browne.
evil
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
209
Ti’i-potua-ra’au (back-to-back-woocl-fetchers) were long hideous figures
carved one above another on ail sides of a single log of considérable dimen¬
sions from the national marae and were dedicated to démons. They were
erected with great pomp and surrounded with a great heap of stones in
the presence of the king and queen upon the public assembly ground, where-
general restriction of food on land and sea was proclaimed.
sickness, misfortune, and even death were said inevitably to befall
those who transgressed these forms of prohibition, few persons ever venever
a
As
In raising the restriction the ti’i were taken down
and put away for future use, when the spirits were supposed to abandon
them until invoked for a new érection by the same proprietors.
Conquer-
tured thus to ofifend.
and Etrangers who became possessors of the land
same old images but must make new ones
(p. 167).
ors
could not use the
Ti’i-tu’U-ahu (Fetchers-for-lowering-clothes) were an order of ti’i not
possessed with démons—immense images representing the reigning dynasty
of the land. One was placed upon each boundary of crown land and invested with royal dignity in order that no one might transgress upon such
property. Etiquette demanded that persons passing them should bare their
heads and lower their clothes down to their waists in
reverence
for the
personage they represented.
When conquering chiefs came into posses¬
sion of the land and a new royal family reigned, the old images were de-
stroyed and fresh ones placed in their stead to represent the new dynasty.
Laborers and other persons meanly clad or carrying loads of any kind always gave them wide berth, so as not to desecrate their presence thus, and
as only fools or strangers in the land ever violated these observances, they
they did so, and vassals quickly turned
without punishment. But these great ti’i, like the small ones,
gradually lost their import as the old customs gave place to new. In the
reign of King Pômare II, the last of them were left to stand, decay, and
were
not
held accountable when
them away
crumble away.
DisënchanTER
People that were supposed to be under a curse of the gods of the
feia-tahutahu, both men and women were taken to a prayer-healing priest
of the regular clergy, called the apa (disenchanter), ha’a-tupn (growthcombater), or tao-ti’i (rebuker-of-fetchers), whose marae was dedicated to
the god Ro’o-te-roro’o, and who was at ail times a defier of magicians and
evil spirits, being in favor with ail the gods of the higher classes.
He
practised his art in the following manner : going to the marae of the god
he chanted F
Given in archaic language
by Anani,
a
priest of that order.
Bernice P. Bishop Museuin-—Bulletin 48
210
Pare mai i te tapu o Ro’o te
i te rito,
i te mahora o Ro’o ;
i te fai pu i te peapea
ia Ro’o i ni’a,
ia Ro’o i raro,
ia Ro’o i uta,
ia Ro’o i tai,
ia Ro’o i te poiri, ■
ia Ro’o i te maramarama !
roro’o ;
of the renovation,
of the adjustment of Ro’o;
on full confession of troubles
above,
to
to
to
to
Tu, Ro’o te roro’o,
to
I mauri i roto i to metua vahiné,
i fanau matahiapo mai ia Fa’ahotu.
Tu i te ufa i te pare,
i
te
pare
e
marna
o
i
te
riria na,
Ejection of evil by the adjuration of
Ro’o-te-roro’o ;
pare ;
Ro’o
to
Ro’o below,
Ro’o inland,
Ro’o seaward,
Ro’o in darkness',
Ro’o in light !
Stand, Ro’o-te-roro’o, who vvas entranced® within thy mother, and wast
the firstborn of Fa’ahotu.
Stand to eject with vehemence, to
eject with mildness ; eject the ills of
grudges, conveyed through dreams !
moemoea !
For casting out a disorder, the apa would take a banana shoot in one
hand, to represent the evil-working magician, and a bundle of ava roots for
the other hand, and repair to the house of the afflicted person,
ready to make
confession to the apa, in the name of the patient who might be délirions
and unable to answer for himself.
Upon a mat close by were placed
precious gifts for the god Ro’o, in the person of his priest, where also
the ava roots brought by him were placed.
On approaching the patient the following words between the apa and
family circle would take place :
the god in
around whom the relatives and friends would be assembled,
“What complaint is ailing thee?
Is it a curse, an error, or pride?”
“No !”
“What then is it? A parent’s curse?”
“No !”
“An imprécation?
Sacredness vio-
“Eaha to ma’i i taai na?
E tuhi, e ’oe, e mataotao?”
"Eaha
ra?
“E ahua?
“E’ere!”
E rorai?”
“Eere !”
lated?”
E ra’a i fatia?”
“Eere!”
“E patu mo’a i fa’ahoroa?”
“Eere !”
“E ’a’au mimiro, e matamataee,
hahara, to mai i taai na?”
“Eere!”
“E fa’atomo to mai i taai na?”
'^’Oia ia!”
e
“No !”
“A sacred wall pushed down?”
“No !”
“Is it a burdened soul, estranged,
accused, that afflicts’ thee?”
“Art
craft ?”
thou
“No !”
possessed
with
witch-
(That is it!) would be the éjaculation, and then the apa,
holding the banana shoot in his hand, would chant the healing prayer, as
follows :
Ei hahau area ; ei po otahi nei e te
e !
E mo’a ’oe i roto, e ra’a ’oe i vaho
atua
nei ;
®
For the entrancement on exchange
Let relief
corne
in; let this [ailing]
end in this one night, O god!
Thou art
holy within, thou
sacred without ;
of sexes between Atea and Faahotu, see page 372,
art
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tu’u
mai to fa’a’ai pua’a, to ’imi
i te motu, tara !
Homai i te ta’ata o Mei’a-roa te ’iiio.
ura
Teie
ta’ata,
tau
Mei’a roa, mai te ’upo’o e te avae,
mai te avae e te ’upo’o ;
A haha tau arihi, e rumirumi,
a tau ai i ’oro Po a.
Teie te ’ura, teie te ’ava, fa’aoa’oa ia
oe, teie te epa, teie te hiuniu, te tapaau
ra’a mata, ei utu i to riri, e te atua, tara I
Homai i to riri i te Mei’a-roa nei ;
tahitia mai to maru, to tapu i teie.
e
te atua i te marae amo’a.
Te amo atu nei au i to tapu,
roa, e te atua e !
If confessions of
o
Meia-
211
Spare thy pig feeder, thy ’ura feather
seeker
of
Transfer
the
atolls,
[the
evil]
restore
to
him !
the
man,
Long-banana.
Here is thy man,
Long-banana, from head to foot,
from foot to head ; let thy priest triumph, and squeeze him, that he de¬
scend and be grated' in Hades.
Here are the ’ura feathers, here is
ava to make thee glad, here are choice
gifts [pointing to the mat of gifts],
here is' the scientist, to discover the
face [of the evil doer], and to trans¬
fer thine anger upon him, O god, forgive !
Place
thine
anger
upon
Long-ba¬
here présent ; hearken unto thy
devotee, [grant] thy pledge in this.
nana,
temple of deliverance.
to thee thy sacrifice,
Long-banana, O god !
O god of the
I am bearing
guilt were made in behalf of the patient by those
présent in answer to some of the spécifie questions, the apa made appropri-
theni, asking for forgiveness of the gods in his invocation.
then put aside the banana shoot and placed his hands upon
the patient applying massage with coconut oil, which 'was called fa’atahinu
(anointing), from head to foot. If the patient yawned, it was a hopeful
sign, and the apa would say, “A, ’oia ia, a fa’ahope hua ’oe i ta ’oe hara, e.
tataai hua na ’oe i tena na tuputupua!” (Ah, that is right, confess ail
your sins, and throw ofï those evil monsters.)
And if the patient yawned
again, the apa would command with authority:
ate
mention of
The apa
A haere ’oe’” i vaho, e te atua !
E ho’i atu ’oe i te po ra. i to nohoraa mau, eiaha roa ’oe e ho’i mai i
teie nei ta’ata !
E
i te
’oia
te
atua
metua
e
o
to’na
e,
a
fa’atapupu maite ’oe
teie pue ti’i, ia mou roa
’atoa ra hua’ai.
Eiaha roa ia toe i te fenua nei.
Corne out [of him], O gods!
Return
to
darkness, your proper
abode, and return never again into
this person !
O god, cause to be chopped to atoms
the parents of these fetchers, let him
be exterminated with ail his ofïspring.
Let them not remain upon this
earth.
The wooden fetchers were said to be the most easily conquered by the
apa; the stone and coral ones strongly resisted him, the latter adhering to
the vitals, and being specially injurions to women victims.
®
On page 201 it is shown that the soûl that went to Hades was supposed to be grated or
scraped to sweeten food for Ta’aroa, after which it still lived.
In Tahiti
spirits
were
aiways addressed collectively
as
one
being.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
212
And
ended the
proceedings of the apa. When left by the fetchers,
days, suffered excruciating pain, yawning and
sleeping a great deal, and lingered, sometimes only to die at last from the
so
the patient lay prostrate for
evil effects.
When the apa had full coiitrol of the case, it is said that
obeyed him, even to entering into and destroying their keeper
and family, and then disappeared from the world of
light forever.
the démons
AH old natives
acquainted with the past and those who practised the
testimony to the truth of the evil
influences of démons among them in heathen times,
agreeing exactly with
Bible testimony.
Some sorcerers hâve confessed that they sometimes
had recourse to poisons, which they
craftily administered when foiled
in their artifices.
It is noteworthy that with ail their faith in the
supernatural they hâve invariably stated that their incantations hâve had no
power whatever when concentrated upon white people whom they had
wished to destroy, such, for instance, as the
pioneer missionaries, because,
they said, the missionaries were protected by a God more powerful than
any they could invoke, and as the native people became Christians, they
also were unattainable.
Thus the Scripture records were forcibly verified
that before Christ the démons fled, having naught to do with Him. The
early Christians, defied the magicians and their machinations as they helped
spread the gospel in the face of persécution and death among their fellow
black art themselves hâve agreed in their
islanders, a circumstance that encouraged conversion. With the propaga¬
Christianity in the Society Islands the terrible symptoms that were
once so common and regarded as
workings of sorcery, hâve ceased to
tion of
exist.
Ei^fiîcts of Sorcëry
The early missionaries were frequent eyewitnesses of the
strange work¬
ings attributed to the powers of darkness and were deeply impressed by
them.
On one occasion, when a Mr. Nott and Pômare II were at Mo’orea
during a religions conflict among the natives, they sent two young royal
retainers to Tahiti for some taro, directing them to a certain field that was
planted by a man named Ma’o, who had often previously supplied Mr.
Nott with that food in exchange for other things and who
happened to
be a sorcerer. The lads found the taro, and as Ma’o was
away in another
district at the time they took the quantity required and prepared to return
to Mo’orea, leaving a présent with his
family. But before they departed,
the proprietor, who belonged to the ranks of the heathen party against the
Christians, came home and was so enraged at what they had doue that he
pronounced terrible imprécations upon them, threatening them with the
pifao (subtle-hooking).
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
213
Not long after the young men returned to Mo’orea, one of them, named
Pitere (Traveling-sprays), was taken ill, and his family pronounced his com-
plaint to be the working of the pifao in its most rapid and fatal forra,
nati-poto (short-setting), and being still heathen people they applied
foi" help from the disenchanters of great famé, Hau-ti’a
(Rightful-peace),
Ma’i (Sickness), and Te-’ore
(Ceasing), respectively; but their efforts to
save were of no avail.
On hearing of the trouble, Pômare and Mr. Nott
went to see the sufferer and were much moved on
fînding him lying on the
ground, convulsed with terrible agony, with bloodshot eyes starting out of
their sockets, foaming at the mouth, and in the last throes. Ail the household stood around him in horror and despair, and in a few minutes, while
Mr. Nott was trying to calm him, he expired.
Another Tahitian sorcerer, named Tete (Inflated), from some personal
grudge was said to hâve caused the death by sorcery of the young son of
a man named Vai-hao
(Adamant-river). The child died before aid could
be obained, Vai-’au (Swimming-water), a native teacher, being an eyewitness. In Maupiti, a man named Huma (Crab) was found guilty of
decoying a woman away from lier husband, whose name was Uu (Muscle)
and who was a sorcerer. In the morning Huma was seized with symptoms
of pifao, and he died at noon. This instance was stated by Mai’oa (Comegladness), also a native teacher.
called
The missionaries also knew of whole familles who were carried off, one
after
It
another, with alleged pifao artifices.
was
stated as a fact to the missionaries in Ra’iatea that there
was
at
Opoa an apa named Mahurua (Two-clouds), upon whom a sorcerer named
Fa’atotà (To-deride) was using his enchantments one morning, when the
apa became aware of them. So Mahurua quickly sent his wife to a sandy
point not far off to make him a hole in which to conceal himself. This
was soon doue.
Then, while the fetchers were heard coming, by the rustling
of dry hreadfruit leaves in back of his house, in order to dodge them
Mahurua went out into the sea which was high at the time, and allowing
himself to be caught by a great wave, he was carried upon it to the point
and got into the hole, in which his wife buried him, leaving out only his
nose
and mouth.
Thus he awaited the approach of the fetchers, and his
wife returned home
so
as
not
to
with the démons.
endanger herself by coming in contact
Soon Mahurua heard his foes
approaching, and as they drew near, he
(Here is the disenchanter
of Ro’o
who hroke through the sky). This so startled the fetchers that
they stood still, not daring to approach him, and soon they disperséd and
cried out, “Teie te apa a Ro’o vahia mai te ra’i!”
This god
(See p. 369.)
was
the first that
came
out of the confined sky of Atea into the light of day.
214
Bernice P. BisJiop Muséum-—Bulletin 48
returned home.
So Mahurua
quietly got out of his sandy bed, went to
rejoin his wife unharmed, and was never again attacked by the sorcerer’s
imps.
PIRE WAI.KING
In Raiatëa
For the performance of firewalking, magicians invoke as presiding genii
heroines of ancient times, Hina-nui-te-’a’ara (GreatGray-of-scented-herbs), of niany titles, who.became the goddess of the
moon; and Te-vahine-nui-tahii-ra’i (The great-woman-who-set-fire-to-thesky), a contemporary of the former. (See p. 464.) These two women
it is said, were always dressed in skirts, garlands, and wreaths of shredded
green and yellow leaves of the ti, which émit a sweet odor and which
Polynesians of ail classes hâve held as sacred. This garb therefore is worn
out of compliment to the two heroines by the adepts of firewalking, who
hold that wands of ti leaves are indispensable for the performance.
of the company two
In 1885, a Mr. Hartwell of California witnessed the ceremony at ’Avera,
Ra’iatea, and on his return to San Francisco wrote an article upon it, which
of the editors of the local papers would accept for publication, exclaiming as they refused it, “You are crazy, man !” An extract of Mr.
none
Hartwell’s account 1® follows :
The natives of Ra’iatea hâve some performances so entirely out of the ordinary
of events as to institute inquiry relative to a proper solution. On the 20th of
course
September, 1885, I witnessed the wonderful, and to me inexplicable, performance of
passing through the Fiery Furnace. The furnace that I saw was an excavation of three
or four feet in the ground, in a circular form (sloping upwards), and about thirty feet
across.
The excavation was filled with logs and wood, and then covered with large
stones.
A lire was built underneath, and kept burning for about a day. When I wit¬
nessed it, on the second day, the fiâmes were pouring up through the interstices of the
rocks, which were heated to a red and white heat. When everything was in readiness,
and the furnace still pouring out its intense heat, the natives marched up, with bare
feet, to the edge of the furnace, where they halted for a moment, and after a few
passes of the wand made of the branches of the ti-plant by the leader, who repeated
a
few words in the native language, they stepped down on the rocks, and walked
leisurely across to the other side, stepping from stone to stone. This was repeated
five times, without any préparation whatever on their feet, and without injury or
discomfort from the heated stones.
There
was
not
on
their
umu-tî performance
that
even
the smell of fire
garments.
An article
took
was
written on the occasion of
an
place in 1890 at Uturoa, the capital of Ra’iatea, a full account
of
which was furnished by my brother-in-law, Mr. Gustaf Brodien, of Ra’iatea.
in San Francisco from which it was reproduced
2, no. 2, 1893.
Raiatean ceremony: Jour. Polynesian Soc., vol. 2, pp. lOS-108,
Afterwards published in pamphlet form
in the Journal of the Polynesian Society, vol.
1893.
Henry, Teuira, Te umu-ti,
a
Henry—Ancient Tahifi
215
Morné, Lieutenant de Vaisseau, took a snapshot of the ceremony, and
M.
from the faded photograph a sketch ruade by Mr. Barnfield of
Honolulu was
reproduced accompanying the article. At the performance were présent
many people, several of whom also passed through the oven, following the
leader, Tupua. Among these were Mr. Brodien, his wife and children
(who walked in with thin slippers), M. Morné, and several other French
officers.
Mr. Brodien’s account follows:
the
Tupua and Papa-ita
say
that the ti leaves for the wands must be plucked on
stand off, facing the ti
of the ceremony, in doing which the magicians must
trees, and with ten measured steps approaching them say ;
eve
Te hi’i tapua’e tahi !
Te hi’i tapua’e rua!
Te hi’i tapua’e torui
Te hi’i tapua’e ha!
Te hi’i tapua’e rima!
Te hi’i tapua’e ono !
Te hi’i tapua’e hitu
Te hi’i tapua’e varu !
Te hi’i tapua’e iva !
Te hi’i tapua’e tini !
Hôlder of the first footstep !
Hôlder of the second footstep !
Hôlder of the third footstep !
Hôlder of the fourtli footstep !
Hôlder of the fifth footstep !
Hôlder of the sixth footstep !
Hôlder of the seventh footstep !
Hôlder of the eighth footstep !
Hôlder of the ninth footstep !
Hôlder of the tenth footstep !
During this incantation, the spécial leaves to be plucked wave approvingly forwards, and in plucking them, the magician says :
"E te Nu’u-atua e! a ara, a ti’a i
ni’a ! te haere nei taua i te umuti ananahi.”
Mareva na, e atua ia ; e mau na te
avae
i raro, e ta’ata ia.
A hi’o ti’a
rà i te vaira’a o te umu ra, ’e ’a
’ofati ’i te rau ti, mai te na’o e :
“E te Nu’u-atua e ! E haere ’oe i
teie nei pô, e ’ananahi tatou atoa ia.”
A ruru rà i te rau ti ei tauto’o tahutahu ’a ’ota’ata’a i roto i te rau fau, e
a moemoe i
roto i te marae, ia vai i
reira ho’e a’e ru’i, a na’o ai te poro’i
atu :
“A’e,
’avae
ara ! e te Nu’u-atua e ! to
haere i te umu-tî.
Te pape e
a
e
miti,
e haere ato’a.
Te to’e uri,
to’e tea, e haere i te umu. Te
’ura o te auahi e te ru’iru’i o te auahi,
e haere ana’e ; na oe e haere, e haere
’oe i teie nei pô, e ananahi ’o ’oe ia
te
ma
e
te
’ovau, e haere taua i te umu-ti.”
“O hosts of gods, awake, arise ! You
and I are going to the umu-ti (ti-oven)
tomorrow.”
If they float in the air, they are
gods ; but if their feet touch the
ground, they are human beings. Then
break the ti leaves off, looking in the
direction of the oven, and say:
“O hosts of gods!
You go tonight,
and tomorrow you and I shall go.”
Then bind up the ti leaves for a
wand; wrap them in fau (Hibiscus)
leaves, put them to sleep in the marae,
where they must remain one night, and
say in leaving :
“Arise, awake ! O hosts of gods !
Let your feet take you to the umuti.
Fresh water, and sait water corne
also.
Let the dark earthworm and
the light earthworm go to the oven.
Let the redness and the shades of the
lire ail go.
You will go, you will
tonight, and tomorrow it will be
and I ; we shall go to the umu-ti."
[This is for the night.]
At daybreak, get the ti leaves, carry
them straight [away] to the oven, and
open them when ail are ready to pass
through ; then walking round the oven.
go
you
te
la ’a’ahiata ra,
rau
tatara
ti, ’a
’i
te
amo
’a ti’i ’a
e
ineinera’a
i ni’a i taua umu
ra ;
’i te
o
te
rave
umu
feia
mai i
’a
roa,
e
haere
’a fa’a’ati te tahu-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
2i6
the magician must hold the wand forward and say ;
“O being (spirits) who enchant the
tahu i te umu, mai te fa’ati’a i te
to’oto’o rau ti i mua, a nao ai :
“E na ta’ata e tahutahu i te umu e,
ta
a
pohe na !
E to’e uri !
e
to’e tea !
umu.
rai
te
A
mau
na, e te
e, i te tahiri, e
ropu o te umu !
“Te
e!
mai
hold
while !
O
up
the
footsteps
of the
saying :
“O Vahine-nui-tahu-ra’i ! Ail is' covered !”
And everybody walks through with-
po’i'a !’’
Haere noa’tura ia ta’ata, mai te ino
na ropu, e na te hiti o taua umu-ti
ra, na mûri mai i te arata’i, o te tairi
i taria to’oto’o rau-tî na te tahi pae e
te tahi pae.
Eiaha rà te ho’e ta’ata e
hi’o i mûri, a’ore e mau te tahutahura’a,
’e ’e ’ama te avae.
out
ore
In
oven,
a
walkers and fan the beat of the bed.
O cold host, let us linger in the midst
of the oven.
O Vahine-nui-tahu-rai,
hold the fan, and let us go into the
oven
for a little while !
Hôlder of the first footstep !
Then bind up the ti leaves for a
Vahine-nui-tahuna taua i
Vahine-nui-tahu-i'a’i
let it die out for
earthworms !
O
light earthworms !
Fresh water and sait water,
beat of the oven, darkening of the
haere
Te hi’i tapua’e tahi !
Atairi rà i te umu i te tootoo,
te na’ô e :
oven,
dark
Te pape, te miti, te ’a’ama o te umu,
te ru’iru’i o te umu, a hi’i atu i te
tapua’e avae o te feia e haere nei, a
tahiri na i te ahu o te ro’i.
E te nu’u
to’eto’e e, e fa’aea na tatou i roto i te
hurt, into the middle and around
following the leader, waving
the oven,
his wand
one
must
from side to side.
But no
look back in going through
lest the spell be broken and
the oven
the feet get
burned.
Fiji
In corroboration of my article on firewalking in Ra’iatea, an account of
similar ceremony in Fiji was published by F. A. Jackson.’® This man
had been told by Fijians of the power of one matagali (tribe) on the Island
a
Bega of walking unharmed through lovu (native ovens) when the
white heat. To prove the truth of such statements the governor of Fiji, Sir John Bâtes Thurston, had the lire ceremony
performed before the vice-regal party and about 500 native spectators,
afterwards giving to Jackson a vivid description of the event and a photograph of the men entering the lovu, together with translations of the
account appearing in “Na Mata,”’® a newspaper published in the Fijian
language. The bodies of the natives who walked through the lire were
examined by Corney, the chief medical officer of the colony, who, as well
of
stones in them were at a
feat was performed. The
the shoulder of the chief of the firewalkers a
cambric handkerchief, which in the few seconds it was allowed to stay there
as
others pi'esent, could not understand how the
governor’s wife laid
on
became scorched.
Following is the translation of an account ’’’ of the ceremony performed
before the governor:
Jour. Polynesian Soc., vol. 3, pp. 72-75, 1894.
Na Mata, Nov. 30, 1885.
cit.
op.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
217
At the conclusion of the Provisional Council, the Roko and other chiefs présent
proceeded to Waisomo where the ceremony of Vilavilairevo was to be performed.
A great many persons had been at work the previous day making préparations,
digging the large oven and cutting firewood. This oven was 12 to 18 feet square.
We noticed that the small firewood was put in first and the larger on the top.
In
removing the live coals they used stones, sticks, and Via leaves'. The beat at the
side of this oven was intense, as we felt it, although some 12 feet away.
When
the coals had been removed, lonacani, the Native Stipendary Magistrate from
Rewa, walked in and commenced walking about on the hot stones ; two or three
shortly afterwards followed him in. They walked slowly and did iiot remove
hurriedly their feet from the stones. When they came out we examined them, and
found that their feet were not burnt, neither was’ their skin, nor the hair on their
legs. They did not anoint themselves or make any other préparation. When the
people saw this they shouted and would hâve leaped in and been killed in the oven
had not lonacani prevented them.
There were présent about five hundred persons.
After a short time, twenty people from Sawau came, and went into the oven, they
walked to the other side, then returned and stood in the middle; they had leaves
on their legs but these did not catch lire.
Shortly afterwards the leaves of the Wi
and Dazm trees were thrown in and caused a dense smoke to arise, so dense was it,
that the people in it could not be seen, and it was a matter of surprise that they
were not sufïocated.
We looked at one another and said, this then is really true.
Another account of
a
similar
performance has also been published.^®
In Rarotonga and Npw Zhapand
An account of the umu-tî in
Rarotonga has been written by Colonel
British résident there.
Since the publication of the article on fîre-walking in Rarotonga it has
been learned that the Maoris of Ne'w Zealand were equally acquainted with
this ceremony.
When on one occasion they heard Colonel Gudgeon’s ac¬
count, some old chiefs of the Urewera tribe expressed no surprise and said
that their ancestors could also perform the ceremony, though it had long
been out of practice.
Gudgeon
a
In Japan and TahaA
In
an
American paper was
firewalking, with illustrations.
firewalking in Japan :
published by Hamilton 20 a narrative on
He also gives the following account of
Yokohama, November 5.—According to the Japanese “Herald,” on last Monday
party of distinguished Americans participated in the célébration of a Shien Toist
religions service. . . . The American Minister to Japan, Alfred E. Buck, Mrs.
Buck, two naval officers and several others were initiated at the services of the
On Take Jinsha, a powerful sect of Shien Toists.
This sect has at its temple a
a
large furnace, in which herbs are burned. The officiating priests hold services over
fires.
The foreign visitors, including the women, took off their shoes and walked
over lire, their naked feet giving no evidence of being s'corched.
Long, Andrew, Westminster Budget, July 29, 1898, London.
Jour. Polynesian Soc., vol. 8, pp. 58-60, 1899.
Hamilton, E. H., Sunday Examiner Magazine, San Francisco, California, December, 1900.
2i8
Bernice P. Bishop Miiseurn—Bulletin 48
An account
(with photographs) of a similar performance in Taha’a was
given Hamilton by George Eli Hall, the Turkish consul-general, as follows :
On the island of TahaV^ I passed
through the baptism of fire, and were it not
for the evidence of my caméra I would [now] find it hard
to think that
it
.
was
...
a
sound
and
simple fact.
.
.
.
.
.
found them [the natives] simplicitj' and geniality
personified
We
received with every evidence of joy, and the rights of the
spirits’ or tupapaus
(ghosts) of the fire were specially arranged for our henefit. Since the time they
were
Christianized the natives rarely perform these rites.
Probably they never
were frequently
performed, for there is' a deal of work attendant upon the prépara¬
tions
It took a week to préparé the ceremony for
us, and there had not
been a similar ceremony for six years.
I
.
.
.
were
.
.
.
In the first place two sorcerers,
big and rather handsome men, had to go into
strict séclusion to arrange their minds and bodies for the trial,
What they did
in that week when they fasted and kept out of the world of action no man
None
may
permitted to go near them. They were held in awe. The native
men brought stones and
dry wood from ail over the island. Each stone was' about
ail ©ne native could carry, and as they brought them in on their shoulders there
was many a
pose that would hâve charmed the eye of St. Gaudens or Rodin.
The
stones made a great heap, and the wood was
piled under them. Meanwhile the
women brought in fruits and
fish, nuts, pigs, and wild chickens for the feast which
say.
was
was
follow the célébration of the
to
The
rites.
dres'sed in the ahu-tua (Mother Hubbard), and were decked
and garlanded on the day of the great occasion, save those who were to
go through
the test of fire.
These wore nothing save the cloth of tapa about the loins and
a wreath
upon the head.
women
When
hot.
not
were
everything
was
ready the stones
were
heated until they seemed white
They certainly were as hot as a great wood fire could make them, and could
be
approached within four
five yards in
any comfort.
Then out came the
bundle of leaves of the sacred ti. They
and began beating the edge of the fire
ail their laughing and chatter. There was’
no
Sound save the chanting of the sorcerers, who moved
slowly and with rapt
faces.- I began to feel a strange impressiveness in it
ail, and if one of the old
woodland gods had stepped out of the cover in
response to the incantations I should
or
sorcerers, each armed with a big
set up an incantation, a weird chant
with the tî leaves. The people stopped
two
.
not
hâve known
a
great
.
.
surprise.
Then still moaning and muttering, those two sorcerers started
across the hot
stones with bare feet, beating ahead of them with the
long tî leaves. There was
no trace of
hurry in their steps, Milton’s Satan walking across the burning mari
could hardly hâve been more majestic.
The face of one of those dark fellows
was
like the face of an illuminated apostle.
He seemed
uplifted by some high
thought or lofty purpose. Neither of the sorcerers looked to right or left, and
after they had passed the fire they walked on for
perhaps' a hundred yards, looking
straight ahead. It seems that if there is one backward glance the power over the
tupapaus or genii of the fire is gone, and they will bite with their fierce hot teeth.
Once the sorcerers had turned, all the people broke their silence and set
up a
mighty shout of joy.
Then some of the natives, men and girls, prepared for the test. The sorcerers
walked over the stones ahead of them, beating the way with the tî leaves'.
Always
those who went through walked straight ahead a long
distance, and always they
cried out to ask if all were through before they turned their
eyes.
Taha’a of the
Society Islands,
next to
Ra’iatea.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
And then
219
interpréter announced that the Commodore and myself would
Ail the company shouted in great joy.
We stripped
off oiir shoes, rolled up our duck trousers and took our places behind the chanting
sorcerers, who went on ahead of us again, beating the stones with the ti leaves.
Then I wished I hadn’t been so bold.
Ail the heat I ever experlenced was as
nothing compared to that. My mustache and hair curled up so I could not get
them straightened for days. My hands seemed cooking.
In my ears was a feeling
as if fires had been kindled against the drums.
My eyeballs s'eemed to boil out
the water that ran from them.
I felt like hurrying, but that never would do in the
presence of that company and with those two sorcerers marching on so majestically
ahead.
And I would not hâve looked back for half the world, such a hold had
the earnestness of those heathen priests taken on me.
But ail this time my feet
were cool, and we pass'ed the ordeal unsinged and unharmed.
walk
over
the
the hot stones.
Î}c
sfc
5i«
*
:)c
:ic
But how do you explain the fact that you were not blistered in walking over
those stones?
I do not explain.
There were scientists of some note among the
ofificers of the “Protêt.”
They could not explain. Some of the natives had their
feet slightly blistered.
The sorcerers told them they had glanced backward while
going through the test. Then the sorcerers chanted over the burned feet and
whipped them with the tî leaves'. At once the natives walked away without a limp,
saying the pain was gone.
The meaning of the ceremony?
I do not know. The people did not tell.
Perhaps its meaning has been lost to them in the long years since first they
learned the mastery of fire.
In Hawaii
In January, 1901, Papa-Ita visited Honolulu to give exhibitions of the
umu-tî ceremony, at the suggestion of a Mr. Lewis of Honolulu, who had
him perform at the
Marquesas (and whom people called the dignified
“manager”).
They gave three exhibitions to large groups of spectators, and by the
photographer Davey were taken three pictures representing the oven in its
different stages of préparation for cooking.
The Hawaiians, who are firm believers in kahunas (magicians) of ail
grades, were filled with admiration and respect for the Tahitian, and after
each performance they filled his hands with money in token of their aloha.
The Hawaiians, in days of yore, did not need so small a thing as an
artificial oven to exhibit their occult powers. The old people of the land,
including the missionaries, State that there were raany priests and priestesses,
of the fire goddess Pele, who walked over the molten lava on the broad
bosom of Kilauea volcano in performance of their sacred rites.
The Rev. Mr. Coan, a former missionary of the American Board, had
a manservant who was a famous kahuna and firewalker, named Ka-iwi-nui
(Great-bone), who used to walk fearlessly over Halemaumau, the hottest
part of the burning lake, when it was in éruption, carrying pigs, fish, and
fowls for Pele, when no one else could do so.
He seemed to command
seen
old man’s
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
220
the fiâmes, making them rise to any height in the air, then fall,
exploding
with loud reports like thunder.
There are old natives who still record
these feats,
having been eyewitnesses of them.
The ti
plant, so well known in Polynesia, is indigenous to the cool
slopes of the valley s ; it lias ever heen cultivated hy the natives
on their sacred marae
grounds and around their homes. Its leaves are
much used for wrapping fish and other food to be cooked upon an open
fire in the native oven, or in a stove.
In Honolulu, a very intelligent
mountain
native, Mrs. Brickwood, affirmed that in lier childhood she sometimes wit-
rocks by covering them with ti, leaves
uttering incantations over them. They would soon explode as if
with gunpowder.
The Hawaiians generally hâve their home surrounded
with ti plants, which many of the natives still helieve hâve power to keep
away evil spirits froni their dwellings.^i®
nessed Hawaiian priests remove solid
and
THE
TRANCE OF ARTI-PAEA-VAHINE-
Early in the beginning of the nineteenth century, hefore Christianity
embraced in Huahine, the young queen of that island, nanied Teri’itaria^^ (Queen-carried) or Ari’e-paea-vahine (Wife-of-sovereign-elect) had
a strange expérience.
One afternoon while enjoying the breezes with lier
maids in waiting, as they sat upon a mat spread out beneath the shade of
a breadfruit tree
upon the lawn of her beautiful dwelling place in the
village of Fare in Huahine, the queen sank back in a stupor, lay prostrate
as though asleep for a few moments, and then
stopped breathing, to the
great consternation of her maids and finally of ail her suhjects, who supposed her to be dead. In a trance she lay wrapped in scented tapa during four weeks without showing the least sign of life. Meanwhile. the cere¬
monies for the royal dead were performed over her, which ended by bearing
her in State to the great marae of Point Manunu at Maeva (p. 148), and
placing her upon an altar 011 the marae grounds, under a roof and covered
over with a net.
Here she was left, in charge of the clergy, to await her
final burial, which, from affection for her, was indefinitely postponed.
was
While thus entranced Ari’i-paea-vahine was conscious
of nothing around
She thought she was travelling over the islands
in company with other spirits, visiting places familiar and unfamiliar to
her, till she met a spirit lover who carried her in his bosom to his home—
a beautiful
place with a large house, where two sisters also dwelt with him.
her, but her spirit roamed.
21“
Dmerson,
Joseph,
Annual Rept., 1902.
22
Recorded by the
Sortie Hawaiian beliefs regarding
spirits:
Hawaiian Hist.
Soc.
Ninth
late high chiefesses, Ari’taimai Salmon and Ninito Sumner (an adopted
daughter o£ Queen Ari’i-paea-vahine), sisters to whom the queen always related the story consistently and in suppressed tones as if fearing the return of the spirit lover.
22
The name Teri’i is evidently taken from the two words, te
(the sovereign, or prince,
or princess).
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
221
The sisters
disapproved of their brother’s attachment and wished to exnewly arrived spirit, but they dared not lay hands upon ber,
as she had become sacred to the household
by the treatment of ber by
their brother.
He took précautions always to carry ber with him in bis
bosom at home and to conceal ber from bis sisters in some safe
place when
he went away; a favorite place of concealment was in the crevice of a rock
called “Hiro’s paddle,” bordering on the strait of Huahine.
Other spirits
were
friendily disposed to Ari’i-paea-vahine, and would approach ber lover
to reveal ber to them, which he did by opening the clothing that covered ber
in bis bosom, for ail the spirits she met wore tapa like the mortal
beings of
terminate the
ber race.
The two congenial spirits travelled over ail the islands of the group,
and on one occasion, at Ra’iatea, they went to a beautiful clear spring in a
ravine, which the queen had never seen before, and there she enjoyed a
bath, as in life. After they retuimed home, the two sisters of the lover,
feigning friendship for Ari’i-paea-vahine, invited her to go with them into
coconut grove.
When they arrived there away from her lover, the sisters
ordered her to climb for some coconuts on a high tree, with the hopes of
her falling off and hurting herself. She made an attempt to obey them and
failed and then quickly returned to her lover for protection.
a
Soon afterwards, the queen found herself surrounded
by a higher class
spirits; they were the goddess-To’imata (Axe-with-eyes), daughter of
the god ’Oro, and her train, who told her she must return to her body and
remain yet awhile in the flesh among her people. Upon knowing this, her
lover told her that he would continue to visit her in her earthly
body, provided she did not embrace the Christian religion as the people of Tahiti
were doing, in which case he would not be
permitted to visit her.
of
Finally, at a great pa’i a tua (assembling of the gods) ceremony at the
following event is said to hâve occurred :
The priests were told by the gods that the queen’s body would not be
allowed to remain in their midst during the festival.
So an underground
vault was prepared, where it should remain before removal to some unknown cave.
But the high priest was instructed by the god Tane to take
the body in a canoë back to her home at Fare, through the strait, as it was
to be restored to life.
So eaidy one morning the priest prepared his own
canoë of the marae, and when he and his assistants went for the
royal
body, they found that the net had been torn off by the gods, in readiness
for it to be taken away.
It was carried upon a litter and placed beneath
national marae of Mata’i-re’a the
a canopy upon the canoë, which was launched into the smooth waters of
the lagoon, the high priest proceeding alone with his great charge, the face
and feet of which he had uncovered to watch
carefully.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
222
Soon
a
white
otuu
(stoi'k)
fi'om the
marae
came
flying
over
the
rocks, alighted on the bows of the canoë, and stood like a sentinel
keeping gnard over the queen ; and the god told the priest not to
Ari’i-paea-vahine stated that her spirit had entered this
corne in that way, escorted by the goddesses, to
return
to
her body.
Seated astern in the canoë with the body fully in
view, and with the bird stationed ahead, the priest paddled steadily along
the lagoon until he approached the first of the two openings in the outer
strip of land forming the islet named Motu-pahare or Motu-pahara (Isletof-atonement), when the goddess To’i-mata said to the spirit, “A nana i to
tino” (Look at thy body) ; and as Ari’i-paea-vahine looked at it she shuddered at the ghastly appearance of the face disfigured with gangrené
spots and turned her head away.
disturb
bird
it.
and
had
But the goddess told her again to
look, and as she fixed her eyes upon
found that her spirit had slipped into the body, leaving the bird, which quietly flew back to its home in the marae.
Then the priest saw life returning to the body, first by twitching of
the toes and finally by the opening of the eyes; but the body still lay
straight and stifif. He was directed to land upon the islet and feed the
patient with sea egg, called vana, and so he was to continue to do in small
quantities at intervals between sleeping and awakening, for two or three
days, when she would be able to eat light food suitable for babes for a
few days longer. So they landed on the islet, and the queen’s body became
supple. The priest soon procured good îull sea eggs and carefully fed her
with them, which she greatly enjoyed.
Soon she fell into a calm sleep,
which lasted until they passed through the strait to her home at Fare,
from whence she had been taken to Maeva. Here the wonderful story of
the queen’s return from the dead was soon joyfully known, and in a
remarkably short time it was published ail over Huahine, and then recorded
throughout the group.
the face she suddenly
In the
manner
described, the queen continued to be carefully nursed
and she lived aniong her people in Huahine until
back to her former self,
late in the fifties.
She never lost the gangrené spots, which were like large
black freckles upon her face and hands.^^
year or two after Ari’i-paea-vahine’s recovery, she stated that
frequent communion with her spirit lover, until she finally went
to
Mo’orea, where Christian Tahitians were learning to read and
study the Scriptures, when she also became interested and joined the
class of students.
Then one day when she was alone he came to her,
and looking very sad he said: “Bi onei ra ’oe, e ta’u hoa vahiné e, e
For
a
she had
I
can
testify to the truth of this statement, as when a child I saw
the queen.—T. H.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
’ore taua
223
farerei fa’ahou!” (Now farewell, my woman fi'iend, we shall
again!) And she, spellbound, watched him go away, until lie
disappeared in the distance never to return.
Being curions to see whether she could find the noted places that she
had seen in her trance, after a few years the queen travelled over the
group and verified many spots, notably the spring in which in spirit she
had bathed.
It was then filled with rubbish from the surrounding trees,
and while her attendants were wondering where to look for it she guided
them to the spot.
As soon as the rubbish was cleared away, the water
was
just as she had seen it in her trance.
never
e
meet
ACCOUNTS FROM RAIATEA
A Rëscuë
“Ra’iatea was a land of strange things,” says its ancient folklore, and
following are two strange modem anecdotes that hâve been in common
circulation at Uturoa, Ra’iatea, and recorded by the best authority there;
About 1876, a party of lads rambled far up into a valley of the district,
and as they were returning home found that one of their number was missing. Notwithstanding that night was setting in, they got torches and returned to search for him in the valley. On the way up, they shouted and
waited at intervals for a response, but in vain, until they reached the
head of the valley closed in by a lofty inaccessible précipice, whence
came at last a shout from the
missing boy, who was lodged upon a ledge
that projected midway up the vertical rock. As it was impossible for the
boy to descend or for his friends to climb up for him, they returned home
for ropes and then ascended the mountain ridge until they arrived behind
the précipice.
There they let down a rope in the form of a swing, and
the boy, seating himself in it was gradually pulled up and rescued by his
companions.
The mystery as to how the lad went astray and got up onto
the ledge,
While not noticing that he had gone a little away from
the rest of the party, he suddenly found himself surrounded by men of
strange appearance, apparently of olden times, who bade him go with them,
which he did spellbound. They ail seemed to glide over rough pathways
and rugged rocks, until he found himself placed upon the ledge of the
précipice, still surrounded by the mysterious men, who disputed among
themselves what they should do with him.
Some proposed to throw the
boy down and kill him, while others pleaded to spare his life, and so he
was placed in suspense until the Sound of
shouting in the valley was heard
and the boys with torches approached, when suddenly he saw no more of
the men and was glad to be again in the company of his own people.
he
explained.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
224
PbbbIvës Thrown AT Mana
Shortly after Ra’iatea had become a French protectorate, a strange event
Mana, which is about half a mile below Uturoa, the capital.
Four or five natives -who lived in a little but were disturbed with pebbles,
which unaccountably during several night consecutively were thrown around
their dwelling and into it. Soon the people of Uturoa were excited about
it, and in spite of constables and many men going with lanterns to guard
the place the stone pelting continued.
Several white people of the land
also testified to the truth of it and felt convinced that it was not a mere joke
occurred at
practised by wags. After darkness had set in, at the Sound of the whistling
of the torca bird (sandpiper) the pebbles came, and the people of the house
were seized with convulsions and foaming at the mouth, until friends came
to the rescue and restored them to a natural State b}'' means of massage.
Finally the queen of Ra’iatea sent for the owners of the hut to abandon
their place and live at Uturoa, which they gratefully did, and from that
time the stone throwing ceased. Adding to the mystery was the fact that
no pebbles near Mana resembled those thrown, but were like some found
on the opposite side of the island.
Early in the fifties, a family in Tahiti at Mairipehe in the district of
Mataiea, also was disturbed by pebble throwing. This was done at night
within the walls of the house, from end to end, and notwithstanding the
investigation by the inmates and neighbors with bright lights shill¬
ing, no due was found to the cause of it.
Similar stories, which hâve never been satisfactorily explained, are
occasionally published in American papers.
closest
ACCOUNTS FROM
Far up in
MOOREA
Papeto’ai Valley is a cave in which are entombed in ancient
splendor, the bodies of members of the chieftain Manea’s family, which
only specially favored persons hâve occasionally been allowed to visit. The
cave is shut in with a stone slab, covered with a growth of moss and
ferns, the location of which, it is said, is not known to the présent
génération.
Belonging also to the Manea family is a place in Papeto’ai Valley called
’Apo’o-ta’ata (Den-of-people) where there is a projecting rock, in the
crevices of which from ancient times were closely set rows of human
skulls.
But in 1877 the skulls were removed and buried by the chief
Manea to save them from desecrating white hands, after the servant of
an enthusiastic scientist had taken a bagful of them, calling them coconuts
when interrogated by the chief as he passed him on the road.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
This was not the first incident of the kind.
225
In 1856, Mr. Phillip Henry,
then living at Papeto’ai, knew two tourists who were the
guests of the Rev.
On seeing the well-bleached
skulls they could not resist the temptation of procuring three of them for
Eureopean muséums, returning home with them after dark to évadé notice
in the district, and putting them away before going to tea.
Not long
afterwards, the old chief Manea, who had been sitting upon the beach
near his home, came in a great rage and said to Mr. Henry, who happened
to be présent :
“ Why hâve these men been so unkind to me ? They hâve
been stealing three skulls from Apo’o-ta’ata and must return them to me
Mr. Simpson and who visited the same régions.
at
once
or
there will be trouble.”
The two tourists, keeping their secret,
enquired why the old man accused them of such a thing, and he replied :
‘T cannot be deceived !
I saw three skull-like halls of fire ascend from
the direction of Apo’o-ta’ata, and they flew out into the marae, Taputapuatea.
No one else would hâve taken them.” Eortunately, the missionary,
who was a great friend of Manea, interposed and told him, when his
anger subsided, that the halls of fire must hâve been meteors and could
not hâve had the significance which he had claimed.
But Manea went away
unconvinced that the three skulls had not been taken.
Other phenomena were verified by the same men. Upon an open space
in old haunts sacred to the dead, which the natives never dared profane,
were formerly heard on quiet days or in moonlight stillness the Sound
vivo music for the native dance, accompanied with the measured beat
of
of
If anyone approached even in a most cautions mansilence would suddenly prevail, and though no one was ever seen upon
the bamboo drum.^'^
ner,
the spot,
ancient aromatic odors of ha’apa’a (scented tapa) and hair oil
pervaded the air.
Not only in Mo’orea but in ail the group and in other Polynesian
islands similar phenomena hâve been reported, which the incredulous can¬
But no Polynesian hearer ever doubts them, as ail the race has
strong belief in the supernatural which éducation does not weaken.
not explain.
a
AUGURIES
Following are a few samples of auguries that to a great extent affected
happiness of the merry Tahitians.
the lives and marred the
above the horizon at sunset during
evenings, it was concluded that two chiefs were plot-
When Venus and Jupiter appeared
several consecutive
ting against each other.
When the horns of the crescent moon were turned upwards, it indicated
that two secret, hostile
2°
See amusements (p. 27s).
parties
were
proposing to invade the land.
220
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
If the gilded
clouds above the setting sun were divided spirally, it was
ominous of division of councils and contention.
One dense cloud
seen
of the death of
runner
above the
some
setting sun was said to be the foreIf very red, it indicated that
great chief.
already dead.
Porapora was enveloped in a bright-red sunset, it was the sign
in Huahine that the people of Porapora were planning to invade them,
and so they made préparations accordingly.
Branching red clouds seen at sunset were called fa and indicated war
approaching from the direction in which they pointed.^®
If a tree that was felled for a canoë discharged much
frothy sap and
its severed roots did the same, they were supposed to be weeping for
each other, and so the log was abandoned.
To make a canoë out of it
would hâve brought ill luck and misfortune upon the owner and artisan.
In burning the sap of the breadfruit tree over a candlenut fire for
pitching the seams of a canoë, the builders closely observed the appearance of the fire; if instead of
being ail red, one part burned red and the
other pale, it was a sign that the canoë would not be inaugurated before
he
was
When
war
broke out, or that the
If
canoë
shed would catch fire.
commencing to clear away his space of land lately acquired by conquest was seized with sneezing, he said “the food I
plant on this land will not mature and be eaten before war will break out
again.”
a
For
meant
man
a
on
fisherman to dream that he had
that he
If while
was
to
fleet
was
catch
a
turtle
the
a
little house
on
his
canoë
foliowing day.
assembling for war, a short or broken rainbow
appeared overhead, it was regarded as a propitious sign for the campaign
a
and filled the warriors’ hearts with courage.
If a cricket chirped in the bow of a canoë that was
leaving land and
going out of the harbor, it was the sign that the canoë would be lost at
sea, and so the travellers returned to départ later.
If one among a group of people who were ready for a
voyage dreamed
that he or she was wearing tiare flowers in the hair, it was regarded as
a warning that
péril awaited them, the white flowers indicating the foam
of the sea breaking over their heads, and so they would
postpone the
trip or give it up.
If at home, on ordinary occasions, a woman dreamed that she was
picking and wearing open tiare, she regarded it as a sure sign that she
was to give birth to a girl ; if she dreamed of
picking tiare buds, a boy
was expected.
Like dreams concerning some other woman were interA page
of the manuscript is missing.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
227
preted similarly for that person—signs still implicitly believed in by
Tahitian
If
a
women.
woman
dreamed she broke
a
tooth of the upper
jaw, it was
a
sign that she was to bave a daughter; if on lower jaw, she was to bave a son.
A rainbow forming directly over a person ont of doors was regarded
as a warning not to receive a
présent of a fish of rainbow hues, called
tu-anuanua (stand rainbow), which would be impregnated with the deadly
curse
If
of
the
a
man
sealed his
sorcerer.
was
fate
caught in
for the
a
tapu.
whirlwind, it showed that the king had
Vivid
things concerning people
ally fulfilled.
or
things
were
expected to be liter-
An éclipsé of the sun or moon was
supposed to be caused by the anger
god Raa-mau-riri (Sacredness-holding-anger), who was swallowing it. So when the phenomenon appeared, priests and people fled terror
stricken to the marae with prayers and offerings for him the god to eject
the luminary again.
of the
A cornet
A meteor
was
was
supposed to be a god forerunning war or sickness.
believed
to
be
a
garded by the uneducated native.
lurking evil spirit and is still
so
re¬
A cold hand or nose was an omen of approaching war.^'^
flight of clouds, if one resembled a spear or a bundle of spears,
pointed was the
side of those who were to conquer, its course was watched with intense
In
it
was
a
ominous of war, and as the direction to which it
interest.
boggy place in Papara called Maena, which was famous for its
daybreak was occasionally seen a dense mist rising from the
ground, which the inhabitants regarded as a sure sign of approaching
war.
They would at once collect ail their maturing taro and other food
and kill and bake their pigs, and without presenting a portion to the gods
and the royal family would pack up clothes and bedding, flee to the borders
of Lake Vaihira,.and camp there in readiness to descend for safety to King
Teta in Papeno’o Valley.
At Mairipehe in Papeuriri is a point of land that descends abruptly
into the deep sea, where portions of land occasionally break ofï and disappear.
In conséquence it is named Te-horo (The-landslide). In former
times war was expected when land broke off—if on the Papara side, the
trouble was brewing in Papara, and if on the Taiarapu side, it was brewing there.
In
a
fine taro, at
These anguries of war were received in
from Haapu-taata, a war agitator of Moorea.
1821 from Mo’o, priest of Porapora, and in 1840
228
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum-—Bulletin 48
At Tuia, Papeuriri, it was coiximonly asserted that when war was
imminent a disembodied warrior named Opeti, would appear to the people
midday, crying, “Na haamou hia vau! Na haamou hia vau!”
(I am destroyed! I am destroyed!). When asked what he wished them to
do he would answer “A rave i te ahu, a haere i te fatu, tama’i ua fatata”
(Take your clothes and go to a protector, war is at hand). This warning
they say was always reliable, and so précautions were taken against sur¬
prise.
When a gardener commenced his work by inadvertently holding his
spade by the sharp end, and hurt or eut his hand in applying the blunt
end to the ground, he was sure that war was approaching and went home
at once to move his family to a place of safety or to préparé his war
weapons for action.
If in trimming off the thatch of the eaves of a house a man eut a
lizard in half, it was a sure sign of coming war, and he stopped his work
to préparé for the emergency.
If an artisan accidentally eut himself in building a house or canoë, it
indicated that war was at hand, or that the party for whom the work
was being done would not live to see it finished.
If in making a house
or canoë an artisan broke his axe or adz off its handle, he gave up the
work saying that war would prevent its completion.
If only an outer
corner of the tool was broken, it was the sign that sickness would soon
befall him or some member of his family or someone in his household.
at midnight or
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
SOCIAL
229
CLASSES
INTRODUCTION^*
There were four social classes in the Society Islands : the ari’i-maro-’ura
(sovereigns of the ’ura girdle) and the ari’i-ri’i (petty kings and queens)'—■
together composed the royal family (hui-ari’i)—, the hui-ra’atira
(gentry), and the manahune (plebians).
who
The ari’i-maro-’ura, also called ari’i-nui
(great-sovereigns) and tauhadescendants of the highest class of gods were
alone entitled to wear the ’ura feather girdle, which was supposed to be
the costume of the gods.
This class, being regarded as gods incarnate
by ail the others, held suzerainty over them. Their lands were extensive,
their dwellings were spacious, generally on prominent points, and they
always had a large retinue of retainers chosen from the lower classes,
called teuteu-ari’i (royal-servants).
These servants took more liberties
in the realm than other people, and yet while enjoying home-like privilèges
with their superiors they never presumed to infringe upon their dignity.
fau (highest-chiefs),
as
The ari’i-ri’i comprised the
nobility of the land, and being of part
royal and part plebeian descent had no right to the impérial insignia. They
exercised a royal sway over their little dominions much as the barons of
former times did in Europe; but their subjects were free-born people.
They lived in the same way as the ari’i-nui, but on a smaller scale, and
resembled them in character.
The
men
and
women
of both ranks of hui-ari’i
were
generally of à
fine, commanding appearance and prided themselves on excelling in ail the
arts and handicrafts of their time, feeling it a disgrâce to appear ignorant
or
clumsy before their people. They were generous, kind, and hospitable
to ail who came into their dominions, frequently adopting Etrangers as
their friends.
The huir-ari’i also extended protection to rebel fugitives
from other places, called orure-hau, and to prisoners of war or captives,
called
tîtî.
noblesse
Their sentiment in
oblige.
theory and in practice
was
intuitively
The hui-ra’atira partook of the nature of both the
nobility and the
plebeians; they were farmers on their own lands and trusted keepers of
the lands of their sovereigns and chiefs, whom they seconded in the
pursuit of ail the industries of their time. Their influence over the
commonalty was great.
The manahune, who
28
This information
high priest of Mo’orea.
was
greatly outnumbered the other classes, made
received in
1833 from Tamara,
a
no
high priest of Tahiti, and Pati’i,
a
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
230
pretensions to aristocracy. They served as retainers and workers for the
but also enjoyed their own hereditary possessions.
Today the two upper classes still retain their personalities as princes
upper classes,
and chiefs of the land under the
French Government; the two lower
having blended into one group. From time immé¬
morial each little kingdom of the leeward islands has generally been ruled
by one ari'i-nui and several subordinate chiefs, but Tahiti and Mo’orea were
called “Plebeian Tahiti” in former times because they were the realms of
démocratie peuple ruled by warrior chiefs. Later on came branches of the
highest royal family of Opoa in Ra’iatea, who by marriage became rulers
of the people in their respective districts, until gradually ail the land
became subjugated to the dynasty of Pômare, the people of each class
retaining possession of their hereditary lands.
are
called liui-ra’atira,
THE ARIOI SOCIETY OF THE SOCIETY
ISLANDS=”
History 0]? thê Arioi
From very ancien! times the society of comedians, called arioi, had
their sway throughout the Society Islands and neighboring islands.They
scholars and actors of no mean ability, chosen from ail ranks of
people, and held in high esteem by ail classes. Their performances were
connected with mysteries which they attributed to the god ’Oro, to whom
they gave the spécial title of ’Oro-i-te-tea-moe (’Oro-of-the-spear-laiddown), the emhlem of which was a triangle, somewhat masonic^’- in appearance, made of spears, thus V, meaning that ’Oro was then a god of peace.
The arioi went from place to place among the islands in flotillas of
canoës as grand as those of royalty, the magnitude of such an expédition
can be conceived from an account given by Captain Cook of the departure
from Huahine of seventy canoës filled with arioi, and also by the im¬
mense houses,^^ measuring from i8o to more than 300 feet in length, that
were built on ail the islands for their réception.
Those houses built by
the public were called fare arioi (comedians’ houses), and also fare
■manihini (guests’ houses), as they were held open also to visitors of note.
Ellis States that this society was not general in the Pacific and appeared
not to hâve extended as far as Hawaii or the Marquesas ; but says
that the Jesuit missionaries found an institution very much like it among
the inhabitants of the Caroline and Ladrone islands, which they caled
uritoy. This name probaby sprang from the same root as arioi, which
without the t it closely resembles.
were
^
Received in 1840 from King
Pômare TI of Te-raa-roa, the last chief arioi of Te-ahu-upoo.
In Hawaii the arioi was unknown.
Edward Tregear, Wellington, has named
One at Matavai,
them Polynesian freemasons.
(See p. 15.)
Tahiti, has been described by Captain Wallis.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
’Oro
231
wife, Tu-feufeu-mai-i-te-ra’i (Stand-to-unfold-the-sky),
daughters, To’i-mata (Axe-with-eyes), Ai-tupuai (Eaterof-summit), and Mahu-fatu-rau (Fog-of-many-owners), and their only son,
Hoa-tapu (Sworn-friend), dwelt with many gods in the firmament, where
’Oro reigned as king and from whence he one
day ungraciously pushed his
wife down to the earth, where she became a
great heap of sand and so
his
and
and their three
remained
ever
afterwards.
’Oro became lonely without his wife; and his sisters, Te-uri
(Darkness) and Haoaoa (Grossness), compassionating him, said they would go
down to the earth to find him a new
spouse.
So they descended to Tahiti
clad in ti leaves, shredded into a fine
plumelike fringe, each carrying in
her hand a reed as a wand.
Their lofty bearing instilled awe into the
hearts of earthly beings, who soon obeyed their
bidding to assemble ail
the beautiful women of the land before them that
they might choose one
as
a
wife for the
But ail the
god.
women
of
Tahiti
were
too
coarse
and
common
for
his
divinity, and the sisters passed on to Huahine, then to Ra’iatea, Oro’s native
land, and on to Tahaa, only to meet with the same resuit as in Tahiti. At
last, despairingly, they went to Porapora, and there were told of a royal
maiden
of surpassing beauty, named Vai-rau-mati
(Water-of-Ficustinctoria). As she was too dainty to be brought out before them, they had
to go to see her.
They went to a princely house near Vai-otaha (Waterof-man-of-war-birds), ’Oro’s marae, and found the maiden in her apartment, screened ofif with the richest vane (mats). Enchanted were they
with her beauty !
Fier face was as the noontide light, and the luster of
her dark eyes shone forth like stars from the
deep-blue sky. She kindly
v/elcomed them, and they greeted her as their taua
(bosom friend), encompassing her with flashes of lightning', which made her divine like themselves, and she bade them be seated with her on her mat.
According to the usual custom, Vai-rau-mati, addressing her visitors
said, “A great errand has brought you to me, O great goddesses ?”
“Yes,”
corne
was
the
to ask you
ament.”
answer, “we hâve indeed a great errand!
We hâve
to become the wife of our brother ’Oro, god of the firm¬
“Is he handsome?” enquired the girl.
“Yes !
Fie is handsomer than ail the
ful,” they replied.
sons
So it was arranged that this lovely maid
the great god
cess
of
men
was to
and is
ever
youth-
become the spouse of
’Oro, and the sisters returned to the sky to tell of their suc-
and to direct their brother where to find his bride.
’Oro
was
highly
pleased at what his sisters told him, and early the following morning he
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
232
descended in a cloud by a brilliant rainbow, which was bis means of
to
the earth, and it conducted
transit
him to her home, where he found the
princess ail that even a god could wish.
Soon afterwards, their marriage took place, the bride having many valu-
able gifts
for the occasion, while ’Oro, who had nothing terrestrial to pré¬
know what to do to save himself from ridicule on
sent, was at a loss to
such
occasion.
an
Then a new thought struck
to
his
sisters, “Where
Oro-te-tefa
are
him, and he went up into the sky and said
two lads, XJru-te-tefa (Vain-head) and
our
(Vain-warrior) ?”
yonder, cooking our food,” they replied. So he called them,
willing steps they came running into his presence, when suddenly they were transformed into two fine hogs, a boar and a sow, such
“Over
and with
seen before.
They were never to be killed, and he
’Oro-i-te-pua’a-mahui (Oro-in-the-pig-revealing-secrets).
“Now,” said ’Oro triumphantly, “I hâve gifts worthy of presenting to my
wife.” And he led them down by the rainbow—while his sisters wept for
their two attendants, whom they had regarded as brothers—and he presented them to his wife with a bunch of red feàthers, which he called
Uru-maru-no-te-arioi
(Shady-grove-of-the-arioi). These two pigs became gods of the arioi, retaining their names Uru-tetefa and Oro-tetefa.
as
had
never
been
named them both
The following night the sow produced a litter of five fine little male
pigs. The first one was the first sacred pig of the arioi, yet to be
organized, and it was named Oro-i-te-tea-moe (Warrior-of-the-laid-downspear) ; the second was sent into the sea and became a porpoise ; the third
was a pet for ’Oro’s wife; the fourth was for sending to different lands;
and the fifth was sacred to the marae, marked with a ring of sacred sennit
through its nose.
King Tamatoa I, as ’Oro’s incarnation, was the first arioi on this earth,
organized the first arioi society at Te-pori-a-tai (The-fullness-ofthe-sea), a place near his résidence at Opoa. ’Oro gave the arioi pig to
King Tamatoa, as his représentative in this world, and the king set in its
nose to insure its life a ring of sacred sennit terminating with a tassel, and
let it loose at Opoa. But the pig would not remain there, and so the king
and he
gave
it in charge of a friend named Mahi
(Fermented-breadfruit) to take
Thither Mahi went with the
pig, but as it was a time of solemn restriction in the land he found no
footing there and returned to Ra’iatea for a short season. He made the
trip to Tahiti three times before he was hospitably received and found
a home for the pig.
The third time they landed at Afa’ahiti, bordering
to
Tahiti, and there find a place for it.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
upon
233
the Isthmus of Tai'avao, and Mahi was compassionated by a young
named Taurua (Venus), who, seeing he was a friendless stranger,
woman
called the attention of her father, Hua-tua
(Ocean-sprays), to him, and
cordially welcomed to their home. Mahi told his errand,
and Hua-tua received the wonderful pig, dedicated to Oro-i-te-tea-moa,
after whom it was named, and set it free in the thickets of Taravao.
he
was
soon
two men became tana, in honor of which a feast was prepared.
hogs were baked whole and presented to Mahi, who was highly
gratified at his réception. In the name of the god he was serving, he
divided one pig into four equal parts; one quarter he sent to Maro-’ura
(Red-girdle) of Hitia’a, one he sent to Mataa (Cheerfulness) of Papara,
The
Great
(Alighting-of-the-gods) of Papetoai in Mo’orea, and
he kept for Atea of Huahine, ail of whom were
great personages. Soon afterwards these men became chief comedians of
the arioi society in their districts and aided Tamatoa in electing those of ail
the other islands in the group. The irames of the chiefs descended to their
successors in their respective districts until the arioi System ended.
to
one
Taura’a-atua
the fourth and last
one
According to the native custom, Mahi required présents to give as a
requital of friendship to his new taua, and so he returned home to pro¬
cure them.
After arriving at Ra’iatea, and telling the king and Atea what
he had done in Tahiti, he went to an islet off the coast of Taha’a, called
Motu-torea
(Islet-of-the-whistling-plover) and there raised pigs and made
rolls of cloth and mats to take to his friend in Tahiti.
curred to him that he needed
a
more
But a thought oc-
influential friend than Hua-tua to
enable him to propagate the arioi society, and so he took the présents to
his King Tamatoa and asked him to invest him with regai authority, that
he might represent him worthily in Tahiti.
He took him to
To this the king readily agreed.
Opoa, and there placed upon him a rich cape from the
temple of Oro; he gave him a royal canoë named Hotu (Sea-swell), which
they loaded with rolls of fine cloth and mats, sennit, coconut shell cups,
and water bottles, cloth-beating mallets, capes, waist cloths, girdles, and
feather ornaments for the head and neck.
And they exchanged names,
Mahi being called Tamatoa and the king naming himself Mahi.
equipped, King Tamatoa’s proxy went to Tahiti, attended by an
named Te-ra-maniou (The-declining-sun), of Ra’iatea, and
a staff of arioi.
They landed at Afa’ahiti and presented the gifts to the
good friend Hua-tua (Ocean-spray), whom they created chief arioi of
Afaa’hiti and who joined them in their errand.
Then they ail went
from district to district, around Tahiti and Mo’orea, their canoë gaily
decorated with long pennants of many colors (mafiti) and small circular
Thus
arioi
chief
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
234
(mou, meaning tops) attachée! to the tops of the masts, which
tipped with spreading bunches of cocktail feathers (tefatefa, this
being the spécial rigging of the arioi canoë). The Sound of their drums
and flûtes, accompanied with dancing, attracted much attention and curiosity among the crowds of people who went to meet them. They soon
gained numerous adhérents and thus made general their society over Tahiti
and Mo’orea. Then every district in ali the islands dedicated pigs to ’Oro,
sacred to their society. The great body of arioi throughout the group was
called “Te-papa nui arioi” (The great rock of arioi). Only well-developed
persons of comely appearance, qualified as feia purotu (handsome people),
were admitted into the society, and both sexes enjoyed the same ranks and
sails
mat
were
privilèges.
Thë Eight Ordërs
There
eight regular orders of those initiated into the arioi mysthey were distinguished by dress and by tattooing, which they
called tatau or naonao.
In the genealogy of the gods, Tohu was named as
the god of tattooing (pp. 377, 389).
He was supposed to hâve painted
the fishes in beautiful colors and patterns, which human beings imitated
upon themselves, and so men who made tattooing their profession invoked
Tohu to aid them in their work. They were called ta-tatau (tattoo-adepts).
were
teries and
The
highest order, who presided over ail the rest, a man for the men
(comedians of the
red loin girdle) ; or avae parai (besmeared legs), because most of them were
tatooed completely black from their feet up to their groins, though it
sufficed for those who chose to limit the operation to the kiiees. The red
girdle worn by either sex was made of paper mulberry and was sprayed
with red and yellow to resemble the royal feather girdle.
Other clothing
used in acting was also in burlesque imitation of royal apparel. (See
p. 188.)
They anointed themselves with sweet oil and wore flowers and
and a woman for the women, were called arioi maro ’ura
leaves of sweet odor.
The second order, called harotea (light-print), had filigree bars crosson both sides of the body from the armpits downwards towards the
wise
front.
Covering their cloth girdle, or fa’aio, the men wore another girdle
of shredded ti leaves, of which they also wore garlands over their shoulders,
Over their
the women also wore girdles and garlands and wreaths.
The tlîird order, taputu or haaputu (pile-together), had diversified
curves and lines radiating upwards towards the sides from the lower end
of the dorsal column to the middle of the back,
They wore shredded
which
were
wrappers,
covered
or
bare, and wreaths upon their brows.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
235
opuhi (sweet-scented ginger) leaves, in the
same manner as the harotea
(unfinished), had light prints
upon their knuckles and wrists and heavier ones upon their arms and
shoulders. They wore a soft yellow creeper, called tainoa, for their décor¬
ations instead of shredded leaves.
The fifth order, hua (small), had two
or three small points upon each shoulder.
Over their cloth girdle the men
wore another of the a’a ha’ari (fibrous covering of the young coconut leaf)
and girdle headdresses of yellow coconut leaves.
The women dispensed
with the a’a ha’ari and wore waist girdles and headdresses also of yellow
wore
ti leaves.
coconut
The
fourth order, otiore
leaves.
The sixth order, atoro (stripe), had one small stripe down the left
side, and they decked themselves in bright-yellow fei (mountain plantain)
leaves.
The seventh order, ohe-mara (seasoned-bamboo), had a circle
round the ankle, and their décorations were of maiuu tafai (club moss).
The
eighth order, tara-tutu (pointed-thorn), had small marks in the holwore bright flowers and a cap of red and yellow
Barringtonia leaves.
low of the knees and
as the comedians received promotion and underwent
operations necessary to raise them the tattooing of one order did not
It is évident that
the
obstruct that of another.
comedians dyed their faces red with the sap of
{Ficus tinctoria) and tou {Cardia suhcordata) leaves. So also did
ail the other orders, in addition blackening themselves with soot from burnt
tutui (candlenut), which some of the men, to create laughter in their
plays, used for painting grotesque figures over their bare bodies and limbs.
Before acting, the chief
mati
Practices
Although they were libertines in the extreme, yet an arioi husband was
exceedingly jealous of his own wife, and improper conduct of one of their
number towards her sometimes cost him his life.
Ofïspring of the lowest
orders was not permitted to live, in conséquence of which infanticide was
a common practice among them.
If any saved their babes they were dismissed in disgrâce from the society.
But, children born in the highest
ranks were regarded as descendants of gods, and were spared to inherit
their parents’ titles.
were called poo
(flappers), fa’aare’are’a (comparisons), or
(footing). In applying for membership, the candidates, who were
always people unencumbered with children, were supposed to be inspired
and brought themselves to notice in the midst of some public exposition by
appearing in a frenzied State, called nevaneva, arrayed in gay colors and
Novices
avaevae
236
a
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
profusion of fragrant flowers and anointed with strongly perfumed oil.
Then and until the exhibition ended they displayed their capability in danc¬
ing among the performers. If approved they went through the novices’
initiation, which was to pledge themselves not to suffer their offspring to
them and to obay absolutely the orders of their arioi
the case for man or woman might be. They were
then invested with the maro pipi (girdle of the native pea vine), which was
their public uniform, being their insigne of attachment to the society, to
which they became the humble servants, the men doing ail the drudgery
and the women lighter work required in their expéditions and at the
princely homes of the chief arioi. Their novitiate lasted two or three
years, or until they became accomplished in récitals of historic events, in
music, dancing, and acting (chiefly in pantomime form). Young girls
who enlisted in the rôle, some of whom were the cherished daughters of
the highest people of the land, were carefully guarded and chaperoned by
the chief arioi woman, and their persons, being regarded as sacred, were
respected by ail the members of the society.
live if any came to
chief
or
chiefess,
as
_
The novices were called poo because they were required during part of
along the outside borders of the actors with the
bent, striking the bend of the elbow with the right hand and
the exhibition to stand
left
arm
flapping the left arm as a bird would its wing. At the same time they
chanted, first stating who they were and the geography of their district
(as given in the geography of the islands, pp. 69-109), and then singing
the praises and history of the society and comic songs.
were ’considered accomplished enough to be admitsociety, an assembly of arioi convened at the marae of ’Oro
for the purpose of receiving them. The poo were first privately invested
by the arioi maro ’ura with a loin girdle of white breadfruit tree bark,
dyed lengthwise or crosswise with wide red bars, called a fa’aio, and
with a fringed cape of the same mjaterial, called a titi, dyed to match the
girdle, some capes having fantastic figures printed upon them. These
insignia of their profession they wore only when performing in public, the
women wearing their girdles as sashes over their wrappers.
When the novices
ted into the
The
solemnly dedicated to ’Oro-i-te-tea-moe, to
presented a pua’a ra’a (sacred pig), wrapped in arioi cloth of
bright colors, called a haio. If the pig were presented alive, its ear was
marked with the ’oro’oro, and it was set free ; but if baked, it was buried in
the ground in front of the marae as a sweet ofifering to the god.
whom
novices
were
then
was
Finally, after being anointed with perfumed oil in honor of Roma-tane
of their Paradise, upon whose stone image, which stood close by the marae.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
237
they placed garlands of flowers, they were led forth by their chiefs and
chiefesses and introduced to the assembly by new names by which they
were ever afterwards known to the society.
After a cordial réception and
kind greetings from the assembly, the ceremony ended in a feast provided
by the relatives of the new member?, then called tara-tutu, of the eighth
or last order, and for them the tattoo printer soon afterwards made the
marks of their order.
gradually promoted according to their merits
by the society, but for the king was reserved the right to bestow the
order of the red girdle and black leg, when such a dignitary was required
in the community.
When arioi retired from active life they became farmers and artisans
for the society, called arioi-fau-fenua (arioi-high-in-the-land), and were
still regarded as regular members ; the women made cloth and did ail the
handiwork required by their sex.
Those who were dismissed from the
society because they became ordinary beings, living at home with their
wives and children, were called arioi-fanaunau {arioi degraded), and they
would weep when reproached by members of the society for their inconThe varions orders
were
stancy.
There
was also an independent
order of men arioi, called papa-tea
(clear-bodies), who did not undergo the tattooing of the society. Neither
did they bind themselves to any of its régulations, but rambled from dis¬
trict to district to meet tbe regular orders and aid in their performances
and share their benefits.
Without being reproached they settled in homes
with families when they chose.
It took many days for the arioi to préparé for their trips among the
districts, as they required the best of cloth mats, ornaments, and food to
maintain their prestige among the people.
When ail was ready, their
leaders took strips of fa’aio cloth, or pure white cloth, and an arioi pig
to the marae of ’Oro, and tying the strips upon the unu (carved orna¬
ments) of the marae, and upon the ti plants before the marae, the chief
arioi invoked the gods, saying:
Ei onei ’oe, e te atua, e ’ite mai ia
Teie te pua’a na ’oe; teie
te ’ahu taviriviri na ’oe, te ’ahu no te
oroa no te mareva, no te aha tatai; ta
’oe teie.
E aratai ’oe ia matou e i te fenua;
homai te tahi mata’i na matou, ei ahi
na mûri, ia tere i te hinu ma te ro’i.
Fano te aha tatai nei, e te atua, e i te
ava O te fenua e haere hia nei.
Eiaha
matou ia pae e atu i te moana e i
te fenua; e ’aroha mai i to maru.
matou.
Remain here, O god, who seest us.
Elere is a pig for thee; here are strips
of cloth for thee ; cloth for the ordinance
of sailing away for prayer to
s'ecure safety at sea; these are for thee.
Lead thou us on to land ; give us a
breeze, to encompass us from behind,
that we may sail as smoothly as upon
a bed.
Let this prayer safely take us,
O god, even into the harbor of the land
to which we are going.
Let us not
beat up to other seas or lands; hâve
pity upon thy shadows.
238
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Eiaha ’oe e fa’arue mai ia matou ;
eiaha to matou ia pee hia i te ro’o ’ino,
e
ua
pohe ia mareva !
E tatai tau
aha ei te ava i te ho’i ra’a mai i te
fenua nei.
Then
Forsake us’ not ; let us not be overtaken with evil tidings, that those sailing are lost! Let this prayer to thee
secure our safety to the harbor even in
returning to land.
they took a sacred marae stone and some ’ura feather amulets
them in the canoë of the chief arioi iipon a small altar, which
and placed
sufficed
for the dévotions of ail
the flotilla.
In each canoë was placed
platform upon which the leaders sat or the dancers performed as they
approached the shores in their travels. Their canoës were double or
single, as they chose to hâve them. The arioi named their canoës mareva
(flying) or au-ono (swimming-in-company).
a
They were frivolous people and did not commit the sacrilege of having
priest with them in their excursions of pleasure, but a member of their
society, anointed with oil highly perfumed and decked in gay wreaths and
garlands, represented the god of Paradise, Roma-tane, whose name he bore
prefixed with the article te (the) Te-roma-ta,ne. Near the arioi house he
had a little marae about six feet long, made of stone, and
complété in struc¬
ture and appendages, in which was
placed an image of the god. At this
shrine he invoked the presence of Roma-tane,
Hoa-tapu (’Oro’s son),
and Uru-tatefa and Oro-tetefa (the two lads that had been turned into
arioi swine) to accompany the ariof in their expédition and to aid them in
their performances.
This complétée! their préparations, and then they
took their departure.
a
On
arriving at their destination, amid merrymaking on their canoës
applauding from the people in crowds along the shore, they were
received by the local arioi and made to feel at home in the arioi house of
the district.
Immediately the leaders resorted to the marae of ’Oro, if
one was there, or to the local marae of the
god of the district, carrying
their maro-tai (sea-voyage-offerings), which the chief arioi
presented
and
saying :
O
te
Tera
te
te maro-tai na ’oe
apaapa
to matou tae
te
e
te
e!
atua
’ura te fa’aio, te pua’a,
’uru, e te rahiri ; ta ’oe ia i
te
vane,
ra’a mai i te tenua nei
ma
and
a
bunch ot braided
coconut
leaves ;
they are for thee on our safe arrivai in
ora.
E ’aroha mai i
to
maru
e
te
atua
e,
eiaha te ’ino ia tupu ia matou i te
fa’aea ra’a i teie nei fenua, e tae noa
tu i to matou mareva ra’a tu.
Tahi
tia mai i ta matou aha e te atua e !
When
marae
There is the sea-voyage-offering for
thee, O god ! A fine mat, ’ura feather
arioi cloth, a pig, half a breadfruit,
companies
was
this land.
Hâve compassion on thy
shadows, O
god, let no harm befall any of us while
we remain in this land, even to when
we s'ail away.
Harken to our pétition,
O god !
combined, one présentation to the god at the
sufficient, and one spokesman officiated. After their invocawere
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
239
tion, the leaders returned to their encampment, free to refresh themselves
by bathing and eating, which for fear of incurring bis displeasure and
bringing sudden death upon themselves, they dared not do before presenting an offering to the god. Their next duty was to take to the high chief
handsome gifts, consisting of choice handiwork and a fine
pig—a pré¬
sentation called an 0 (fitter in) ; and an
exchange of compliments beautifully worded followed.
Then présents of ail kinds and appropriate
speeches between the visitors and the hosts were exchanged on a grand
scale, those of the visitor being called an o and those of the hosts a
fa’a’amua (feeding), because they were accompanied with a feast prepared for them. Immense quantities of cloth called ahu rao (voyagers
cloth) were wound by the hosts around some of the women guests, from
their waists up to their necks and down to their
feet, as they stood upon
the tavehea (open
space) of the floor in the house, until they looked like
great balls of various colors ; the women sometimes fainted from such close
confinement.^^
After
accepting the présent, the chief arioi unwound the
reserving for themselves
great heaps upon the mats spread out
for the purpose, and resulted for the
récipients in profits exceeding what
they had lost in what they gave.
cloth and distributed it
among the other guests,
and the gods a share that grew into
The
distinguishing feature of the feast was an arioi pig, baked and
pierced through lengthwise with a long slender pôle and planted in the
midst of the other food.
It was exclusively for the chief arioi. No one
of it from fear of strangulation by the gods; no thief
was ever so bold as to steal such a
pig. On the occasion of so great agathering of arioi, impostors dressed like them came from other districts,
intermingled with the assembly, partook of the feast, stole some of the
property, and made their escape without being detected.
But afterwards
they boasted of their cunning tricks.
else dared eat any
The amusements generally took place at night, when the
great arioi
house was illuminated with fires and candlenut
tapers, so that it was called
rehu arui
(night daylight). On a high platform called a raira’a-maro ’ura
(exalting-red-girdles), erected at one end of the house were placée! high
stools
as
building
seats
for the chief
arioi of both
sexes.
the
In the center of the
comedians, over whoni presided the arioi-hi o-niao
The royal family had their seats of honor, and
within the building and outside upon the
grass were the spectators.
Even
the crickets, it is said, cried with
joy on these occasions.
were
(master-of-ceremonies).
When ail
kind.
While
at
were.
Matavai
ready for the entertainment, the chief arioi came
in Tahiti
Captain Cook received from
the chiefs
a
in
présentation of this
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
240
singly, with a step like a strutting peacock, and Crossing the arms over
the breast, said—if of Haapape, for instance :
Ha, ha, ho’i ! O
E
’O Tiaau.
vau,
mou’a i ni’a ’o ’Orohena i hau roa i n’ia
i Tahiti nei ! E tahua i raro, ’o Fae-ria ;
e ’outu i tai, ’o te Fau-roa ;
e vai, ’o
Vai-popoo. ’O vau, ’o Tia-au, ’arioi i
te fenua, otuituia i te ’ofai pupuhi.
Ha, Fia, indeed !
It is I, I stand.
My mountain above is ’Orehena, which
is above ail in this Tahiti.
'The assembly ground below is Fae-ria ; the
cape
seaward is Fau-roa ; the river is
I, I stand comevibrâtes with the
the Vai-popoo.
It is
dian of the land that
Sound of the gun.“
After they had introduced themselves in this manner, Te-roma-tane
opened the entertainment by taking a rahiri (bunch of braided coconut
leaves) and casting it at the feet of the sovereign, saying as he did so :
Ena hoi te
manava
e
manava
o
te
ari’i !
E manava mai ra oe, e te ari’i
nui tua tinitini ; e manava maira oe’ e
I fano mai ’oe i te
ra’i ; i fano mai ’oe i na
va’a ’ura ma te heihei, ma te tarehu
te
ari’i
mahora
manomano !
o
te
i fano mai ’oe i na va’a mûri ;
i fano mai ’oe i te va’a i te re’a, i te
va’a ’ura ma te heihei, ma te tarehu
moana.
Manava te ari’i nui, tau aea !
roto ;
Here is indeed the welcome,
the wel-
Thou art welcoming us, O great sovereign of thous'ands of thousands !
Thou art welcoming us, O great sovereign appearing
from the sky [royal abode] !
Thou
hast flown hither to the lâwn of the
sky; thou hast flown to the foremost
canoës ;
thou hast flown to the after
canoës ; of gaiety, to the canoës of red
garlands from across the hazy deep.
Welcome, O great sovereign, this intro¬
corae
of the sovereign !
duction to thee!
indulged in till early
They slept most of the time
Then the amusements and more feasting were
morn
when the arioi were glad to take rest.
during the day.
These entertainments lasted many days, when the
farmers’ gardens were stripped of their produce and the district became so
impoverished that it took long for it to regain its former State of prosperity.
plays the actors flattered or ridiculed with impunity people
priests, from the greatest to the least, and they often did much
In their
and
even
good in thus causing faults to be corrected. They cannot, however, be
placed upon a moral pedestal. From the testimony of their own members,
a curtain must forever be dropped before many of their deeds
on such
occasions—deeds, which combined with the crime of infanticide, ended the
career of the arioi society.
After its members became more enlightened,
many of them became faithful and zealous workers in the Christian cause.
made a bonfire of
they had been acting, and when they reached home
On returning home in the name of ’Oro the arioi first
the clothes in which
who
This last boastful attribute was added, of course, after the arrivai of the early explorers,
generally anchored at Haapape near Cape Fau-roa, named Point Venus by Captain Cook.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
241
they took new offerings to their marae, the chief arioi presenting them to
’Oro and saying:
Teie matou e te Atua i fa’ahoi
fa’ahou hia mai e te fenua, i tana tere
ta matou i poroi ia ’oe ra.
Teie matou
tei te fenua ma te ora. Teie ta ’oe
e
pua’a
e
’ahu
teie maro-tai
e
na
’ura.
te
’oe,
e
te
Ta
Atua
matou
e.
Here we are, O god, returned from
the land whither we were bound when
we
took leave of thee.
Here we are
safely landed. These are for thee—a
pig, cloth, and ’itra feathers. Thes'e are
our sea-voyage-offerings to thee, O god.
After this
they disbanded and went to their own homes, until new
organizations were required. In times of war or other trouble, the arioi
were never molested, and
they sometimes safely entertained warriors at
iritervals of respite on the hattlefield.
When
arioi died, the
body lay in State for two or three days at
deceased, where members of the society assembled to
perform the funeral rites. Accompanied with loud lamentations, called an
otoha’a or ta’iha’a, for the dead, they first brought présents to the family
and made a feast, holding a wake at night time, when they called loudly
to the spirit to return to its body.
On the last day the corpse was taken to
the marae of ’Oro, where the high priest met it and in a long prayer
invoked ’Oro to bestow on the disembodied spirit ail the mystic powers
with which it had been supposed he had invested the arioi in life. Then
the body was interred as that of an ordinary man within the precincts of
the marae, after which, at the little shrine of Roma-tane, Te-roma-tane
invoked the gods to receive the arioi soûl into the full enjoyment of their
paradise, where it was believed that no children existed to mar their
an
the home of the
pleasure.
Thi; Rëvëngiî OP Maraa^
The arioi house named Te-ra-tore-re’a (The-sun-with-yellow-rays), of
Maraa, which is a subdivision of the district of Paea, over which ruled the
high chief, Te-vahi-tua (The-divider-of-the-ocean), became famous for its
history connected with the people of the district of Matahihae, now called
Teahuupo’o in Tai’arapu.
A man named E-te-turi
(Deaf-one) and his son Ma-nai (Small-mark)
from Maraa to cast their net
along the shores of Matahihae, and
they had caught some large fishes they baked them whole wrapped
in coconut leaves, ready to take home to Maraa. But according to custom,
they set apart the first big fish that they caught to présent as a poropa
(peace offering) to the tutelar god of their clan, Tama-tea (Blond-child),
chief of fire gods.
went
when
^
in
Also
in
1843
“The burning of Te-ra-tore-re’a (The-sun-with-yellow-rays)
Tai’arapu from the lips of the high priest, Tamera.
called
House.”
Received
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
242
They soon found a social marae dedicated to this god, at a place called
Popoto (Short), and were carrying thither their offering when they met
some friends who invited them to
stay and partake of a little food with
them. So they halted, and E-te-turi (Deaf-one), finding that they had no
méat of any kind, took the flesh off one side of the fish, and left the rest
with the head wrapped in leaves for the god, and the friends enjoyed their
social meal.
When the two fishermen continued their
journey, the son begged the
and catch a fresh
father not to take the remainder of the fish but to go
présent to the god. But the father answered that that would not
do, as the first fish caught, and no other, should be an ofifering to the god.
And so they went to the shrine of Tama-tea and beat the drum to announce
their arrivai. The priest and people of the clan welcomed them cordially,
and they profïered their offering. The priest received the long bundle, and
finding it very light, exclaimed: “Baha teief” (What is this?)
one
to
“B ia na te atua” (It is fish for the god), was the reply.
Then, god-inspired, the priest answered : "A, ua pau i te 'amua e ’orua”
(Ah, it has been eaten by you two). Then he said: “B ’ore roa te riri o
te atua e maha, maori ra ia pûpûhia ’orua ei hoo no tena na i’a!”
(The
anger of the god will not be appeased except by offering you instead of the
fish!) And immediately the two men were seized and slain and hung upon
a marae tree, thus
presented to the god as “l’a avae roroa” (fish with long
legs). And the anger of Tama-tea was supposed to hâve been appeased.
When the
people of Maraa learned the sad fate of their fishermen
they were sorely grieved and felt that as extenuating circumstances had not
been taken into considération to spare the lives of the men they should
be avenged.
So they set to work to cultivate the soil, and soon they had
extensive fields of paper mulberry (aute), sugar-cane, bananas, taro, ava,
and ail the food that heart could wish, waving in the breeze, and they raised
pigs and fowls, and placed a restriction upon them ail so that they would
hâve a great increase.
The
then
renewed their
great fare-arioi (comedian and guesthouse), which was forty fathoms long and ten fathoms wide and was
named Te-ra-tore-re’a, while the women made bright feather wreaths, necklaces of pitipitio (Black-eyed Susans), and eardrops of hair braided and
studded with pearls and pitipitio, and other ornaments. The men bleached
purau bark and braided it into beautiful capes ornamented with rosettes and
studded with pitipitio, and the women made mats and beat out great rolls
men
of fine cloth of aute and breadfruit-tree bark.
When ail
was
done, the
goods were hung close together upon the rafters of the great house and
heaped up on mats on the grass floor.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Then
one
243
day delicious food was prepared from the produce of the
and fowls and fishes were baked whole, which was the
Great pigs
land.
sign of plenty, some of the goods were chosen from the arioi house, and
ail were placed in attractive order upon great canoës, double and single, to
take as a présent to the people of Matahihae. Before daylight, in the morning, strong men set off with them to that district.
They arrived just at sunrise and coasted along quickly until they arrived
place called Uri-he’e (Octopus-shades), near the home of the high
chief Matahiapo (Eldest), where they landed and were met by a jester^
of the chief, named Tautu-maau (Domesticated-imbecile), who accosted
them by saying :
at
a
(Friends, from whence do you corne?)
reply was, “Mai Maraa mai nei matou” (We hâve corne from
“B homa, mai hea mai ’outou?”
And the
Maraa).
So Tautu welcomed them and bid them go up to
the house; and as
they were unloading their canoës, Tautu asked, “Baha tena?”
(What hâve
there?)
They mentioned what they had, according to custom, as they placed
articles on the shore, and they said that they were brought from Maraa
as présents for the great chief of the district of Matahihae and his people.
Then as Tautu was about to help carry the -gifts to the house, the men
abruptly gave him charge of them, saying, “Bi onei ’oe, te ho’i nei matou i
te fenua” (Farewell, we are returning home).
And away they sped.
So Tautu made up an assorted load as samples of the great présents,
and carried them upon a pôle to the chief, who was delighted at what hetold him but was sorry that the hearers of the présents would not remain
you
for him to entertain them.
The canoës were quickly outside of the reef, so as to avoid being recalled
there were many enquiring people who came and
helped Tautu carry ail the gifts to their chief’s house. That day Mata¬
hiapo gave a great feast and distributed the présents liberally among his
people, and ail were loud in their praises of the people of Maraa.
to
the shore, and soon
As
a
must soon
natural conséquence, the high chief of Matahihae felt that he
show appréciation of the people of Maraa for such liherality and
représentatives with a présent in return. So his people soon
from products of land and sea, and they pre¬
pared canoës, great and small, to form an imposing flotilla on which to
travel, and Matahiapo appointed out of his household to represent him the
chieftains, Pu-a’a (Cluster-of-roots), Ati-tautu (Domesticated-tribe), and
send
some
made many beautiful things
®
Tahitien
chiefs had jesters, like European
kings and peers.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
244
(Red-sun), with his son Tavi (Rustler)—who was an cloquent
speaker—as their orator; and a numerous retinue was chosen from the clans
to accompany them.
Then, when the moon was full, they set out towards morning on their
way to Maraa, and just at daybreak arrived there on the sandy shore, facing the great inviting arioi house. Soon they were met and cordially
greeted by the inhabitants, who had been on the lookout for their visit
for several days, and their orator Te-fa’ahira (Make-bashful) thus greeted
Ra-hero
them :
E
te
Ari’i
ora
na,
e
’Oro-ma-’aito
o
ari’i,
e !
la
te atua, i te
Putotoro ho’i, e ta’u
ta’u
i
haere ra’a mai.
ari’i e, i te haere ra’a mai i teie mataeina’a !
A tomo i te fare, i Te-ra-torere’a ; i ha’a hia ’ai tei fare, no ’outou,
manihini io matou nei.
no
te
ra
i te
fare,
e
ta’u ari’i
Then the Tai’arapu
e !
A tomo
chief’s orator, Tavi, replied :
Te-vahi-tua ari'i e, e To’ofa, te
O teie nei hau, o ’Oro i Utu-a’i
nei, e poupouiti rahi to matou i te
taerea’a mai i teie fenua tuiro’o, io
’outou nei !
Inaha, no to ’outou horoa
E
papa
rahi ra’a mai i te ma’a e te taoa no to
’outou fenua, i ’ite ai matou e e parau
mau to matou i fa’aro’oro’o na mau e,
e fa’aterera’a hau
maitai to ’outou no
ruperupe o te fenua.
I o mai nei
te hina’aro i to matou a’au e haere mai,
te
mai, e ia farerei hua matou
teienei, ua ’ite mata atura
matou, ua farerei e ua ’fa’aro’o i te
’outou parau ha’apoupou.
Teie matou,
ta ’outou pue manihini nei, te Ari’i e te
ia ite mata
ia ’outou.
I
hui ra’atira o ’Oro-ma-’Aito o Matahihae. E ta’u Ari’i, e Te-vahi-tua o ’Oro
i Utu-’ai-nei, te tomo nei matou i teie
nei fare nui atea, i teie fare manihini,
o
Te-ra-tore-re’a.
O Princes' of ’Oro-ma-’aito (’Oro-inironwood) !* May you live in the gods,
my Princes, in coming here.
Not frequently, O my° Princes, do you visit
this district! Enter into the house, Tera-tore-re’a ; this house is prepared for
you, for our visitors.
Enter now into
the house, O my Princes !
O King Te-vahi-tua (Divider-of-theocean), O Chief”, who art supporter of
this Government, of ’Oro of Utu-a’i
(Cape-eating)’, we feel great pleasure
in coming here to this land of famé,
into your midst !
Behold, becaus'e of
your liberal gifts of food and other
goods of your land, we knew that what
we
had already heard was true, that
your mode of governing was favorable
for the prosperity of the land.
So the
desire entered our hearts to corne, that
we
might see for ourselves and that
we might meet you personally.
Now,
we
hâve seen with our eyes, we hâve
met you, and hâve heard your warm
greetings. Here we are, your visitors,
the princes and gentry of ’Oro-ma-’aito
O my King®, Te-vahiof ’Oro of Utu-’ai-nei, we are enter-
of Matahihae.
tua
ing into this great spacious house, this
house
for
guests,
Te-ra-tore-re’a.
so the distinguished visitors from Tai’arapu went into the great
joyously, and they were made to feel very much at home, while
the people of the district prepared a feast for them.
And
house
The god ’Oro was represented in ironwood in the district of Matahihae.
This possessive adjective pronoun of the singular niimber was often iised instead of the
pUtral, ta matou in orations in old Tahitian.
®
To’ofa is the regai name of the htnder chief of Maraa.
(See page 78.)
^
Utu-’ai was the great marae, the full name of which was ‘Utu-’ai-mahu-rau (Cape-eatiiigmists), dcdicated to the god ’Oro. For its history, see page 130.
®
As the high chief was the head of the people, naming him included his subjects also, in a
rhetorical form of speech.
^
®
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
245
The guests went to the river and bathed and clothed themselves in their
best tapa and strolled over the fine plantations,
which met the eye in every
Leaves were set for a tablecloth upon the floor along the center
direction.
of the house, and in the afternoon® the feast was ready.
Coconut-shell cups
plates, freshly picked coconuts to drink, gourds of sea water
with albicore daintily sliced in them (called fafaru), and gourds with coconut sauce (called miti-no’ano’a and miti-ha’ari and
taioro) ; and ail kinds
of po’e (puddings) and vegetables were laid out
tastily upon the leaves
by the women. Finally the men brought great gourds of ava to drink,
whole roasted pigs and fish, cooked and raw, small roasted pigs and fowls,
and shrimps and crayfish, which had been held in readiness for them, and
placed them temptingly down among the other food.
When the guests were assembled, the orator Te-fa’ahira stood up in
for
set
were
their midst and said :
E te Ari’i,
o
’Oro-ma-’aito
e,
e
te
hui ra’atira i apee mai ia ’outou !
Tera
mai te ma’a i ravehia na ’outou ; e
pua’a,
ia
e te i’a ota, e moa, e
’oura pape, te taioro, te
miti-haari, te miti-no’ano’a, te pape
haari, te po’e te ’uru, te taro, te mei’a,
te ’umara, te uhi, e te pota, e te ’ava ei
fa’a’are’are’a i to ’outou a ’a’u.
Tera ’tu, i ni’a i te aho fare te
peue, te ruru, te tiputa, te maro purau,
te vane, te ahu varavara, te fau, te hei
’ura ;
e
tera
te moea-tau-mauna e
hohora ei tearora’a ’ava na ’outou.
e
’oura miti
Inaha,
outou
e
e
eu
te
te pupu anae
ta’u Ari’i !
hia ’tu
nei
na
O Princes of ’Oro-ma-’aito, and the
gentlemen who hâve corne with you !
There is the food that is prepared for
you ; there are hogs, fish cooked and
raw, fowls, crayfish and shrimps, coconut
sauce,
coconut water, puddings,
breadfruit,
taro,
bananas,
potatoes,
jlams, and taro spinach ; and ava to
rejoice your hearts.
Upon the rafters of the hous'e are
mats, rolls of cloth, capes, loin girdles
of hibiscus, mats for the gods, thin
scarfs, helmets and parrakeet feather
wreaths ; and there are sleeping mats
on
which to go into unconsciousness,
given for you to be intoxicated upon.
Behold we présent them ail to you, O
our
Then
Tavi, the orator of the g
E te Ari’i o ’Oro-i-Utu-’ai. e na To’ofa,
te papa o teie nei hau, e te hui ra’atira
ora na ’outou i te atua !
E
rahi to matou i te fari’ira’a i
teie nei fa’a’amua rahi, i teie ma’a e i
teie puera’a taoa rahi ta ’outou i pupu
nei,
ia
mai
nei
poupou
na
matou.
Teie ’atoa,
e
ta’u
iti, ei fa’atauaroha ra’a
’outou ; e ruru pu’upu’u, e
ha’apa’e e peue, e tiputa purepure, e huruhuru manu, e ope otaha, e ope mauroa,
Ari’i,
e tahi
na matou ia
e
te
o
hei ’ura.
No te ro’o ma’a rahi o to ’outou nei
fenua i ’ore ai matou i hopoi ’atoa
mai ai i te ma’a ; e inaha, ua ’ite papu
roa ’tura matou e e parau
mau ana’e
®
It
was
not
;,
Princes !
replied :
King of ’Oro-i-Utu-’ai, Chiefs who
Government, and
gentlemen, may you live in the gods !
O
art
supporters of this
We cordially accept this great présenta¬
tion, of this food, and of this great
assortment of goods, which you hâve
given us. Here also, O my King, is a
reciprocal présent’" as a token of friendship from uS to you ail : rolls of breadfruit-bark cloth, scented sheets, mats,
printed capes, birds’ feathers, tails of
man-of-war birds, tails of tropic birds,
and parrakeet feather wreaths.
Because of the report that you had
much food in your land, we hâve not
brought any, and lo, we know for a
certainty that ail that we heard was
unusual for the natives to wait till late for their meals.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 84
246
i fa’aro’o, e e hau atu a te
teie nei hau tuiro’o.
E ’ainu e e inu ana’e tatou ’atoa, e
au ai ; e moe maunu roa ho’i ia matou
i teie nei fare.
ta
matou
faufa’a
o
of this realm
famé.
Let us eat and drink together, which
will be pleas'ant ; and we shall indeed
sleep soundly in this house.
true, and that the w'ealth
is even greater than its
they feasted together, the hosts serving the guests and taking
help them liberally to ava towards the end of the feast. At nightfall, the flickering light of the candlenut tapers softly revealed prostrate
figures sleeping, almost with the soundness of death, upon the mats strewn
over the soft grass floor.
Then the men of Maraa, according to their plan and unrelenting, went
out, fastened the doors with strong cord, and with oil and torch set fire to
the border of the building, completely encircling it with fiâmes ; and soon
there was a terrible crash of blazing rafters and thatch, falling upon the
hapless sleepers, who were quite unable to recover themselves from the
And
care
so
to
efifects of the ava.’^’^
terrible
(Red-sun) who not having
imbibed ava as freely as their comrades was hotly aroused from his sleep
and escaped to tell the taie by jumping over a gap where the fire was
spent and smouldering. As nobody saw him, the peuple of Maraa supposed that his body was reduced to ashes with the others in the house,
which, serving as a great crematory in coming to its end, grandly merited
its ominous, poetic naine, Te-ra-tore-re’a (The-sun-with-yellow-rays).
A new fare-arioi was afterwards built with a new name, A-piri-te-ohu
(Whirl-close-together), upon another site by the sea; for revelry could no
longer be held upon ground haunted by the spirits of Tai’arapu’s victims.
When the people of Matahihae heard of the terrible disaster, they reSo ail those guests of
the arioi house were killed with one
stroke, except one man, the chieftain Ra-hero
membered the sad fate of the fishermen, Eteturi and Manai, who were slain
at
the
marae
of Popoto.
This story has been recorded by them as “The
of Maraa,” and from it has arisen the proverb : “B ’upo’o ma’a 0
Tai’arapu; e pohe 0 Tai’arapu i te ma’a (A head^^ for food is Tai’arapu;
Tai’arapu will die for food).
revenge
Visitors’ présents are called an o
of their hosts.
stances.
(fitter in) and reciprocate the fa’a’amua
Strong ava, when freely taken, renders
Taiarapu
was
the head of the fish.
(présentation)
incapable the moving the limbs under any circum-
(See p. 84.)
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
247
ROYAL TAHITIAN GENEALOGIES^”
THE POMARE FAMILY IN TAHITI
(Head) married
Hina-tuniu-ro’o (Gray-of-faraous-source)
They begat Tri-te-apu-ra’i (Skin-the-shell-of-the-sky), t.
’lri-te-apu-ra’i
Te heheu (The unfolding)
I.
Te-vae-ari’i (Royal distribution), t.
Te-vae-ari’i
Te-tapu (The pledge)
Uni
1
2
3
I.
Tmi-toa
4
Tmi-toa
(Seek-for-rocks),
t.
Te-peva-nua (Supremacy above)
(Moon-of-the-gods), t.
Noho-ae (Be-seated)
I.
Marama-i-te-atua
Marama-i-te-atua
I.
Tuitui (String-together), t.
Tuitui
Roro-fai
5
6
I.
Ra’i-te-tumu
7
1.
8
Ra’i-te-papa
Ra’i-te-tumu
(Sky-the-source),
Ra’itepapa (Sky-the-prop), t.
Hina-tea
10
(Gray-the-carving)
(Light-gray)
Ra’i-te-meremere (Sky-of-parental-yearning), t.
Ra’i-te-meremere
Hina-tû-a-uta (Gray-standing-inland)
1.
Ra’i-te-hotahota (Sky-of-coughing), t.
Ra’i-te-hotahota
Hina-tû-a-tai (Gray-standing-seaward)
I.
9
(Brain-of-ray-fish)
t.
Hina-te-nnu
Ra’i-’e-mate-i-te-niu-ha’amea-’a-Tane ( Sky-of-death-by-the-reddening-coconut-of-Tane), t.
Ra’i-’e-mate-i-te-niu-ha’amea-’a-Tane Mau-tû (Hold-standing)
I.
Moe-iti’iti (Sleep-in-pain), t.
Moe-iti’iti
Fa’afaro (Straighten)
I.
11.
12.
13.
I.
Moe-te-re’are’a
Moe-te-re’are’a
I.
14.
Moe-te-râ-uri
IS-
Hiro
Moe-te-râ-uri
(Haunt-of-parroquets)
(Sleep-in-darkened-sun), t.
Fai-niano (Thousand-imprecations)
Hiro
1.
Marama-toa-i-fenua-’ura
2.
Marama
t.
Ti’ara’a-’ura
I.
named
16.
(Jester),
(Sleep-of-plenty),
t.
Vai-tû-ma-ria
(Water-of-recent-standing)
(Moon-warrior-of-’ura-land), t., also
Tû-nui-paia-i-te-paora ( Great-stability-slipping-in-drought)
Piho-i-te-maro-taino’a
(Splash-and-shout-of-the-seaweed-girdie),
t.
(Saving-warrior-child-of-’ura-feathers),
t.,
Mâ’apu-te-roro-’opu-’ore
I.
Fa’aniti Tamatoa-’ura
or Tamatoa I.
(Cleaned - with shell-Brain-without-a-membrane
1
Copied in 1846 from the manuscript of Mare (Cough), a genealogist, and member of the
royal family, and brought up to date from the office of Mayor Cardella of Papeete, Tahiti; also
by Queen Dowager Marau of Tahiti, by her cousin, Ta’aroari’i Vahiné, and by Mrs. Charlotte
Platt of Ra’iatea.
This Ra’iatean and Tahitian genealogy of the Pômare
family, from Uru to Queen Pômare IV
and her children, has long been held by the French Gove’rnment as a
valuable historié and
official document from a most authentic source, a copy of it
having been obtained by the French
Admirai Lavaud when, as commandant of the Protectorate Government of
Tahiti, lie was strictly
inquiring into the rights of the dominion in the group cf tlie Pômare family. After this test it
published in the French work called “Les Polynésiens et leur Migrations”, by De
Quatrefages.
was
A
is marked t. for tane
te-ari’i (sovereign or
(man) and a daughter v. for vahiné (woman).
Teri’i means
prince).
The author’s copy of there généalogies, unfortunately, was lost after
retyping, making it
impossible to verify the printed copy by reference to the original.—Fditor.
the
son
same
as
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
248
Tamatoa I (Fa’aniti)
17.
I.
Floa-ta-tama
18.
(Cause-to-fade)
’Uti-’uti-rei
( Strain-neck)
(Altar), t.
r.
Ro’o
(Famé), f.
I.
Ho’a
(Flashing),
I.
Ta’ahue (Thrown-off), f.
I.
Ru’utia
Ta’a-hue
22.
Ha’amahea
Fata
Ho’a
21.
-
-
(Child-has-friends), t.
I.
Ro’o
20.
Great princess - setting -fire-to-thesky) from Ttibuai
mati
Hoa-ta-tama
Fata
19.
Vai-rau-mati Tetua-nui-tahu-ra’i (Water-of
t.
(Water-in-lime-stone)
Vai-pu’a
Vai-tea
(Clear-water)
Motu-ma
(Bind-thigh), t.
(Clean-cut)
Vai-tûra’a (Water-to-stand-by) of Pare
(Burst-rasping), t.
Hu’ui
Tupu-heiva (Begin-play)
T.
Ra’a-uri (Dark-sacredness'), t.
’Are-te-moe (Undulating-wave)
Ra’a-uri
I.
Tû (Stand), t.
Tû
Pupa-’ura-i-vai-ahu
(Red - bunch - in-hotwater)
I.
Tautu (Domesticated), t.
Te-unu-ha’eha’a (Low-carving), also called
Tautu
’Ai-ata (Cloud-eater) of Porapora
T.
Tama-toa II (Warrior-child), t.
(Tautu fought many battles and brought ail the districts of Raiatea under one king)
Te-ao-i-na-ni’a (The-world-above)
Tamatoa II3
I.
Ari’i-ma’o (Shark-king), t.
Ari’i-rua (Two-princes), t., (one of twins)
2.
Rofai (Gust-of-wind), t., (twin brother of Ari’i-rua)
3.
Tetua-nui-i-tahu-ea
Ari’i-rua
(Great - princess - of Tahuea [marae])
I.
Hapai-taha’a (Bare-boldness), v.
Vahi-roa (Distant-place), t.
2.
Ro’o-tai-na (Fame-seaward), f.
3Titi-ari’i (Royal-captive), f.
45- Tu-ea (Stand-on-road), t.
6. Tuha’a (Portion), t.
7- Tupuai (Summit), v.
8. Tama (Child), v.
Ru’utia2
23-
I.
24.
2S-
26.
27.
28.
29.
Hu’ui
Rofai (son of Tamatoa II)
29.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Marama (Moon)
Tamatoa III, t.
Te-tu-ta’ata (The-stand-of-man), v.
Varivari (Muddy), v.
Hapaira’i (Sky-layer), t.
Titi-ari’i (Royal-captive), f.
Pupa-’ura (Red-bunch), v.
Fanofano (Sailing), v.
This was the first marnage between a Ra’iatean prince and a princess of Pare.
®
Nicknamed Tamat'oa-fa’o because of a nasal defect affecting his speech.
This king
his subjects to lay coconut fronds along the seashore so as to muffle the sound of the
when he took his siesta beneath the trees at Opoa.
2
required
breakers
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tamatoa III-i
30.
Mai-he’a
249
(Pining-sickness), first wife
31.
Te-tu-paia (The-stand-for-puncturing), v.
2.
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa (Sovereign-supreme), f.
3- Teri’i-tari’a (Sovereign-borne-away), t.
4Hapai-taha’a (Laying-bare), v.
Teu (Attendant), high chief of Pare, also
Te-tu-paia5, V.
32.
greater-than-the-gods) or Tû-nui-e-aa-ite-atua ( Stability-who-settles-the-gods )
Te-ari’i-na-vaho-roa-i-te-tau-tua-mai-i-te-ra’i
The-sovereign-supreme-residing-in-the-sky [palace)), v.
Tu (Stability), or Vaira’a-toa (Casuarina-container), Pômare® I, I.
Ari’i-paea (Sovereign-elect), v.
Te-ari’i-fa’atau (Sluggish-sovereign), t.
Tupuai-o-to-ra’i (Summit-of-the-sky), t.
Vaii-o (Await-there), v.
Te-pa’u (The splas'h), t.
—Tü or Vaira’a-toa
Itia (Torn-off), first wife
1.
called
Pômare
No issue
Tu-nui-a’e-i-te-atua
(Stability-
(Great-princess-roaming-in-expansive-palace), a high
chiefess of Varari, Moorea, second wife
1.
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa (Sovereign-supreme), v.
2.
Pômare II®, or Tû (Stability), t., born about 1774.
3.
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa (Sovereign-supreme), t.
Te-rito-o-te-ra’i Teremoemoe (LuxuriancePômare II
of-the-sky) (Lonely-errand)
1.
’Aimatai® (Eye-eater), v., born February 28, 1813; died September
17, 1877
2.
Teina (Younger-brother), t., born in 1817; died in chiidhood
3.
Pômare, or Pômare III, t., born in 1820; died January ii, 1827.
Pômare III reigned from December 7, 1821 until his death and was succeeded
by his sister, ’Aimata, as Queen Pômare IV.
Pômare IV married in December, 1822, Tapoa (First-slain-in-battle-Going-above),
Prince of Taha’a, afterwards King Tapoa II of Porapora and Taha’a.
(See .)
They had no children. In 1834 they were divorced and she married her cousin
Te-na-ni’a (The-going-above), also named Ari’i-fa’a’ite (Prince-telling), of
Ra’iatea, who was boni January 10, 1820 and died August 6, 1783. By this
marriage were born three children who died in infancy; then were born:
1.
Ari’i-aue (Wailing-prince), t., August 12, 1838, on the islet of
Motu-uta, Papeete ; died May 10, 1856 ; unmarried.
2.
Te-ra-tane (The-man-sun), f., also named Teri’i-tari’a (Carriedprince), afterwards Pômare V, born at the Isthmus of Taravao,
November 3, 1839; succeeded his mother as King Pômare V,
September 17, 1877; died June 12, 1891.
33.
34-
3S-
TetuaS-nui-reia-i-te-ra’i-atea
*
After Tamatoa III, the proiicl Ari’i maro xira family of Ra’iatea was closely blended with
the ancient family of warrior chiefs of Pare, with whom there had been a former union,
®
It was Te-tu-paia, a Tamatoa, who first introduced the ura-feather girdle of Ra’iatea into
the district of Pare.
*
For the names Vaira’atoa and Pômare, see account of royal influence on words, p.
^
Pômare I, whose ancestral name was Tu—called Otoo by Captain Cook, who mentions him
in his voyages in 1769 and 1774—became king of Tahiti and Alo’orea in 1793 and a little later
also of the Tuamotus.
He died September 3, 1803.
*
See Tahitian dictionary for tetua (daughter of a chief).
It is now used only as a proper
noun.
Pômare II reigned from 1803 until his death December 7, 1821.
The name ’Aimata is derived from the former custom of presenting
victim to a sovereign in religions rites at a marae.
®
the
eye
of
a
human
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
250
Teari’i-maeva-rua (Sovereign-twice-hailed), v., who became queen
of Porapora; boni at Ra’iatea May 23, 1841; died
February 12,
18734.
Taniatoa (Warrior-child), t., who became Tamatoa V of Ra’iatea;
born at Ra’iatea September 23, 1842; died September 30, 1881.
5.
Pu-nua-ri’i Teri’i-tapu-nui (Small-trumpet-above-Prince-of-manysacrifices), t., born Mardi 20, 1846; died September 17, 1888.
6. Teri’i-tna (Sea-prince), Jouinville, t., born in Tahiti December
17,
1847 ; died April 9, 1875.
36. Pômare V, last king of Tahiti, was married^i November li, 1857 at Huahine, to
Te-ma-ri’i-a-te-uru-ra’i (The-Iittle-cleansing-of-the-sky-forcst), eldest daughter of
King and Queen Ari’i Mate (Deceased Sovereign) of Pluahine. A girl and a
boy were the issue of this marriage, but they died in infancy ; the mother aiso
died later. January 28, 1875, Pômare V married
Joanna Marau-ta’aroa Te-pau
(Much-unique-cleansing The-splash) Sahiion of whose illustrions faniily more is
said later. Their children, ail living, are:
1.
Teri’i-nui-o-Tahiti Te-vahine-taora-te-rito-ma'-te-ra’i Teri’i-a’e-tua
3.
(Great-sovereign-of-Tahiti The wonian that throws-fruitfulnessfrom-the-sky Sovereign-that-mounts-upon-the-back), v., born March
-
9,
2.
-
-
1879.
Ari’i-manihinihi
Te-vahine-rere-atua-i-Fareia (Sympathizing-sov[The-woman-eating-before-the-refreshed-with-the-fatness-ofmist The-splash Sovereign-in-palace-wall]a
The-God-flying-womanof Fareia), v., born January 4, 1887.
ereign
Ernest
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa-i-te-tua-i-Hauviri
Tetua-nui(Supreme-sovereign-of-the-sea-of-FIauviri
Great-sovereign-who-fell-from-the-sky
Long-battle-in-the-region-of-stability The-splash.) Salmon, t.
36. Princess Te-ari’i-maeva-rua was adopted by King Tapoa II of Porapora and
dependencies, he haidng no children, and after his death in 1860 was crowned
by Rev. Mr. Platt queen of his realm as Maevarua I. She married Te-maui-ari’i
(The-royal-prayer), son of the high chief and chiefess Ma-pea-nu’u (With-whichhost), of Fa’a’a and descendant of King Ma’i of Porapora, February 28, 1866.
Of this marriage there was no issue.
36. Taniatoa, who became king of Raiatea as Tamatoa V, December l, 1860, married
Moe (Sleep), sister of Te-maui-ari’i just mentioned, at Ra’iatea
July 12, 1863.
They had six children, two of wlioni are dead.
3.
1.
Teri’i-o-uru-maona (Sovereign-of-wrestler’s forest), v., nominated
Pômare VI by Queen Pômare IV before the second marriage of
her son, the late Pômare V ; born July 16, 1867, and died Decem¬
ber
2.
Albert
marua-l-te-ra’i Aro-roa-i-te-mavana-o-Tu Te pau
15,
1872.
Teri’i-vae-tua
(Sovereign-distributing-the-ocean), v., born Septem¬
1869. She married Norman Brander, nephew of Queen
Dowager Marau, to whom she bore a son nanied Norman Winifield Tamatoa Te-vahi-tua-i-Pa-tea (Warrior-child-divider-of-thesea-at-White-Fort), March 23, 1889, died 1917.
Teri’i-maeva-rua (Sovereign-twice-hailed), v., namesake of her
aunt, Queen Maeva-rua I of Porapora; born May 28, 1871. At the
deniise of her queen aunt, February 12, 1873, she succeeded to the
throne of Porapora and dependencies as Maeva-rua II and retained
ber 22,
3.
By Rev. Charles Barff of the London Missionary Society,
a The phrases in brackets are evidently translations of
Tahitian titles omitted in this
given above. Cf. p. 39, no. 7-2 title complété. Handy.
name
as
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
251
kingdom was annexed to France March
1888.
Tamatoa, t., boni September 22, 1872; died September 9, 1873.
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa, v., born November 7, 1877, who married the
late Opuhara Salmon, son of Tati Salmon, high chief of Papara,
by whom she had several children.
’O ’Ai-mata Teri’i-vahfne-i-titaua-o-ote-ra’i ( Eye-eater Princesssought-for-the-palace), v., born June 29, 1878; died April 3, 1894.
the sovereignty until her
19,
4.
5.
6.
Teri’i-tapu-nui, (best known by the latter name), married Teri’i(Supreme-sovereign), daughter of the high chief and chiefess, Mano, of
Tautira, Tahiti, June, 1862, by whom he had a daughter named Teri’i-na-vaho-roa,
born April 15, 1873, and died April 12, 1874.
Prince Teri’itua Jouinville, (the latter name was preferred by the French and
was
Tahitianized Tuavira), married Isabelle Vahine-tua ( Ocean-woman) Shaw,
daughter of the son of Captian Shaw, a well-known navigator in the Pacific, and of a
native woman of good family in Mo’orea. The issue of this marriage was Teri’ihinoi-atua (Prince-silent-with-god), so well known as Prince Hinoi, the adopted son
of his uncle, the late King Pômare V.
He married Queen Maeva-rua II of Porapora, but they hâve no child living.
By this genealogy, it will be seen that up to the présent date there are thirtyeight générations of the Pômare family. Returning to Tamatoa III, the direct line
Prince Punuaru
na-vaho-roa
-
of the Ra’iatean branch is as follows :
THE BRANCH IN RAIATEA
30.
Tamatoa III
1.
2.
3.
Te-moe-ha’a
Te-hani (The-darling), second wife
(The-sleeping-low), t.
Ara-pô (Night-waking), t.
Te-ha’ame’ame’a (Becoming-flushed), v.
Hapai-taha’a (Eaying-bare) of Hauiri
Ra’iatea, third wife.
Vetea-ra’i Uuru (Separated-from-the-sky Snoring), f.
Puni (Hide) of Farerua in Porapora, first
Vete’a-ra’i Uuru
4.
31.
wife
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Ari’i-ma’o
(Shark-king), t.
Ta’ata-ma’o (Shark-man), t.
Teri’i-rouru-ma’ona (King-with-flowing-hair), t.
Te-tu-paia (The-stand-for-puncturing), v.
Hoata (Joke), t.
Te-ruri-atua-i-tai-nu’u
(The-shifting-god-to-moving-sea), t.
Te-mai-hea (The-fading-disease), v.
Rere-ao
(Flying-in-the-world)
pora, second wife
Mate-ha (Fourth-death), t.
Hihipa (Self-admiring), t.
10.
Tamatoa
IV.
11.
Te-pô-a-nu’u
of
Pora¬
Opaipai (Drift-side-way) also named Teroro
(The-brain) of Porapora, third
wife, Rereao’s sister
(The-night-move) Pehupehu (Débris).
Rereao, second wife
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
252
12.
Hihipa (Self-admiring), named Tahi-toe (One-remaining) because
his niece, Queen Terito, and King Pômare II had one surviving
child, ’Aimata, later Queen Pômare IV, after los'ing their
two
32.
TamatoalV*"
1.
2.
sons.
Tû-ra’i-ari’i
(Stand-in-place), daughter of
Queen Te-ha’apapa of Huahine
Teri’i-tari’a
(Carried-sovereign), v., who became Ari’i-paea
(Sovereign-reserved), Queen of Huahine, who fell into a
trance.
(See page ?i)
Te-rito-o-te-ra’i (The-verdure-of-the-sky), v., mother of Queen
Pômare IV, afterwards called Tere-moemoe (Lonely-errand).
Te-ma-ri’i (Small-cleansing), v.
4.
Mai-hara (Transgression-illness), z/.
5. Moe-’ore
(Sleepless), t., also named Teri’i-tino-rua (Princedual-body) and Te-ari’i-noho-ra’i (Sovereign-dwelling-in-the-palace), father of the late Queen Teha-apapa of Huahine.
6. Te-ihotu (Erect-nose), v., mother of Te-na-n’ia
(The-goingabove), second husband of Queen Pômare IV.
Tahi-toe, named after his father, Tahitoe vahiné, of Ra’iatea.
1.
Rere-ao Te-hau-roa-ari’i (Long-government-of-kings) v.
2.
Te-hau-poto (Short-government).
Tamatoa V, son of Queen Pômare and great grandson of King Tamatoa IV,
was crowned king of Ra’iatea and Taha’a December
1, 1860, at Opoa, by Rev.
Mr. Platt.
At the coronation he met with some opposition by the people, but
as
he was protected by French troops that were in attendance on the royal
family of Tahiti, the ceremony passed off in pomp and State. He reigned until
February 8, 1871, when he was deposed by his subjects for mis'conduct.
Tahi-toe, the second grandson of King Tamatoa IV, before mentioned, was
then proclaimed king, being the rightful heir to the throne, and was crowned
August I, 1872, in great State by Rev. J. C. Vivian at the church at Uturoa.
He accepted the French protectorate fiag in 1880 and died in 1881.
Rereao Hau-roa-ari’i, daughter of King Tahi-toe, succeeded her father to the
throne and was crowned queen by this name April 13, 1881, by Rev. Mr. Pearse
at Uturoa Church with due solemnity and
rejoicings. She remained unmarried
and died March 18, 1884.
Tamatoa VI, son of Queen Te-ha-apapa of Huahine and Ari’i-Mate (Sovereigndeceased) and great grandson of King Tamatoa IV was crowned as TamatoaTautu in the same manner as his predecessors January 22, 1885, by Rev. E. V.
Cooper, and reigned until his kingdom was annexed to France, March 16, 1888.
3.
33.
35.
34.
35.
35.
THE BRANCH IN HUAHINE13
the
29.
30.
Returning to Ari’i-ma’o, son of Tamatoa H, is the genealogy connected with
royal house of Huahine.
Ari’i-ma’oi^ (Shark-king)
I.
Mau’a (Wasted), t.
Mau’a
1.
2.
3.
Rohi-a-nu’u
Tû-ra’i-ari’i
Te-’e’eva
(The crescent) of Papara
Te-atua-nui-marama
(The - great - moongoddess) of Huahine
(Effort-to-move),
t.
( Stand-in-royal-palace),
Moe-tû (Sleep-standing), t.
v.
Reigned when Captain Cook visited Ra’iatea in 1777.
Brought up to présent date by Teri’i-na-vaho-roa Alexandre, daughter of the late Queen
Teha’apapa II, and by Moeruru Tetua, a member and genealogist of the family.
Ari’i’ma’o introduced the royal ’ura-featber girdle and the god ’Oro of Ra’iatea int'o
Papara.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
4.
5.
6.
31.
7.
Rohi-a-nu’u
Varivari (Muddy), v.
Va-ave-roa (Wave-with-Iong-train),
(Rock), t., liigh priest of Huahiiie, from Opoa, Ra’iatea.
Fa’araurau (Cease-benefit), w., aiso named Fa’a’oroma’i (Forbear).
carried)
Teri’i-tari’a, t., (famed for inventing a noose by which to catch
the
man-of-war-bird).
Rohi-a-nu’u died, and his' brother Mato married the widow.
Mato
1.
2.
Teri’i-tari’a, t.
Tû-ra’i-ari’i
woman)
34.
32.
Tû-ra’i-ari’i
S-
Queen Te-ha’apapa, first wife.
E-he-vahine
v.
2.
34-
5-
6.
Te-na-ni’a (That-goes-up), t.
Mahine Te-hei-’ura (The-’ura-feather-wreath Daughter) t., who
became king of Huahine.
He was about 15 years old when
Captain Cook visited Huahine in
Rere-ao
matoa
Teri’i-tari’a
or
Ari’i-paea-vahine,
IV
fa’o
2.
T., queen
(See p. 220.)
of Huahine who fell
Te-rito-o-te-ra’i Tere-mo’emo’e, v., queen of Pômare H and
mother of Queen Pômare IV of Tahiti.
Te-mâ-ri’i (The-little-cleansing), v.
Ma’i-hara (Transgression-ilhiess), v.
Moe-ore Teri’i-tino-rua Te-ari’i-noho-ra’i (Sleeplessness Sovereignof-dual-body The-sovereign-dwelling-in-palace), t.
Te-iho-tû Ta-ve’a (Erect-nose By-messenger), v. (See the same
genealogy.)
(Sickly-basis), also named Te( ( Which-god), first wife
Tû-ra’i-ari’i Te-ra’i-mano (Stand-in-royal-palace
Many-Skies), v.
’ltia (Torn-off), second wife, previously
Teri’i-a’e-tua
(Te-hei-’ura)
I.
Tû-’ai-tara
the first wife of Pômare I of Tahiti
(Sovereign-mounted-oii-back),
2.
Ta’aroa-ari’i
v.,
died
young.
Pere-rà (Now-distribute), first wife, sister
to King Tapoa I of Porapora
(Stand-to-eat-in-corner),
Tetua-apua
33.
Raiatea, nicknamed Ta(Warrior-child-muffller)
of
Tohe-ma’i
hea-atua
I.
Mahine
1777.
(Flying-in-the-world), v.
in the Ra’iatean
Te-na-ni’a
A-caterpilIar-
Te-tû-ave-roa (The-stand-with-long-train),
second wife,
daughter of Mo’o-hono
(Thatch-lizard), high priest of Huahine and member of the royal family
into a remarkable trance.
32.
(Stand-in-royal-palace
Tamatoa
1.
32.
f.
Mato
Te-ha’apapa
I
Te-i’oa-tua
Teri’i-tari’a
(The-piling The-ocean-name Sovereign-
I.
31.
253
v.,
who died
young.
(Princess-enchanted),
second
wife, of the people, s'o that lier babes
were strangled at birth
Tao’a (Property), third wife, high chiefess of Fareihi, Pluahine
(Unique-sovereign),
t.
Mahine vahiné, fourth wife, without issue.
Teri’i-tari’a or Ari’i-paea vahiné
Ari’i-paea
Having no issue, they adopted Queen Pomare’s second son, the late King Pômare
V. bestowing upon him the name Teri’i-tari’a.
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
254
33-
Moe-’ore
Te-ari’i-
1.
Ta’aroa-ari’i
Harua-pô-a-te-varua-metua
Te-mata-fainuu
Ma’i-hara
Te-mà-ri’i
ing), v:
Te-uru-ra’i
34-
Mahuti
leased
2.
33-
(ReCaught-at-night-of-spirit-parent)
from Papeari, Tahiti, of plebian origin
Te-pa’apapa II, v., the late queen of Huahine.
Maere-hia (Surprised), v.
Teri’i-tino-rua
noho-ra’i
Ari’i-mate
(The-sky-forest Sovereign-demised), t.
(The-sun-man), later named
Ari’i-peu (Tricky-sovereign), grandson
Te-râ-tane
Ma’i-hara
of Tamatoa
IV
(Eye-eater), v.
2.
Ta’aroa-ari’i (King Ta’aroa), t.
Te-iho-tû (The-erect-nose), v.
3Te-uru-ra’i, or Ari’i-mate
Te-ha’apapa II, daughter of Moe-’ore,
(Sleeplessness), son of Tamatoa IV of
Ra’iatea
and great granddaughter of
Mato and Queen Teha’apapa I
I.
Te-mà-ri’i Ma’i-hara Te-uhe (The-little-cleansing Transgressionsickness The-breeze), v., first wife of Pômare V, died August
1.
34.
(The-face-disappearing)
The-little-cleans-
(Transgression-sickness
’Ai-mata
21,
1891.
2.
Te-ari’i-fa’aite
3-
Te-rerera’a-tua
4-
9-
6.
deceased.
(Princess-telling), v., who died young.
Tapiria (The-flying-of-the-ocean Closed),
v.,
(Moon Indolent-prince), t., died in 1909.
(Casuarina-cpntainer), v., dead.
Te-uru-ra’i Ari’i-mate (Sky-forest. Sovereign-demis'ed), t., who
became king of Ra’iatea under the title of Tamatoa VL
Ari’i-ati-tai (Princess-surrounded-hy-the-sea), v., died in childMararaa
Teri’i-fa’atau
Vaira’a-toa
hood.
( Prince-night-to-hook-the-sky ), t., deceased.
( Sly-movement Great-princess-ofmarae-for-human-sacrifices), t., deceased.
Tù-ra’i-ari’i (Stand-in-royal-palace), v.
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa
Te-hei-’ura
(Sovereign-supreme
The-’uraTeri’i-te-pô-rou-’a-ra’i
Fatino
10.
11.
Tetua-nui-marae-ta’ata
wreath), v.
12.
35.
Te-fa’aora-vahine
Te-mà-ri’i Ma’ihara Teuhe
(Saviour-of-women), v.
Te-râ-tane
or
Pômare V of
husband
Tahiti, first
(I-shall-carry
Singly),
Tuamotus, second husband
No children by either marriage lived.
Afai-au-Tatahi
from the
35.
Te-rerera’a-tua-Tapiria
35.
Marama
I.
Te-mata-fa’ainu’u
(The-face-disappearing), v., died young.
Tetua-marama (Princess-moon), daughter
of the
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
king of Rurutu
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa Te-ha’apapa, v.
Te-anu-nui-ata (The-great-chill-of-clouds), v.
A-mai-te-ra’i (Scorched-from-the-sky), t., deceased.
Te-uru-ra’i (Sky-forest), t.
Teri’i-te-po-rou-’a-ra’i (Prince-night-to-hook-the-sky), t., deceased.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
6.
7.
8.
Vaira’a-toa
1.
2.
255
Te-mata-’ura-ari’i
(The-royal-red-face), v., deceased.
Teri’i-hoa-tapu-i-te-ra’i (Sovereign-pledged-friend-in-the-sky), t.
Tetua-marama (Princess-moon), v.
E-he (A-caterpillar), v., deceased, leaving five children.
Tahi-mana-ari’i (One-sovereign-power), t., deceased.
Tetua-nui (Great-princess), daughter of Tamatoa
Atiti-oroi (Swerving-roller) of the Tati
family of Papara
Tamatoa (Warrior-child), t., heir apparent to the title of Ta¬
matoa VII of Ra’iatea, until the monarchy ended with that of
Te-uru-ra’i Ari’i-mate or King
Tamatoa VI of Ra’iatea.
Huahine.
(The-god-reposing-woman),
2.
Te-vahine-ha’amoe-atua
3-
Upufara Pehupehu (Pandanus-invocation Débris), t.
4-
5.
6.
Vana’a
sky),
V.
(Herald
Teri’i-mana-i-te-ra’i
Mahine Ta’aroa-ari’i
Great-sovereign-of-the-
(Daughter Unique-sovereign), t.
Te-fau-vero (The-storm-chief), t., deceased.
T eri’i-te-pô-rou-’a-ra’i
Piho (Splash)
1.
Te-uira-ari’i (Lightning-prince), t.
2.
Irenè (a foreign name pronounced “Ireni” in
34-
56.
7-
8.
v.
having the Sound of e short), v.
Mate-rua (Royal-deaths-twice), v.
Taumi-hau (Balance-of-government),
Auta’o (Royal-provisions), t.
Ahu-pû (Cloth-entire), t.
Tetua-nui (Great-princess), v.
Ra’i-hau (Peaceful-sky), v.
Tahitian, the i's
t.
T etua-mere-tini
a
Ari’i-tiria (Princess-ofmany-sorrows-of-sovereign-thrown), from
Fatino
Vaira’o
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Tû-ra’i-ari’i
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tû-te-ira-ari’i ( Stand-royal-mole), t.
Te-unu (The-carved-ornament), t.
Mato (Rock), t.
Etienne Alexandre (of French and Tahi¬
tian
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Tahiti
Te-ma-ri’i-vahine (The-Iittle-cleansing-woman), v.
Tavae-ara’i (Parroquet-mediator), f.
Teri’i-na-vaho-roa
1.
in
(A-dance), i.
Tû-tea-ari’i (Stand-fair-prince), t.
Tû-mata (Eye-witness), t.
Hapai-taha’a (Deviation-exposed), v.
Tû (Stand), v.
Toa (Warrior), t.
Tetua-nui (Great princess), v.
Utami
parentage)
Teri’i-hiti-niai-te-râ (Prince-from-the-sun), t.
Tau-tiare (Flower-season), v.
Maru-ra’i (Shade-of-sky), t.
Tava’e-ari’i (Royal-parroquet),
t.
Te-’ura-ma-te-ata (The-redness-of-the-clouds),
Tû-manu-tea (Stand-white-bird), t.
Te-mata’i-a-tô-ari’i (Wind-drawing-sovereign),
Tetua-nui (Great-princess), v.
v.
t.
I.Pua-r’ite-ra’ i-Mat’i-rea
256
35.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Te-fa’aora-vahine
?
1.
Te-fa’aora-vahine, v.
2.
Tau-vavau (Some-peacemakers), v.
3.
Te-mà-ri’i (The-little-cleansing) t.
Of the thirty-sixth génération children
petuate the race.
Te-uru-raT’s Genëalogy
on
ire’a
also rising to
per-
His Mothër’s Sidiî
Te-upo’o-hei-etua
Mauri ta Ena (Entranced of Speedy)
are
a
Te-rupe
(The-head-
with - uprooted - wreath - of ^ the- mountain-
pigeon)
[ Sky-flower-the-sacredness-of-Mata’-
(marae)], t.
Te-upo’o-rau-toa (The-head-with-warriors’leaves)
1.
Te-vahine-ha’amoe-tua-i-Mata’ire’a
(The-woman-sleeping-at-sea-ofMata’ire’a), v.
2.
Varivari (Muddy), v.
3.
Teri’i-taumi-hau (Sovereign-holding-power), t.
4.
Fa’ai-po’a (Fill-cavity), t.
5.
Te-iva-ari’i-i-Tainu’u (The-royal-gloom of Tainu’u), t.
6. O-to’o (Dancing-master), f.
7.
Te-varua-hae-o-pua-ra’i (The-fierce-spirit-of-sky-flower), t.
Te-’ore (The-ceasing) of Opoa, Raiatea
1.
Te’a-ta’o-tane Teri’i-na-na-vaho-roa (The-man-spearer Sovereignsupreme), t.
2.
Maeva-rua (Twice-hailed), v.
Pua-ra’i-te-ra’i-Mata’i-re’a
3-
Fa’ai-poa
4-
Te’a-ta’o-tane
3.
1.
2.
34.
S-
Pupa-’ura
s-
Puhi-ava
2.
3.
4-
Te-uhe
v.
5-
Te-uhe
(The-breeze), t.
Va’a-pau (Swamped-canoe), t.
2.
34-
6.
Tamari’i
Pao-ra’i
(Sky-digger), died
Tuai-rau
(Many-waitings)
( With-dedication), t.
Pupa-’ura, t.
Raatira-’ore (No-captain), t.
Mohao
Tata-hio (Strike-whistling), t.
Taia (Dread), t.
Te-tu-ae-tara
They had
1.
5-
(Stone-seat)
Nohora’a-ofa’i
(Red-bunch), t.
Puhi-ava (Passage-eel), t.
Pupa-’ura
They had no offspring.
1.
s-
Varivari,
of Fa’anui
(The-stand-in-corner), first
wife, deceased
no
children.
Ma-apu
Te-uru-ra’i (The-sky-forest), t.
Tamari’i (Children), v.
Pao-ra’i (Sky-digger), v.
Me-hao (With-dedication), t.
Ma’i (Sickness), v.
They had
soon
Utami
no
children.
(Clean-extensively),
(A-dance)
s'econd
wife
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
6.
257
(Alighting), first wife
(The-face-disappearing), v.
Te-ahii-ra’i (Tlie-heat-of-the-sky),
Taura’a
Me-hao
1.
Te-mata-fainu’u
second
wife
Te-uhe (The-breeze), t.
Te-uru-ra’i, t.
Te-mata-fainu’u
Ta’aroa-ari’i
1.
Temari’i, v.
2.
3.
7.
2.
Te-uru-ra’i Ari’i-mate, f.
GenEai^ogy
I.
Tau-ari’i
Ahu-toru
hiti
Tp-ha’apapa II
(Royal-invocation), t., of
(marae) at Papa’oa, Ta1.
2.
2.
OP
on
Hpr Mothpr’s Sid®
Te-roro-iti-a-hi’o-ari’i a Tera’i-tua (Thelittle-brain-see-sovereign-of-ocean sky), of
(marae),
Nu’u-rua
Moorea
Tau-’ai-ta’ata (Invocation-consuming-man), t.
Te-roro-iti-a-hi’o-ari’i (See her mother’s name), v.
Tau-’ai-ta’ata
Titiri-vahine-i-te-ra’i-maoa
Alighting-of-the-gods),
I.
3-
Mahine
Mahine-Ta’aroa-ari’i,
Ta’aroa-ari’i
1.
2.
Taura’a-atua
a
(Hurl - ofï - woman - in - the-clear-sky
Mo’orea
of
of
Papetoai,
t.
Tai-taru
Teri’i-tari’a, t.
Ta’aroa-ari’i, t.
(Moving-speech
of Huahine
Teri’i-tari’a
a
Sovereign-carried)
Mahine
See the meanings given above.
4-
Teri’i - ohua
Teri’i-tari’a
moae
-
e-te-anuanua-i-te-tuahu-i-Ura-
( Sovereign-whirled-by-the-rainbow-
upon-the-landing-place-at-Ura- moae), Hu¬
ahine
I.
S-
Te-ha’apapa I Te-’i’oa-tua Teri’i-tari’a, v., queen of Huahine.
Te-ha’apapa I
1.
2.
Mato
(Rock),
Ra’iatea
high
priest,
Teri’i-tari’a (Sovereign-carried), t.
Tû-ra’i-ari’i E-hê-vahine
(Stand-in-royal-palace
woman), v.
6.
Tû-ra’i-ari’i
1.
2.
34-
5-
6.
7-
from
Opoa,
A-caterpillar-
Tamatoa IV of Raiatea (Tamatoa-fa’o)
Ari’i-paea (Sovereign-carried Sovereign-elect), v.,
queen of Huahine.
Te-rito-o-te-ra’i Tere-mo’emo’e, v., queen of Pômare II of Tahiti.
Te-ma-ri’i (The-little-cleansing), v.
Ma’i-hara (Transgression-illness), v.
Moe-’ore Teri’i—tino-rue Te-ari’i-noho-ra’i (Sleeplessness-Sovereign-
Teri’i-tari’a
of-dual-body The-sovereign-dwelling-in-palace), t.
Te-iho-tû Ta-ve’a (Erect-nose By-messenger), v.
Mahuti
Harua-pô-a-te-varua-metua (Released
Caught-at-night-of-spirit-parent),
Moe’ore
from
1.
2.
loasa, t., deceased.
loane, t., died in childhood.
Papeari, Tahiti
258
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Solomona, t., deceased.
Te-ha’apapa II, v., queen of Huahine when
3.
4.
annexed to
Français in 1888.
the
island
was
THE TAPOA DYNASTY OF PORAPORAis
On THE Father's Side
Hapai - taha’a
(Cover - bareness),
granddaughter of Tamatoa II of
Ra’iatea, through his son Ari’i-rua,
first niarriage
Metua-aro
1.
3.
Te-ari’i-fa’atau
1.
Mairo
Mano-tahi
1.
Ta’o-ata
(A child’s game), t.
(Wet-clothes), t.
Te-upo’o-pa’ari (The-hard-head), t.
Maro-ni’au (Coconut-leaf-girdle), t.
Tau-mai (Alight-here), t.
Te-ha’amana (The-exaltation), v.
Mo’o-hono (Lizard-of-thatch-s’ection),
Ta’o-ata (Unwilling), t.
Te-i’oa-tua
S-
Mahuru (Suckling), f.
t.
Rere-ao
2.
3.
Maeva-rua
(Flying-in-the-world), v.
Te-ari’i-noho-rai
lit of
Fare-tou
Porapora.
t.
(The-ocean-name), first wife
4.
3.
sec¬
(Muddy), sister of Tamatoa III
Te-tu-paia (The-stand-to-cover), v.
Te-na-ni’a (The-going-above), v.
Metua-’aro (Forgotten-parent), t.
2.
3-
Varivari
(Alas), t.
Ahu-rari
78.
2.
Aue
3-
56.
t.
Tau-niua (Time-of-ominous'-clouds),
ond husband
Tino-rua, (Dual-body, so named after the océan god), t.
2.
4-
(Forgotten-parent),
Te-ari’i-fa’atau (The-indolent-sovereign), t.
Mano-tahi (First-thousand), t.
2.
4.
Va-ave-roa (Wave-with-long-train), grandson of Tamatoa II of
Ra’iatea, by Mau’a
(Cordia-house), second wife
(Twice-hailed)
(Sovereign-residing-in-palace)
Pere-ra (Now-distribute),
v.,
t., or King
Tapoa
first wife of Mahine of Pluahine.
King Te-uru-ra’i or Ari’i-mate, of Huahine, had reigned several years as the cliosen sovereign of the island, when civil war broke out between two parties in power.
In concluding peace
at a meeting one night, the parties decïded to transfer the
sovereignty from the king to his
consort, which, according to native custoin, was soon done, and on the morrow, awaking to find
themselves thus disposed of, the rulers accepted the irrevocable
change. The queen, it seems, had a
prior daim to the throne to that of lier husband, as she was a great-granddaughter of Mato, whose
first wife was Queen Teha’apapa I, lier grandraother, and whose second wife was
Te-tu-ave-roa,
Te-uru-rai’s grandmother.
Queen Teha’apapa II reigned until Mardi 16th, 1888, when lier
kingdom was annexed to France and the native monarchy ended.
The ex-king, Teurura’i died
April 14, 1874, and the ex-queen died August 7, 1891.
During the time of unrest in Raiatea under Teraupo’o and also in Huahine under a discontented faction, after annexation of the leeward islands to France had taken
place, the anti-French
party of Huahine prodaimed their princess, Temari’i, as Queen Teuhe, in place of her motlier;
and as she finally got into trouble with the French
Government, and fled to Tahiti for protection
under King Pômare V, where she married and ended lier
days, her former subjects prodaimed
as
their queen her niece, Teri’i-na-vaho-roa, eldest
daughter of her brother Marama, under the
title of Te-ha’apapa III, and she being
favorably disposed to the French, was not molested when
the island was finally entirely subjugated to France.
From
Mare’s collection.
was a great warrior in his day.
Tapoa I
At
one
his sway; but he was finally driven back to
Porapora,
contend with in his rival, Ma’i I.
(See Ma’i
time he reduced Ra’iatea and Taha’a co
his own realm, where he had enough to
genealogy.)
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
259
On thi; Mother's Sidë
I.
Vae-ari’i
2.
Te-roro
(Royal-distribution), v.
Te-0’0 (The-undulation), of Vai-’ura
I.
Te-roro (The-brain), v.
Te-miro
I.
2.
3.
4.
3-
Tupuna (Ancestor), v.
I,
Te-ari’i-te-miro
Tupuna
2.
34-
5.
34.
56.
Maeva-rua
1.
2.
3-
Rere-ao
1.
2.
37.
8.
Te-tope (The-clipping)
(Head-erect), t.
Opaipai (Drifting-sidewise), v.
Uru-a-tû
(Four-demises), t.
Te-poa-nu’u (The-shifting-scale),
Haere’a (Going), t.
Mate-hà
(Princess-of-long-fetching)
Mate-vai (Death-in-river), t.
Pere-ra (Now-distribute), t.
Puruhi (Faint-hearted), t.
Matiro (Ficus tinctoria-[with]-ants), t.
Maeva-rua Teroro (Twice-hailed The
Te-poa-nu’u (The-shifting-scale),
t.
brain), v.
Ta’o-ata (Unwilling)
(Fying-in-the-world), v.
Te-ari’i-noho-ra’i (Sovereign-dwelling-in-the-palace), t., or King
Tapoa I (First-warrior-slain)
Vaea Pere-rà (Divided Now-distributed) v., first wifc of King
Rere-ao
Mahine of Huahine
Ote (Suck) of Flitia’a, Tahiti
(Woman-sleeping), v.
Teri’i-tua (Sovereign-of-the-ocean), v., became high chiefess of
Hitia’a, and having no children, she bestowed her name and title
upon Prince Jouinville, a Pômare, who retained the chieftainship
until his death and was succeeded by his son, Hinoi.
Na-ra’i (The-skies), v.
Vahine-moea
Tapoa I
Tapoa II
t.
Tetua-ti’i-roa
2.
7.
Te-ari’i-tua-uri (Sovereign-with-dark-back)
(The-king-Thespesia), t., of Vai-otaha
Uru-a-tû
1.
6.
(The-Thespesia)
Te-ari’i-te-miro
1.
5.
Te-iva (Somberness), t.
Tei-hota (Who-coughed), t.
(Eye-eater), daughter
(Fort), of Porapora
(Twice-hailed), v.
Ai-mata
1.
Maeva-rua
2.
Tapoa II,
of
Pà
f.
Ai-mata, or Pômare IV, first wife, without issue; see Pômare genealogy. Tapoa
vahiné, second wife, a beautiful woman
of good family in Porapora, but not
of the royal race
Having no children, they adopted the daughter of Queen Pômare, whom they
named Maeva-rua and who finally succeeded to the throne of Porapora, the Porapora
monarchy ending on the annexation of the island to France. (See genealogy of the
Pômare family.)
200
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
THE MAI
FAMILY OF PORAPORAis
Tû-ma-tari-oe (Stand-bearing-on), t.,
of
Te-ahu-tapu
fices), at Maupiti
(Tlie-wall-of-sacri-
I.
Te’a-hui-tû
1.
Te-maui-ari’i
2.
’Ahu-’ura
Tû-te-pa’e-hau
(Staiid-the-greater-prop),
of Ahuahu-i-Anau
of Maupiti
(Heat-of-Anau), also
(Arrow-thrown-erect), t.
Mohiti (Beclouded) of Fare-’aoa, Taha’a
1.
Tetua-nui (Great-princess'), t.
2.
To’i-mata Te-pa’u (Axe-with-eyes The-splash), t.
Tetua-nui
Tautu
(Domesticated), of Te-vai-tapu
(The-s'acred-water) at Porapora
1.
Tetua-nui-i-te-arata’i-ia-Fa’a-nui-na-ta’o-eono (Great-princess-whoconducted-the-six-spears-of-Fa’a-nui ), t.
2.
Fao-ata (Cloudy-dedication), t.
3.
To’i-mata, v.
Tetua-nui-i-te-arata’i-ia-Fa’a-nui-na- Te-atu-marere (The-flying-bonito)
Te’a-hui-tù
3.
4-
S-
ta’o-eono
Te-maui-ari’i
1.
Ma’i
(Affliction),
afflicted with
2.
Ma’i
Tetua-roro
’Ai-faoa
a
t.
t.
To’i-mata, of Fare-’aoa, Taha’a
from his father’s having been
t., so named
carbuncle
(Princess-with-brain), t.
(Consuming adz), t.
To’i-mata, t.
Te-ra’i-pô’ia (Covered-sky), first wife
1.
Ma’i, t.
2.
Te-ra’i-pô’ia (Covered-sky), t.
3.
Te-maui-ari’i, t.
4.
Ma-apu (Clean-with-shell), t.
5.
Pua-iti-te-’ava’ava (Little-acid-flower), t.
6. Te-tino (The-body), t.
3.
6.
(The-prayer-for-sovereign),
(’Ura-feather-robe),
4-
7.
Teri’i-rere-tai (Sovereign-flying-seaward), t.
Te-upo’o-ta’ahoa (The-worried-head),
8.
g.
10.
11.
12.
ond wife
sec¬
Te-maui-ari’i-no-Ma’i (The-royal-prayer-for-Ma’i), t.
Teri’itai-roa (Sovereign-far-seaward), t.
Marae (Temple), third wife
Te-moe-ari’i
(The-sleep-of-royalty),
Te-hapai (The-wrapping), t.,
(With-what-host) in Tahiti
Te-ra’i-mano
only
t.
afterwards
(The-numerous-skies),
t.,
named
Ma-hea-nu’u
generally named Mano
Te-hea (Which-one), v.
Tiria (Thrown-off), f.
15.
Ma’i (Affliction), v.
16. Ha’apuva’iva’i (Ventilate), t.
Ma-hea-nu’u (He-papai), late pas- Teri’i-tau-mai-te-ra’i
13.
14.
7-
tor
hiti
of the church of Fa’a’a in Ta-
I.
Te-maui-ari’i
IV
From
(Sovereign-alightingfrom-the-sky), or Ma-hea-nu’u vahiné,
granddaughter of Tati I of Papara and
chiefess of Fa’a’a
(The-royal-prayer), t., son-in-Iaw of Queen Pômare
Queen Marau and her cousin, Ta’aroa-ari’i Vahiné.
7.Mano,
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
2.
Ha’apona
Fa’a’a
3.
4.
5.
6.
(Brought-down), t., présent
261
pastor
of the church of
Moe (Sleep), v., wife of Tamatoa V of Raiatea
Ninito (Encircle), v.
Ari’i-ta’i-menema (Sovereign-weeping-for-vault), t.
’Aro-mai-te-ra’i
(War-from-the-sky)
’Ahu-’ura (’Ura-feather-robe), chiefess of
church of Tautira
Tautira, Tahiti
1.
Teri’i-tnarama (Sovereign-moon), v.
2.
Viri-ho’a (Front-rank-grasping), t.
3. Te-ari’i-na-vaho-roa (Sovereign-supreme), v., daughter-in-law of
late pastor of the
4.
5.
6.
7.
In the
Queen Pômare IV
Na-ra’i-e-va’u (The-eight-skies),
v.
Te-tu-anu-rau (The-stand-in-varied-coldness),
Ari’i-faaite ( Sovereign-telling), t.
Ari’i-ê (Different-sovereign), t.
v.
Society Islands are many children and grandchildren of this family.19
A COLLATERAL BRANCH OF THE MAI FAMILY20
Tû-ma-tari-’oe
(Stand-bearing-on)
(Dedication), t.
1.
Mehao
2.
Te-ari’i-manava-’ura (Sovereign-with-red-intestines), t.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Mehao
1.
2.
3.
4.
Te-upo’o-huri-tua (The-head-turned-backwards), v.
Te-upo’o-huna-ari’i (The-hidden-royal-head), v.
Te-tua-ho’i (The-back-indeed), v.
Te-tû-ta-ahi-tini-i-te-papa-fau-rua
(The-stand-with-many-fires-inthe-rock-of-two-crags), v.
Te-ari’i-marama (Sovereign-of-the-moon), t.
Te-putu-ari’i (The-royal-tern)
Te-rupe (The-mountain-pigeon), t.
Varu-au (Eight-bill-fishes), t.
Varii-atua (Eight-gods), t.
Te-ari’i-mai-Rotuma (The-prince-from-Rotuma), t.
Te-ari’i-mai-Rotuma
3-
1.
Te-’ura-o-afeafe-te-ra’i
(The-redness-high-in-the-sky), t.
Te-ra’i-tumatuma (The-expansive-sky), t.
4. Te-fetu-ai-ari’i (Royal-guiding-star), v.
5. Ta’urua (Venus), v.
Te-pô-nui-o-rei-hana
Te-atua-nui-i-te-ra’i-ma-te-ata
4-
god-in-the-cloudy-sky)
1.
2.
Te-ra’i (The-sky), t.
Vai-tû (Remain-standing), t.
(The-great-
Twins, called naari’i-rua, ei pou a’e
no
Nivaniva (The-two-princes,
(
pillars-of-Nivaniva)
\
Porapora rebellions frequently occurred against King Tapoa I, headed by Ma’i, who was
dividing the kingdom between them, but
frequent jealousies marring their reign. The régal power was at last wholly restored
Tapoa II, who reigned suprême over Porapora and its dependencies and handed them down
also
so
(Axe-with-eyes-
Te-pô-nui-i-rei-hana (The-great-night-of-stiff-neck), t.
3.
to
To’i-mata-atua-o-marama
of-moon-gods)
2.
not
Tû-te-ue-ari’i
(Stand-the-expiring-sovereign), of Tai-nu’u, second wife
At
a
great warrior, and at last they concluded peace by
without
to
his successors.
From Mrs. Charlotte Platt.
4.Te-ro -feia-pua
202
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
3-
Te-unu-lia’eha’a (Low-carving), v., wife of Tautu.
genealogy.)
Te-ra’i-tumatuma
4-
1.
2.
(See Ra’iatean
(The-brain-of-people-with-flowers),
Te-vahine-unu-hiro-ro’o
v.
(The-woman-of-
the-carving-famous-j ester)
Te-ua-toto (Rain-of-blood), t.
Te-vae-maui (The-left-division)
Te-roro-feia-pua
S-
1.
2.
3.
4.
Te’a-moa-ri’i (Spear-of-small-fowls)
Te-atua-’iri-hau (The-god-with-cool-skin), v.
Te-vahine-nui-’ai-varua (The-great-woman-eater-of-souls), v.
Taha’anui-ma-Ra’iatea (Great-Taha’a-with-Ra’iatea),
Uira-uira (Lightning-of-lightning), t.
v.
Te-atua-’iri-hau
6.
Hamau (Fasten), t.
To’o-mahu-ari’i (Draw-royal-mist), v.
2.
Te-atua-nana-o-Hamau (The-smooth-god-of-Hamau), t.
T e-vahine-nui-’ai-varua
Teri’i-a-mana
( Sovereign-to-be-great)
I.
■
6.
Taha’a,
1.
Te-hau-roa (Long-rule), t.
1.
Te-petipeti
Te-hau-roa
7-
Na-mata-o-Matari
into
2.
3-
(The-complete),
first
2.
3.
4.
wife
Autua-mata-oria (Sculling-commenced-with-dancing), t.
Niva’a (Unsteadiness), t.
Matamata (Frontier-of-front), t.
Maeva-te-i’a-a-Ta’urua (Hail-fish-of-Jupiter),
Papa-raharaha
5.
6.
7.
Hina-fa’arori (Gray-who-shakes),
v.
second
*
Te-atua-o-te-ra’i (God-of-the-skies), t.
Purotu (Beauty), v.
Purotu
t.
(Stratum-rock),
wife
Te-ari’i-maro-tea
(Yellow-girdled-sovereign) of Vai-’otaha
1.
Mau-ari’i-i-Vai-’otaha
2.
Papa-’Ure-tinau (Red-rock-smduldering), t.
Mau-ari’i-i-Vai-’otaha
10.
Ra’iatea and Taha’a
Te-râ-o-pua-tea (The-sun-of-white-flower),
1.
9-
of
(The-eyes-of-Matari)
who United
t.,
kingdom.
Ta’erepa (Ache-from-fatigue), t.
Ta’urua, t.
one
Ta’urua
8.
t.
1.
2.
(Sovereign-of-Vai-’otaha), t.
Puna-i’a
(Haunt-of-fishes)
Moe-tû (SIeep-standing), t.
Te-hina-ri’i (The-little-grandchildren), t.
THE ANCIENT FAMILY OF MARO-TE-TINI OF PORAPORA 21
I.
Te-fatu (The-lord) of the océan, who came from Rotuma to Porapora, married
Te-’ura (The-redness), of the royal family of that island, and begat two sons:
From Mrs.
pora.
1.
Marô-te-tini
2.
Marô-tau-a-roa
Charlotte Platt.
(Persistent-thousands)
(Persistence-of-long-duration)
Fare-rua
(Two-houses)
was
the
marae
of Maro-te-tini
at
Pora¬
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
2.
Marô-te-tini’s wife is
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
4.
sons :
(Side-of-forehead)
I.
Tû
Puni
Ohure-ha’apà (Ward-ofif-s'eat)
Wife
Tû
not
mentioned
(Stability), t.
Tû-teu-ve’a
(Stand-errand-boy), of Tai-
nu’u, in Ra’iatea
Mehao, t.
Mehao
Te-faepa-ari’i (The-investments-of-a-chief),
1.
2.
6.
Taha-rae
Tahi-rua (Place-of-pits)
I.
S-
not mentioned, but they had eight
(Hide)
Te-’iva (The-darkness)
Horoi (Wash)
Ma-te-hà (With-the-four)
Pà (Fortification)
Puni
7.
8.
3.
263
of Vai-’otaha in Porapora
Te-varua-manava-’ura (The-spirit-with-red-intestines), t.
Tamatea (Fair-child), t.
Te- varua-manava- lira
T uû-te-ra’i-puni-i-te-papa-fau-rua
( Stand-
sky-high-in-the-rocks-of-two-crags),
Fare-va’a, Taha’a
1.
2.
3.
7.
Te-rupe (The-mountain-pigeon), t.
Vai-rua-tua (Water-source-at-sea), t.
Vai-rua-uri (Water-of-dark-source), t.
of
(Twins; proclairaed kings
the day of their birth.
Their marae was Fare-tou «
on
(Cordia-house)
Te-purotu-ari’i-hihae (The - beauty - of - the-
Te-rupe
fierce-king)
Te-upo’o-huri-tua (The-head-turned-backwards), v.
Te-upo’o-huri-tua
Teri’i-o-te-pô (Sovereign-of-thc-night), of
Fare-rua, Porapora, first husband
1.
Oro, t.
Te-ua-toto, of Te-vai-to’a, Ra’iatea, sec¬
I.
8.
2.
Te-unuhi-roro
Ra’iatea.
ond husband
(The-unconsciousness-of-the-brain), of Te-vai-to’a,
Mauri-o-ro’o
.
pora,
3.
9
’Oro
I.
10.
9.
Pora¬
Pua-ra’i-te-ra’a-o-Mata’i-re’a ( Sky-flower-the-sacredness-of-Mata’i[marae]), t., of Huahine.
Tu-hoa
Te-pori-o-Tu (The-fatness-of-stability), of
Tau-rere, Ra’iatea.
(Stand-friend), t.
’Oro-maua
Pua-ra’i
of
re’a
Tu-hoa
I.
(Ghost-of-fame),
third husband
(Wasted-’oro-fern)
Fa’ahara-nui-’oe-hau (Cause-great-crime-to-disturb-the-peace-of-thegovernment), v.
Te-upo’o-rau-toa ( The-numerous-heads-ofwarriors), of Afareaitu, Mo’orea
1.
Varivari
2.
Mata’i-re’a-o-Tane-te-hihio ( Breeze-of-plenty-of-Tane-the-whistler),
(Muddy), v.
V.
3.
Te-iva (The-darkness), t.
204
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
4.
5.
6.
7.
10.
Te-iva
1.
2.
3.
11.
Teri’i-taumi-hau (Sovereign-giving-weight-to-government),
Fa’a-ipoa (Made-into-a-ball), t.
Te-o-to’o
(The-gift-to-image), v.
Te-varua-hae-pua-ra’i (The-spirit-that-tore-the-sky-flower), v.
Fa’a-hara-nui-’oe-hau, a cousin of Te-iva
Teri’i-taumi-hau (Sovereign-giving-weight-to-government), t.
Te-roa (The-brain), v.
Tama (Child), t.
Teri’i-taumi-hau
Te-roro-ai-na
tea
12.
(The-brain-eating) of Ra’ia-
Te-iho-tu-mata-nevaneva
(Erect-nose-with-wandering-eyes), t.
(Flying-in-the-world); z;.
Te-iho-tu-mata-nevaneva
Te-pu’e-tua (The assembled-company)
1.
Te-iho-tu-mata-aroaro (Erect-nose-with-dark-eyes), t.
1.
12.
t.
2.
Rere-ao
2.
Paao
(Wasted-away), f.
Rere-ao
Tetua-na-hia
1.
Teri’i-te-miro
2.
Rere-ao
(Princess-quieted), of Maupiti, first husband
(Sovereign-of-slow-growth), t.
(Flying-in-the-world), v.
Hua-tere (Moving-asylum), of Huahine,
second husband
3.
4.
Tere-roa (Long-voyage) t.
Te-na-ni’a (The-going-above), t.
Piri-ra’au
13.
5. Varivari (Muddy),
Te-iho-tu-mata-aroaro
■
I.
2.
3.
13-
Teri’i-te-miro
I.
(Pinched-in-wood), brother to
Hua-tere, third husband
’
v.
Tetua-nui
first wife
Tehea-tua (Which-assembly),
Puni (Hide)
(Great-princess), of Porapora,
v.
To’i-tua
Ha’apoua (Brought-down)
(Back-axe), second wife
Te-roro Vai-hau-mau-rua (The-brain-cool-
Ma-te-ha
water-twice-held), first wife
(With-the-four), t.
Tu-po-a-ua
( Stand-in-rainy-night),
his
cousin of Fare-rua, Porapora, «econd
wife
Tavai-ari’i-te-manu-te-uia ( Royal-adoption-the-bird-enquired-after ),
t.
14.
Uru-a-tu
3-
Horoi (Wash), t.
4.
Uru-a-tu (Head-erect), t.
Tara-taero (Poisonous-thorn), first wife
No children.
1.
2.
3.
4.
S6.
7.
Rere-ao,
Te-tope (The-clipping), third wife
Teri’i-iti
v.
(Little-sovereign), second wife
Teri’i-maeva-rua (Sovereign-twice-hailed), t.
Pere-ra (Now-distribute), t.
Tu-tahe (Stand-to-flow), f.
Mati-ro (Ficus-tmctoria-[wiih']-ants), t.
Puruhi
(Faint-hearted), t.
Te-roro (The-brain), v.
265
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
HIGH
CHIEFS
OF TAHITI
AnCËSTORS OP THÊ PoMARp FaMIRY^^
Part I.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
IS-
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
i Hiti-te-ara-pi’opi’o (Plebeian-Taaroa-of-Border-of-the-winding-paths), ’Afa’ahiti, Tai’arapu, t.
Manu-tu-nvi’u (Bird-standing-in-army)
Te-ra’au-’a’ama (The-blazing-wood)
Te-moana-rau (The-various-oceans)
Te-fa’anu’u (The removàl)
Te-ra’i-mavete (The-unfolded-sky)
Nu’u (Army)
Tô (Sugar-cane)
Momo’a (Betrothed)
Tafeta (Stain)
’Oropa’a-nui-tauara’a (Great-strong-warrior-friendship)
Tû-’oropa’a-nui (Stand-great-strong-warrior)
Hi’a (Fall)
Mara’a (Lifted)
Tû-o’ropa’a-maeha’a (Staiid-strong-warrior-twin)
Te-va’a-’ura (The-burning-canoe), aiso Te-va’a-i-ama (The-canoe-that-burned)
Rua-tama (Source-of-children)
Ro’o-e-hape (Reputation-misleading)
E-tai-ma-hotu-a’au (A-sea-splashing-reef), of Tai’arapu
E-atua-’una-’una-maru-’aitu (A-gay-god-of-shade-of-gods), of Matahihae marae,
Te-ahu-upo’o Taiarapu
E-aru-arai (Channel-wave)
E-ro’o (A-fame), of Vaiari
Atea (Vast-expanse)
E-rû (Will-hasten)
Ete-’iri (Pandanus-basket)
E-te-fatu (Master or Mistress)
E-hua’ai (Posterity)
Tatai-nu’u (Move-off-host)
Tatai-ra’i (Move-off-sky)
Tatai-a-rohi (Move-off-take-courage)
Tautu-ra’a-hia (Domestication-made-s'acred)
Ra’a-hia-e-mata’i (Rendered-sacred-by-wind)
Pa’i-tumu (Dry-origin)
Pa’i-fatu (Master-dryness)
’lri-i-fenua (Stranded-on-land)
Te-mâ-ri’i (The-little-cleansing)
Tama-horo-a’au (Child-running-on-reef)
Aha-tû (Standing-sinnet)
Ari’i-paea-mata-’ura’ura (Sovereign-elect-of-red-face), t.
Ari’i-paea-faofaofa (Sovereign-elect-amassing) of Pare, t.
Tû-moe-hania (Stability-sleeping-under-cover), t.
Teu Tû-nui-e-a’a-i-te-atua (Attendant-Great-Stability-that-settles-the-gods) t,
Ta’aroa-manahune
Father of Pômare 1.
The tutelar god of this ancient line
was Ta’aroa ; and Te-meharo, goddess of
wisdom, was enshrined as' deity in their ancestral maraes.
From Mare’s collection.
The
names
imdefined incîude both
sexes.
266
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Thë Chieps oe Parfis
Part IL
1.
Tahi-pû-a-nu’u
(First-army-trumpet) Ne’e-uta Tù-atea-nui (Crawl-inland Stability-in-great-expanse)
Fa’a-hiti-i-ra’i (Side-valley-in-sky)
1.
Hae-i-te’oa-i-Tahuea
2.
Teva (The-plain), t.
3.
5.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
t.
Hae-moa-ri’i (Fierceness-of-little-fowls), t.
Ra’a-û-iha (Sacredness-in-rage) t.
4.
2.
(Fierceness-of-the-speckled-rail-of-Tahuea),
Ra’a-u-iha, t.
Te-va’a-i-’ama (The-canoe-that-burned)
Hei (Wreath)
Ma-pere (With-distribution)
I.
Fa’aa-nui-na-mo’amo’a (Great-burning-in-sacredness),
f.
Fa’aa-nui-na-mo’amo’a, f.
Fa’a-ao-i-te-ra’i (Make-day-in-the-sky)
’LTra-’ehu
(Blond-’ura)
’Ura-pa’aina (Snapping-’ura)
’Oropa’a-pû-vaha (Strong-warrior-[with]-trumpet)
’Oro-pa’a-pû-vaha
I.
8.
9.
JO.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Te-fa’anu’u (The-moving)
Te-ra’i-mavete (The-unfolding-sky)
Mana-ha’amo’a
(Greatness'-made-sacred)
(Make-day-in-the-sky)
Te-atua-uira (The-lightning-god)
Fa’a-ao-i-te-ra’i
Te-atua.-ota-nu’u-tere (The-god-who-cut-off-moving-fleets)
15.
Te-atua-mana-i-heiva
16.
Fana-i-nu’u (Bow-that-moved)
17.
18.
19.
(The-great-god-who-sported)
Te-’aha-huri-fenua (The-incantation-that-upset-the-land)
Te-vivi-rau (The grasshopper), t.
Te-vivi-rorâ (The-grasshoppers-in-sunshine), t.
20.
Ari’i-paea (Sovereign-elect), f.
21.
Tu-moe-hania (Stability-sleeping-
Tetua-huira (Princess-overthrown), Daughter of Vehi-atua-i-te-mata’i (Wrappingthe-god-in-the-wind), high chief of Teahu-upo’o, first wife.
Teu (Attendant), or Tù-nui-a’e-i-te-atua
(Stability-greater-thanthe-gods) or Tû-nui-e-a’a-i-te-atua (Great-stability-who-settlesthe-gods), t.
under cover) t.
I.
22.
Tû
Tetua-mere-tini
(Issue not mentioned)
Teu, father of Tû or Pômare I
Te-tû-paia
From
Mare’s collection.
The
names
(Princes's
of-many-parental-regrets) of the chieftain house of
Vaira’o, second wife
(The - stand for tattooing)
daughtéV of Tamatoa III of Ra’iatea. (See
Ra’iatean and Tahitian genealogy.)
undefined
include both
-
sexes.
-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tuamotuan
267
Tahitian Chiëfs Connectëd--^
and
Part III
Atea
(Vast-expanse) of Ana
1.
2.
3.
2.
1.
3-
4-
Tangaroa
2.
34-
56.
78.
Tapai-’aha
1.
2.
3.
4.
S-
Tapu-tapu
1.
2.
34-
Ro’o-nui (Great-fame), f.
Toi-ane (Smooth-alphitonia), t.
Tû-nui (Great-stability), t.
Tangaroa (Ta’aroa), t.
Te-kû-ari’i (The-royal-stand)
Te-hei-ari’i (The-royal-wreath), v.
Tu-hei-ari’i ( Stand-[with]-royal-wreath)
8.
1.
Te-’ura-o-te-atua
7-
Tû-hei-ari’i
(Great-sin)
Tapai-’aha (Sinnet-shade), t.
Tû-ki-hiti (Stand-on-border), of Pereue, Hitia’a
Tû-tonga (Stand-niggardly)
Rongo (Ro’o, Famé), of Au-ura, Tuamotus
Te-pû-tongo (The-trumpet-to-send), of Apataki, Tuamotus
Ta’oto (Sleep), of Rangiroa, Tuamotus
Tu-pu-tapu (Grbwth-of-pledges)
Mahanga-vehi-kura (Sun-enveloped-in-red) at Rangiroa
Tu-hei-ari’i (Stand-with-royal-wreath)
Makino (Badly-cleaned), of Fa’aiere, Tuamotus
Ma’o-ake (Shark-with-liver), of Te-aha-tea, Tuamotus
Te-roro-ariki (The-sovereign’s-brain), of Te-tamanu, Fakarava
Tapu-tapu (Sacrifices), v.
Pani-roro (Close-brain)
Tû-te-ari’i ( Stability-the-sovereign )
Te-ahu (The-wall)
Te-pae (The-side)
Te-râ (The-sun)
Tau-piri (Close-period)
56.
6.
Piki-maunga, Tahitian, Ti’i-mau’a (Mountain-climber), of Arue, Tahiti
Hara-nui
1.
4-
Tahiri (Fan), t.
Tu-makinomakino, of Fakarava
2.
2.
Pakeahotu (Make-bear) of Fakarava
Tu-makinomakino (Stability-fierce), t.
Tane-e-rakau (Man-in-wood), t.
Teri’i-e-’ura
(Sovereign-reddening)
(The-’ura-feathers-of-the-gods),
v.
7-
Kohe-kapu (Seat-cut-off)
3.
Tau-mata-’ura (Period-of-red-faces), of the Marquesas
4.
Te-rangi-hei-kapu (The-sky-with-pledge-wreath), of Marquesas
5.
Te-rakau-hau (The hibiscus wood) of Rapaiti
6. Te-ahu-numi-riki (The-great-royal-wall), of Ra’iatea
Te-’ura-o-te-atua
Ari’i-paea, of Pare
8.
Tû-moe-hania
2.
I.
I.
Tû-moe-hania
Teu
(Stability-sleeping-under-cover), of Hitia’a, t.
Tetua-huria (Princess-overthrown) of Teahu-upo’o
( Attendant-Great-stability-who-settles-
T û-nui-e-a’a-i-te-atua
the-gods), t., father of Pômare I.
From
the Tuamofuan
scholar Taroi
and
from the
royal Tematiti family.
I.Fetf -teui
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
268
Many intermarriages occurred between the royal familles of the Tuamatus and
In the Ra’iatean gcnealogy is given Aho-manu of Anâ,
those of the Society Islands.
the wife of Tamatoa IV.
This genealogy shows how extensively the chiefs of this line
spread among the islands.
are
known and
AnOTïIËR GiÎNEALOGY of THF PoMARE FaMIFY^^
1.
Tupua’i-o-te-ra’i (Summit of the sky) Te-ra-vero-ari’i
1.
2.
3.
2.
Atitara in
Te-atua-i-te-ra’i (The-gods-of-heaven),
Te-atua (The-god), t.
Te-atua-i-te-ra’i
(Sun-of-royal-storm)
Paea
of
t.
Pû-nua-i-te-atua (Trumpet-abo've-with-the-gods), t.
Ta’urua of Hitia’a
Teri’i-rere-atua, t.
2.
Faa-hau-toa (Make-peace-[with]-warriors), t.
3.
Hu’a-to’a (Fragment-of-rock), t.
4.
Te-ra’i-e-fano (The-flying-sky), t.
Pu-nua-i-te-ra’i-atua
Te-varua-noi-atua
(The-spirit-silenced-bythe-gods), of Ahura’i Fa’a’a
(Pressure-by-questions), v.
Teri’i-rere-atua
Tetua-nui
1.
Pô-uira (Night-of-lightning), t.
2.
Toofa-pae (Five-chiefs), v.
3.
Pû-’o’oro (Rumbling-pool), t.
Fetefete-te-ui
Te-ari’i-atua (The-god-king) of Nu’u-rua,
1.
2.
3.
3.
1.
2.
3.
■
Mahine
the
national
marae
Mo’orea
at
Varari, Haapiti,
(Daughter), t.
Teri’i-tapu-nui (Sovereign-of-many-sacrifices), t.
Vavea (Towering-wave), v.
Totoro-u (Spreading-jambed) of Ahura’i,
4.
Vavea
S
Tetua-nui-reia-i-te-ra’i-atea
ous'-palaces), v.
Tetua-nui-reia-i-te-ra’i-atea
Tû
Fa’a’a
I.
(Great-princess-roaming-in-the-spacior
Pômare I
Genealogy oe Marama oe Haapiti, Moorea^®
1.
(Tribe-dwelling-in-love)
Na-to’ofa (Those-chiefs)
Pou-ou-ma-fenua, t.
2.
Roro-hui-tua (Brain-throbbing-behind), v.
Pou-ou-ma-fenua
Vahine-tua (Ocean-woman)
1.
Nuna-mai-te-’orero (Mixed-in-talking), t.
2.
Te-roro-hui-tua, f.
Nuna-mai-te-’orero
To’i-mata (Axe-with-eyes)
I.
Ra’atau-motu (Sacredness-resting-on-islet), t.
Ra’a-tau-motu
Ra’a-mauri-rere
(Sacredness - of - flyingAti-tu-hani
1.
2.
3.
4.
I.
5.
Feui
I.
“
From
From
Mare’s
Mare’s
Feui, t.
Tamari’i (Children) t.
collection.
collection.
ghost)
Fetu’e-nui-i-te-fare-ari’i
the-royal-house)
(Great-sea-egg-of
III...TAMe-au-trnump-au-or’
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
6.
Tamari’i
1.
Te
-
2.
7.
Tupua’i-’ura (Red-summit)
(The-sovereign-the-recess-of-dark-para-
ari’i - te - vao - para-uri
fern), t.
Te-ari’i-mua-fare
Te-ari’i-te-vao-para-’ura
I.
To’i-mata, v.
269
(The-sovereign-of-first-house), t.
Te-ra’i-ma-te-ata (The-cloudy-sky)
THi; SECOND EAMIEY
1.
Pou-ou-ma-fenua
2.
A-unu-au
Ahu-tea (Spacious-wall)
ond wife
Te-tu-pu-o-ro’o
4.
Marama
Te’ura-i-ari’i
eign)
2.
aitu, Mo’orea
Ta’aroa-nui-fa’aoti-hara (Great Ta’aroa-ending-sin), t.
T etua-nui-reia-i-te-ra’i-atea
5.
palace), v.
Ta’aroa-nui-faaoti-hara
1.
Marama, t.
6.
Ari’I-’oe-hau
2.
1.
2.
3.
Tu-tapu
1.
2.
1.
10.
II.
Fa’aruia
Vehiatua
(Wrapper-of-the-god)
(Sovereign-of-peace), t.
To’i-mata
Tu-tapu (Stand-to-pledge), t.
Tetua-nui-reia-i-te-ra’i-atea, v.
Ta’aroa-nui-fa’aoti-hara, t.
Te-vahine-moea (The-sleeping-woman)
’O’iri-roa (Long-garfish), t.
Uira-ma-te-aha (Lightning-accompanying-prayer), t.
Te-roro-hu’i-tua, t.
Fa’aruia (Darkened),
v.
Tute-tau-ari’i
(Pus'h-thy-sovereign),
Moruu, Mo’orea
1.
Te-roro-hi’o-ari’i (The-brain-observing-sovereign), v.
2.
Aro-mai-te-ra’i (Wave-from-the-sky), t.
3.
Pahero’o (Easy-character), v.
Te-roro-hi’o-ari’i
Te-a-pata (The entrapper)
1.
Va’o (Rustic), t.
2.
Ta’aroa-nui-fa’aoti-hara, t.
3. Tetua-nui-i-te-ra’i-atea, v.
Te-ra’i-e-fa ( The-sky-appearing)
Va’o
2.
Ari’i-’oe-hau, t.
Te-atua-nui-mata’uta’u
3.
Vehî-atua,
1.
12.
Ari’i-’oe-hau
( Great-princess-roaming-in-spacious-
3.
Te-atua-nui-po-’ura (Great-god-of-red-night), v.
Te-atua-nui-po-‘ura
Hau-tinana ( Stable-government)
2.
g.
(Redness-that-became-sover-
(The-stand-for-trumpet-of-fame), t.
Tohe-ao (Seat-of-[the]-world) of Nu’urua
(Two-armies), the national marae
at Vaiari, Mo’orea
(Moon) t.
Tetua-e-huri (Princess-turning), of Afare-
•
1.
8.
sec¬
(Ceasing-pleasantly), t.
3.
7.
of Mai’ao,
Ari’i-’oe-hau
I.
Marama, v.
(The-great-dread-god),
v.
Ru-roa
v.
(Great-haste), of Papeari
of
13.
I.Teri’-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
270
Marama
1.
2.
3.
\
Tupu-a-Ta’aroa (Growth-of-Ta’aroa),
of Tati I,
High Chief of Papara
Ari’i-’oe-hau Ta’aroa-ari’i, or Mrs. Alexander Salmon, v.
son
Te-ra’i-a-po Ninito (The-sky-of-night, or Mrs. John Sumner of
Honolulu), V.
Teri’i-tau-mai-te-ra’i (Sovereign-alighting-frora-the-sky) or Mahe-
anu’u vahiné, v.
This and the preceding genealogy show that the two familles of Pômare and
are blended together in
relationship of highest rank in Tahiti and Moorea and
that they both trace ownership to the national marae Nu’urua at Varari, Ha’apiti,
Moorea.
This pedigree is completed in the following genealogy of the high chiefs
of Papara.
Tati
Genealogy oe High Chiefs of Papara^’’
I.
Teri’i-tû-a’a-i-te-ra’i
(Sovereign-who- Te-roro-e-ora (The-brain-that-heals),
settled-the-sky) or Te-’ura-i-te-ra’i
Fare-ro’i at Ha’apape
( Redness-in-the-sky )
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2.
Amo
Te-hare-tua-nui (The-great-backed-cavalla-fish), t.
Tetua-imu-rau (Princes's-with-many-mafae-carvings),
Amo (Blink or Flash), t.
of
t.
Taura’a-atua (Alighting-of-the-gods), t.
Te-varua-o-te-meharo (The-spirit-that-ponders), t.
(Prayed-for), of Matavai, called
Captain Cook.
(Flying-sovereign), t., so named by Teu, father of
Purea
Oberea by
Pômare I, after one of his ancestors shown in the fourth list of
généalogies of the high chiefs of Tahiti. Fie succeeded his father
to the chieftainship of Papara, and was also named Te-ma-ri’i
3-
Te-varua-o-te-meharo
1.
2.
3.
4.
4-
Te
vahiné fa’ara’a atua i te-pû-o-te-aio
(The - woman - who-rendered-sacred-the gods - with - the - trumpet-for-eating-foodofferings), of Atitara, Pa’ea
Tati (Résistance), t., boni in 1774, died July 16, 1854.
’Opu-hara (Violated-stomach), t.
Tetua-nui (Great-princess), v.
Te-pô-ma-te-ao (From-night-to-day), v.
-
-
As Teri’i-rere lived
a bachelor’s life,
he left no children, and was suc¬
ceeded by his cousin Tati as high
chief of Papara, who married
1.
Tupu-a-Ta’aroa-i-te-ra’i-maru
S-
Mata-huira
2.
3.
”
From
Mare’s
Ari’i-’o’e-hau
(Growth-of-Ta’aroa-in-shaded-sky),
Te-ra’i-a-pô Ninito, v.
Teri’i-tau-mai-te-ra’i, v.
(Moon), of Mo’orea
Ari’i-ta’i-mai, v., adopted
Marama
Ta’aroa-ari’i
Queen Pômare IV
collection.
-
(Sullen-face), t.
Tupu-a-Ta’aroa
1.
-
Tehea (Which-one), of Porapora
t.
2.
-
sister
of
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
6.
Ari’i-oe-hau, high chiefess of Paborn in 1821 ; succeeded her
grandfather Tati to the chieftainship after his death, and died June
24, 1897
para,
1.
Alexander Salmon, an Englishman
Tetua-nui-reia-i-te-ra’i-atea, v., so named by Queen Pômare, after
7.
her grandmother. In later years Tetua-nui was also named Titaua
(Songht-after)
Te-pa’u-ari’i-i-Ahura’i (The-royal-splash-of-Ahura’i), t., who was
drowned in infancy
Ari’i-’ino-’ore (Faultless-sovereign). v., later named Moeti’i (Reason-for-sleeping)
Te-’ura-i-te-ra’i Tati, t., known as Tati, high chief of Papara.
Alexander Ari’i-paea (Sovereign-elect), t.
Na-ri’i-vai-hoa (Quiet-a-little-with-friends), t.
Joanna Ma-rau Ta’aroa Te-pâ’û (Many-cleans'ing Unique The-
8.
Te-fa’atau-vahine Manihinihi (The-woman-lazy Sympathizer),
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
6.
271
splash), V.
Te-ra’i-a-pô
Ninito, v., rightfully
high chiefess of Papeari, which title
she forfeited by living in Hawaii
They had no children
v.
John Sumner, a Hawaiian
6.
Teri’i-tau-mai-te-ra’i
7-
(See first genealogy of King Ma’i of Porapora for their progeny)
Tetua-nui-reia-i-te-ra’i-atea Salmon
John Brander, a Scotchman, first husband
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Ma-hea-nu’u-a-Ma’î
Margaret Teri’i-nui Taha-ra’i (Great-sovereign Sky-border),
Mrs. Schlubah, in Germany.
Marrian Te’ura-i-te-ra’i Ari’i-oe-hau
or
(Redness-in-the-sky Princessof-peace), v., formerly married ot a German named Godfroy;
widowed, and then married to a French doctor, named Davilé;
now widowed a second time and
living in France
Alexander Teri’i Nohora’i (Sovereign Abiding-in-the-sky), t., was
drowned with wife and daughter in a cyclone at the Tuamotus
John Teri’i Te-maeva-rau (Sovereign The-many-hailings)
Arthur Te-râ-tane (The-man-sun)
Norman Teri’i-tua (Ocean-sovereign)
Winifred Teri’i-tino-rua Marama (Prince-dual-body Moon)
Titaua Ari’i-ta’i-mai Te-na-ni’a Teri’i-rua Marae ( Sought-after
Sovereign-weeping Going-above Two-sovereigns Temple), or Mrs.
MacLachlan, in Scotland
Na-ta’i-ari’i 'Pe-mana-manu Ari’i-hei-’ura May (Royal-weepers
Greatness-of-birds Sovereign-with-ura-wreath), or Mrs'. Berwick,
in Scotland.
George Darsie, also
husband
10.
11.
12.
a
Scotchman, second
Georgina Alleen, now Mrs. Murray, in Scotland
George
Tetua-nui-ha’amaru-ra’i
(Great-princess-who-overshadowed-the-palace)
Te-tû-ra’i Te-pà’u
(The-stander-in-the-sky The-splash) Lieumonte
7-
Ari’i-’ino-’ore Moetia
Without issue
Dorence
Atwater, United States Consul
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
272
7.
Tati Salmon, the présent high chief Tu-ria Ta’ata-ê (Recent-standing Stranger)
Papara, succeeded his mother to
the chieftainship of that district in
1890, s'he retaining the title of honof
orary
chiefess for the remainder of
her life
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
’Opti-hara, t., deceased.
Porapora)
Te-ra’i-e-fà (The-s'ky-appearing), v., deceased
Taura’a-atua, t.
Hotutû (Flatulence), v.
Te-’e’eva
(The-ascension), Irene, v.
Tita Tetua (Fruit Princess),. t.
Na-ri’ivai-hoa
Cicile Guilliasse, of Papeete
7.
7.
(See genealogy of the Ma’i family of
James, who with his father was lost at sea at the Tuamotus in
the cyclone of February, 1906
7.
Joanna Marau Ta’aroa Te-pâ’ô
King Poinare V
(For record of children see p. 250.)
This genealogy is continued by other progeny, some in
Tahiti, and some too
far away to be traced in their foreign homes.
Owing to intermarriages ail the chiefs
of the realm were linked together in ties of
relationship with one another, and it was
the ambition of their daughters to strengthen and extend the interests of
their own
districts by becoming the wives and mothers of the chiefs of
others, sometimes
being passive agents of their parents in doing so.
I.
A DIRGE TO
Hotana
I
tamari’i,
te
Metua
nana
tatou
QUEEN POMARE
Hosannah
te
live,
Tahu’a ho’i e Ari’i, nona tatou e ora ai !
Hanahana to ’oe e te Ari’i Vahiné
la ora ho’i ’oe i te Atua o te Rai,
la ora ho’i ’oe e Pômare Vahiné,
Te Ari’i rahi o Tahiti nei.
Teie mai nei to Aimeo,
Aimeo teie i te raravaru
Ua reva ho’i ’oe i te fenua rumaruma
Te vahi e ’ore e ho’i fa’ahou mai.
Teie mai nei to mau tamari’i,
Haere mai nei e heva ia ’oe,
Hopu mai nei i te ’are no te moana
Aue ra ho’i te ’aroha e !
la ora ho’i ’oe e Pômare maha,
Ua mate a’enei ’oe te Ari’i tuiro’o
I te tapeara’a i te evaneria
I rotopu i to ’oe nei hau.
Te vi ho’i ’oe e tupu i te moana,
.
Onaona fa’afafe i te pu o te matai.
Mea ’arofa rahi ’oe Pômare maha
I to ’oe
na
moera’a ia .matou.
From the people of Mo’orea.
“Radiations” or “divisions.”
The Pômare dynasty was compared to
extended to many islands over the sea.
to
the
Father in whom
we
To the priest and king by whom we’re
saved.
Greatness, is thine, O Queen,
May life be thine in God in Heaven,
Hail to thee, O Queen Pômare,
Great sovereign of Tahiti.
Here are we of Aimeo,
Aimeo [we] of eight radiations”"
Thou hast gone to the shadowy land,
From whence thou wilt not return.
Here are [we] thy children,
Corne hither to mourn for thee,
Diving through the waves of the deep ;
Alas, indeed, how sad !
Farewell to thee, O Pômare the Fourth,
Deceased art thou, O Queen, so famed
For holding fast to the evangel
In the midst of thy kingdom.
The vi tree” thou that grew in the
océan,
Gloriously bending the strength of the
wind,
[Our] great regrets for thee, O Pô¬
mare
the Fourth,
In thy removal from us !
the vi
tree
in
this
manner,
because its dominion
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
273
GREETINGS TO KING POMARE"'
la ora ho’i ’oe e Pômare pae e,
Te ari’i rahi o Tahiti nei,
’Oe ho’i tei mono ia Pômare maha,
Tei mate a’enei.
Teie te parau e Pômare pae,
Tapea maite i
te evaneria
Ei fifi auro i ni’a ia ’oe,
la ra’atututo ’oe maitai,
Taraire ai to ’oe hau.
Na fa’atahinu hia ’oe ei Ari’i,
I ni’a iho i to ’oe torono,
la riro ho’i ’oe mai te aeto ra
I te ineinera’a i ni’a iho i Tahiti nei.
Teie mai nei to Aimeo,
Aimeo teie i te raravaru ;
Hopu mai nei i te ’are no te moana,
Faaro’o a’e nei i te poroi na ’oe,
Ta’ii Ari’i e ia ora na \
Written
on
his accession to the throne.
Hail to thee, O Pômare the Fifth,
Great sovereign of Tahiti.
Thon who hast succeeded Queen Pô¬
mare
the Fourth,
Who now is dead.
Here is our message [to thee], Pômare
the Fifth.
Flold fast to the evangel,
As' a cliain of gold about thee.
And that thy goodness be glorious.
And thy reign be prospérons.
Thon art anointed king
Upon thy throne.
Eike the eagle may’st thon be.
In thine e.xpansion over Tahiti.
Here are [we] of Aimeo,
Aimeo [we] of eight radiations.
Diving through the waves of the sea
We hâve obéyed thy summons.
Hail to thee, O our King!
From the people of Mo’orea.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
274
THE INDIVIDUAL
INFANCY
Great care has always
been bestowed by the natives upon the develop¬
becomes hardy, being lightly clad, and being
cleansed generally by lightly washing at first, and soon by bathing in cold
water.
For the first three or four months, when in bed, the child is kept
lying on its back with a very low pillow slightly pushed up on either side,
not only to flatten the back of the head andTeep it from
becoming lopsided
but also to keep the back straight and allow freedom of motion for the limbs.
Prominent bumps on the head are gradually leveled down by frequent rubbing
with the finger tips; and a prominent forehead is also ameliorated
by
gentle pressure with the palm of the hand. Sweet-scented oil; generally of
sandalwood or tiare, keeps the scalp in a healthy condition.
It is also
applied to the body and limbs when massage is required to rectify defect.
For girls, the eye-lashes are bitten short to make them grow long, and the
finger tips are rolled between the thumb and finger to make them taper.
ment of
an
infant.
It
soon
The nurses are careful not to strain the spine of the infant.
After three
four months, as it gets .strong, it is kept much of the time upon a mat
on the floor instead of the bed, and then it soon turns and learns to crawl.
or
When the child is first carried in a sitting posture the nurse carefully props
its back with
hand, called faati’ati’a (raising), and continues to do so
sit up alone. When it can crawl and walk it is carried
sitting astride upon the hip of the nurse, who passes one arm under the
child’s arm and around its waist to hold it in position, a mode called tuta.
until the child
one
can
In the eyes of the Tahitian, stoutness was.a mark of beauty and characteristic of royal personages. As thin people were thought to be sick, a
business was made by metua-pori (fattening-parents) of fattening children
by stufïing them with the best of food, mostly préparations of fruit and
vegetables, and also by making them steam in closely covered sheets. After
two or three months of this treatment, patients became stout and fair,
objects of much admiration. Women, and sometimes men, took this treat¬
ment to beautify themselves.
ing
Tahitians hâve always been fond of children, those having none adopt-
and parents with large familles adopting others while giving
of their own, adoption being a bond of love and union between
relatives and dear friends.
Such children frequently-divide their time happily between their two homes. Ofifspring is well received under any cirsome,
away some
cumstances.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
275
Notwithstanding their great affection for children, infanticide was
formerly so common in these islands that it came to the notice of Captain
Cook, who expostulated with King Pômare against it, but with no perma¬
nent effect.
When the missionaries first came among them, they found that
upwards of two-thirds of the children were thus destroyed, generally before
seeing the light of day. Sometimes in drawing their first breath they were
throttled to death, being called tamari’i \iumi hia (children throttled).
Female infants were sometimes deprived of life because of their sex. The
chief reasons for infanticide were to keep the abyss wide between the royal
family and commonalty, and for the régulation of the arioi society, which
proscribed progeny for certain reasons (p. 235).
Infanticide was perpetrated by the parents and near relatives of the little
victims; and sometimes great contention took place between the maternai
paternal parties at the birth of a child, one side wishing to save, the
If it survived until it had properly drawn its breath and
opened its eyes, its life was spared, as it was then regarded as having its
and
other to destroy.
own
iho
(personality) and as having a daim on this life.
of a child was called puaru.
The destruction
AMUSEMENTS
people of the Society Islands hâve had
them greatly resembling European games. Unlike the people of some of the neighboring islands
gambling was unknown to them, their gratification being found in the
pastime itself. Since the introduction of gambling by their ciyilized friends.
they hâve adopted the words pere for “play” and parie for parier or “bet.”
From time immémorial the
many amusements, which they called heiva, several of
Faareareara’a is the modem word for “amusement.”
inauguration of a sovereign and the arrivai of distinguished
guests and during national festivities the entertainment lasted several days.
Several dances were given : the orira’a dances in many forms, of which the
most attractive were the hiira (impelling), also called the purotu (commonly), and the otea, men’s dance with spurt. (Other dances are given
on page 236.)
The purotu or hura was danced only by women of rank,
the queen often taking the lead (Atlas of Cook’s Last Voyage, PL 28).
Their headdress was generally a triple wreath of flowers and leaves of
sweet odor, sometimes a turban dotted with the beautiful starlike tiare.
The upaupa music that accompanied this dancing consisted of cylindric and
light hand drums (p. 157), the ihara, and the vivo. The ihara, a noisy
instrument still made by children, is a joint of a large bamboo, eut off
outside of each joint and slit up in several places from end to end with a
stick inserted through two slits across the middle to keep it open; it was
At the
276
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
beaten with
use,
light sticks. The vivo (bamboo flûte), an instrument still in
is about twelve inches long and a little over half an inch in diameter.
The joint of the bamboo forms the closed end, near which is the hole for
blowing through with the nostril. It has four or five holes on the upper
side for the Angers and one on the under side for the thumb : it
produces
a soft,
sensitive, and plaintive sound. It was formerly ornamented by
being partially burnt with a hot stone and neatly entwined with finely
braided hair and twisted cord of coconut husk ; but such
pains are no longer
taken. The otea has undergone such great
changes in the course of time
that the ancient dancers would not recognize the modem form.
Some ute
pahi songs were improvised for the occasion, as was donc
Captain Cook, while others were historical ballads adaptec! to every
circumstance, rank and station. They were accompanied with the vivo,
and pantomimic acting suiting the words, sometimes varied
by the dance,
frequently verging upon immoral license. Great pains were taken in
recording events in this manner not to create dissension among the listeners.
or
for
The natives
still
poetic and fond of singing, but European tunes
generally applied to Tahitian words, and the name himene (hymn) has
been adopted. The ute or pipe and common drum are the
accompaniments
for surviving native dances.
are
are
Te’ara a, archery, was the most refined of the native athletic
sports, and
classes. The archers underwent
purification ceremonies and prayers before engaging their neatly made bows
and arrows.
Spécial dress, called puhipuhi-te’a (blow-for-archery), was
worn for the occasion and as it was
regarded as exceedingly sacred, was
kept in a house set apart for that purpose on the grounds of the marae of
Paruatetava’e, god of archers. There also the archers dressed. They
bathed themselves in changing their sacred clothes to take refreshment and
was
a
favorite amusement of the upper
return to their
homes.
The te’a grounds were nicely kept lawns on public
property.
that
The site
apart for that purpose at Papaoa was where now stands the
Roman Catholic church and extending farther on to the land now under
was
set
cultivation.
of
The archers excelled in aiming, sometimes reaching a goal at a distance
three hundred
yards, which brought great applause. They had umpires of about half a dozen men, one on each side holding small white flags
which they waved as signais of success.
For failure they held the flags
down and said, “Ua pau” (It is gone).
Patia-fa, spearing a banana trunk as a target, was also done with great
dexterity and practised with less formality than the te’a.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Maona
277
taputora'a, wrestling, was sometimes engaged in by women
by men and was much practised by ail classes. When a fanions
champion was shorter than his antagonist, sometimes, he would not wait
to seize him by the arms or
grapple his head, which was often done, but he
would suddenly run the crown of his head against the temple of his
antagonist and thus lay him on the ground. Great interest and attention
were shown by the numerous
spectators of the struggle, and as soon as
as
well
one
or
as
was
thrown shouts of exultation from the friends of the victor rent
the air, drums were beaten, and women danced and sang in praise of the
victor or in défiance of the defeated; meanwhile the opponent’s side would
applaud and predict a speedy reverse of afifairs. If the fallen man had a
champion friend near at hand and he challenged the victor to engage again
in hopes of avenging his friend, it was the victor’s right to accept or refuse.
But having gained one triumph, he was justified in retiring on his laurels.
Then new wrestlers came forward, and the same untiring interest was
shown by the spectators until ail the champions had shown their prowess,
some Corning out equal in strength and unconquered, when loud acclamation
of applause on both sides of spectators would ensue. After the contest, the
visitors repaired to the marae with offerings of young plantain shoots to
the gods in thanksgiving for their victories.
Motora’a, boxing, the most harbarous of ail the games,
was
practised
with the naked fists by muscular men of the lowest type, who were proud
to boast of the number of men they had maimed or killed.
They fought
bare bodied, wearing only a close maro, and aimed at each other’s heads.
Serions results followed; at one blow a boxer sometimes knocked the
whole skin off the forehead of the other. Be it said to the crédit of ancient
heathen Tahiti that there were fewer spectators at this kind of performance
than at any other, although it greatly fascinated and demoralized some, and
the combat was much sooner ended.
No one interfered in the engagement,
but it stopped as soon as the man losing hold
fell, stooped as if to recover
something, or evaded his opponent, when he was regarded as beaten, and
the victor was applauded as in wrestling.
But when disaster or death
closed the scene the people wildly dispersed, while friends uncomplainingly
bore away the unfortunate champion.
Celebrated archers, wrestlers, and boxers were famed throughout the
island, and on great occasions one party received challenges from another
of
equal force.
Fa’atitora’a-moa, cock-fighting, was a favorite amusement and the most
harmless in the islands.
In every district were young men who trained
fowls for this purpose.
They made house pets of them, fed them well,
and taught them to open their mouths wide to reçoive food and water from
278
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
hand; in warm weather they were sprinkled with water to
The plumage of these fowls was never trimmed, the
young
men preferring to see them in ail their natural
beauty, and no artificial
spurs were applied.
Rua-i-fa’atoa (Source-of-bravery), whose diversion
was
cockfighting, presided over this amusement.
their master’s
refresh them.
The young members of the compartments or
each other, and sometimes in the early
districts would challenge
morning while the air was cool, for
several consecutive days they would indulge in this amusement with
great
zest.
As soon as one bird became cowed by the other, he was considered
vi (beaten) and was immediately parted from his
strutting opponent.
Fa’ahe’e, surf-riding, was much indulged in, mostly by young men and
in favorable places where the sea rolled in breakers over sunken
rocks.
The board used was called papa-fa’ahe’e (board-for-surfriding).
The pleasure in this sport would hâve been unalloyed but for sharks that
women
sometimes
came
timely help.
and wounded
or
carried away someone out of reach of
Surf-riding is still practised to a small extent.
Neue or naue,
plunging into water, has always been a favorite pastime
They plunge off high cliffs into the deep sea
or off rocks and trees into
deep fresh-water pools, and they swim and dive
like fishes.
Diving is called titi-aho-roa (holding-long-breath), and swimming is called au.
of children and grown peuple.
Fa’atitiahemora’a
fa’atitiauara’a, racing, included foot races and
were not only the most exciting pas¬
time for the young athlètes but for ail the peuple.
For these races the
young men prepared themselves by long practice.
They anointed their
bodies with oil to gain suppleness, and they were well fed. On the
day of the
contest the closely girded maro was their
only clothing, and they wore their
laurels in advance, having upon their heads to keep them cool wreaths of
canoë
races
on
or
smooth water, which
fresh leaves adorned with flowers.
To those who won the race was awarded
prize, which was placed within reach at the goal and was to be taken on
arriving there.
a
Arora’a, fighting, consisted of sham fights or military reviews on land
and sea, also created intense interest in ail classes.
their
The warriors
wore
regalia, and went skilfully through ail the maneuverings of real
battles.
The apai or paipai,
beating, a game much resembling cricket, was
The bail was made of shredded pièces of tapa tightly
tied round with cord, or of soft purau wood.
Fuira’a popo, football, was practised by both sexes with much enthusiasm, great numbers sometimes playing at once.
The bail was light, being
practised by men.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
made of
together.
279
dry flexible shreds of the banana trunk closely rolled and bound
This game bas not quite gone ont of date.
Harura’a-pu’u, seizing the bail, was a favorite game played by women
only. The bail was big and was made in the same way as the popo. The
game was played upon the open seabeach, where two groups sat about sixty
yards apart, a stone marking the boundary line for throwing the bail.
Either party began by seizing the bail from the center of the space and
endeavoring to throw it over the boundary line of the opposite side. Then
both parties went after it, scrambling over and against each other to get it.
Sometimes the bail escaped into the sea, and thither they ail went to seize
it, regardless of waves rising up to their waists and breaking around them.
Meanwhile the excited spectators on shore shouted wildly and cheered.
Ha’apu-uo or ha’apu-pauma, kite-flying, was a pastime enjoyed by men
and lads, and they excelled in it. The kites were of varions shapes, repre-
senting men, turtles, the man-of-war bird, and other things.
feathers
were
attached to them to
Sacred 'ura
Some kites
immense and required three or four men to hold them as they soared
were
secure
them from thieves.
high up until they appeared like mere specks in the sky.
Rare, stilts,
were used as an amusement by boys and men and were
six feet high. The method of the game was for two parties
wearing them to corne in contact and endeavor to throw each other down,
and this was not easy to do.
made up to
Timora’a, stone-hitting, was a game of throwing pebbles of a size easy
handle, in which one was held in the hands while another was thrown
up and received as it fell upon the stationary one, knocking it through the
hands down to the ground, when a new stone was picked up to be treated
in the same way, and so on to the end. Children and grown people of ail
ranks had their parties to play this game, the fun being in excluding from
the set those who missed in throwing. In the legend of Hiro is mention of
a heap
of great stones at Porapora called the timora’a o Hiro (Hiro’s
to
stone-hitting).
Fa’aoro’a marae, imitating marae ceremonies, was practised to perfection
by children. They used a piece of wood for a human sacrifice and a rat for
a pig ofïering.
The children also had many ideas of play resembling those of children
in the Antipodes. They made tops of wood which they sent off with a cord
and beat along the ground afterwards. Some tops they made of the fruit
of the miro by piercing it through the center with a piece of the rib of
the coconut leaf, which protruded about a quarter of an inch from the
under side and about four inches from the upper; this they spun by run-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
28o
ning the long stem briskly between the two hands and letting it go on a
or hard-trodden ground.
They had two kinds of swings : the taere consisting of a single hanging
rope to the free end of which was attached a stick, upon which to sit astride;
and the tahoro, two ropes like the former being tied together above, upon
which two children whirled around each other first one way and then the
board
other.
They had toy canoës, called roroie, which they sailed in the sea and
Tapunipuou, hide and seek, they played among the trees and rocks.
Titipauru or tupaurupauru, blind man’s buffj was also original with them.
A game of which the Tahitians were very fond maintained the System
of counting.
Two or three players took small sticks, generally the rib of
the coconut leaf, and broke them into short lengths.
After placing them
in a central heap, the players would take them ofï one by one, mentioning
the number as they reached the tens, the hundreds, and the thousands,
respectively, each of which was represented by a spécial length of stick.
The aim was to reach the million, the first to do so was the winner and
closed the game. Umpires closely watched the proceedings.
rivers.
OCCUPATIONS
From the map drawn by the navigator Tupaia^ and
from other sources,
S. Percy Smith has shown that the Polynesian navigators generally, among
whom the Tahitians stood
prominent, were masters of the Pacific Océan,
boldly traversing its broad waters in their canoës, while Europeans were
merely coasting the borders of the eastern continents in more finished ships.
The Tahitians excelled in the art of fishing and noted the time for the
varions kinds of fishes to succeed each other, as designated in the native
calendar.
(See p. 327.)
of bone and
sharpened bamboo, and fine nets of varions textures. Similar implements
but generally of foreign manufacture they still use.
They also hâve a
way of catching fishes of the shoals, small and large, with a long, thick,
The fishermen made fishhooks of bone and shells, spears
intertwined
line
of
fresh coconut
fronds
or
vines
from
the
seashore,
This is dragged out as far as possible, until fish
collect, then it is closed in and drawn upon the beach, where women and
children aid in securing the fish, which they either place in baskets to take
home or in great bamboo fish préservés, which are kept anchored in the sea.
which they call raoere.
Small slender fishes, called ouma, which resemble sardines,
are
thus
caught and kept for bait, when bonitos {auhopu, formerly called atu) and
albicores (aahi) of the open océan are in season.
Fishermen go out in
^
Incorrectly written “Tupaea” in Captain Cook’s work.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
281
single canoës with spécial strong rods to catch bonitos, and they go in a
an immense movable rod like a bowsprit (tira)
attached to a beam across the space between the two bows, for the albicores, which when caught, the men on both sides draw up.
Turtles are
caught in nets or by turning them over on their backs and thus landing
them. Deep-sea fishes are often kept in walls of coral rock in the lagoons
and bays and are picked up in nets when wanted.
Such places are numgreat double canoë, with
erous
on
the leeward islands.
Fishing by torchlight is an exciting and pleasant pastime. The spear
deep water, and shellfish are picked up on the reefs with the
hands or secured with the spear.
The torch is called rama.
Sometimes a great wickerwork basket ifa’a) is used as a trap. This
is round or bottle-shaped. If left for a day or two in the haunts of fishes,
is used in
many are
There
entrapped.
classes of canoë builders, the tahu'a papai va’a or
(canoe-hewers), who were at the service of the public,
and the ahi-tû (stable-agreement), who built sacred canoës upon spécial
marae grounds, where they lived consecrated Nazaritish lives, not cutting
their hair or beard until the work was completed. The building of large
canoës was an art of so great importance that the artisans were held in
high esteem and were well paid for their work. A canoë with hull hewn
out of a single log was called a va’a simply, and a canoë made of planks
sewn together as described in the legend of Hiro (p. 54^) was called a pahi
(ship) as well as va’a.
were
two
tahu’a tarai va’a
In old illustrations
canoës
are shown built with high
figures of men or birds or
(figurehead-before) and rei-
of former times
bows and sterns and ornamented with carved
other
animais, which
were
called rei-mua
(figurehead-behind). But modem canoës are made straight and
plain. Being long and narrow, a canoë is balanced in the sea with an
outrigger, called the ama, attached at each end to a beam, called the
’iato, which is fastened firmly across the hull of the canoë with strong
cord.
Double canoës, attached with beams to each other about six feet
apart, do not rec[uire outriggers.
muri
BETEOTHAL AND MARRIAGE
(momoaraa) in the royal family and the upper classes were
frequently made by parents and counsellors for children, most of whom
when they grew up gracefully submitted to their parents’ plans. Among ail
classes parents were free to make the proposai and when it was accepted
they announced the engagement to the public by planting a branch of ti
upon the floor of their dwellings, thus making the promise sacred.
Then
Betrothals
came
a
betrothal feast.
Bernice P. Bishop Museim—Bulletin 48
282
As the time for a marriage
(fa’aipoipora’a) of importance approached,
great préparations were made for the event by the families of the father
parties. Food in abundance was cultivated,
pigs and fowls were collected for the feast, and cloth and wearing
apparel and feather ornaments were manufactured and kept in readiness
and of the mother of both
fatted
for the occasion.
of the wedding ceremonies, ail the relatives and friends of
assembled at the respective homes of the young people, and
members of the arioi society also came to them with music, singing, and
dancing. On the morrow représentatives of the household of the bridegroom, who was then called the papa-i-nia (upper rock), came to escort
the bride, called the papa-i raro (lower rock), to his home for the first
wedding ceremonies, called oro’a-ai-huno’a (ceremony of feasting the sonin-law). With them they brought appropriate présents called the o.
Then the bride’s party, including ail those just mentioned, set out in a
grand parade by land if not far to walk, and in new canoës made for the
occasion if they had a long way to go, no old canoës being used for weddings. Following them in canoës were their présents, or o (welcome insurer), which consisted of everything that had been prepared for the
wedding, in two equal divisions, one from the side of the father and the
other from the side of the mother. On arriving at the bridegroom’s home,
they were welcomed by a great party assembled in the same order as their
own and the food and livestock they brought were presented and received
in due form by the family.
In the house a large mat was laid out, and
upon it the father and mother of the bridegroom each spread a new sheet
of white tapa, one overlapping the other, as an emblem of their two
families, and there the young pair were seated. To the right and left of
them were placed the rolls of cloth, mats, capes, and feather wreaths, those
on one side being presented,
by the father and the others by the mother of
the bride to the bridegroom in the name of their daughter. At the end of
the performance the mothers and aunts of the young couple, called the
hui-metua-vahine, class of mothers, punctured their heads and faces causing
On the
eve
each party
the blood to flow,^ as a manifestation of love and union of blood.
Then was given a great feast in honor of the bride, at which the bride¬
groom
and other men'sat apart from the women, as at ail ordinary feasts,
and the arioi danced and made merry.
When night came, the bride, still
in charge of her parents, remained with the other guests at the house of
the bridegroom to await further ceremonies on the morrow.
In the morn-
ing, the bride and bridegroom, dressed in beautiful fresh white tapa, which
was prettily relieved with patterns of délicate fern fronds, and
accompanied
A weapon of shark’s teeth set
(ahark’s-teeth-digger), was used.
upon
a
stick with breadfruit
gum,
called
a
paoniho-niho
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
283
by ail the relatives, went to perform the religious rites at the ancestral
marae of the papa-i-ni’a, where were
exposed for the occasion the skulls of
ancestors
with other fétiches.
A priest attired in the habiliments of his office met them
ment at the closure of
upon the pave¬
the marae, where sometimes an awning covered with
green coconut leaves or green
wedding.
fei (wild plantain) leaves was erected for the
The bridegroom took his station at one corner and the bride at
the other, and before each of them assembled their
respective relatives.
The priest, approaching the young couple, then said, first to the bridegroom,
“’B'ita anéi ’oe a fa’arue i te ’oe vahiné?” (Wilt thou not forsake thy
wife?), to which the bridegroom replied, “’B’ita!” (No!). The same
question was put to the wife respecting her husband, and she also responded
in the négative.
Then thei priest answered, ‘‘B maitai ia mai te nua ra e e
na reira ’orua” (It will be well if thus it be with
you), and he admonished
them after the manner of the sages of old and concluded with
prayer to the
gods to bless their union and keep them in the bonds of affection one to
the other.
The father and mother of the bridegroom then came forward, each
with a white sheet, called a vanvau (underspread), and placed them upon
the closure of the marae in the same way and for the same reasons as on
the
previous day.
There the young couple were seated, one holding the
other’s‘ hand, and by them, keeping on their own sides, sat the relatives, both
puncturing themselves and causing the blood to drop on to the sheet,
blending family ties. The groom’s parents then placed the
juice of a young coconut leaf and of sugar-cane mixed in a coconut shell,
upon a miro leaf, and held it first on their son’s head then on the head of
their daughter-in-law, after which they placed it beside the one as a pledge
of unity, which they sealed with blood by puncturing themselves in the
presence of ail the company, each one causing some drops to fall upon a
miro leaf which was placed upon the back stones of the marae. Then the
bridegroom’s parents joined their family and ail the company on both sides
arose.
Another sheet, called the tapai, was spread over the young couple
who were still sitting, and under it they remained a few seconds and
received the first wedding greetings. When it was taken off they also arose.
sexes
thus further
Then the sheets of the vauvau were torn in halves, and the two sides that
stained with the blood of the relatives were folded together, enveloping
the mixture on the leaf, and buried near the marae ; the other two pièces
were
of cloth were also folded together
and were given with the oyersheet and
wedding clothes and change for others to the'arioi for their religious
pantomimes. Thus ended the first part of the marriage.
the
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bidletin 48
284
The double party then proceeded to the house of the bride, the parents
bridegroom taking présents as their o equal to those that had been
brought by the bride’s parents, and also another great supply of things in
readiness for the wedding feast. On arriving at their destination, the same
réception and présentations as before were repeated on behalf of the papai-ni’a] and on the following day the bride and bridegroom, attired in new
wedding clothes, went through the same religious ceremonies at the marae
of the papa-i-raro and with the same termination as on the previous occa¬
of the
sion.
Handsome présents were always given to the priests who performed
the marriage rites.
Sojourners used the seashore in place of a marae.
Any différences of rank that may hâve existed between the two families
forever annulled by these ceremonies.
were
wedding feast, which lasted several days at the house of the
bride, both families vied with each other in making a grand display of
goods and food. Eloquent speeches were exchanged. To the young couple
At the
they gave a name which it had been previously agreed that they should
bear, a custom still existing among the native people of the présent time.
If one side gave less than the other, it was at once noticed and recorded in
song by the merrymaking arioi.
As royal marriages were national célébrations they were performed at
the national maraes of the contracting parties; they were free from human
Marriages of the arioi were always performed at a marae of
’Oro, the accredited founder of their society. Widows were married with
sacrifices.
very
little formality, the festivities being optional.
Notwithstanding that the matrimonial knot was so well tied by these
islanders, it was frequently disregarded, especially among the higher classes,
v/here rank licensed much freedom in both sexes. Yet their folklore shows
many faithful attachments that would hâve donc crédit to
people, and it also shows the same violations of the marriage rite
incurred bitter revenge and murder of the rival or of the offending spouse.
Long possession of each other without marriage and with children has
always been regarded by them as binding as marriage ties.
that there
were
any
family formée! a misalliance which the parents
equalize, they refused to solemnize the marriage rites on
their side, which lowered the erring one to the level of the inferior party,
at whose home alone the marriage was performed.
Such a person and
the children of such a union, were called tamari’i taahi hia (children trodWhen a child of the royal
did not wish to
den down of
degraded).
In such cases, when they could gain popularity
and regained prestige
among the people, they sometimes asserted themselves
as
rival members of the
family that had disowned them.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
285
Polygamy was much practised by these people, especially those of the
standing on equality with each other. But
a king had but one queen whose children could
by right inherit the throne
—bis children by other women of high rank did not always enjoy the same
privilège as those of the members of the legitimate circle.
ra’atira class, their plural wives
CLOTHING
The ancient dress for
(loin girdle), their
working apparel; the pa-u or pareu (waist cloth), a piece of
cloth about two yards long, which was drawn round the waist and fastened
jauntily on one side, falling like a petticoat to the calf of the leg (which
was beautifully
tattooed) ; and the tiputa (poncho), plain or ornamented.
The maro and the pareu, differing only in material—now of modem cloth—
are still worn, the maro
by fishermen and other working men in the country ;
the pareu, most of the population, in undress. Their best clothes were ahuundress
men
consisted of the
maro
or
puupuu, made from bark of the breadfruit tree, and were beautifully white.
Common clothes were brown and were made from the bark of the banyan
and paper-mulberry trees.
Such clothes are no longer in the Society Islands.
Fancy capes were braided from purau bark, and they are still sometimes
made
on
same as
festival occasions.
grown people.
The children, often nude,
were
dressed the
The women wore a pareu and an over-covering of
tapa, called ’ahu-pu, which they wound round the body, leaving the arms
bare, and fastened over one shoulder—a mode of dressing admii'ed and.
described by Europeans who first visited these shores.
The cotton pareu
they still wear in place of a petticoat under the Mother Hubbard dress,
called ’ahu-tua (dress with a yoke).
During public festivities, the king and other men of rank wore as
pareu fine flexible mats, called vane, interwoven with light patterns and
edged with a fringe. Their tiputa were of red, black, and yellow feathers,
or of white tapa, plain or fringed, bordered with ’ura feathers (as ermine
is used upon robes for European nobility) ; and they were decorated round
the neck with rosettes, some of the bright red and black seeds of the
pipitio (black-eyed Susan), connected with rows of the same, and others
of feathers of bright or somber hue, according to taste.
They also wore
capes of the revareva made from the young coconut leaf, and headdresses to
match—décorations still occasionally manufactured and worn on festive
occasions.
Queen Pômare gave one to Prince Alfred when he visited Tahiti,
and some French admirais hâve been presented with them.
The king’s
councillors of high or obscure birth wore vane with rich black feather capes.
286
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Hëaddrëss
People of rank had headdresses called taupo’o (cap or hat), hei
(wreath),, and taumi-upoo (turban). The sovereign’s royal dress was a
toque exquisitely made of ’ura feathers to match the spécial blendings of
the dress of the kingdom represented.
(See p. 120.) It was called te-ata-oTû (the-cloud-of-Tû), being emblematical of the cloud in which the god
Tû found the babe Ro’o-te-ro’oro’o (p. 369).
The most showy headdress worn officially by the king and princes and
high chiefs was the taumi, a superb heliiiet made of clusters of crimson
feathers of the moora ’ura (red-feathered duck), set upon a light framework and covering the head like a bird, with a glossy terminal behind of outspreading red, black, and white feathers tastily mixed together. This
helmet, standing out from a closely fitting band round the head and
towering high above, seeming to yield or bend with every movement,
presented a formidable appearance. On public occasions, when meeting a
man held in high esteem by his countrymen for valuable services, a king
wearing a taumi would pass it on to his head as a mark of appréciation.
After courteously receiving it the hero would return it to the king amid
admiring acclamations.
The counselor’s coronet, which was worn officially in the presence of
the king, was called a hei-’or0’or0 (wreath-of-feather-clusters) and was
made of glossy black feathers set upright, and standing high around the
head. This with his black cape well befltted the office of the wearer.
One time at a célébration of the French emperor’s birthday, at the request of Commandant de Bouset, the native chiefs and dignitaries pre¬
sented themselves in capes and headgear.
The women of rank set off
their dainty wrappers with beautiful wreaths of ’ura feathers, yellow, red,
and alternate red, green, or yellow, or otherwise diversffied, tied around a
same manner as threaded beads ; around these were sometimes
strings of pearls. They also wore eardrops of jet-black hair
tightly braided, called tipua, which were sometimes ornamented with
pearls. Women of the people made wreaths and garlands as they chose, but
not of ’ura feathers.
They also wore pearls and eardrops.
Turbans, called ta’amu’upo’o, were of two kinds and were made of tapa.
One was worn by the warrior to screen his head from spears and was very
bulky, the cloth being closely bound together with cords. The other was
light and was tastefully or plainly made, being worn as a hat to protect
the head from the sun or in place of a wig in case of baldness.
Leaves
of the ti and other plants were cool substitutes for the turban.
Garlands and wreaths of sweet odor were then as now much worn by
both sexes of ail classes, and a flower set over the ear or in place of an
cord in the
entwined
287
Henry—-Ancient Tahiti
eardrop in the ear was characteristic.
The tiare (single-petaled Gardénia),
which in former days only decked the maiden’s brow, has become the chief
agent
of flirtation.
children of nature.
Rich is the language of flowers with those happy
Tattooing
The art of tattooing, called tatau (tapping) or naonao (checkered),
formerly commonly known but gradually becoming an art of the past in
Polynesia, was nowhere more artistically practiced than in the Society
Islands, as is stated by Ellis,^ when he and his brother missionaries had
the advantage of seeing it in the height of its perfection and of comparing
the spécial characteristics of the art by which the people of one group
early distinguished those of another. To Ellis, the figures chosen in tattoo¬
ing appeared to serve as an index to the disposition and character of the
individual operated upon; and to Edward Tregear^ they seem to hâve
indicated
tions of
a
recollection
of the ancient
hieroglyphic System.
Représenta¬
objects from nature or handicraft and the spécifie marks of the
arioi were used.
According to Tahitian folklore, tattooing originated among the gods, in
pô (dark period), and was considered highly ornamental and pleasing
to themselves and to man.
It was invented by Matamata-arahu (Printer-
the
in-charcoal), who was aided by Tu-ra’i-po ( Stander-in-dark-sky) or
Ti’iti’i-po (Fetcher-in-darkness)—two gods who were of the body of
artisans of Ta’ere, god of ail skill,—and Hina-’ere’ere-manu’a (Gray-thehasty-tempered), eldest daughter of the first man and woman, Ti’i and
Hina, whom they succeeded in abducting from an enclosure where she
had been closely kept by her parents by exhibiting the patterns upon them¬
selves to her great admiration and selfforgetfulness.
At the shrine of Matamata-arahu and Tu-rai-po the tatatau or
talm’atatau (tattoo artist) always performed his work, invoking their aid
in its execution and the healing of the perforations.
His art was most
remunerative, as people in days of yore thought such marks set off their
beauty and dress. The process was a most painful one and sometimes resulted fatally.
It was done gradually, commencing upon a person at the
âge of ten or twelve and ending at maturity.
The instrument generally used by Polynesians for tattooing was made
of finely sharpened boues of birds, or of the slender pointed teeth of
fishes, ingeniously tied with fine sennit to a slender hard stick; and the
dye, of a beautiful jet hue, was the sooty dripping of oil obtained in burn^
^
Ellis, Wm., Polynesian researches, Eondon, 1831.
Of Wellington, New Zealand, a meinber of the Polynesian
Society.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
288
ing the tutui or candlenut {Aleurites triloba), which when deposited in the
skin produces a bluish tint.
bamboo joints were chosen according to taste,
either first sketched. upon the skin with cliarcoal, or the
performance was simply guided by the eye of the tatatau, who, holding
in the left hand the instrument dipped in the dye, carefully laid it upon
the skin and with an elastic tap from a heavier stick held by the right
hand, the punctures were made, and the coloring was thus dextrously
deposited beneath the skin at the same time.
Many men were tattooed upon the Tîmbs and body as far as the back
of the neck and even to the ears and the roots of the hair.
Upon the
chest every variety of figure was to be seen.
Coconuts and breadfruit
trees, gracefuly entwined with Convolvulus vines, and boys gathering the
fruit; men engaged in battle, fleeing from or pursuing the enemy, triuniphing over a fallen foe, or carrjdng a human sacrifice to the marae : diagrams,
bii'ds, quadrupeds, fishes, war weapons, primitive and modem, or other
objects were imprinted there and also upon the arnis, on the inner sides
of which were the lighter tattoos of little insects, stars, strokes, circles, and
lozenges. Ellis States that he often admired the taste displayed in the
marking of a chief’s legs, when he saw a coconut tree correctly and distinctly drawn with roots spreading out at the heel, its elastic stalk pencilled, as it were, along the tendon, and its waving plume gracefully spread
out on the broad part of the calf.
Sometimes a couple of stems twined up
from the heel and divided on the calf, each bearing a plume of leaves.
Some tattooing upon the feet gave the appearance of the owners wearing élégant eastern sandals. On some men the sides of the legs and upwards to the waist were also tattooed, which gave the appearance of pantaloons with ornamental seams—the same form of tattooing but elaborately
covering ail the leg is still to be seen in Samoa, where the natives hâve
not ceased to regard it as ornamental.
The Tahitians seldom tattooed the
throat or face, some priests or warriors, only, having a print upon
Patterns traced upoii
and
tliey
were
their foreheads.
Women had their hands marked
as
though covered with mittens
or
gioves of fine network, with circles around the wrists and fingers like
bracelets and finger rings. They also had the sandal-like print upon their
feet, terminating in a tastily traced circle around the ankle.
exquisite taste and were most fastidious in their choice
a well-informed Hawaiian, has stated
that they limited their décorations to light prints upon the arms and
circles around the hands, wrists, and ankles, in place of rings, bracelets,
and anklets, and that they disdained the zigzag fines, curves, and diagrams
Hawaiians had
of tattoo marks.
Mrs. Brickwood,
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
289
neighbors, comparing such designs to those upon their
(which they excelled in making).
of their Southern
Niihau mats
CEREMONIES AND CUSTOMS FOR THE SICK AND DEAD
been cleanly people, being fond of bathing
hour of the day. Laborers never change their working garb for
clean apparel without first bathing.
Most Tahitians are strong and hardy,
and before foreign diseases were introduced among them, they were seldom sick; many lived to be over a hundred years of âge.
The Tahitians hâve always
at any
primitive State were : ’o'dvi
(scrofula), tutoo (tuberculosis), hotate (asthma), and feefee (elephantiasis), the last three being contracted by exposure to inclement weather,
going too much in the wet, or living in damp places. When they became
ill, they thought that they had offended the gods and the family took offerings of food and ’nra feathers to the ancestral marae. They called in a
doctor, who anointed the patient with oil and administered his medicines,
invoking the gods for the patient’s recovery. When this means failed, a
priest of the social marae was applied to ; and after confessing, anointing
with oil, and praying over the patient, he took to the marae a young pig,
holding it by the leg so as to make it squeal and thus attract the attention
of the gods. He invoked the gods to remove their anger as far as the east
was from the west and to remove sickness of the day and sickness of the
night to the “wall of jaw bones.” He then presented the live pig as a peace
offering (utupo) and passed it on to another priest, who marked its ear
with sennit and turned it loose among the sacred marae pigs.
He also
ofïered ’ura rosettes and other présents provided by the family, together
with a “man-long” banana, presenting it in the same way as in the pa’i-atua
The diseases known to these people in their
bed
(See p. 289.') The family placed valuable objects about the
of the sick one, hoping to create pity in Ta’aroa that he might spare the
service.
patient to enjoy them. Members of the family also went to the seaside and
ofïered to the sea gods prayers and confessions called tarotaro.
Finally, the parents or persons representing them came forward with
and the priests presented them saying as he
held the cords, “Here are the parents to atone for the patient.” The offerings responded,
cords tied around their necks,
“Yes, here are your human pigs; cease to be angry.”
After this
performance, nothing more could be done for the patient,
who either recovered by faith or died.
remained with the patient to the end.
In cases of fatal sickiress, the priest
Bernice P. Bîshop Muséum—Bulletin 48
290
Should
member of the
a
attendance in extreme cases.
and in place
atonements
royal family fall ill, the high priest was in
Great offerings were taken to the local marae,
of the parents a band of strong men presented themselves as
but
no
life was sacrificed.
In dying, many people made oral bequests, wliich were usually respected
and faithfully carried out.,
a short illness, the patient was anointed with
(oil scented with Gardénia). Then, going to the social marae,
he presented a cavalla fish to the priest, who ofïered it to the gods in the
name of the giver, for whose recovery he returned tlianks.
After a long
and serious illness, the patient was anointed with oil and accompanied by
the family went with food and goods for the priests, who presented them
in thanksgiving at the social marae, last of ail presenting an tiira feather
wreath to Te-vahine-nui-tahu-rai
(The-wornen-wlio-set-fire-to-the-sky).
(This deified heroine was also invoked in the umu ti ceremony, see
page 214.)
When a very learned man was about to expire and wished to transmit
his knowledge to his son, even though the son were very young, he would
say, “My son, stay by me and draw my last breath into thy mouth and
swallow it that my learning may become thine.”
So when the moment
came, the son would open his mouth over his father’s and receive his last
breath. It was affirmed that this means never failed to produce the precious
knowledge.'* A scholar of this kind was called atiti-pau or ae-pau (ail
knowledge absorbed). It is said that he thus came in touch with the spirit
of his deceased father, which visited and taught him ail his knowledge, in
deep sleep sometimes bordering upon trances. At Porapora Mr. Orsmond
knew a fine orator and scholar named Moe-‘ore (Not-lost), the son and
successor of the king’s previous orator and counsellor then dead, who had
made his début in public, speaking before the king as an ae-pau when a
mere lad,.shortly after his father’s death.
As an important oration known
only to his father was needed, the king sent to the mother for the boy,
saying, “If he be an ae-pau let him corne to us.” So the mother placed on
Upon recovering from
monoi-tiare
her son his father’s official clothes and bonnet and sent him as bidden,
and
promptly recited the speech needed, so well that ail
présent were moved to tears, saying, “The father still lives in his son.”
It was believed that people died at the same time of day or night as
they were born, and when they lingered before breathing their last, it was
it
was
said that he
°
This practice was also known in Hawaii, where the old customs are still fresh in the
minds of the people.
In 1905, while living in Honolulu, I knew a very clever young Hawaiian
from Hilo, Hawaii, named George K. Avalilco, who said that when his maternai grandfather, a
very
in
learned
man
my
of the old school, was about to die he wished George to absorb his knowledge
But as the idea was répugnant to George, he refused.
Then the old
civilization lias prejudiced you, and the old knowledge must die out with
George lias silice regretted that he did not acquiesce in the request.
the way described.
said “Ah, modem
man
génération!”
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
291
they were liai poi (awaiting the hour of birth). When in the
dying State the priest in attendance attached an uraiaeiae {’ura feather
amulet) to each little finger of the patient to ward ofï evil spirits, and he
got four or six fronds of maire'fern (Polypodiiim pustulatum), formed
them into a drooping cluster, called a fare maire
(maire house),
and placed it against the pillow of the patient so as to overshadow the
head. Thus the soûl might enter the fare maire through the cranium, which
was the way they believed the soûl left the body.
When the person wp.s
dead the priest called the tahua faatere (presiding priest) and other members of the fraternity to aid him and the family in performing the obsequies.
said that
These commenced with hautiraa tupapaau.
invoked the spirit to return to the body; then after
bidding the corpse awake (faaara tupapau) and finding no signs of life
remaining, they said “Ua unuhi te varua e te attrn” (The spirit is drawn
out by the gods).
A. great outburst of grief followed among the anxiously
The priests first
waiting relatives and friends, who bathed, oiled, and dressed the body and
laid it out while a priest called a tahu’a tutera went out in a canoë, paddling
slowly along the coast facing the house of the deceased, to find out the.
cause of the death by watching the flight of the spirit, which it was believed,
would approach him with an emblem revealing the cause.
If the spirit
appeared to him in a flame of fire, it was a sign that the deceased had been
a victim of the black art, fire being used by sorcerers in their incantations.
If the spirit came out with a feather amulet in its hand, it showed that some
one had used it to bring down the displeasure of the gods upon the.
deceased. If it looked dejected, some personal matter had been the trouble;
but if it looked happy, ail concluded that it had been the proper time for
the deceased to go.
Soon the soûl seeker returned and gave his report,
according to which the presiding priest worded his invocation to Romatane and ail the gods of the spiritual abodes.
faarairai or tui liana (soûl reposing
in progress, a straight branch of the ti, which lias broad,
spreading leaves and was supposed to be full of magical power, was stood
erect by the corpse to conduct the soûl to the spirit world.
Breadfruit
flower spikes and the tips of the stems of banana leaves, each one representing a member of the household of the deceased, were placed under the
arms of the corpse while an address suited to the circumstances was made
in the foliowing manner :
While the invocation called tui
prayer)
was
ta ’oe metua tane; teie ta ’oe
vahiné; teie ta oe vahiné (or ta
’oe tane) ; teie ta ’oe tamaiti ; teie ta
Teie
metua
Here is thy_ father; here is thy
mother; here is thy wife (or husband) ; here is thy son ; here is thy
Bernice P. BisJiop Muséum—Bulletin 48
292
’oe tamahine ; teie ta ’oe fetii (o mea).
A huri i to mata i te po ; eiaha e
fariu mai i to te ao nei. Ei
.
.
.
.
daughter ; here are thy relatives (and
so 011).
Turn thy face to Hades ; look
back to this
end with thee.
not
world.
Let sickness
family had nb more sickness and saw no signs of
ghost hovering around them, they said, “B tui Iiana niait ai roa teia” (This
is a very good soul-reposing prayer).
But if the illness followed, they
called the prayer a tui pee (prayer that missed) and sought the aid of
another priest to obtain the desired effect. Ail the household and relatives
contributed towards pa5dng the priests well, so as to secure their good will ;
their displeasure was carefully avoided by the people, who believed that
their curse could bring sickness and death.
If after this tui the
a
Usually the corpse was kept three or four days in the house upon a
was covered with fine white cloth decorated with garlands and
wreaths of sweet-scented flowers and leaves.
The mourners in charge sat
around wailing and trying to awaken the dead and lacerated themselves
as they received visits from relatives and friends, who joined in loud lamen¬
hier and
tations.
Some of the women eut themselves with an instrument of shark’s
teeth and stained with their blood small aprons
which they wore for the
and left with the family as a sacred token of love. The visitors
brought with them gifts called otohaa or taihaa (mourning for the dead),
rvhich consisted of cloth and mats for the people generally.
But for the
royal family, as a token of loyal sympathy, called tapu-oho (foremost
pledge), the nation brought ’ura feathers. On such occasions, among ail
classes, many were the pathetic dirges chanted and cloquent speeches
cxchanged.
The lying-in-state of a sovereign or of an heir apparent lasted longer
than for other people, so that opportunity was given for the subjects and
kindred people of the nation to corne in.
At such times besides strewing
sweet-scented leaves and flowers around the dead, beneath the body and
about the house, sandalwood was constantly burned as a disinfectant. Then
the taimara (restriction) was observed throughout the realm, just as for
the pai-at'ua; the clans led by their chiefs and chiefesses came in silence
until they reached the scene of mourning, when there would be loud and
prolonged wailing, lamentation, and frantic lacération.
The body, saturated with oil to préservé the skin from décomposition,
was next placed upon a high altar in a neat little temporary house erected
for the occasion at the family marae,“ there to be guarded by a priest,
who was paid by the family of the deceased if they could aflford it, by the
near relatives of both sexes if they were poor.
The keepers, who were called
iai-mate for a royal body, lived in a temporary house; and others came and
purpose
®
Atlas, Third
voyage
of Capt. Cook, pl. 26, London, 1784.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
293
who wished still to indulge iii weeping
for the dead one. This lasted
period, until their grief was maha (spent). Those who
became thin from watching and eating little were called tiai mata
poopoo
(with sunken eyes). As soon as the body was taken to the little house at
the marae, the bedding, mats, and other
things that had corne in contact
with the deceased during illness and after death were
carefully collected
and burned. This funeral pile was called anahi-tutaee
(fire to change or
purify), and ail associations of the deathbed were removed when the priest
pronounced the pani-tutui (closed by burning) bénédiction, stating that
ail the mahuruhuru (pollution) was gone and that the
family could occnpy
the place of the deceased without fear of evil
conséquences.
went
for
an
indefinite
For a member of the royal
ceremonies
family the mourning did not end with the
just described ; but after they were over, the }mung men and
lads of the collateral lines and of the retainers
performed their part in a
tragedy called heva-tupapa’u (mourning for the corpse). They paid adepts
to make them hideous with
long stripes or circles painted in black, white
and red on their bodies and limbs.
The only coloring materials were soot
from the candlenut, white clay, made adhesive with gum from the breadfruit bark, and red sap from the mati (Ficus tinctoria). Faces, ears, and
necks were painted in varions ways with soot and red
sap. Wearing nothing but a close maro about their loins, the boys went inland, where they
decorated their heads with fern fronds relieved with bright-colored berries
and fara blossoms, making wild-looking headdresses. This band of
young people was called nevaneva (bewildered), the appellation suiting
their wild actions.
They followed a priest of the gods of mourning,
■Oviri-moe-aihere (Wild-man-sleeping-in-weeds), Pautu-roa
(Long-mourning-dress), Tane, and Tara-pa’a (Strong-thorned), to the marae of these
gods up on the mountain side. There they erected two sheds covered with
green leaves in which to encamp during their heva-tupapa’u—a small one
for the priest and a large one for the nevaneva and there
they were well
fed by their relatives.
When the deceased was a sovereign or an heir
apparent the priest was
elaborately dressed, wearing a petticoat of purau fringe, called tihi-parau,
a waist
girdle, called a moeho, and a head gear, or fa’aupo’o. The fa’aupo’o consisted of a close turban of cloth, above which diverged like rays
beautiful, snow}' red-tipi>ed tail feathers of the troioic bird, and a parae, or
mask, of bright pearl shell. From the mask was suspended over the chest
with the corners turned upwards a bright
crescent-shaped board about a
foot deep covered with a brilliant network of thin chips of
mother-of-pearl
about one inch long and a quarter of an inch wide. These were threaded
together through little perforations at each end and bordered with a
Bernice P. BisJiop Muséum—Bulletin 48
294
fringe of rich black feathers of the man-of-war-bird, terminating at each
corner
with
a
bunch and
a
tassel exquisitely made of
the same feathers.
very sacred.
called a pautu
(mourning cloth), attached hehind and meeting the spreading fronds of
the fare-rupe fern {Pteris-milneana) set in the girdle against the back.
This ornament, called ahu-parau (pearl-cloth) was considered
From it hung a drapery of pièces of yellow and black cloth,
not of
the highest rank the priest wore the
But when the
deceased
paraphernalia.
At any time of day the bancl came out from the marae
was
fringy petticoat, girdle, and the fern frond, without the headdress and other
in procession, making frantic gesticulations.-
and then jingling in his hands
The pidest took the lead, now
tete (clappers) made of two finely polished
pearl shells, one larger than the other, and carrying a paeho (scythe) about
long armed with large, strong shark’s teeth set along the inner
edge, and ornamented with black feathers at the tip. At the same time the
nevaneva flourished spears, with which they felt licensed to wound and
even kill hapless persons who crossed their path.
five feet
The Sound of the tete and the appearance of these persons as they
approached terrified the community. The priest sometimes struck the side
of a house menacingly with his scythe, while the inmates remained in
breathless silence. Some of the people out-of-doors had time to flee to the
local marae where they were secure from molestation; but others, particularly if they were not in favor with the terrible party, were either
caught and mercilessly beaten with a club, or in fleeing were liable to be
hit by scythe, spear, or stone.
of terror lasted an indefinite period, the moon coming in,
waxing, waning, and passing on some occasions when gi'eat love for their ■
lost ruler was being expressed. When people of other districts thought it
had lasted long enough, they would corne to calm their zest by overpowering
them. This was called fa’atihaehae i te heva (aggravating the mourners).
A hand to hand fight followed, which became serions when allied parties
This reign
Sometimes whole districts were involved, many being killed
When the priest changed his dress it was the
sign that the heva was marau (faded or ended) and then tranquility was
re-established in the land. The people of ail the other classes mourned
their dead with ail the solemnity they could muster, but without cruelty.
After the introduction of firearms, these were also used in the hevatupapa’u. Ellis^ mentions that in one of the last of these events which
took place in Huahine, where he was a missionary, a man was shot dead in
the fray, although the barbarous customs connected with mourning were
done away with as Christianity was established in the land, the taihaa
joined in.
before the chiefs interposed.
’
EIHs, William,
Polynesian researches, lyondon, 1830.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
295
(weeping) and bringing présents to the bereaved ones bas continued to
or less observed
by the native people. Floral offerings are now
superseding other gifts among those who are in contact with Europeans,
and condolences without présents are
widely becoming the custom. For
a royal death, the
people of the districts corne in as formerly and sing
their dirges to modem tunes, their chiefs and orators,
always éloquent,
delivering touching orations. The last great taihaa for a prince in Tahiti,
accompanied with présents, was in 1885 at the death of Ari’i-aue, eldest
son of Queen Pômare, when hundreds of men and women of the districts
of Faaa came in procession. They carried mats and cloth opened out and
attached one to the other overhead like an awning, and wailed and lamented
as they
passed through the town to the palace where the prince was
lying in State.
be more
In the upper
classes, when the time for burial of the dead (hunara’a
tupapa’u) arrived, the body was wrapped in sweet-scented tapa, placed in a
cofïin hewn from the trunk of a tree, and secretly placed in a marae vault,
later being removed to a mountain cave by the family priest and a chosen
few.
(See p. 149.) People of low degree also made coffins or simply wrap¬
ped their dead in tapa, scented or otherwise, and then in a mat, placing
the corpse in a cave or burying it in their marae with or without a priest
officiating. Some of the bodies were interred in a sitting posture, three or
four feet deep, and at the présent time skeletons are occasionally unearthed
in that position. The skull of a parent or other revered relative was sometimes retained by the family, by whom it was cleaned, saturated with sweetscented oil, and aired many days in the sun.
Then after invoking to it,
the spirit of the departed one, it became enshrined among the household
fétiches.
The finger nails were plucked from corpses, polished, threaded
together, and worn in the hair by young girls as charms.
Embalming
The
art
of
embalming the dead in a simple way was still retained by
Tahitians so long removed from ancient civilization.®
As an adept at this
Work, called a tapua miri, required great rémunération for his services, only
the wealthy could afford them. When the
obsequies were ended, the body
was placed upon a
portable altar about three feet high, which stood over a
small
pit in the fare tupapaiu. There the tapua miri drew out ail the
through the anus, sucked out the brain through the nostrils, and
buried them in a secret spot of the marae.
Then he let the body drain
into the pit through an opening in the altar heneath it, saturated the skin
with oil (sandalwood being preferred), and filled the
cavity to its natural
viscera
®
Atlas, Last voyage of Capt. Cook, pl. 26, London, 1784.,
296
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
size with tapa soaked in oil.
He rendered the limbs pliant by frequently
moving them, and by massage he toughened and detached the skin from
the flesh, which he squeezed from perforations under the joints and
dropped also into the pit. When this process was ended he placed in the
pit a small pillar representing the dead body and filled it up, saying as he
did so, “Bi ona ra ’oe” (Now remain thou there), as a respectful nianner
of disposing of the contents. After this process, the body was exposed to
the sun and turned over and on its sides frequently until well dried, when
it was placed in a house made for it and enclosed in a fence of reeds.
There it was adjusted in a sitting posture'upon a litter and was dressed
in choice tapa, with a cape over the shoulders and a turban upon the head,
and was covered closely with a sheet most of the time.
When the hair
chanced to fall ofï it was carefully placed back with gum.
family or a priest was always in charge of the
around which were draped cloth and mats (which Captain Cook
describes as having a pleasing effect), and the family daily brought it
flowers, food dry and crisp, and fresh fruit, from which it was supposed
to absorb the essence.
It was addressed as a living being. Though occasionally exposed to public view from outside of the place, none but the family
An elder member of the
mummy,
or
intimate friends were admitted inside.®
living when the missionaries came to Tahiti
Mahitua, who had preserved the body of the chief, Vehiatua; Otai,
who had embalmed Tau, wife of Temaru, a chief of Papara; and Maiaha,
The embalmers who
were
were:
Ariipaea, Prince Consort of the Queen of Huahine.
poisoning in conséquence of following this vocation sometimes ended the lives of tapua miri.
who had embalmed
Incurable blood
Owing to exposure to the atmosphère and lack of proper means of pré¬
servation, the Tahitian mummies moldered and decomposed after about
a
when they were laid in coffms and put away in their final resting
places.
year,
Ti’i’s body had been embalmed four months when
Captain Cook
it and even he whom
uncovered and drawn
having ail the finger
nails in good order.
He also saw the body of the chief, Vehiatua at Vai-te-piha in Tautira,
which was preserved and kept in a similar manner to that of Ti’i, uncle of Tu (Cook, James, A
voyage to the Pacific Islands, Tondon, 1784, p. 52).
®
saw
the natives favored was allowed to behold it onlÿ from without; but it was
out into the open air for him to view.
He found it well preserved, even
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
297
WARFARE’
INTRODUCTION
The reasons for going to war were: the breaking of a treaty, which was
called ’0’oti-apito
(cutting-the-cord), in doing which the perpetrators offered
propitiate their god for treachery; the murder of a
person of one district who went to another, which was called rima-pa (laying-of-hands) ; a tuhi (curse) uttered by one king upon another; rébellion
of the people against a sovereign who was mean and oppressed them, and
whose family illtreated the children of their servants; feu or jeolousy of
one
kingdom towards another, and seeking self-aggrandisement. When
Tahiti was divided into many sovereignities, the high priests ambitions to
extend their dominions were frequently invading those of their neighbors.
In agitating war, the king or queen held council with the chiefs and
cther statesmen of the realm while the priests songht direction of the gods
in their usual way and diligently studied auguries.
If in starting ont to
seek omens, the priests met with dérision from a thoughtless group, it was
regardée! as a sign that defeat awaited the warriors, and that sufficed to
cause abandonment of the project.
If in seeking omens at night a priest
chanced to touch something soft and pleasant with his toes, he said that
the army would be victoriens; but if his whole foot went in he said that
the army would lose.
If his face got covered with a spider’s web in the
bushes he returned home feeling that he was not inspired and advised the
sovereign not to venture in the project. If he paddled out in a canoë at
night and a school of fishes jumped into his canoë, he said the enemy would
human sacrifice to
thus fall into their hands.
When at last the council met, the speakers sat in a central group, the
sovereign and counselors sitting in a row at one end facing them and the
chiefs and priests in a row to the right and to the left of the orators. The
lower end of the two lines remained open for ingress and egress; but no
one dared to cross the space between the sovereign and the orators, on
pain of death. Outside of this ofhcial assembly sat an audience of the
people, who had no voice in the meeting but felt a lively interest in what
the orators said and were generally greatly impressed with their éloquence
—the deliberations sometimes lasting over a day.
The sovereign introduced the subject, and the speakers took it up each
in his turn,
each chief
^
or
Received
war
with the greatest décorum, viewing the matter in ail its phases,
stating how many men his district could muster. Finally when
in
1821
from
agitator of Mo’orea.
Moo,
priest of Porapora,
and
in
1840
from Haapu-taata,
a
rauti
298
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
the
speakers had ended, the sovereigii’s word decided the matter. If he
day for action was fixed, all dispersed to make active
préparation, and the sovereign’s herald went forth with the royal ensign
to proclaim war to the
people. Provision was first made for the fare hua
(house of the helpless). In bringing in their forces, the greatest order
was
observed in regard to the position for their
encampments, called
puhapara a, and for their canoës when a fleet collected.
declared war, the
As in all countries,
warriors, called toa or aito, were very higlily
by these people as protectors of their land, the renowned ones
standing high among the princes of the realm. The reason for sparing
more boys than
girls at birth was that they might become useful in warfare (tama’i) as fighting men.
esteemed
WEAPONS
Their wooden
war
weapons were mostly made of aito (Casuarina),
formerly called toa (warrior), some of coconut and of toi
(Alphitonia sp.), very hard woods. The weapons were highly polished,
but not carved, as those of some other
groups, and consisted of :
The tao or long spear, about eighteen feet in
length, two inches in
diameter, and tapering to a fine point at one end.
which
was
The to’oto’o
(walking stick), used also as a spear.
(See p. 519.)
The ’omore parahurahu, a flat-bladed spear, more slender than the
being about twelve feet long, and an inch and a half in diameter.
lozenge-shaped blade was at one end, the other was rounded.
a
tao,
A slender
The 'omore ’o (pointed spear), of the same dimension, but
tapering to
Sharp point at one end.
The hoto ihe or maehae, a short spear with
rugged fishbones set in one
end, which did deadly work, as it could not be extracted except by forcing
it
through the wounded part and drawing it out in the opposite direction.
The paeho or scythe of shark’s teeth, which was used to saw
up or
Another kind of paeho, resembling a sword with several
blades edged with shark’s teeth, was made out of a forked aito branch
disembowel the foe.
sharpened at the tips. This was used in close combat, and if drawn across
a bare body,
terribly mutilated it.
The tiea
or
tiora, a four-cornered club attached
to
a
cord
was
most
dexterously used in hand-to-hand fighting, one opponent warding ofï the
other by fencing with it as with a sword; and it was thrown with
deadly
effect at the head of a foe a little way off, after which it was drawn baCk
again with the cord.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Their other
299
implements of war were: The aero fai, or serrated back-
bone of the sting-ray fish, a most deadly weapon; the ma’a e te ofai (sling
and stone) ; the ofai taora, ofai hamu, or ofai pahi, throwing stones
used by a great number of warriors; the par au (pearl shell), highly
polished and whetted round the edge and attached to a wooden handle, used
to sever the head or eut up the body of a fallen foe.
Spears were not poisoned in the Society Islands as in the Marquesas
and other islands.
Warriors fought to the bitter end for life or death.
In times of peace, the weapons of a warrior were carefully tied up
against the sides of his house, giving it the appearance of an armory, and
were kept well polished and
sharpened.
Fortifications, called pa, were strongholds in the mountains, rendered
more secure by
walling and fencing in weak parts, and embankments upon
low ground, fonned of trees hewn down and piled over with sand and
earth.
Inside'the pa were buts for the men (warriors), in the rear of
which was also a camp for brave women, who aided the men by cooking
for them, dressing their wounds, and joining in the fight.
In secluded places were houses of safety called the fare hua (house of
the helpless), for old or disabled men and for women and children, places
which in war time were under the protection of a priest of the gods cricket.
No hostile party dared molest the fare hua during action, but afterwards
their sacredness no longer existed.
The warriors on land and sea comprised the hui-toa (body of warriors),
the chief or whom were the tarai-aro (leaders), tahu’a ra’au (doctors), the
tahu’a-pure (chaplains), the ’iipo’o ’aha (sennit binders), 'priests who
bound up a fallen foe in sennit, haere pô (night sentinels), and the rau-ti
(Dracaena leaves), orators who dressed in ti leaves and stimulated the
warriors on to battle. They were headed by the ari’i or chiefs of the dis¬
tricts from whence they came who were often themselves the tarai-aro
(warriors).
The priests went to war dressed in their official garb.
The tarai-aro
{haana-tama’i) of closely braided coconut husk his
best clothes, girded round the waist with sennit, the arms bare, and around
the neck an élégant gorget of pearl shell mixed with varions colored
feathers and fringed with dog’s hair, upon his head he wore the towering black feathered fau (helmet) and upon his broad shoulder he
proudly carried the tao. The warriors next in grade wore their best clothes
wore
over
an
armor
in the same manner, with or without ai'mor, and the immense turban, which
the terrible ’omore sometimes
penetrated to the skull of the wearer; and
they carried tiora and other spears according to their ranks. The slingers
and other stone throwers went simply in maro and light tiputa, or capes.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
300
girded in at the waist, and light turbans.
Ail except the priests anointed
their heads with oil and decorated themselves with flowers.
When first
using firearms the warriors were very clumsy in handling them and did
less destructive work than with the native weapons ; yet they highly
prized
the guns. They called them pupuhi (blower), from a false
conception of
by the
men using them.
This name is still retained, the cannon being called a
pupuhi-fenua (land-blower), the musket a pupuhi-roa (long-blower). The
natives hâve long since become very good marksmen with the gun ; but
they
hâve never adopted the use of the sword.
their actions, supposing that the tire and smoke were blown through
DRILLING
Standing upon an open field the
Toto’o i te tahua ia mata tahua roa.
Toto’o i te tahua ia mata tahua poto.
Tahi pae ia rupe-a-iiu’u.
Tahi pae i tai ia rupe-i-tai.
E ’ori tatavi e ha’a ta te va.
E mataitai ta pua i te fau.
E ’ori te heiva ia orea.
Na atua i uta e, a haere mai !
Na atua
Na atua
Na atua
A haere
i tai e, a haere mai !
i ni’a e a haere mai !
i raro e, a haere mai !
mai ei atua a’e i ta tatou
I te tia
raau.
Ei ha’api’i i teienei
mau
pipi
E moe i te Fatu,
E moe i te Fatu, Ta’aroa,
E tata te tapua ra’au,
E ta i te vai o Tu’.
I
noaa
tana
i’a,
E vaevae roroa.
Tana tiea e ’ura !
drilling master said :
March out upon the long course.
Mardi out upon the short course.
One side for mountain-pigeon” inland.
One side for mountain-pigeon coastwis'e.
Emotion will dance, the waves [peoplel
will work.
Fau flower will look on.
Drilling will be the lively game.
O gods inland, corne forth !
O gods coastwise, corne forth !
O gods above, corne forth !
O gods below, corne forth !
Corne as gods in our amusement,
To teach these pupils
The use of wood weapons'.
Rest in the lord,
Res't in the lord, Ta’aroa,
The user of the wood must strike,
Must strike the waters of stability
(war).
That he
may
obtain his fish.
Long legs (slain men).
This club is red !
Then they would drill first with the club in six movements.
(l) E ’ura teo; (2) e ’ura teni ;
(3) E ’ura teo; (4) e ’ura teni;
(s) E ’ura pitara; (6) e ’ura faau.
E fa’a’a, e hoa ia Tane
Atua O
riro
te
la
te
mau
mea
purotu,
hui ra’atira
Ei papa rahi,
Ei tahe vai pue i te ’ite;
Ei
ueue
Ei
la
la
vi
a
a
horo ;
marama
i roto.
manuu
poiri i vaho,
(i) Exaltation red; (2) boastful red;
(3) Exaltation red; (4) boastful red;
(s) Raising red; (6) striking red.
Suit it, O friends, to Tane,
God of beauty,
That the people may
Become a great rock,
A fres'het in dexterity,
Become subduers,
Become fast runners ;
That darkness be [thrown]
That the light be let in.
They went through ail their drilling thoroughly on land and sea.
2
The
mountain-pigeon was the shadow of the wild man’s ghost (p. 386).
out,
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
WAR
ON
301
LAND
Prëliminary War Ceremonies
About three days before engaging in spear warfare the
priests of the
royal marae on either side commenced the ofifering of human sacrifices, at
which the king shared divine homage with the
gods.
The first ceremony was called the matea (awakener), to waken
tutelar god for war and to secure his favor for their sides. His
the
image was
brought ont by the tiri (god’s nurse) in its ark, which was placed, exposed
to view in front of the avaa, side
by side with a bundle containing the
king’s maro ’ura {’nra girdle). There they remained unopened, the image
being uncovered only within the avaa for the pa’i-atua and coronation cer¬
emonies.
The king took his place in front of the marae with the drummers behind
him, whereupon the priest deferentially laid a miro brandi and a banana
shoot at his feet and placing in his hands two ’ura amulets from the ark
with another he touched the king’s feet. Besides being offered to the
gods
as “man
long banana” the banana shoot was an emblem of deference to
the sovereign and of conciliation to antagonistic parties.
In a heated
quarrel if one man presented a banana shoot to the other, the latter calmed
down at once and they parted friends.
It was the olive brandi to tliese
people. Each priest also holding a sacred amulet in his hand commenced
invocations around the human sacrifice, enveloped at full length in a
coconut-leaf basket, and they placed upon it several more banana shoots to
represent more nien.
After this, aniid continued invocations, the banana shoots were set aside
and the body was taken out of the basket and attached to a pôle, ready to be
Sonie hair was plucked ofif the victini’s head, to be placed later
the relies of the marae, and one of his eyes was taken out and
profifered upon a miro leaf by the high priest to the king, as his choice
portion of the gods’ food. This the king pretended to receive into lus
iiiouth, but left untouched as he returned one of the amulets to the high
priest, who gracefully placed it upon the ark as unperceived he deposited
the eye among the stones of the marae.^
renioved.
among
Then while the toere druni
beaten
slowly, the victim was carried
by two priests, each bearing an end of the pôle upon his shoulder, and
placed upon the stone altar for human sacrifices before the ark on the
marae, the high priest standing by and chanting the matea (awakener) as
was
follows ;
^
A queen was not required to be présent at marae immolations.
Only for tlie
coronation ceremonies when the god was uncovered did she officiate in t'he marae.
pa’i-atua and
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
302
Teie te
te
pae
mai
e
e
matea
a mata.
te atua e
no
te
mata
moe,
E ara mai ’oe,
eiaha to mata
e
e
no
hi’o
fariu
Here
eyes,
thon
not
atu.
is
the
awakener
for awakening the
and look this way,
thy face elsewhere !
sieeping
Awake
O god, turn
for
eyes.
présentation, amid prolonged prayers, the victim, called an
(fish) was generally suspended by means of sennit passed through the
ears, upon a spreading tree for a day or two and then buried; but when
not fresh it was at once interred near the marae.
It was supposed that the
gods partook spiritually of it, while the man’s spirit was safe w'ith them.
After this
i’a
conclusion, the amulets were replaced in the ark, and the sacrificial
pua’a tapena—pig made sacred with marae sennit in its ear was ofifered.
As in the pa’i-atua ceremony the pig was strangled to death, cleaned over
fire, besmeared with its own blood from the opening made in the abdomen in
taki'ng out the intestines and vitals, and then placed upon one of the long
high altars of food. In the meanwhile, the flare, liver, and heart were
roasted on hot stones and placed upon a fata ’ai’ai (altar) of small eating,
in front of the shrine of the tutelar god, and the hair and intestines were
consumed by the fire.
In
to
Then the priests whistled or called in shrill tones to the gods to corne
the banquet laid out before them, the drums beat loud to announce that
the ceremonies
were
ended, and finally the priests chanted a leave-taking
After retiring with the ark and the king’s maro to the fare(house-of-sacred goods), the priests changed their sacred clothes
for ordinary ones and then went home.^
of the gods.
ia-manaha
priests, who were unremitting in their sacred duties, were next
thought of. For their important and indispensable services the king and
chiefs put together in a great heap a présent of assorted goods—sometimes
including one or two canoës and upon it placed a bundle of ’ura feathers
and a miro branch, emblematic of the ta’amura’a-ra’a (binding together of
sacredness), which this présent was called. An éloquent speaker was
chosen from among them as spokesman, who presented the offering as
their conjoint gift in appréciation of the priests’ untiring dévotion day and
night to the common cause and at the same time urged them to use every
means to secure the favor of the gods and to bribe over to their side the
gods of the enemy. Also, large mats and sheets of brown and white tapa,
called the fairaro (under layer), which were too good to spread beneath the
heap, were spread around it. Lastly came the haameir (?) (fattener),
which consisted of a good number of fatted pigs, each bearing a spécial
name by which it was called when presented.
The
■*
Men and boys only, who usually came in a great throng, were
the distance ail the marae ceremonies save the pai-atua.
(See p. 289.)
permitted to witness in
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
303
The following day was performed the piire arïi (service of the sovereign), to bring victory to the forces. Early in the morning the priests
offered upon the great altar of food for the
gods a fine baked pig (pua’a
tapena), to produce a sweet odor for the gods, and placed upon the marae
the tutelar god in his ark and the maro, as on the
previous day. Then
came the king, and after the
ceremonies, accompanied with a human sacri¬
fice, were again performed, the maro ’nra (’ura girdle) was taken out of
its bundle and spread upon the ground before the ark, while a
long prayer
for king and country was delivered.
Then the maro was carefully folded
and again wrapped up, and the amulets that the
king and priest had used,
as on the former
occasion, were replaced in the ark.
Meanwhile a sacred pig had been strangled and prepared in the same
way as the sacrificial pig of the day before; but in this case it was for
omens.
The body, red with blood smeared upon it was laid over the fire
several times ; stufifed tight with miro leaves, and
placed in a low crouching position upon the altar facing the ark; its intestines, still warm and
twitching, were laid upon the paving close by. Then, while the high priest
prayed for the success of the warriors, an adept from among the priests
scanned the pig. If its eyes were well closed or
partially open, if both eyes
looked alike or one eye was more open than the' other, if the head and one
eye had a tendency to turn from the land or towards the land (interpreted
to mean they were to
invade), and if the mouth was closed or showing the
teeth or tongue—ail these signs
conveyed spécial meanings to the adept.
So also with the intestines, which he next examined,
stirring them a little
with a stick as they twitched and settled down.
After this the roasted
vitals were placed with the pig for the gods, the intestines were
burned, and
the worshippers dispersed the same as on the previous occasions.'^
On the third or last day was ofifered the final human sacrifice before
going to war, figuratively called the liaea-mati (tearing of the Ficus
tinctoria), which compared the opening of hostilities to the tearing of the
fibers of a Ficus (which were made into cords for
fishing nets), and meantime that ail alliances between the two
contending parties were irreparably
severed.
Their messenger gods were invoked to go for Ra’a-maui‘-riri
(Sacredness-holding-anger) and his train of war gods and say, ‘‘Haere mai
i te ao e tamai tei te ao” (Corne to the world, there is war in the
world).
After the haea-mati oflrering followed the hau manava
(peace for the
inner man), which was a substantial feast of pork and fish with
very few
vegetables, to stay the appetite for two or three days. From this feast was
set apart a portion for the
gods, served in the same way as at the usual
feasts which was taken on to the gods’ va’a hoehoe
(cruising canoë) of
In his Works Captain Cook speaks of having seen both ceremonies
just described, calling the
latter fhe poore Eree.
(Cook describes these ceremonies in detail—see his Last voyage, London,
“
1784, vol.
2,
pp. 31-44,
and pl. 25.—Ed.)
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
304
little marae in an awning
(braided coconut leaves), which always accompanied the expéditions on land and sea, as the gods were supposed to be
less disturbed there.
Upon this shrine was placed an amulet from the
image of the tutelar god of the royal marae, called the manu tahi (unique
bird) of that deity, who was supposed to possess it and to fly about in that
torm spiritually surrounded by the gods of war invoked to corne out
through the campaign.
each district.
On the va’a hoehoe
was
set up a
covered with sacred viriviri
Then the image of the tutelar god was hidden safely away to prevent
discovery by the enemy in case of the land being taken. As no religions
were performed at the marae at home during war time, so as not to
entice the gods to turn back and forsake the warriors, the image was not
needed. The victorious side was supposed to hâve given the highest bribe
to the gods.
rites
War on land was called tama’i-tupa-uta
ment
or
was
called
black.
tama’i-tupa-tai (sea fight).
(land-war), and a naval engage¬
War banners were red, white,
At Batttë
When an invasion was expected, the priests went forth to the boundaries
of their frontiers where the enemy would enter, and there dug little holes
in which they placed ’ura amulets as niariua (breakers), or merely prayed,
( entrancing ), considering these acts potent means
of weakening the power of the enemy, who on their side were on the lookcut for disturbed-looking ground, guarding against such hui marei (hosts of
which was called maunu
entangling démons).
As two armies approached
each other on the battle-field, heralded with
trumpet and drum, they were sometimes led by allied sovereigns—a queen
and then thus appearing—^walking arm in arm (pito) as a mark of
close union, and at other times led by the chiefs of their respective districts,
now
walking between four of his chief warriors, two on each side
pito with the two next to him. Throughout the engagement, these
leaders were surrounded by the bravest and best of their men, who loyally protected them regardless of themselves. Brothers and friends, too,
stood side by side, averting for each other approaching spears or stones.
each chief
and in
A mighty army
in war, in
of gods was supposed to accompany and aid the armies
’Oro’s train goddesses, also led by his daughter, Toi-mata, to
whom women slain in battle were sometimes offered.
In
(See p. 198.)
opening hostilities it was customary for the opponents first to seat
the ground, and viewing each other fan up animosity
themselves upon
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
305
Then a famed champion would walk out towards the rank of the
opposite
side, chanting a boastful challenge to fight, often addressing one of their
number by name, in the following manner :
E vana’a tama’i teie i ma’a
Na taua i te riri e Huri aau
A war challenge in this attained
For us two in anger, O Hunaau
Na taua i te onoono
I te iha, i te tote !
Taua ra e fa’aoti hia i
Teie heiva ’ino, e taraa’i.
A ta’i te toa,
A ta’i te nuanua i viro hia,
A ta’i i te a’e !
A vau teie, o Te-aho-roa,
No te hui toa tuiro’o vau nei.
For
(Upset reef).
us
(two) in persistence.
In vexation, in
Now we (two)
fury !
shall accomplis'h
This bad play war.
Let the warrior weep,
Let the champion aimed at weep,
Weep for the slain
This is I, Te-aho-roa (Long-breath),
I
from
riors.
corne
a
race
of famous
war-
alacrity the warrior challenged would spring up and go forth,
responding :
With
Pa’ipa’i i te rima ia huha,
A fava ei pua’a tote !
Auaa i ape au nei.i te rao!
Clap the hands
E puahiohio te riri, e Te-aho-roa,
Ei vavahi papa te riri,
Ei oropua puai te riri,
E ia pupu nonoha
I taai hia te ata.
A whirlwind is anger, O Te-aho-roa,
A rock breaker is anger,
A strong north wind is anger,
That blows away nonoha (gras's)
sheaths are clouds underrating the
Homai i te toa o auta’ata
O te riri e te fatiai.
Ovau teie, O Huriaau toa hau
tau metua i ta ’oe.
E ’ore tau ’omore e mae ae ia ’oe.
Give me the undaunted warrior
With rage and endurance.
This is I, Huriaau.
My father was
a greater warrior than yours.
You cannot lift my spear.
upon
the thighs.
Rush head first as a hog enraged !
I do not flinch at a fly this antagon-
istl
enemy.
a’e
And so they would continue taunting each other until they came together
fought desperately with spear or club, each one stimulated by his
comrades, looking on but not interfering, for in a duel it was considered
dishonorable for others to interfère.
When one fell, a comrade would
quickly take his place, also chanting as he came, and so the fight went on
until new champions would arise and challenge each other and the two
armies become re or wholly involved.
The projected battle would rage
with ail the fury that men believing themselves and their weapons directed
by the gods could possess, the priests assuring those of their sides that they
and
would conc[uer.
The army was divided into the viri aro, front rank; the apoa viri or
hotuoa, second rank; the tapono viri, the rear guards.
The chief modes of attack
were :
the
fa’atia, in which
two
armies
advanced for action face to face; the tu’umata, in which ail aimed one
way;
3o6
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
marua in which picked
men United and forced their. way into thc
fiercest of the enemy’s ranks, to throw them into confusion and rout them ;
the
aro nee, in which only a small portion of the army was open to view
and the greater part stooped low or crept along in the bushes ; the moohono
the
I
(jointless backbone), in which the different ranks held fast together; the
(ant-fight), in which a line behind relieved the one before as it was
getting worsted by the enemy; the pu-toa, in which the army stood in a
body as a rock to resist the foe; the rapa-tahi, in which they aimed singly
at the chiefs.
Those who fled the fastest when worsted were regarded as
aro-ro
the best warriors.
Indefatigable among the ranks-during the deadly conflict were the rauti
(stimulators), clad in ti-leaf petticoat, necktie, and turban, and waving in
the hand a bunch of ti leaves, in the center of which they held a deadly
weapon bf the barbed and serrated tail bone of the sting ray. These men,
who because of their weapons were supposed to be possessed with sùpernatural power, were of commanding appearance and dauntless aspect. They
also thrilled the warriors with courage and energy by their war songs,
examples of which we hâve from the rauti vétérans themselves :
is a king above, who- is the'”*
speaker of armies;
There
E ari’i tel nia o te ueue a nu’u,
O tapotu a ra’i.
A fanoi te tere,
auta’ata.
e
te
toa,
ha’apu i te tere,
E te toa, i ni’a ia Mou’a-raha
A
A Ta’aroa, tuhi mate !
Auanei e huri ai
I te vero moana.
Auanei to paepae, e tau ari’i,
E hi hee ai i te toto o te a’e.
Ei tao mato te nu’u,
E mo’o puapua tini tei roto ;
Ei ava afa te nu’u
E mao avai ava tei roto.
Horo i mua na te riri.
Te fetoitoi maira te au.
Taua e oua i roto
I te ripo o te au.
Auanei e potu mai ai
Te mata’i ia Raa-mau-riri,
e
te
The roller of the skies.
Set about your errand, O warriors, O
brave
men.
Accomplish your errand,
O warriors, upon the flat
mountain
battlefield
Of Ta’aroa, whose curse is death !
From the will send out
An océan storm battle.
Soon thy paving," O my king,
Will flow with the blood of the slain.
Let the army be as a cleft in the rock
Issuing out innumerable lizards ;
Let the army be an open passage
Within which is a furious shark.
Rush forwards enraged.
The current rage begins to s'well.
Let us leap into
The vortex of the current (beat
warfare).
of
Soon will burst forth
The wind waging war
E tiu ma te toa,
E parapu huri fenua.
of Raa-mau( Sacredness-holding-anger),
A descriptive South wind, •
Which ravages and dévastâtes coun-
E uira tutui ra’i,
E uira rapa ni’a.
Te tua o te uira
Lightning anger setting fire to the skies,
With lightning flashes above,
Upon the back of the lightning
riri
tries.
Recited in 1839 by Mahuta.
®Tlie pavings of the marae upon which would be placed the bodies of
buried close by as trophies to the gods, especially when the marae was ’Oro’s.
slain foes, to be
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
E
E
tei mûri,
vero
Will corne the storm battle.
An evil storm, an angry storm.
If the eye get pricked, relieve it;
If the breast get wounded, wear it ;
If a stone
strike you, bear it;
If the skin get eut, it is a proÿssional ornament ;
’ino,
e mata’i ho’i ri’a.
A puta na te mata, a iriti ;
A puta na te ’ouma, a ha’amahu;
A pee atu te ofai a ha’amahu ;
A motu na te ’iri, e tihi tau tana;
vero
E ’ava ia na te taure’are’a;
E ’ava pua ; e ’ava re’a ;
E ’ava te aninia ;
E ’ava te tuiaroha ;
E ’ava matapoiri ;
E ’ava mau, te riri aitu ;
E vahi iti
e
puta a’e ai te
These are opiates for the valiant;
Opiates
Opiates
Opiates
Opiates
Opiates
A little
ao,
E hora’a
A
mau
a
When
one
E
E
one
one
tama’i,
fvill
we
and
shall dine
on
coconuts
BATTLE
War is growth
men),
(extension) to the land,
rock strata
(great
of
Spreading ont of land (population).
Take the spade (vrar weapon).
Dig the holes (drill the lines) ;
’o.
rito,
is fertile soil ;
that will produce seeds (exten¬
sion ),
Soil that will be verdant (produce
mahora,
tuturi,
Soil spread ont,
Soil for leaning
War
Soil
power),
i
fenua
slabs (increase of
priests),
Soil for pavings (for marae).
Soil that shifts (changes ruiers),
Soil inaugurated,
Land
was
inaugurated in Havai’i
Plavai’i
(Ra'iatea)
o te a’ere nu’u,
a’ere ra’i, i te a’ere fenua,
te a’ere miti, i te a’ere vai,
te a’ere mou’a,
te a’ere ra’au, no te fare toa.
te
day (victory)
more
Establishment
one.
E one paepae,
E one pepee,
E one avari,
Avari a’enei te
I
T
I
I
I
the
Take war to Hades,
And dwell beneath the coçonut tree".
E ’o a rua ;
E one tupu te tama’i ;
E one ao,
E
that make dizzy ;
that make faint ;
that obscure the eyes ;
indeed, the anger of
dawn,
IN
te
fizzing and gay;
gods ;
E ta maa 'ai te niu i
E hopoi ia taua i te Po,
E fa’aea i raro i te tumu o te niu.
E fa’atupura’a fenua
E tu tai a papa,
307
In the présence
aro
A tanu i te ti i te
aro
A tupu te ti, a ao te
A huaai te ti
o
te
Tumu ;
ti;
avae.
e
peepee
riors.
Plant the ti (war) in the presence of
the foundation ;
Let the ti grow, let it mature ;
Let the ti hâve increase (bring in
profit)
No te aro o te Tumu;
Ei pu’a te noho o te viri nu’u ;
Ei totara te haere.
Ei tui a i’a,
Ei reva a manu.
Ei ’uri nui fa’atuma
of the space for waves,
Space for the skies, space for the land,
Space for sea, space for the river,
Space for mountains,
Space for trees for the house of war-
te
From the presence of the foundation;
Let the line of battle be as lines of
te
coral rock ;
Advance as the sea hedgehog.
Unité as a string of fish.
Or as a flock of birds.
Be as the great savage dog that
fleet of step.
is
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
3o8
Tamumu te taera’a ra’au
a
te
’aito ;
E rohi te auta’ata.
Ei aiata te rave a te rito ;
Ei mata piri i te rave ;
Auaa e hi’o i te taua.
A rohi, e nati poto roa hia !
Hoatu i vai poiri,
E mahuta i te ra’i piri,
I
rau
te
Let
the
together;
warrior’s
clash
weapons
Be courageous, brave men.
Let the warrior take hold unsparingly;
Let him take hold with closed eyes';
That he perceive not a friend.
Be brave and make short work !
Press into the dark waters (active en¬
gagement),
Fly into the close sky (conflict),
Let there be many battles,
Let it be a great battle of thousands,
Dread not the reserved forces of the
aro,
Ei aro rahi mata tini,
Eiaha e tata i te aratipi.
enemy.
-
A ui a’ena i te toa
Peneiae e auahi rau ’uru,
Enquire of the warriors
E marara tuaehaa,
E tipatipa haarotoa.
Flying fish appearing and disappearing,
Little frightened fish hiding in the
A tu’u ia haere a’ena !
E haere noa tu—
E haere ta’ata ’ino ia,
Let them départ !
It matters not if they go—
They will leave as' mean men.
Pale and spiritless,
Whom it -would be -wrong to feed !
O -whelk and sea victims,
You are greater men than they
If there be not among
them
a
fire of
breadfruit leaves (hearts failing),
rock.
Ei uparu roru,
E hara te fa’a’ai !
E ariri ma fetue ma e,
E tau ta’ata rarahi a’e orua i tereira,
I to ’orua na valu !
places !
In your own
SoNG FROM RaIATLA AND TaHAA’’
Mahuta ia ahura tupu vana’a,
Mua vana’a, roto vana’a,
Tote vana’a, e heuea ’orere,
O tui ma te viea,
O pihae ma te vana’a !
Area a fa’ai tu au i tau vana’a.
Tau mahuta : ’Uporu,
O ’Uporu nei utu’afare ia no te atua,
Let fly the invocation in the chant,
O Havai’i nei
But
ra
Ei matua papa
Ei po fanaura’a no
le ho’a ie !
Na tamari’i
Vavau.
Na tamari’i nei,
nei, le !
le, e pipiri e fenua;
le, ie, e pipiri
E fenua hui a uta, hui
a
tai.
Mahuta i ni’a? A e!
Riu ?
A, e !
Na ui tua mea,
Na uparuroru,
E vauho ; ia ei tiao,
Ei fa’aora ; ei fatia no vero,
E a’era’a i tera ra mata’i rahi.
Ta morohi atu,
’
Recited in
1829 by Haapu-taata and Maoae.
Leading chant, middle chant.
Expansive chant, rousing chant,
To impel immediately,
Tear whilst speaking !
But I shall deliver my chant !
My invocation: ’Uporu (Taha’a),
As for ’Uporu it is the home of the
gods.
as for Flavai’i
(Ra’iatea)
It is strong rock
Of the night from 'whence
sprang
Vavau (Porapora).
Rouse up friends'! Ye sons here,
Ye sons here, rouse up !
Rouse up adhering to your land ;
Rouse up, rouse up, adhering
To your land peopled
■ward.
Fly
up ?
O
génération
Ah
inland and coart-
yes !
Simultaneouslv? Ah yes!
of
backs,
Be ready for action,
red
(sunburned)
troops to stand against,
To save, to break the storm (war),
To let the hurricane spend its'elf.
Be calmed dovrn.
Be
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Ta tere ma te hinu.
E a’ere tu uta io tatou,
E vai pue ma te vai tahe,
Ua
tipu’upu’u te he i te
Putuputu mai te
'riiat
ana.
Ora atua te fa’atotoro.
E puta i tai i mahoahoa,
E
taravarava te
pea
a
A tahu i te auahi
A te vahiné metua
A tamaumau i te ahi
Tena te ruahine tie,
niu
a
we sail as' on oil.
hâve depth inland,
Fresher and flowing water
(Reinforce¬
are
coiled up in
are
their spears.
God ’Ora will direct [us],
We shall break out upon
sea
[host]
the raging
We
toa te ’omore.
rau
As thick
as
cross
toa
leaves
spears
upon
the reJ
[men’s heads].
Kindle the fire [-war spirit]
Of the mother [land]
nuts
coco-
Keep alive (the fire of Mahui’e !*
Mahui’e.
There
E pu’u te ’upo’o
O taua tare ’aito ra.
I te ’omore nei
E tahe te roi mata o te ra’atira
Ei roi mata te haumanava.
A tu’u te rouru e te maiu’u
Ei fa’atauaroha i te a’e ra.
E maue i te ra’i piri e au taeae.
ments).
Caterpillars (-warriors)
the cave (reserve).
And
mea.
Tena te ruahine hau.
A hura tupu vana’a.
Tautini ra tau nei vana’a
I roto i te tare mahora.
E rohi e fa’aitoito,
E
’ore
e
fa’aherehere, ha’apohe,
ha’amou
E tahe te hou o taua tamaiti ari’i ra,
ra.
Te ra’atira ia roa’e mai.
is the old woman that carries
off.
There is the old woman of peace.
Exult [ye] in the war chant.
Let my chant produce effect.
Within the field house [battle-field],
Be strong, be energetic,
Spare not, annihilate. [Of the enemy]
Sweat will flow from that prince,
Bumped will be the heads
Of the warriors of that camp.
From these spears
Those gentlemen’s tears will flow.
Tears will be their méat.
Let them hâve hair and fingernails
As keepsakes from off their slain.
Fly into the close sky [conflict]
brethren,
That
you
my
capture gentlemen.
Be not agitated
But bury fear.
The warmth of the warrior
Is to rush angrily, rush into
The raidi giving vitality.
Auaa e horuhoru,
E tanu ra i te matau.
Te fatia a te toa
Ei riri hea ei huru fa’ahee te rave,
Ei manava ra’a te rauti.
la tu’u te arero o tei aro mai.
Ai opupu te iri i te tahatai
Let the tongue of the enemy protrude,
Let their skin be scorched on the sea-
Ei puta tao i te ’uoma,
Atira te maro
I tena na heiva ’ino ai tama’i,
la hopu i te hau te taure ’are’a,
Ei roi no te ’ope’ope,
la turerua te tamari’i i tahatai.
Let the spear pierce their breast,
Let them no longer persist
In this bad play, fighting,
Let their valiant men sue for peace.
For a bed for their carcasses,
That their children may live tranquilly
When
sometimes
®
for
a
war.
the seashore.”
battle had contintied for several consecutive
collapsed from exhaustion, in which
Mahui’e was the wife of Aoaomai'aia, who
action,
side,
upon
to
309
case
they
days, the rauti
were
stealthily
dîscovered fire by friction, here figuratively referred
Many other songs of different style and wîth different figures of speech were collected
by Mr. Orsmond. Snatches of history, mythology, and geography are given in other parts of this
expressions and relations of famous deeds
®
Work.
There are also many more containing boastful
of ancestors, clans, and warriors which would be too
tedîous to read.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
310
removed at night to the fare hua so that the enemy might not exult over
the misfortune or, still worse, obtain the sacred persons to slay and deseci'ate
tliem.
At the fall of the first warrior, a fiendish shoiit rose froni the ranks of
the enemy and an attempt was made on their part to obtain him, dead or
alive. If he was a chief or fau this was considered a great disaster in his
camp and plunged the warriors into desperation, sometimes scattering them
in flight or causing them to sue for peace.
Meanwhile should the object
of this
struggle fall into the hands of the enemy, he was delivered to the
"If still alive he was soon dispatched by the upoo aha, who drove a pin of aito wood into the crown of
his head and another through his ears.
To the upper was attached the
sennit, which was wound tightly around the head and secured with two
ends of the pin through the ears, until the features were completely hidden.
Then each member of the body was likwise bound and drawn together,
the knees against the chest and arms embracing them, the priests mean¬
while uttering over the body the following prayer, called the aha-tu (stability-sennit) :
upoo aha (sennit head) and the priest,
E Tû
ma
Ta’aroa
e,
e
Ta’aroa nui
tuhi mate e, teie te ia na oe, o te i’a
O te
aitea no roto i te "Vai-o Tu.
Tû
with
your
curse
the
fish
Ta’aroa, O great Ta’aroa,
is death, here is
caught from the
fish,
Vai-o-Tu
your
("Water-of-Stability).
"Well it is, O gods, that you hâve
given this fish into our hands. There,
O gods, take it as a fish for yourselves, that ail his family be extirpated and not one be spared.
Maitai atura, e te atua, oe tu’u mai
i taua i’a nei i to matou rima. Na e te
atua, a mau, ia na ’oe, ia moopô roa
tona ra tu, te hoe e ’ore iti ia toe noa
iho.
As the priest prayed he watched the appearance
of the victim. If tears
moisture issued from his person, it was regarded
as a sure
sign that the gods invoked accepted favorably the offering and
pétition. A man thus bound was called an ’aha-ta’ata (man-sennit). It is
affirmed that if he hàd children they had no issue after this and that ail
his family soon became extinct under the curse, a survivor merely existing
flowed from his eyes or
as
one
doomed soon to die and if he endeavored to assert himself
posed to taunts from his enemies
was
ex-
a remnant of the house of the
regarded as far-reaching, as it was
supposed to affect the man even when he was borne away by his own party,
provided that the invocation was ended before any woman could touch
him, as the gods accepted no sacrifice that went through féminine hands.
For this reason, a friendly woman of either camp often saved a body from
this dreaded end by rushing forward and biting his finger before the
priest and ’upo’o-’aha could get him; or in failing to get so near, if she
simply opened her mouth wide and closed it as though biting him, as she
’aha-ta’ata.
The ’aha-tu prayer was
as
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
311
him in the
distance, it was sufficient. For then he was regarded as
morally touched and was passed over to his camp, and the good woman
who interposed became a taiia (bosom
friend) of ail his family ever aftersaw
wards.
The man bound tip, or ’aha-ta’ata, was
kept as a precious trophy by the
who dedicated him to their tutelar god and later on buried him in
the fare-ia-manaha of their national marae as Ta a Tû ma Ta’aroa i te
Vai-o-Tû (Tû and Ta’aora’s fish from the Vai-o-Tû, the
battlefield).
enemy,
When the first warrior to fall
was not a prominent man, miich con¬
If the enemy succeeded in
obtaining him,
beaten flat with the broad end of the stem of a coconut branch, a
tention followed for him also.
he was
slit
large enough for a man’s head to pass through was made through the
body, and he was worn as a tiputa ta’ata (man poncho) by a triumphant
warrior, the head hanging down in front, and the legs dangling behind him,
and he tauntingly flaunted about before the foe, thus
greatly incensed, and
who did the same on their part as soon as
opportunity offered.
Cases were known when a fallen warrior, only wounded and disabled,
obtained mercy from his captor by asking to hâve his life
spared, especially
when he could plead a former kindness shown
by himself or some member
of his family to his captor or his captor’s family. In this case the
captor
claimed him as his rightful perquisite, dressed his wounds, and returned him
to his camp.
But ordinarily no mercy was shown, as the words of the war
songs imply.
With the ’omore they disemboweled each other; and they
used ail their weapons in the most cruel manner in hand-to-hand combat.
Until the end, bodies of the slain were placed in
heaps by both armies,
when the victors, called ’upo’o-tu^° (heads erect), laid daim to those of
the defeated.
now
The campaign sometimes lasted several days, the warriors
and then retreating from each other into their
regain strength for renewing the combat.
When
chosen
encampments to rest and
army felt that it was losing, the priest and one
took valuable présents, called hiamoea
(forget
one
men
not),
or
two
as
near
the camp of the enemy as possible, and
addressing their host of
who they supposed were forsaking them for that side, would
to
gods,
lay the offer-
ings upon the ground, enumerating each object and saying pathetically :
E te atua e eiaha e fa’arue ia matou,
eiaha e haere a !
Inaha, teie toa matou,
a mauei ta’ata na ’oe, e te nu’u atua e !
O gods, fors'ake us not, go not away!
Behold, here we are also, take us to be
your servants, O host of gods !
Sometimes they would find présents already spread out for their
gods
by the enemy, and if they were more valuable than their own they would
10
tion.”
Opo’o-ti’a, the modem form of ’upo’o-tu, is still used in
moral
sense
meaning “justifica¬
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
312
dispirited, feeling that their gods were favoring the richer
propitiation was called tafara’a-mou’a (fall-from-themountains), the priests not having it in their power to ofïer human sacri¬
fices anywhere away from the marae.
Men of the most daring side lost
no time in rushing forward and seizing the présents, to which they added
some of their own that the gods might not notice ail they were taking.
return to camp
This form of
side.
suing for peace, sometimes from chivalric sentiments by one rival
In
party to the other, a man or woman, called a vea mahuta hau (messenger
flying for peace), was sent to the froutier of the enemy. In one hand was
manu-faite (bird-of-truce), which consisted of a bunch of red
one end of a reed, balanced with a small red flag at the other
end, and fixed across the tip of a staff to form the letter T ; in the other
hand was a sheet of tapa, white on one side and red on the other, called
an apaapia
(pledge-of-peace). If the enemy were not ready for peace,
they rent the manu-faite in two and cast it into the sea (if close by) thus
signifying a détermination to fight to the bitter end. This was doue without further mercy, fortune sometimes seeming to favor one side and then
the other, until the fate of one was sealed, the members of which ail
perished in the struggle, save the highest leaders and a chosen few taken as
prisoners for further requirements. After this the victorious party began
the work of extirpation, which was called the atoreraa te moa ufa (disembowling of the hen), depicted in the following words of the rauti:
carried
a
feathers at
Be strong.
Work with closed eyes (ignoring)
In the présence of friends ;
E rohi.
Ei piri mata te rave
I te aro o te taua nei ;
Tutonu maite,
Auaa
e
nevaneva
te
mata.
Ei fa’arua nui tairi pu te rave.
E vaere i te mapua,
E ’imi ia poti,
Auaa te ho’e o ’ore ia toe,
Atore i te moa ufa,
Eiaha e a’a ’ura’ura a’e ia toe.
E turi tahi maeta,
E pito maite ;
Ei haruru o te tai,
Ë tu’u i te rai i raro i te
Homai i te riri
O Ta’aroa tuhi mate !
avae,
Look steadfast,
Let not the eyes wander.
Be as the great blasting north wind.
Weed out the water mint (refugees),
Seek for the red taro (able-bodied
men).
Let not one be left,
Disembowel the hen,
Let not a red root be left.
Be ail deaf (to entreaties'),
Go hand-in-hand ;
Be as the roaring seas,
And put the sky (chief) beneath }'our
feet.
Let us hâve the anger
Of Ta’aroa, whose curse is death !
From lowland plains to mountain recesses they went during the rest of
day slaying ail the fugitives they could find ; the fare-hua, under the
protection of the god Cricket, was then no longer respected. Hoary-headed
old men were struck down with the club, and their jawbones were torn
off and tied to strings by their slayers, who were proud to count them as
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
313
their
trophies to présent at the marae. Women of ail âges were treated
with the greatest indignity and were
put to death by inserting roughly
hewn clubs through their bodies and
disemboweling them, after which,
exposed to view as wives and daughYoung lads and little girls were eut down with
with savage dérision, they were thus
ters of the vanquished
foe.
the Scythe, and infants were seized from their
mothers, before whose eyes
their brains were dashed out against trees.
Or their heads were
pierced
through from ear to ear with the ’omore, then strung together on a cord as
a tui ia
(string of fish), and carried at one end of a pôle balancing jawbones and other trophies at the other end. If a man of
high standing was
slain too far out of the way to
carry him whole, for convenience a warrior
eut off the head and placed it in a neat little
poinT^ (coconut-leaf basket),
then took it with a himiiT^
(young unopened coconut sheath) to represent
the body decapitated, and laid it at the feet of the
sovereign, mentioning
the name of the victim as he did so.
It was cordially accepted and sent
as a choice
offering for the gods to the marae where the head remained
and became bleached among the stones.
Only those who escaped to some
other monarchy effectively eluded their
pursuers. This practice of snatching off the heads of the people of the opposite side during hostilities has
been the custom up to
modem times also in Samoa.
For some years after Christianity was established it was not uncommon
to find detachments of
people in the interior of Tahiti who had remained
there from fear of the warriors and
slayers for the tapu marae. On being
and begged not to be
killed; others were défiant and fled from those who endeavored to persuade,
found and taken home
some
were
terror stricken
them to return to their former habitations.
The ’npo’o-tu (victors), to assert their
victory and favor with the
gods, laid waste the land of the conquered, which was then called fenua ai
hua raau (land of eaters of small
wood) ; they threw down the marae,
using the stones for ovens, killed the priests and ’opu nui, and robbed the
gods of their feathers and treasures. Then they pillaged and broke down
the houses and laid waste the land, bestrewn with-the bodies of the
slaughtered dead, to which the pigs and dogs had free
range. Early on the following morning they held a pure ta’ata (prayer for men) over the two
heaps of dead warriors for the repose of their soûls upon the battlefield,
where they were supposed to remain.
Then the victors took the prisoners of war into a canoë in
charge of
their keepers, put their own dead into a canoë to take home for burial
by
their awaiting relatives at their respective marae. They took others of
the enemy to serve as rollers for their sacred canoës and some to
bury
Poini is now called oini.
The modem form for hnniu is faniu.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
314
in their national marae
grounds, especially where ’Oro ruled as god, as he
supposed to delight in slain men. The)^ took the heads oi some to
place upon the marae and of others for occasional use as boundary marks,
such as the wall of heads from which the districts of Teahuupoo derived
its name.
(See p. 86.) Some skulls were saved to be used for drinking
cups at triumphal war feasts.
Bones from arms and legs were saved for
fishhooks and for ornaments for war weapons, as they were believed to
possess magical power.
was
Out of the fugitives that they killed, the body of some priest or teacher
learning was chosen for the beginning of rejoicings at home,
pine. The corpse was laid out nude upon the assembly
ground, amid a multitude of men, women, and children spectators. The
upper and lower parts of the limbs were broken, the feet wei'e tied together,
in the hands were attached bunches of bamboo leaves to luake a rustling
noise, and the arms were secured at full length to a stick pressed under the
back. A man then took a piece of coconut branch and beat the corpse on
the chest, making a resounding noise which pleased ail around, after which
ropes were attached to the feet, shoulders and head, and it was drawn up
on to a branch of a tree.
There it was swung into different positions and
raised up and down in time to a chant or the beat of a drum, men taking
turns to keep it in motion ail day long.
The exhibit which fascinated the
people, even causing some to forget to go home to eat, lasted from day to
day until the body dropped to pièces, when it was thrown into a hole and
noted for his
which
were
called
buried.
On their part the king
and priests performed at the national marae in
taumi-i-te-hau (giving-weightto-the-government). The warriors’ clothes worn in the combat they dedicated to Tutae-avae-toetoe (Father-cold-legs) and buried in the fare-iamanaha; the dead of the people were delivered to those who claimed them,
and those that belonged to the royal family were placed in the marae
vaults, ready for removal to final graves. Ail the bodies of the foe were
buried in one great pit, which was called tani-a-rua (stacked-in-pit), and
dedicated to the tutelar god as “Fish from, the water of Tû,” while the
priests prayed, “Tutava’e-i te po, o Ro’o nui te ro’oro’o hamai i te ao”
(Horror of war to Hades, and great Ro’o nuiM the famous, corne to the
World of light).
the presence of a multitude ceremonies called
The tutelar god in his ark and the royal feather girdle were next brought
and placed upon the marae (as described on page 136), the king took
place on the marae, and the priests took theirs, having with them a
branch of miro (Thespesia), indispensable for service, a sheath of coconut
out
his
Ro’onui, the famous,
was
god of light and peace.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
315
flowers as a token of peace, and a banana shoot as taata 0 meia roa
(man
After returning thanks for victory and praying for per¬
manent peace, whereupon the coconut sheath and banana shoot were
presented, the king arose, put on bis royal girdle, and holding his toque in his
hand faced the people. Then the
priest shouted, “Maeva te Ari’i” (Hail
King), and the people responded in the same words three times. If an
ancient and modem marae happened to be together, as was sometimes the
case, this ceremony was performed on each of them, as its purpose was to
assert the king’s undisputed
right to ail his dominions from south to north
long banana).
and from east to west.
The
religions rites ended by slaying among the
the most formidable and influential and
cutting him
there
were
districts
in
the
kingdom.
high prisoners of war
into as many pièces as
The head was presented to the
sovereign and placed upon the national marae in the district where the hor¬
rible deed was doue ; the other portions were distributed
among the chiefs
of ail the districts, who in their turn
placed them upon their local marae,
proclaiming to their people that the mata-tui (commencement-section) or
tui-ta’ata (man-section) was distributed as a token of
peace!
After
deliberation, the remaining prisoners were either put to death or released,
some for good and others reserved for sacrifices.
Throughout the realm great rejoicings followed and within a few
days the people repaired to the capital with an abundance of food and valuable gifts of ail kinds.
Part of these were presented to the gods and
sovereign as a maioi, or acknowledgment of the message delivered, with
prayers that peace and prosperity niight reign throughout the land. Another
division, called ’opu fa’ata’a na te ari’i (stomach set apart by the sover¬
eign) was given to the tarai-aro (chief-warrior), in récognition of his
services in re-establishing peace and stability to the throne of the sovereign.
A third portion, consisting only of food and
plenty of ava drink,
was
kept for a national feast, called ’upo’o-fa’ata’a (consecrated-head,
of their sovereign), in commémoration of the great event; and for
days
the people reveled in eating, dancing, and amusements.
Affairs
involving the distribution of the newly acquired land between
sovereign and the chiefs and people followed the festivity and concluded the sanguinary event.
the
When a manu faite was offered by a losing party, then called vi
(pinched), and it was accepted by those who were gaining, the same
barbarities as just described were shown the surrendering warriors in
their camp; and if there were no more home forces to resist, their land
became tributary to the conquerors. Hence the unwillingness of a side to
submit and preference to retreat.
When fleeing from victors the losing
•
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
3i6
the fati (break) only ending
safely among their people or at their inland pa (fortifi¬
cation) and mountain strongholds. There they were sometimes closed
in and reduced to great straits before the ferocity of the enemy calmed
down and they were left alone, but not before the victors committed ail
the déprédation on the beseiged territories that they could, if possible,
side rushed
wildly on foot
or
in
canoës,
when they arrived
desecrating marae.
NAVAL BATTLE
was called tamai tupatai.
In preparing the fleet for
called tamaho, the saine religions rites were performed
for the army. After the auguries of the sacrificial pig were conon
the
which
was
War
war,
as
sea
priest launched a war canoë into deep water, taking with
opaa (matured coconuts). These he broke open, praying for
success as he did so, and if the upper side with the holes was bigger than
the other, it was supposed to indicate good chances of success in the
coming war ; but if the lower side was Ijigger, the chances of the enemy
were good.
If after placing the two parts in the sea with the cavities
turned upwards, the under side overbalanced itself while sinking and
sulted,
him
a
some
the upper one remained upright, it indicated that the enemy would lose.
But if both remained in the same position either way while sinking, there
equal struggle between the two parties. Then another opaa
same way and perhaps a third, until the priest was satisfied that he had arrived at a sure conclusion, when he returned to the
sovereign to give a report of the signs. If these were unpropitious additional warriors were mustered for the contest or the war was postponed
until prospects became more favorable.
On the morning of the departure of the fleet, the enchantment ceremony, called the pare'-uru-va a or papai-pauru-va’a ( striking-to-enchantcanoe), was performed. With their colors—red, black, or white—flying,
they approached the shore and formed in line, which was called ’aharaa
va’a (making sennit of canoës). First came the god’s canoë, equipped as
for the army, with a priest presiding at the shrine of the gods.
Next
came the war canoës, which were sixty or ninety feet long, each having
from one side to the other of the double hulls, a platform upon which
the fighters stood, one or two rauti and a tarai-aro (commander).
The
tarai-aro directed the maneuvering of his men and was always a man of
quick perception and great expérience. Last came the canoës with the
provisions and other supplies.
Amid a great crowd upon the shore the sovereign delivered an oration
to the people of the fleet, stimulating them to go forth courageously and
would be
was
an
tested the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
317
conquer.
Then the pare-uru-va’a (enchanter), sometimes the king
hiniself, walked ont to the canoë, and beginning at one end of the line
he silently struck each one with his hand, his touch
supposedly being
charged with magnetism. After this a great shout arose from the
people on both sides, and in a flourishing manner the canoës paddled
off with trumpets sounding. Thus the ceremony ended.
to
When two fleets met for
war
within a reef of the beseiged or upon a
roadstead, they formed in a line facing each other, and in the same spirit
that of agitators of the army one or two canoës of the
opposite sides
approached each other, vehemently gesticulating with taunts and boastings
until the warlike passions of ail the warriors were aroused and
they
plunged into battle. When the struggle was long they retreated to neutral
ground to recover strength, watching for the best opportunity to renew
the attack; and when courage began to fail them the warriors would
cry,
“Te atua a te vi nei matouT’ (Gods, we are jambed
up), and the priest
would reply for the gods, “A rohi, a rohi! teie au”
(Take courage, take
courage, here am I).
as
During the night the people of the lands at war were obliged to
enemy’s fleet along their borders and conceal themselves
so as to avoid
being slyly massacred in their sleeping hours, a practice for
which the warriors of Porapora were noted.
watch for the
offering a manu faite a sacred canoë went forth, and while he
spoke it was held conspicuously by a man of influence. If rejected, the
warriors fastened their canoës end to end, tied their two contending lines
side by side, and completed the battle in terrible hand-to-hand fighting
resulting in great slaughter on both sides until one became victorious.
Then the canoës of the vanquished were seized by the enemy and taken
home with a remuant of warriors as prisoners of war, who were dealt
In
with in the
same
manner
as
those
on
land.
The slain of the victors were
carefully kept and taken home for burial; many of those of the defeated
were cast into the sea for the sharks to eat, others
kept for the gods as
“Fish from the water of Tù.” Occasionally among the slain, men feigning
to be dead made their escape by swimming
cautiously away after being
thrown into the water.
The
early missionaries sometimes saw canoës of the defeated, almost
being towed by the conquerors to their shores.
divested of men,
suing for peace, the vea-mahuta-hau (messenger-flying-for-truce)
poetically said to mahuta i te vai pouri (fly to the dark water, or side
hostility). When the truce was acceptable, the party yielding sur-
In
was
of
rendered themselves to the
other, and ail went to décidé the
matter at
318
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
the court of the conquerors, each of the subdued chiefs
shoot, which lie cast
as
a
sovereign.
peace
carrying a banana
offering at the feet of the victorious
The
réception of the truce bearers was held either in an assembly
in the open air, under a tree or on the seaside.
The two parties
were placed a few paces
apart, each headed by an orator holding a sprig
of miro in his hand and the sovereign presiding.
house
or
The
of those who had
negotiate peace had the privilège
speaking first, after which the orator of the other side responded, and
the meeting then being opened, there followed what was called titirira’a toa
(throwing of the rock) of the speakers of the court. It was a time of
great interest and general excitement to the immense audience that
gathered.
orator
corne to
of
As he
sling.
ended, each speaker with a flourish cast down
a
stone
from
a
If he was still for war, he spoke in the following manner: “Tera te
toa, e toa na ta hui toa, e toa no te tania’i e mou noa tu, ia atore hia te moa
ufa, ia huri taere hia te fenua” (There is the rock, the rock of the body of
warriors, the rock for war of extermination, for disemboweling the lien,
for overturning the country heel
uppermost). But if he was for peace
he said : “Tera te toa o hau, e toa na te hui
toa, e toa fa’aora i te ta’ata,
ia ruperupa te fenua, e ia maoro te aho o te ari’i i te
fa’aea raa mai i tana
hau i te fenua nei” (There is the rock for
peace, the rocks of the body
of the warriors, the rock for the
saving man, that the land niay flourish,
and that the sovereign may reign long and
peacefully on this earth).
During ail the harangue, the sovereign sat in silence listening, and at
the end, as he or she arose to speak, the silence was breathless.
Every
Word was eagerly caught and weighed by the audience.
If in favor of
peace the sovereign said :
Tera te toa a te ari’i, te toa o hau,
ei hau mai te ’a’ano e te roa, mai te
hitia o te ra e te to’oa o te ra mai
te apatoa e te apatoerau : ei hau !
Te
tama’i,
iriti
ua
nei
ha’apae hia
te
ihe.
i te taupo’o
ha’ana tama’i. ua
Ua ha’amana hia
e tae noatu i tera
ari’i
te
matara
te
ari’i mai teie pae
pae.
Te taoa maitai e horoa ia tu nei
o te hau ; a tonoi te ’orero ia fa’aite i
te
hau.
Iriti i te tira o te va’a tama’i, haapae
atu i ni’a i te turu ; ha’apae i te ahu
tama’i, te ahu motumotu o te toa o te
moa i
te toto haia, tanu atu i roto i
te
te
toto
marae
na
haia,
tanu
atu
i
roto
i
te
Tutae-avae-toetoe, na te ahu
There is
a
rock from the sovereign,
of peace, let there be peace
over length and
breadth, from east to
west, from south to north ; let there
be peace !
the
rock
The sovereign is putting ofï the war
the armor is loosened, the spear is
put aside.
The sovereign is respected
from one side to the other.
The treacap,
sure
is being given you here is
send forth the heralds to pro-
that
peace;
claim
peace.
Take
canoë,
down the masts of the war
draw them up onto their blocks ;
put away
the
war
clothes, the tattered
clothes of the warrior, rendered sacred
with the blood of the slain ; bury them
in the marae for Tutae-avae-toetoe [for
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
ari’i
i te
te ta’ata i te ahu api.
Ha’apae
ra’au toa, ei hau, ei hau maoro
pu’upii’u’ore, ia e tahatai i te tamari’i,
e
ia putuputu noa te ta’ata no te ra i
te omuhumuhu noa ra’a.
Fa’aea ma te
hau e te here.
la
e
atua
i te
atua_, ia tahu’a te tahu’a
te
la ari’i te ari’i e ia
ra’atira te ra’atira ei hau te nohora’a
te ta’ata i to ratou mau mataeina’a.
pure
marae.
O
la ho’i ana’e te mau tahu’a i ta ratou
ha’a ; ia taia te tahu’a tautai, e ia
ahune te fenua i te ma’a o te feia
mau
fa’a’apu.
te
Tuaru ia tutava’e i
afa
Fari’i’ i
tama’i
ei
te toa
a
This
te Po.
Tapoi i
tino ari’i te tapoi.
te Ari’i no te hau.
319
the gods of Hades].
Let the sovereign
put on royal clothes and the people
new
clothes.
Put the war weapons
away
and let there be
peace,
long un-
broken peace, so that the children may
fill the shores and that there be a
dense mass of people ail talking together. Live on peace and love.
Let the gods be gods, and the priests
be priests in the marae, the chiefs be
chiefs, and the gentlemen be gentlemen,
dwellings of the
people in their districts.
that peace be in the
Let the artisans
ons
return
to
their vari¬
vocations'; let the fishermen fish,
and let the land be ripe -with the food
of the farmer.
Banish 'war -with ail its evils to
Hades.
Cover over the abyss of ■war '
let the chief be a covering stoue.
Receive from the soveregin the rock
of peace.
otherwise beautiful
speech contains one cruel clause : “Let a
covering stone,” meaning that he must be sacrificed as a
tm-ta’ata, as in cases 'without truce offering. (See pp. 317, 318.) But -wlien
both contending parties had become tired of 'war and 'wished to
compro¬
mise matters, no such cruelty -was required.
In either case, in concluding
peace, the sheet called the apaapia -was presented, first one by the side
that made the first advance and then
requited by the other side, -when
both sheets -were fastened together amid invocations that curses
might fall
upon those who dared to rend the alliance bet'ween them.
This was confirmed with a hei-pia (\vreath-of-pe.ace), which consisted of sacred maireor ti leaves furnished and interwoven
by both parties and an exchange of
a
couple of young dogs. Meanwhile the omen seekers took note of every
good and bad sign on the occasion.
After the religions ceremonies and tui-ta’ata followed the
public feschief be the
tivities,
in
the
aforementioned
establishment
of
peace, at which
kingdoms were represented.
The amusements ended with the hura danced by young girls, in
which a daughter of a slain chief or warrior would take up a wand and
verge out from the floor towards the slayer of her father, if he was
the
as
chiefs
and
the
people
of
both
allied
known, and touch him with it, after which he assumed the rôle of father
to
her in
most
place of the deceased, an adoption which
touching and sacred tie between them.
was
regarded
as
?
RESANCTIFICATION OF DESECRATED LAND
When
land had iDeen
trampled down by the enemy, the gods and
temples profaned in war, and peace proclaimed, and before the people of
a
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
320
fare hua and other retreats were brought home, under the leadership
priests varions religions ceremonies, called raumatavehi (enveloping
in hallowedness), were performed to make the land habitable
again, so that
calamities and sickness might not befall the women and children and the
helpless in conséquence of desecration. Bodies that remained strewn abont
were carefnlly collected and bnried.
The national and local marae and
their appendages were set in order and pnrified with sea water and
prayers,
and the gods were restored to their places.
The water conrses that had
been broken away from irrigating ditches were tnrned on
again. Thi?
process was called pofatumatooneone er tapurehu, signifying pnrification
the
of the
of the land.
Then the
image of the tntelar god in its ark was bronght home and
the front of its marae, when a great branch of a sacred breadfrnit tree was broken off (not cnt) and présentée! upon the
paving before
it, the priest saying:
laid npon
Teie te apaapa ’uru
e,
ia
ina
ruperupe
tipapa
nei
ruhiruhia,
na
i
’oe
te
e
te atua
fenua.
Te
matou i te pu’e utaa ; te
te
vahiné, e te humaha
tamari’i, e fa’aho’i mai i te fenua nei.
Eiaha e mau i te riri i to fa’a’ai pua’a,
ia ora to maru, e te atua e !
Then the priests turned round to
high priest said:
Teie
vahiné,
haere
tatou
te
’orero mai te vaha
ua
noanoa
tatou e
ra
pu’e fetii
e
o
te ari’i
fa’ahou te fenua, e
fa’aho’i mai i to
moe noa nei.
Here is a part of a breadfruit [tree]
for thee, O god; make fruitful the
land.
We are going to recall the dé¬
pendent ones, the aged, and the women
children, to return home.
Hold
not anger against thy pig feeders (the
people) ; spare thy shadows (priests),
O god !
and
the
assembly of warriors, and the
Here is word from the mouth of
the queen ; the sWeet odor of the land
is restored, and now we must go and
bring back our families who are absent.
This
was considered honor due
especially to the queen, whose tender
yearned towards the scattered people; and so they ail dispersed and
soon
brought home their families.
heart
Then the
people performed what was called tapu-tahi (single-pledge),
restoring of their own family marae to their former
sanctity, also by purification as just described.
which
was
the
Finally, while a feast of public rejoicing was being prepared for the
happy occasion, another cruel religions solemnity, the turu-ari’i (prop of the
sovereign), was performed by the priests at the national marae to reestablish stability to the throne.
This ceremony required another human
sacrifice and was like the thanksgiving service and the
pureari’i combined,
great attention being paid to the augury of the intestines of the sacrificial pig.
During the raumatavehi ceremonies, varions other auguries
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
321
observed
by the wise, such as the appearance of the clouds, the cry
birds, and the Sound and direction of the wind. After the turuari'i, the land was supposed to be restored to its former state of purity.
were
of the
opening the festivity an abundance of food was presented to the
gods in the usual way, the people being assembled in the courtyard behind
In
and at the sides of the marae, the
sovereign and priests in front.
priest chanted the raumataohi prayer:
the
E
te
Teie,
atua
te
e,
Ari’i,
teie matou !
O gods, here are we !
Here is the sovereign,
Here are the clans.
Corne to their land
To eat food.
Let there be no sickness,
Teie te va’a mataeina’a,
I haere mai i te fenua
E amu i te ma’a.
Eiaha ei mai,
la ora te hui ari’i,
la ora te hui toofa,
la ora te hui ra’atira,
la ora te va’a mataeina’à.
Ua fenua te fenua,
Ua marae te marae,
Ua atua te atua,
Ua ari’i te ari’i,
Ua maitai roa.
Te mai o te marae, ua ora.
Te mai o te fata, ua ora.
Te mahuruhuru.
Fano ei hau, ei hau rahi,
Ei hau hohonu,
Ei hau maoro,
Ei hau maitai roa !
After
leaving the
went to the
marae
Then
Eet the royal family live.
Let the chieftains live,
Let the gentlemen live,
Let the clans live.
The land is restored as land,
The temples are restored as' temples,
The gods reign as gods,
The sovereign is sovereign,
AU is
superlatively well.
The sickness of the temples is healed,
The sickness of the altars is healed.
The sickness of the land is healed.
Extend forth peace, great peace,
Let it be deep peace,
Let it be long peace,
Let it be excellent peace !
and before commencing the festivities, ail
seashore to perform a unique ceremony, called the tu’ura’a va’a
hara (sending off the canoë bearing away sins)—parallel to the
Jewish scapegoat—and its departure excited intense interest among ail
the people.
uta
The canoë was well fitted out with mat sails, flying pennants and a long
steering paddle attached firmly to the stern. It was manned with images
representing men, made of braided coconut leaves dressed in maro and
capes and with turbans upon their heads set over cloth masks for faces,
and holding paddles on each side alternately; an abundance of food was
placed around them and sonie présents for the gods of the océan. The
priests drew the canoë out to the edge of the shoal facing the open sea,
the high priest addressing the men in effigy suitably for the land they
represented. If from Te-pori-o-nu’u, he said;
E hoe i
poto,
e
tae
tena
va’a
e
Hiti-tautau-atu,
roa
i
mairi mai Hiti-
Hiti-tautau-mai,
Tai-nui-atea.
E
ma
te
Paddle
this'
canoë
past
Hiti-poto
(Short-border), Hiti-tautau-atu (Borderreceding),
Hiti-tautau-mai
(Border-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
322
hara
ta’ata
te
a
te mahuru
te
o
i Tai-nui-atea ; e ma
fenua i Tai-nui-atea.
A ui mai te aitu tu moana e ; “Nohea
va’a?” e tao e, “No Tahiti.”
“O hea
i Tahiti ?” “O Ta-pori-o-nu’u ; te mou’a
i ni’a, o Mahue ; te tahua i raro o
Vai-rota;
’outu
tai,
i
o
Pu-’o’oro; te
Ahu-roa; te marae, o
vai,
te
o
Tara-ho’i, fa’a ari’i o Tu-nui-a’e-i-te-atua.
E va’a uta hara—e huri atu i Moana-tai-
00.”
advancing), and onwards
Tai-nuisins of
the people will be cleansed in Tainui-atea, the pollution of the land will
be cleansed in Tai-nui-atea.
When the gods hover over the océan
and enquire,
“From whence is the
canoë?” say, “It is from Tahiti.” From
what place in Tahiti?” From Ta-porio-nu’u (Fatness of hosts) ; the moun¬
tain above is Mahue (Pushed-up) ; the
as'sembly ground is Vai-rota (Gathering-water) ; the river is Pu-’o’oro
(Gurgling-group) ; the point outside is
Ahu-roa
(Fong-wall) ; the marae is
Tara-ho’i (Thorn-returning) ; the king
there raised is Tu-nui-a’e-i-te-atua (Staatea
to
(Trackless-ocean). The
bility-greater-than-the-gods).
canoë
bearing
Moana-tai-oo
Then
setting the
sailed away:
canoë
e
na
hui tapairu.
Einaha
fa’ati’a,
la
na
ora
te fa’ataera’a o te aitu ! Tae
tae fa’amana e tae fa’aora !
na
to maru.
to
(Vortex-ocean).”
pu’e ta’ata io nei, ia ora
Behold
There
the
cornes
te-araara
cornes
cornes
there
pleasures with light hearts.
as
it
arriving of the gods !
Tane, there cornes Ta’i-
(Low-cry-that-awakens) ; there
Te-fatu
Rua-nu’u
(The
lord) ;
there
(Source-of-Armies) ;
Ta’aroa-nui-tahi-tumu
father of
the gods, there cornes' ’Oro, slayer of
men, and his daughter, To’i-mata (Axewith-eyes), with her waiting maids.
And behold the arrivai of the gods !
Arrived to accept, arrived to give
power, arrived to save.
May your people here live, may your
cornes
(Great-unique-foundation),
shadows
(priests) live.
Thus ended the ceremonies of the raumatavehi, and the
into their
It is a
sins—cast it into
before the wind, thé high priest said
Naha te fa’atae o te aitu !
A tae
Tane a tae Ta’i-te-araara, a tae Te
Fatu a tae Rua-nuu, a tae Ta’aroa-nuitahi-tumu, te metua o te aitu ! A tae
o
’Oro ta haia, e te tamahine ra, o
To’i-mata,
away
people entered
Henry—Ancient Tahîti
323
TERMINOLOGY AND MANNER OF RECKONING
INTRODUCTION
The Tahitian methods of reckoning time and
space
the end of the
were
recorded at
eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries.
The extent of the knowledge of Tahitians of numbers, time and seasons, and of geographical relation of places at a period when the
people
had little need of mental exertion and when
they had no written form
of keeping records hâve
surprised early foreign observers, and seem to
point back with certainty to an âge and a race far advanced in civilization.
NUMBERS
Numbers^
high as the ‘iu,
million, and the knowledge of
counting, of which the Tahitians
were very fond.
For this amusement two or three players took small
sticks, generally the rib of the coconut leaf, and broke them into short
lengths. After placing them in a central heap, the players would take
them off one by one, mentioning the number as
they reached the tens, the
hundreds, and the thousands, respectively, each of which was represented
by a spécial length of stick; and the aim was to try to reach the million
went
as
them was maintained by the pastime of
or
first.
There are two forms of counting : first, with the prefix a,
signifying that
prefix e, signifying that the
number has already been completed, or will be. For
example :
the number is just completed; second, with the
A hia ta’ata, a hia ’tura ta’ata?
A piti ta’ata, a piti atura ta’ata.
How niany persons' are there now?
There
are
How
many
now
two
persons.
and.
E hia ta’ata i tae mai?
E piti ta’ata i tae mai.
E hia ta’ata e haere mai?
E piti ta’ata e haere mai.
Two persons
persons
came.
came?
How many persons are coming?
Two persons are coming.
Several of the old words expressing numbers hâve been changed for
ones, some of which hâve been taken from the English.
new
In the
following list the words printed in italics are obsolète in Tahiti
but still extant in some other groups^.
^Numbers were given by King Pômare II in 1818; the appropriation of the higher numbers
and the four fundamental rules pf arithmetic in the Tahitian language were
taught by the I^nglish missionaries.
Records of the System of money and the weights and measures came from
varions sources.
2
In Ellis, Fornander, and others, the numerals are to be found intact, or with sliglit dévia¬
tions in some dialects, throughout Polynesia and westward, even to
Madagascar.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
324
A tahi, ho’e.
A piti, a rua.
A toru.
A maha. a hà.
A pae, a rima.
A ono, a fene.
A hitu.
A va’u, a varu.
A iva.
A tahi
’ahuru,
ahuru, ho’e tini.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
a
tahi
tinif
Nine.
Ten.
ho’e
A tahi ahuru-ma-ho’e, a tahi tinima-ho’e.
A tahi ’ahuru-ma-piti, a tahi tini-ma-
Eleven.
Twelve.
rua.
A tahi
’ahuru-ma-toru, a tahi-tim-ma-
Thirteen.
A tahi ’ahuru-ma-maha, a tahi tinima-ha.
A tahi ’ahuru-ma-pae, a tahi tini-ma-
Fourteen.
toru.
Fifteen.
rima.
A tahi
’ahuru-ma-ono, a tahi tini-ma-
fene.
Sixteen.
A tahi ’ahuru-ma-hitu, a tahi tinima-hitu.
A tahi ’ahuru-ma-va’u, a tahi tini-ma-
Seventeen.
Eighteen.
varu.
A tahi
’ahuru-ma-iva, a tahi tmi-ma-
iva.
Ail the units are United with the
Nineteen.
following tens as in the above teens.
A piti ’ahuru, a rua tini.
A piti ’ahuru ma ho’e.
A toru ’ahuru, a toru tini.
A maha ’ahuru, a hâ tini.
A pae ’ahuru, a rima tini.
A ono ’ahuru, a fene tini.
A hitu ’ahuru, a hitu tini.
A va’u ’ahuru, a varu tini.
A iva ’ahuru, a iva tini.
A tahi hanere, a tahi
rau, ho’e hanere,
ho’e rau.
A tahi hanere-ma-ho’e, a tahi rau-
ma-ho’e,
ho’e
ro!<-ma-ho’e.
the
hanere-ma-ho’e,
or
T wenty.
Twenty-one.
Thirty.
Forty.
Fifty.
Sixty.
Seventy.
Eighty.
Ninety.
One hundred.
One hundred and
ho’e
The units are added to the hundreds and to ail the
higher numbers in
same
manner
as
in the tens.
A piti hanere, a rua rau.
A toru hanere, a toru rau.
A maha hanere, a hâ rau.
A pae hanere, a rima rau.
A ono hanere, a fene rau.
A hitu hanere.
A va’u, a varu hanere.
A iva hanere.
*
of
a
one.
In every instance tini is
or e tahi.
tahi
employée! like ^
Two hundred.
Three hundred.
Four hundred.
Five hundred.
Six hundred.
Seven hundred.
Eight hundred.
Nine hundred.
i,
and ho^e is used withoiit
o
when used instead
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
A
tahi
tauatini
(thous'and),
325
tahi
One thousand.
A piti tauatini, a rua mono.
A tahi mano Uni, ho’e mano tini, a
tahi ’ahuru tauatini, ho’e ’ahuru taua¬
tini.
A rua mano tini, a piti ahuru taua¬
tini.
A tahi rehu, a tahi hanere tauatini.
A tahi ’iu, ho’e ’iu, a tahi mirioni.
A tini ’iu, ho’e ’iu tini, a tahi ’ahuru
mirioni.
A tahi rau ’iu, ho’e rau ’iu, a rau iu,
a tahi hanere mirioni.
A mano ’iu, a tahi pirioni, ho’e pirioni.
A mano tini te ’iu, a tahi ’ahuru
Two thousand.
Ten thousand.
mono.
pirioni, ho’e ’ahuru pirioni.
A tahi tirioni, ho’e tirioni.
a
Twenty thousand.
One hundred thousand.
One million.
Ten million.
One
hundred
million.
One billion.
Ten billion.
One trillion.
The higher dénominations, seldom used, are also Tahitianized at
pleaThe words tini and rau are also used to express “many”, rau is the
sure.
commoner
form.
two).
The expression for “repeat” is ta rua or ta piti (make
In making nouns of numéral adjectives the second form is
always employed, and the article te (the) is used before the number one: te ho‘e or
te tahi.
Ordinal numbers are formed by applying the article te to ail the numerals except the first, when matamua stands for one, te matamua, te
piti,
te toru (the first, the second, the
third), etc. Te 'ahuru ma ho'e (the
eleventh), te piti ’ahuru ma ho’e (the twenty-first), or te toru ’ahuru ma
ho’e (the thirty-first), is the manner of expressing first when connected
with the tens.
Matamua is also applicable to unity of plural numbers, thus ; te hanere
matamua
(the first hundred), te tauatini matamua (the first thousand).
By adding the prefix tai the assorting numbers are formed :
Ta’i tahi or ta’i ho’e.
Ta’i piti or ta’i rua.
Ta’i toru.
Ta’i maha, ta’i hà.
One at a time.
Two at a time.
A triplet.
A quadruple.
There is also a dual form of counting in which taau (score) is the
unity: a tahi ta'au, a piti ta'au (one score, two score). The higher num¬
bers are thus doubled, a tahi hanere, a tahi tauatini (one hundred, one
thousand) becoming two hundred, two thousand. In this. way they count
bonitos in fishing, and house thatch, which is set on long reeds when prepared for covering, breadfruit, and cocpnuts in great quantifies.
In counting oranges for shipping purposes, two men will take
up five
oranges, respectively, thus making ten, and place them together in a heap.
326
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
saying as they do so: "A tain, a piti (one, two) and so on, counting them
units, until they get to ten, when instead of saying ten tens, or a hundred, they say “Tàrê!” from the word “tally.” Each time that this is doue
the person keeping tally of the
oranges marks down a stroke and so the
counting is repeated, and soon the thousands are checked off. This tallying is done in a long shed by several groups at a time, and is considered
exciting, pleasant work.
as
The four rules of arithmetic are
expressed as follows ; amuira'a, addi¬
tion; iritira’a, subtraction; fa'arahira!a, multiplication; tuhara’a, division.
MONEY
The unity of money {moni) in the
Society Islands is the tàrà (dollar),
applied to the American dollar, the French five-franc piece, and the Spanish
piaster. The French franc, the American quarter, and the English shilling
are
called toata
(quarter).
Ten-cent coins of
any nationality are called
Five-cent coins are called tirini, a misapplication of shilling; and copper
money of any kind is pene (penny).
raera,
from the Spanish real.
Moni pirû signifies gold coin of
misapplied.
any kind, the word Pirû meaning Peru
Aura (ancient Britsih aur) commonly means gold.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Foreign Systems of weights and measures were adopted from traders
Formerly weights were merely estimated by the Tahitians
by comparing the weight of one thing with another. They hâve
readily
and teachers.
adopted the French kilo, which is called tiro, and the English
pound,
Toe'a is the- word for remainder, and they hâve
adopted the word afa for half. Liquids are measured by their containers,
the French liter being the standard
measure, which they call ritira.
The
which is called paunu.
barrel is called paero.
In linear measure the etaeta
(fathom) is the unity, ten of which make
the umi, a measurement used in
making ropes, hat braids, etc., and in
building large houses and making fences. Anything less than a fathom is
called a tape (remnant). In olden times short
lengths were measured by
the span, also called ‘eta'eta, with its
cbrresponding tape or remuants. But
they hâve extensively adopted the French metrical System and the
English
yard measure, finding these more exact in fractions for
practical purposes.
Distance they commonly estimate
according to the time that it takes to
travel from one place to another,
making allowances for the rapidity of the
means of conveyance.
But they easily learn to reckon it by the kilometer
(tirometera) and the mile (maire).
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
327
RECKONING TIME‘
At six o’clock in the
morning and at six in the evening, the tide in the
Society Islands is lowest, and at midday and midnight it is highest.
As
happens regularly ail the year round, it serves as an index to time.
The following expressions are used :
this
Pananura’a
0
te
tai, influx of the tide; ti’amahara’a 0
te
tai, low tide,
revealing the coral reef ; tai manina, smooth, calm sea; miti ha‘apo‘opo‘o,
high sea undulating; miti arepurepu [rapit'^ rough sea.
In former times the Tahitians
spoke of the day as ru’i (night),
ho’e ru’i, a rua ru’i, e toru ru’i
(one night, two nights, three
thus :
nights) ; or
reversed, with the same meaning, ru'i ho‘e, ru‘i rua, ru'i toru. But
they
hâve long since adopted the word
mahana, literally meaning “sun,” for day,
in conformity to the
European manner of speaking, thus : ho'e mahana, e
piti mahana, e toru mahana. And they now ask for the date of the month
in this form : “Baha te tai'o no te ava'e?”
(What is the number in the
month ?).
The first day, the second day, the third
day, are thus expressed : T e
mahana matamua, te piti 0 te mahana, te toru 0 te
mahana, ail but the flrst
of which are frequently shortened
by dropping the latter part, “o te maha¬
na”; te piti, te toru, etc.
They carefully observed the lunar months throughout the year, which
they called ava‘e (moons), and for each of which they had a name. To
this form fishermen still more or less adhéré
as
a
guide in looking for the
of certain kinds of fish, and also for the
days and nights when the
fish corne in most plentifully.
The calendar month is also called ava'e
seasons
(moon).
The year (matahiti) was observed, but as the
language had no written
form, no period of years had been established by which to record events,
the Tahitians soon
forgot the âges of their children; no adult could tell
judged his âge approximately by circumstances that
transpired. Being good genealogists, they reckoned long periods by the u‘i
or génération.
The names of their kings and queens vaguely marked the
so
how old he was, but
succession of those u’i.
The time of day was computed as follows :
E tu’ira’a ru’i or pô.
E uera’a rui or pô.
E vehera’a pô.
Pananura’a tai.
Ua
nano
te
tai.
Midnight.
Midnight.
Night evenly divided.
High tide.
The tide has reached its highest.
^-Received in 1836 from the lips of King Pômare II and from
Tamera, a high priest.
In 1891 additions were made, through the help of Mrs.
Waîker, by Mrs. Arii-taimai Salmon, high
chiefess of Papara; and by Umarea, son of a
introduced by the English missionaries.
high chief of Mo’orea.
European forms
were
328
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Ua pahe’e te tai.
Ua fana’e te tai ao.
Ua tai ao.
Ua ’a’a’oa te moa matamua.
Ua ’a’aoa te moa mataroto.
Ua ’a’aoa te moa matamuri.
Ua oviriviri te ’oma’oma’o.
The
The
light).
O Ta’urua horo ’a’ahiata tei ni’a.
Ua a’ehaehae te ata.
Tei ni’a te ata ’ura’ura.
Ua pû te ata, ua fei pû te ata.
apura’a ata.
’aura’a
o
te
tamaumau
maru
oa
ata
ra
te
’ura’ura.
’a’oara’a
mata
Ua
Ua
opu
the
ta’ata.
a’era te mahana.
Ua poipoi roa.
Ua matitititi te mahana.
Ua itea pa’ato’a te mahana.
Te vero ra te hiti mahana.
Te maoaoa ra te ata o te mahana
i ni’a i te tai.
Ua purapura a’era te mahana i te
miti.
Tei ni’a té mahana.
Ua teitei ta’ato’a te mahana.
Ua ta’ue’ue roa te mahana i ni’a.
Ua turua te mahana.
The
Ua
peretia te
Ua
pa’are te râ.
ra.
Ua matua te râ.
Ua noho tara te râ.
Ua ta nini upo’o te râ.
Vehera’a ao.
Ua tohu ti’a te râ.
Ua avatea roa.
Ua ha’atiati te ra.
Ua pananu te tai.
face
of
guished.
Bordering sun
The
man
can
be
distin-
rays.
{appearing great
horizon).
The sun is mostly revealed.
The sun is revealed (just above the
horizon).
It is early morning.
The sun’s rays are spreading.
is inflated
sun
in the
The whole of the sun is visible.
The sun’s rays are shooting forth.
The sun’s' reflection is glary upon the
sea.
The sun’s rays sparkle upon the
sea.
The sun has quite risen.
The sun has quite ris'en.
The sun is quite suspended.
The sun’s warmth is spreading.
fAbout half an hour high).
The sun is' reflected (in the sea).
Te hû mahana maira.
pû mahana te râ.
of the clouds.
Drifting off of the red clouds.
Cockcrowing is general (twilight).
It is the shadow of morning.
It is the dawn of day.
Plies are beginning to stir.
moa.
ofao a’era te mahana.
faura te mahana.
Ua hihi
sun.
The dispersion
E hiti mahana.
Ua
is
The red clouds hâve risen.
The masses of dense clouds précédé
oa.
fera’orao.
day-
The great star has
risen, it
morning.
The morning star has risen.
The clouds are parting asunder.
roa.
itea te
receding.
ebbing towards day.
tide of dayspring.
sea
It is the
It is the first cockcrow.
It is the second cockcrow.
It is the last cockcrow.
The thrush is singing (near
Tei ni’a te fétu nui. ua uo’ipo’i.
Te
Te
Te
Ua
Ua
Ua
Ua
is
is
sea
(About 7 a.m.)
The sun’s
rays
corne
from its disk.
(About 8 a.m.)
The sun is spreading its
where.
(About g a.m.)
rays every-
The ’sun is producing waves.
(The
tide)
The sun has waxed strong (About
10 a.m.)
The sun sits' at an angle.
(About
11
a.m.)
The
head.
sun
is
over
the
crown
of
Day evenly divided.
The sun points its rays evenly.
It is quite noon.
The sun shines with- no shadows.
It is high tide.
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Ua nano te tai.
Ua umata tea te tiare.
The tide has reached its highest.
The Gardénia iahiiensis flowers are
fully open.
ta’a te râ.
Ua taha te râ.
Te tapa o te râ, or te tahara'a
te râ.
Ua pahe’e te miti.
Te pahe’era’a o te tai.
Ua tape te râ, ua tapetape te râ.
Ua horohoro te râ.
Ua
The Sun has passed (the meridian).
The Sun is slanting.
The declining of the sun.
o
The sea is receding.
The ebbing of the sea.
The sun is shortening its course.
The sun is taking its' departure.
The sun is descending.
The evening approaches.
The shadows are extending.
The sun’s rays are as the fara roots.
The sun is speedily going down.
The Gardénia tahitensis flowers are
Ua taupeupe te râ.
Ua fatata te ahiahi.
Ua pe’e te maru.
Ua a’a tara te râ.
Te ’oi’oi ra te râ i
Te ua’ara te tiare.
raro.
Mania a râ.
Ua tape ha’a te râ, ua tûmû te
Ua pàtô te rà i te ’iri o te tai.
Ua
haere ari’i
te
râ
i to’a
râ.
reva.
Ua he’e hua nui te râ i maire ri’i.
Ua ma’iri te râ i te ’iri
Ua
Ua
Ua
Te
toilioiho
ra
rurumi te
tai.
te râ.
marehurehu
râ.
râ.
te
râ.
opening.
The setting of the
or
Pô.
nua
te
Tu’ira’a pô.
Maru ao.
’A’aoara’a
of
the sea.
The sun is' going majestically to the
rocks of the deep.
The great disk of the sun has
deserted the fleecy clouds.
The sun has sunk below the surface
of the sea.
The sun darts his rays upwards.
The sun has dropped.
The Sun has quite gone down.
Twilight remains.
It is twilight.
It is quite dark.
ru’i.
Cockcrow.
Dawn of
moa.
Arehurehura’a o te po’ipo’i.
Hitira’a o te mahana.
Po’ipo’i.
Matitititira’a
o
te
râ.
Tohepû te râ.
râ.
Spreading
out
of
The
disk
is
The sun’s' rays
are
(About 6 a.m.)
Taupera’a o te râ.
Tapetapera’a o te râ.
appear ;
sun’s
a.m.)
the
sun’s
in view.
rays.
(About
equally spreading.
The sun is producing waves (the
tide).
(About 9 a.m.)
The sun has waxed vigorous. (10 or
Il
Avatea.
Aies
Sunrise.
Morning.
(About 8 a.m.)
râ.
Ua metua te
day, when
daybreak.
Morning twilight.
7
Pereti’a te râ.
Pa’are te
(After 8 p.m.)
Night is equally balanced.
It is advanced night.
(After 10 p.m.)
Night time.
Approaching midnight.
Midnight.
Dayspring, after the darkest hours.
,
Tatahiata mara’ora’o, ’a’hiata.
sun.
The sun’s course is shortened.
The Sun has burst the surface
aroaroa
Ua poiri roa.
Ua tû-rua te pô.
Ua tu’i te pô.
Ru’i
Ti’a
a
râ, ua ’u’umi
topa roa te râ.
vai
Ta vai
329
a.m.)
Noon time.
Afternoon.
Declining of the
sun.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
330
Tahatahara’a
o
te
Mairira’a, Tèpara’a
Ahiahi.
râ.
o
te râ.
Arehurehura’a o te ahiahi.
Slanting of the
Sunset.
sun.
Evening.
Evening twilight.
The Latin words hora and minutus are
adopted for hour and minute,
The hours are designated by the
use of hora with a
number, as: hora ho‘e (one o’clock), hora piti (two
pronounced hora and miniti, in Tahitian.
o’clock), hora ‘ahuru-ma-piti or hora tuero (meaning
twelve) (twelve
o’clock), e pae miniti i ma’iri i te hora ho’e (five minutes past one
o’clock) ;
ho’e ’ahuru-ma-pae miniti i ma’iri i te hora
ho’e (fifteen minutes past one
o’clock) ; ho’e afa hora i ma’iri i te hora ho’e (half past one
o’clock) ; e pae
miniti e tae atu ai i te hora
piti (five minutes to two o’clock). Such défini¬
■
tions are applied to ail the other
and after the hour are
hours, and any number of minutes before
expressed in like manner.
In the following list of the Tahitian
days of the week it is évident that
only the words Sabbath, Monday, and Friday hâve been Tahitianized and
that Tahitian
names hâve been
applied to the other days of the week :
Tapati (Sabbath day), Sunday; Monirê, Monday;
Mahana-piti
(second day), Tuesday; Mahana-toru (third day),
Wednesday;
Mahanamaha (fourth day),
Thursday; Mahana-pae or Farairê (fifth day), Friday;
Mahana-mà'a (food day), Saturday.
Saturday is called Food-day, because
the natives were taught
by the English missionaries to make provision of
cooked food on that day for
Sunday, a rule which was kept strictly
throughout the islands.
Mahana
Henry—Ancient
Tahiti
tha ;nights btlhoniogwhsntsse. mwchhiladerennny fftuihsroeld,pentiful.
fMista'hhnerie crabsthniag_SJewstr-ooafhrwmfbdsi”. aper Iner-Emgc. Becoming-rula.FFrom-sitansdighflepye. plentifuIstifongpolaurnrdtsigOcober.ftumiomolfen.iacrrtibes nights. Iner-uyildg. Tane-ovrtkbyd.FbOveretakicns-sbyoaomdhrligh..oblivn. period
MToOHPnP
itttueaoepaa’ii, itteparôhi.ae ittaaneni’o’e. itepmaraôiut.’ ittepurôiaa. it’eparauiô,i. it’ae. ihttaruaeanvu’’i te ttuepraia’. itemparaôiut. itarrnae’ho iit’aterheeah,.i
tmopmaevaôui’e,tnaemuoeai a’oti-Hm. te mar. te
Nights
Thê
Ttmohhnoirgdeefsdiftaups-mcl
fisosaheent thoosne ights.
h
i
a
d
w
e
y
d
i
v
e
.
b
l
o
w
w
i
n
s
d
h
e
n
i
g
h
t
s
.
n
i
g
h
t
s
.
squaly fison’ighhf.t tnahigrheets aghorset raobaomuti.ng wnoinrtdh isanight born. tharoecrknes averery end.
along
f
i
s
h
e
s
t
h
o
s
e
E
q
u
a
l
y
n
o
r
t
h
B
o
a
n
i
r
t
o
e
s
n
i
g
h
t
.
f
i
s
h
i
n
g
t
h
o
s
e
g
o
d
are
ocournet night.
The
that
pears:
AU
The
are
on
then.
they
tai’o
te
■The
That
The
are
fish
is
Breaking-foh. Twisted-bor. asneda, oshonre fat"not First-Emegnc. Last-Eniergc. First-unyeldg. Next-unyildg. Fair-chld. Conflux, Clear-sizng. becomingFruitflnes. ttihmee omonfth Cltehar-esky,lCaomndtion, thcolesaer First-plant. Iner-plant. Last-pln. First-unyeldg. Last-unyieldg. First-evng. Iner-svig. Last-evring. bOvertayken Setvhreed,
the
in
Hidng.
fishes
the
are
is the
on
It
-
it’maeani pô. ii’’eaa, mait te it’ea htuaenna’e avner’oe iamair Ei’aru.’i Atopa. iaat.i itue’a roari’ tto’eerau fanu ri’. ittoe’a it’ae.
E
ter ira
te
û
E
To’erau Auhopu
pô
E
Ua
pô
r ahi
Te
Tireo.
Mar ma
pô
E
a
i
pô
Na
e
tupa
tneo tû-hira’ :pohera’ Hiro-hit. Ho’at-inru. Mua-Hmi . Hami . ’Oreo-mua. ’Oreo-mui. Tam-tea. ’Aorri Ma-haru ’Ohua Mai-tûferoa
E
Those when
a
Roto
F
Huna. Rapu
Hotu.
E
’ore
ru’i ia
E
tama
û
E
Ua
tau.
tur Rot-ra’u. Fa’oti-rau. ’Oreo-tahi. ’Oreo-t. ’Oreo-fati. Ta’ro-thi. Rot-Ta’r. Fa’oti-Tr. ane-roit. Ro’-nuitea. Ro’-mauri. muoatu
Ma-ra’i. Turuau, Mua-r ’ u.
po
T
Motu,
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
332
Following are the calendar montlis Tahitianized :
Tenuare,
Fepuare,
Mâti,
January.
February.
Atete,
April.
May.
June.
Atopa,
Novema,
Titema,
Tiurai,
Eperera,
Mê,
Tiunu,
July.
August.
September.
October.
Tetepa,
Mardi.
November.
December.
There are two ways of dividing the year for the seasons
first, by
observing the rising and setting of the Pléiades, second by the lunar
months. Captain Cook and other early navigators, as well as the missionaries, hâve recorded that the Tahitians coiild tell to a nicety the nights
and periods of the rising and setting of the stars and constellations, which
Polynesians generally hâve been able to do from time immémorial, as their
chants everywhere record.
Teie te tau ari’i ma te tai’o na to
Tahiti nei, ’oia o Matari’i-i-ni’a e o
Matari’i-i-raro.
O Mata-ri’i e pura na
i te ata i te pae ra’i o na Hui-tarava ia
Mere ra i te arehurehura’a o te ahiahi,
i te Ava’e o Temâ ra, ’oia ia Novema
20, o te avei’a ia o te tau ’ahune O
Matari’i-i-ni’a ia tau, e topa noa ’tu ia
fétu ri’i i raro a’e i te pae ra’i i te
arehurehura’a o te ahiahi, i te ava’e o
Au-unuunu ra, ’oia ia te 20 no Mê.
O te upo’o ia o te tau ’ahune.
O Matari’i-i-raro te tau i ha’amata i
ava’e o Au-unuunu ra (ia Mê) ia
mo’e ae ia fétu ri’i i raro i te pae
ra’i i te arehurehura’a o te ahiahi ra, e
tae noa ’tu i te pura fa’ahou ra’a mai
ini’a i te pae ra’i i te arehurehura’a
i te ava’e o Tema ra (ia Novema).
O
te tau ia o te o’e.
te
A tahi
Teie
te
matahiti, e rua tau i teie tai’o.
piti o te tai’o i te tau;
e
ni’a i te ava’e :
na
The dark and
®
that the
moon
Fishes
this rule.
*
is
are
bright sides of the new moon
coming out of the dark side.
fat
This
account
®
The
three
in
the
the
moon
is
full and
are
the kingly periods observed
They are Matari’i-i-ni’a
and Matari’i-i-raro
(Pleiades-belowÉ W'hen the Pléiades
(Pleiades'-above)
first snarkles in the horizon towards the
constellation of Orion’s belP in the
twilight of the evening, in the month
(The-clearing), on November
20th, they are the forerunners of the
season
for
plenty. Matari’i-i-ni’a is
then the season, until these little stars
of Temâ
descend below the horizon in the twi¬
light of the evening, in the month of
Au-unuunu (Suspension), on the 20th
of May. That is the ending of the sea¬
son of plenty.
in
Matari’i-i-raro is the season beginning
the month of Au-unuunu (Suspen¬
sion) in May, when those little stars
disappear below the horizon in the twi¬
light of evening, until they sparkle
again above the horizon, in the twi¬
light of the month of Temâ in Nov¬
ember.
to
This is the
One year has two
this reckoning.
season
of
seasons'
scarcity.
according
Here is the second way of counting
the seasons ; it is by the moons :
are
called two bodies and “emergence” jneans
thin when it
given in 1818 by King Pômare.
great stars of Orion’s Belt are regarded
^
pressed
when
These
by Tahitians.
is out;
shellfish
are
included in
was
word
Mere
as
a
constellation in themselves,
ex-
(Parental-and-filial-regret'-at-_parting), and the word Te-uru-o-Mere
(The-Forest-of-Mere) implies the whole constellation of Orion.
(See p. 362.)
9.Muri-’ah
Henry—Ancîent Tahiti
Yëar
333
Thirtêën Moons
0]?
1. O
Rehu
(Varehu, Arehii), te
haere mai nei te ’ahune ; ia Titema e
Tenuare ia tau.
I te tua o Rehu, o
Rehu (Levelling) is when harvest is
Corning in ; this period arrives between
December and January.
On the back
Fa’ahu-nui, te tamoe no te ’ahune ;
ia Tenuare e Fepuare.
I te tua o
Fa’ahu, o
Fa’ahu-nui (Great-repose), the Sound
sleep of plenty; between January and
2.
Pipiri, te ’ore ra te ma’a; ia Fepu¬
e Mâti.
I te tua o Pipiri, o
3.
are
4- Ta’a-’oa, te
Mâti e Epereera.
te
’ore ra te ’uru ; ia
O te tua o Ta’a-oa, o
Au-unuunu, ua unuunu ia te h6e o
5.
rava’ai,
Eperera
e anotau vero; ia
I te tua o Au-unuunu, o
Mè.
e
6. ’Apa’apa, te pou no te tau o’e, te
parara’a o te ra’o’ere ra’au e ma’iri atu
ai; ia Mê e Tiunu. I te tua o ’Apa¬
’apa, o
Paroro-mua, pohera’a
7.
Tiunu
mua,
e
Tiurai.
I
o te re’a ia
tua o Paroro-
te
o
8. Paroro-muri, e tau o’e; ia Tiurai
Atete.
I te tua o Paroro-muri, o
e
te
tua
o
ia Atete
;
Tetepa.
e
o
I
Hia’ia, te pou ra’a ’tu i raro roa
i te o’e; ia Tetepa e Atopa.
I te
tua o Hia’ia, o
10.
11.
Te-mâ,
mâ
te
o
e
e
12.
Te-’eri,
Te-’eri,
13.
Titema.
ia
te
o
Te-ta’i,
rea
tupura’a
tanu
Atopa e Novema.
’oteo mai ai
Rehu
cornes
February.
On
cornes
the back
ai
o
i
’tu
ia
te
ma’a;
te ma’a
o
te
api,
I te tua o Te-mâ,
Pipiri (Parsimony), the time when
scarcity begins ; between February and
March.
On the back of Pipiri cornes
Ta’a-’oa (Departing-joy) ; breadfruit
is
On
scarce.
the
back
Ta’a-’oa
Au-unuunu ( Suspension) ] the fisherman’s paddles are then put away, it iS
a
stormy period ; between April and
May. On the back of Au-unuunu cornes
(Severed-in-twain), descent
scarcity of food ; the
then yellow and fall
off; between May and June. On the
back of ’Apa’apa cornes
Paroro-mua
(First-fall).
Turmeric
’Apa’apa
into the time of
leaves of plants
and wild
ginger then die out; between
June and July. On the back of Paroro-
mua
cornes
Paroro-muri (After-fall), the last of
the fruit season ; between July and
August.
On the back of Paroro-muri
ei
o
Muri-’aha (Prayer-behind) ; between
August and September.
On the back
of Muri-’aha cornes
Hia’ia (Cravings),
des'cent into the
greatest scarcity of food ; between Sep¬
tember and October.
On the back of
Hia’ia cornes
Te-ma (The-clearing), when the old
are
clean
November.
On
crops
gone
and
new
crops
the
back
of
Te-ma
developing, which is the season for
planting food ; between October and
are
Novema.
’uru api.
Ei
reira
I te tua
Te tupu ra te uru ; te ta ai
o
te
taevao
i tai.
e
o
Te-’eri (Scarcity), most of Novem¬
ber. Then the infloresence of the bread¬
fruit begins.
On the back of Te’eri
cornes
ia
ra
Te-ta’i
tuma
(The-cry),
Te-ta-ai-nui-ia(The epicure’s-great-forage for
food), in December. The breadfruit is
developing; then wild foods°- of ail
kinds are brought out to eat.
On different islands and in different
®
of
cornes
cornes
Te-ta-ai-nui-ia-tuma,
ia i te hui ma’a
time of
Fa’ahu
of
cornes
Muri-aha,
ma’a tahito,
o
te tau ia
of
districts, the seasons vary in their
Corning, according to the wet and dry weather, and in this way
The wild foods
are
arums,
plantains, edible ferns, ti,
yams
and other roots.
12.A-un ,
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
334
people had an irregular method of reckoning the year, each little
kingdom following its own course. But they were ail agreed in the length
of time that the year lasted, being guided by the lunar month.
Sometimes when there were only twelve complété developments of the moon’s
phases in the rotation of the seasons, whatever month did not agréé in the
conjuncture would be skipped :
the
Yëar or Twëlvë Moons^“
Teie te i’oa o te mau ava’e
matahiti e ta ratou mau vahiné :
Paroro-mua, ei Eperera;
1.
’amu te vahiné.
Paroro-muri,
2.
vahiné.
o
Mê ;
o
o
te
Mara-
To’erau te
o
3.
Muri-’aha, ia Tiunu; e parara’a
ra’au, o Te-’ura te vahiné.
4.
Hia’ia, ia Tiura’i; ua polie te re’a;
te
no
o
Tura’i-re’a
te
5. Ta’a-’oa, ia Atete, o Te-rere-’oa’oa
vahiné.
Ofaara’a o te honu e te
vahiné.
te
6.
te
Huri-ama, ia Tetepa,
roroara’a ia
o
te
o
Te-mata-
Ua vehe te tau, o
mahana.
7. Te’eri,
ia Atopa, o Te-ha’anioe’apa’apa te vahiné. Ava’e ua.
8. Te-ta’i, ia Novema, o Te-hei-fa’ataha te vahiné.
Te uaara’a ia o te
pua, o te rave hia ma te ha’apae i te
hei ’i’ino.
Varehu, ia Titema,
o
Oteatea te
10. Faahu,
ia Tenuare,
atoi-tere-i-te-ta-moe
te
o
Pahu-nuiE
Q.
vahiné.
ava’e ’ahune ia.
11.
Pipiri, ia Fepuare
vahiné.
o
Pipiri-ma’a-i-
“E ’ai atu te hoa i te
tara fare, e ’ore e ’ite mai e, o te hoa
here ’oe”, e parau tahito ia. Utautara’a
honu
te-tai te
ri‘i
e
le
(First-fall),
in
April;
ness)
is the wife.
(Longings), in July; wild ginand Turmeric die out; Tura’i-re’a
(Battering-down-of-re’a) is the wife.
Ta’a-’oa (Departed-joy), in August;
Te-rere-’oa’oa
(Flight-of-joy) is the
wife.
The turtle and the upoa bird
then lay their eggs.
Huri-ama
(Turned-outrigger),
in
September; Te-mata-tau-roroa (Facelong-standing) is the wife. Time is
balancing, the days are lengthening.
Te’eri (Development of spring) in
October; Te-ha’amoe-’apa’apa (Persistence) is the wife. It is' a rainy month.
Te-ta’i (The-cry) in November ; Tehei-fa’ataha (Wreaths-worn-jauntily) is
Hia’ia
the wife.
It is the season for the
Besleria laurifolia flower, which is preferred to common wreaths.
Varehu (Spring-advanced), in Dec-
ember;
Oteatea
(Infloresence-of-bananas) is the wife.
Faahu
(Restfulness), in January;
Pahu-nui-atoi-tere-i-te-ta-moe
( Greatdrum extending - ripeness - with - soundsleep) is the wife.
Pipiri (Parsimony), in February;
Pipiri-ma’a-i-fenua ( Stinginess-of-food-in-the-land) is the wife. “The friend
will eat then in the house corner, and
ignore thee as a dear friend,” is an
old saying.
The turtle and the upoa
-
fenua te vahiné.
o
Paforo-mua
Mara’amu (Trade-wind) is the wife.
Paroro-muri ( After-fall), in May;
To’erau (North-wind) is the wife.
Muri-’aha
(Prayer-behind), in June;
leaves turn yellow ; Te-’ura (Gorgeous-
ger
upoa.
tau-roroa te vahiné.
These are the names of the months
of lhe year and of their wives :
upoa
i tua.
ia Mati, Ua-unuunu-mavahiné.
E anotau vero.
bird take
that time.
their
young
out
to
sea
at
A-unuunu (Withdrawal), in March;
Ua-imuunu-ma-te-tai (Withdrawal-from-
the-sea) is the wife.
period.
It is
a
stormy
This account was RÎven ■ through the help of Mrs. Walker in 1891 by Mrs. Ari'ita'imai
Salmon, high chiefess of Papara, and also by Umarea, son of a high chief of Mo'orea.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
335
COLORS AND PATTERNS
Tahitians are keen discerners of colors and display much taste in their
choice of them in dress and décorations ;
lowing manner ;
Tea, teatea, ’uo, ’uo’uo.
’Ere’ere, uri, uriuri.
Pa’opa’o.
’Ere’ere moana.
Hiri.
Ninamu-matie.
’Ura, ’ura’ura, ’ute’ute.
’Ute’ute mahe’ahe’a, or ’ura-mea.
Vare’au.
Re’a, re’are’a.
Sea-green and light-blue.
Violet, purple and lavender.
shades.
Tinged with yellow, paleness of the
Hinahina, ohinahina.
’O’opu.
Unia’e.
Ravarava.
face.
Gray.
Black, in speaking of animais only.
Carroty color, of animais only.
Brunette persons.
Tafetafeta.
Porota’a.
form-
Red of every s'hade.
Pink (literally, light-red).
Yellow of ail
Màre’are’a.
Tore, toretore.
White, clear, or light-colored.
Black, dark shades.
Sooty-colored.
Navy-blue, or indigo.
Brown.
Green tliterallv grass-green) ;
erly ninamu meant “sooty.”
Ninamu-moana.
’Opata, ’opatapata,
Nifanifa, patoro.
they designate them in the fol-
Stained
purepure.
or
shaded.
Spotted.
Checkered, check.
Large spots or diagrams.
Striped.
’ai,*
336
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
CHANTS AND LEGENDS
CREATION CHANTS
Création or The Wored^
O Ta’aroa te tupuna o te mau atua
ato’a ; na’na te mau mea ato’a i hamani.
Mai tahito a iuiu" mai o Ta’aroa
nui,"
Tahi-tumu.
Na Ta’aroa iho Ta’aroa i tupua toivi
oia iho to’na metua, aore to’na
metua tane, aore metua vahiné.
Ua mano te huru o Ta’aroa ; o Ta’a¬
roa i ni’a, Ta’aroa i
raro, Ta’aro ofa’i.
E fare atua Ta’aroa, to’na tuamo’o,
o te tahuhu
ia, na ivi ’ao’ao o te ta’ota’o ia. Teie ta Ta’aroa :
noa ;
Ta’aroa-nui,
Parau-mau,
Hurifenua,
Ta’aroa-nui fa’aoti hara e te ino, Ta’a¬
roa-nui Tumu-tahi, Ta’aroa-nui hiuhiu
Ta’aroa upu tû Ta’aroa ma tû ra’i,
Ta’aroa ha’apurara, Ta’aroa tû ava’va,
Ta’aroa ta’ahi tumu, Ta’aroa nui tuhi
mate.”
E tuhi i te fenua
fenua
e
mate, e huri i te
_e pohe i te ma’i, e tuhi e te moana
riorio,' e tuhi i te ra’au e oha haere.
E mano te huru o Ta’aroa, ho’e roa ra
Ta’aroa, i ni’a, i raro, e i te Pô.
e
parahi Ta’aroa i roto i to’na pa’a
mai te pô a ’iu’iu mai.
Mai te huoro ra te pa’a i roto i te
aere
a
’ohu noa ai, ’aore ra’i, ’aore
fenua, ’aore tai,
aore marama, aore
fétu.
aore
E pô ana’e ia,
e
po
tinitinP ia
e
râ,
te
ta’ota’o. O Rumia te io’a o taua pa’a o
Ta’aroa ra.
O Ta’aroa ana’e iho i to’na pa’a. Aore
Dictated
Ta’aroa
ancestor
of
everything.
the
great
origin).
'Ta’aroa
tude ; he
no father
(The-unique-one)
the
made
From time immémorial was
ail
the
Ta’aroa,
gods ;
was
he
Tahi-tumu
(The-
developed himself in soli¬
was
or
his
own
mother.
parent,
having
Ta’aroa’s natures were myriads ; he
was Ta’aroa above, Ta’aroa
below, Ta’a¬
roa
in stone.
Ta’aroa was a god’s
house; his backbone was the ridgepole,
his ribs were the supporters.
These
were Ta’aroa’s' [attributes] :
Great-Ta’aroa, the Truth, Turner-ofthe earth, the Great-Ta’aroa who ended
sins and evil, the Great-Ta’aroa Founda¬
tion, the Great-Ta’aroa of boundless
glory, Ta’aroa of sure bidding, Ta’aroa
of the clear sky, Ta’aroa who propagated, Ta’aroa who stood over the pas¬
sage of the reef,” Ta’aroa the extirpator,
the great Ta’aroa whose curse was
death.
When he cursed the earth there was
death, when he turned the earth there
was
sickness, when he cursed the s'ea it
became
dry, when he cursed the trees
they drooped.
Myriads were the na¬
tures of Ta’aroa, but there was only one
Ta’aroa, above, below, and in Hades.
Ta’aroa sat in his shell in darkness
for millions of âges.
The shell was' like an egg revolving in
endless space, with no sky, no land, no
sea, no moon, no sun, no stars.
Ail was darkness, it was continuons,
thick darkness. Rumia (Upset) was the
name of that shell of Ta’aroa.
Ta’aroa
was'
quite alone in his shell.
by Paora’i, a counselor of Porapora. Afterwards Vai’au, a high priest
of Porapora, recited nearly the same chant, also a little later, Pati’i, a noted
high priest of Mo’orea.
In some points it suggests t'he Scriptures; in others, Hindu beliefs.
A fine conception of the
attributes of Ta’aroa is also given.
Mai tahito a iuiu mai has been changed to mai tahito roa mai.
^
Nui is extant only in names and folklore; rahi remains extant.
*
Hiuhiu ’ai’ai has been dropped for hanahana hopeore.
'•The title of Ta’aroa is explained on pages 341-44.
^
Mate in modem Tahitian is applied only to the demîse of royalty; pohe signifies death in its
general sense.
Riorio no longer means dry, but oriorîo means withered and maro dry.
*
Tinitini, continuous, has been replaced by hopeore.
^
-
in
1822
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
metua tane, aore metua vahiné, ’aore
tua’ana, aore tuahiiie. Aore ta’ata, aore
pua’a, aore ’uri.
O Ta’aroa ra, ’oia
ana’e iho.
E
aere
aere,
e
rai te aere,
aere
tai
te
aere.
e
aere,
aere
e
fenua te
vai te
aere
A tae râ i te ho’e tau, ua pâte ihora
Ta’aroa i to’na pa’a, e amaha huru uputa
rô a’era.
Ua unuhi maira Ta’aroa i
vaho, ti’a ’tura i ni’a iho i to’na ra pa’a,
hi’o ihora e o ’oia ana’e ra.
’Aore e
muhumuhuraa, e po ana’e ra to vaho.
Ua pi’i ihora, “Ovai tei ni’a na e?”
’Aore reo! “Ovai tei raro na e?” ’Aore
reo !
“Ovai tei tai na e ?’’ ’Aore reo !
“Ovai tei uta na e ?’’
’Aore reo !
Te
pinainai noa mai ra to’na iho reo, tira
’tu ai.
Naô attira Ta’aroa, “Aere ra’i e, aere
nii’u e, aere fenua, e toro atu i nia roa
e i raro roa na e !’’
A an noa Ta’aroa i
roto i te aere fenua ore.
Au attira e
ni’a e ni’a roa, e i raro, i raro roa ; hoi
atura ia Tumu-iti i roto ia Fa’a-iti i
to’na ra pa’a, fa’aea ’tura na i roto ia
Fa’a-iti ma te apiapi e te poiri ta’ota’o.
Rohirohi atura Ta’aroa i roto i taua
pa’a ra, e matmti atura oia i te ho’e pa’a
hou, e ti’a mai nei i vaho i ni’a iho i te
pa’a tahito ra ia Rumia.
Ua rave ihora ’oia i taua pa’a hou
no’na ra ei tumu nui no te ao nei ei
fenua e ei repo no te fenua. E o
taua pa’a o Rumia ra, i vetevete hia i
mutaaiho ra, o to’na ia fare, te apu o
te ra’i atua, o te rai piri ia, o te fa’aati
i te ao i tupu ra.
papa
Fa’aea aéra Ta’aroa i te rai piri poiri
’aore ’oia i ite e e ao to vaho, e
roa, .e
tamaiti a’era Ta’aroa, Teie râ na
ta’ata i roto iana iho, o meharo, o manao, o tutonu, e o hi’ohi’o, o na taata ia
i ite i te fenua. Ovai tei
topa i te io’a
o teie tamaiti, o Ta’aroa?
ÈVna iho i
topa noa i to’na iho io’a, o Ta’aroa.
R'ahi atura, pa’ari atura ; e mana rà
to Ta’aroa ! E atua ha te mau atua
ato’a ? E atua ri’i tapiripiri haere noa ia !
ua
Tei roto ia Ta’aroa te mau peu atoa.
Te vero, te ua, te tai, tei roto ana’e i
to’na ’apu rima.
Ua hamani ihora Ta’aroa i te tumu
nui o te fenua ei tane, e i te papa fenua
ei vahiné a’e na te Tumu-nui ; o Haru®
See Isaiah 40: 12:
337
He had no father, no mother, no elder
brother, no sister. There were no people, no beasts, no birds, no dogs. But
there was Ta’aroa, and he alone.
There was skÿ space, there was land
space, there was océan space, there was
fresh-water space.
But at last Ta’aroa gave his s’hell a
fillip which caused a crack resembling an
opening for ants. Then he slipped out
and stood upon his shell, and he looked
upon
his shell, and he looked and found
that he was alone. There was no sound,
ail was darkness outside.
And he shouted, “Who is' above there,
oh?”
No voice [answered]. “Who is
below there, oh?” No voice! “Who is
in front there, oh ?”
No voice ! “Who
is in back there, oh?” No voice! There
was
the écho of his own voice, and
that was ail.
And Ta’aroa exclaimed, “Oh, space
for skies, oh, space for hosts, oh, space
for land, extending high above and far
below !”
Then he swam in the space
without land. He swam up, far up, and
down, far down ; and then he returned
Tumu-iti (Little-foundation) in Fa’aiti (Little-valley) within his shell, and
to
he dwelt there in close confinement and
thick darkness.
At length, Ta’aroa got wearied of that
shell, and
and
so
he slipped out of
stood
a
new
outside upon the old
shell [which was named] Rumia.
And he took his new shell for the
great foundation of the world, for
stratum rock and for soil for the world.
And the shell, Rumia, that he opened
first, became his house, the dôme of the
one,
gods’ sky, which was a confined sky, enclosing the world then forming.
Then Ta’aroa
dwelt
in the
confined
sky in total darkness, and did not know
of light outside, and thus he became a
lad. But these were the persons’ within
himself, memory, thought, steadfast-gaze,
and observation ; these persons knew
the land. Who gave this boy his name,
Ta’aroa?
Fie named himself, Ta’aroa.
Fie grew and became matured ; but
how great was Ta’aroa !
What gods
were ail the others?
They were only
minor, dépendent gods !
By Ta’aroa ail things existed. The
storm, the rain, the s'ea, were in the
hollow of his hand.”
Ta’aroa made the great foundation of
the earth to be the husband, and the
stratum rock to be the wife ; Haruru-
"Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand.“
338
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
ru-papa
te
ioa
o
taua
tumu
ra,
tu’u
Ta’aroa i to’na varua i roto, ’oia
te meho’i no’na iho, topa ’tura o Ta’aroanui-Tumu-tahi. Ua maeva a’era Ta’aroa
ia Tumu-nui ei ari’i, maeva rà Tumuiti ia Tumu-nui fenua ’ore.
atura
papa
(Rock-resounder) was the name of
self,
and
that foundation, and he put his spirit
into it, which was the essence of him-
named
it
Ta’aroa-nui-tumu-
tahi (Great-unique-foundation). Ta’aroa
hailed Tumu-nui (Great-foundation)“ as
king, but Tumu-itP hailed him
without land.
Ua ta’o atura Ta’aroa :
“E Tumu-nui
ne’e mai a fa’a tane, ei tane a’e na
teie nei vahiné na Papa-raharaha.”
E
e, a
reo
mau
te
Tumu-nui i
te
naô ra’a
fenua nei.”
te
no
to
“E ore au e ne’e atu, e tumu vau
’tu e,
as
king
And Ta’aroa said :
“Oh, Tumu-nui,
crawl hither as a htisband, to espouse
this
wife
Papa-raharaha” (Stratum-
Tumu-nui had an audible voice
answered, “I will not crawl
rock).
as'
he
thifher,
I
World.”
am
the foundation
for
the
Ua ta’o atura Ta’aroa; “E te papa
raharaha e, a ne’e mai oe ei vahiné na
teie tane ia Tumu-nui.” E reo mau to
taua papa ra i te parau ra’a ’tu e, “E
ore
au
e ne’e atu,
e papa vau no te
fenua nei.”
’Aore te ho’e i tae, aore
hoi te tahi i tae.
Then Ta’aroa said: “O, Papa-ra-haraha, crawl hither to espouse this husband, Tumu-nui.” That rock had a real
voice as it answered, “I will not crawl
A tau â Ta’aroa i te ra’i piri ia Rumia ;
rahu atua, i fanau i te po ia Ta’aroa. I
ta’o hia ’e taua ra’i ra e e ra’i atua.
Ta’aroa dwelt on for âges within the
close sky [named] Rumia; he conjured
forth gods, and they were born to him
in darkness.
For this reason the sky
was called the sky of gods.
O
tatau
Ta’aroa nei
tu ra’i, ua fariua ei
te po, ei tupuraa atua.
Ria roa
taata i hamani hia ’i, o Tû ma
no
nei te
Ta’aroa’'
ta’ata.
ia
i
te
hamani
ra’a
hia
te
te
Ta’aroa, ’oia te
ra’au, ’oia te ra’au torotoro, ’oia
fei pû, ’oia te ruperupe i ni’a i te
te
Ua fenua a’era te fenua, e ua paari,
tapea ra te fee nui, o Tumu-ra’i-
A ueue te huruhuru a
tumu
fenua.
fenua; tahi avei, i apato’a ia; tahi avei
i apa-toerau ; tahi avei i te hiti’a-o-terâ; e tahi avei i to’oâ-o-te-râ ; a tape’a
i te fenua e te ra’i piri i raro nei.
Na Ta’aroa te
mau
mea
’toa.
thither. I am the stratum rock for the
earth.” The one did not go nor did the
other go.
When Ta’aroa stood within and turned
his face to call to darkness, it was to
create
gods.
It
was
made.
Tû
when he made man.
man
was
When
Ta’aroa
much
was
shook
later that
with Ta’aroa
off
his
feath-
ers,’” they became trees, plantain clus¬
ters, and verdure upon the land.
When land became land
and
it
was
firm, the great octopus, Tumu-ra’i-fenua
(Poundation-of-earthly-heaven) held on ;
one arm was s'outh, one arm was
north,
one arm.was east, and another arm was
west ; they held the sky down against
the earth.
Everything belonged to Ta’aroa.
Tumu-nui, the Great-foundation rock, stands in utter darkness, far down in the extinct
Te-raehani, in Ra’iatea, by a great rushing stream of water called Vai-tu-po. (See p. 201.;
Tumu-iti, Tittle-foundation rock, stands about seven feet high, musliroom sliaped and covered
with verdure, upon the Southern shore of the Httle hilly island of Toopua, which lies within the
reef Southwest of Porapora.
Ta’aroa, raua o Tu, the superior first, would now be used instead of “Tu ma Ta’aroa”; but
ma is still employed t'hus only, Ta’aroa
ma, meaning Ta’aroa and company, the name of the superior
of a company being sufficient without any other, as the sense of ma has changed.
Red and yellow feathers were supposed to be the covering of the gods in the beginning,
Hair it is said first appeared on the head of the god Tane and was called rimu (moss) by the
other deities, man eventually naming it rourii (hair).
crater of
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
339
Anothër Version oe the Creation^^
I noho maoro na Ta’aroa i roto i
to’na ra pa’a.
Mai te huoro mau ia te
menemene, e te taaminomino ra i roto
i te aere mai te pô tinitini maià.
’Aore râ, ’aore marama, ’aore fenua,
’aore mou’a, te vai ’are’are noa ra.
’Aore ta’ata, ’aore pua’a, ’aore moa, ’aore
’urî, aore peu oraora, ’aore tai, ’aore vai.
la tae
ra
i te ho’e tau, te patapata ra
ra pa’a
i roto i to’na
Ta’aroa i to’na
nohoraa piri, ’afà a’era, parari a’era.
Ua unuhi aéra Ta’aroa, tû noa ’tura i
ni’a iho i te pa’a e ua pi’i atura : “O vai
tei ni’a na e?
O vai tei raro na e?”
Aore reo i te parau ra’a mai !
“O vai
tei tai na e? O vai tei uta na e?” ’Aore
reo i te parau ra’a mai !
E vevovevo
ana’e no to’na iho reo, e ati noa a’e,
aita ’tu.
For
long period Ta’aroa dwelt in
It was round like an
egg, and revolved in space in continuous
a
his Shell (crust).
darkness.
There
was
mountain,
no
There
State.
sun, no moon, no land,
was in a confluent
was' no man, no beast, no
no
ail
dog, no living thing, no sea,
fresh water.
But at last Ta’aroa was filliping his
Shell, as he sat in close confinement, and
it cracked, and broke open.
Then he
slipped ont and stood upon the shell,
and he cried out, “Who is above there?
Who is below there?”
No voice answered !
“Who is in front there? Who
is in back there?” No voice answered !
Only the écho of his' own voice resounded and nothing else.
fowl,
and
no
no
Ta’o atura Ta’aroa, “E te papa e, a
ne’e mai !” ’Aore rà e papa ia ne’e atu.
Ua ta’o atura, “E te one e, a nee mai !”
Aore rà e one ia ne’e atu. Riri atura i
te mea aita ’oia i fa’aro’o hia.
Then Ta’aroa said, “O rock, crawl
hither !”
But there was no rock to
crawl to him.
And he said, “O sand,
crawl hither!”
But there was no sand
Huri ihora i taua pa’a no’na ra, fa’ati’a
ijiora i ni’a ei ’apu no te ra’i, topa
’tura i te i’oa o Rumia. Rohirohi atura,
e ria ri’i ihora, ua unuhi atura i te ho’e
So he overturned his shell and raised
it up to form a dôme for the sky and
called it Rumia. And he became wearied and after a short period he slipped
out of another shell that covered him,
which he took for rock and for sand.
But his anger was' not yet appeased, so
he took his spine for a mountain range,
his ribs for mountain slopes, his vitals
for broad floating clouds, his flare and
his flesh for fatness of the earth, his
arms
and legs for strength for the
earth ; his' finger nails and toe nails for
scales and shells for the fishes ; his
feathers for trees, shrubs, and creepers,
to clothe the earth ; and his intestines
pa’a hou o te vehi ia’na iho, rave ihora
ei papa e ei one. ’Aore a ra i mâha
to’na riri, rave atura i to’na tuamo’o ei
panai mou’a, to ’na ’ao’ao ei purou
mou’a, to’na manava ei pati’i ata marevareva, to’na toahua e to’na ’i’o ei pori
fenua, to’na rima e na avae ei faaetaeta
no
te fenua; to’na ma’iu’u rima e te
ma’iu’u avae ei apu e ei poa no te i’a;
to’na huruhuru ei raau, ei nanaihere, e
ei raau tafifi, ia ruperupe te fenua; e
to’na a’au ei ’oura e ei puhi no te vai
e te tai ; e ahu ’tura te toto o Ta’aroa,
mareva tura
ei ra’i ’ute’ute e ei anuanua.
’Are’a te ’uru o Ta’aroa ra, vai mo’a
noa ’tura ia no’na iho, te vai ora noa ra
Ta’aroa i te ho’e tino ’ino ’ore. ’Oia te
fatu o te mau mea atoa. Ateatea, tupura’a ’tura.
A rahu Ta’aroa i te atua, a ria roa na
rà te ta’ata i rahua, ia Tû ma Ta’aroa.
Mai ta Ta’aroa ra, e pa’a ia, ’oia ho’i
’apu, e ’apu ho’i to te mau mea ato’a
nei.
te
Then he got vexed
obeyed.
for lobsters, shrimps, and eels for the
rivers and the seas ; and the blood of
Ta’aroa got heated and drifted away for
redness for the sky and for rainbows.
But Ta’aroa’s head remained sacred
to
himself, and he still lived, the
same
head on an indestructible body. He was
master of everything.
There was' ex¬
pansion and there was growth.
Ta’aroa conjured forth gods, but it
was much later that man was conjured,
whcn Tû was with him.
As Ta’aroa had crusts, that
so bas everything a shell.
I
is, shells,
and Ra’i-tupu, respectively, high priests of Porapora,
by Tamera, Tahitian high priest.
Recited in 1822 and 1824 by Pao-raro
and aîso in 1833
crawl to him.
because he was not
to
Bernice P‘. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
340
E ’apu te ra’i, ’oia te aelia’i, i fa’anoe te atua te râ, te marama, te tua
ta’a, e te hui tarava, a te atua.
The
sky is a shell, that is; etjdless
in which the gods placed the sun,
the moon, the Sporades,’® and the con¬
stellations of the gods.
hohia
space
E ’apu te fenua nei no te ’ofa’i, te
vai e te ra’au o te tupu mai.
To te tane nei ’apu, o te vahiné ia,
no te mea na rei
ra mai ’oia
i te ao
nei ; e to te vahiné nei ’apu, o te vahiné
ia, no te mea na te vahiné ’oia i fanau.
E ore e hope te tai’o i te ’apu o te
mau mea o te ao nei.
The earth is a shell to the stones, the
water, and plants that spring from it.
Man’s shell is' woman because it is by
her that he cornes into the world ; and
woman’s shell is woman because she is
born of woman.
One cannot enumerate the shells of
ail the things that this world produces,
Chaotic Përiod^^®
Te piri, a piri te fenua, te mau, a mau
fenua. Te reva, a reva te fenua. Te
imi ra, a imi i te fenua. Te ore, a ore
Confinement, the earth was confined,
Atmosphère, the earth
was atmosphère.
Searching, there was
searching for land. Nothing, there was
no
land.
Inland was not yet formed,
seaward was not yet formed, above was
not
yet formed, below was not yet
firmnes's held it.
te
te fenua.
ni’a,
aore
Aore a uta, aore a tai, aore a
a
raro.
formed.
The time”
Fana’e te tau o te po, fana’e te tau o
te ao.
Huru maumau, huru mahaha. O
tahi
rairai,
o
for night ebbed.
There
rapid progress, there was slow progress.
There was thinness', and there was
was
tahi a’ana.
thickness.
O tahi nei a’a a fanau, o papa tau’a
ti’a ia. E feo ê tei raro i te tai. E feo
ê tei te mato, oia te mau vahi afàfà i te
mato ra, o te mairiraa ofa’i ia.
e
E papa mato e te feo moana,
matua, e tau’a ta raua.
e
The ,first génération of .growth was
born, it was affinity rocks. There is dif¬
ferent rock in the sea from that of the
cliff where there are clefts, whence stones
roll down.
Rock from the cliffs and océan rock
may meet and unité, there is affinity
between them.
Slate rock and clay rock may meet
and unité, there is affinity between them.
Pebbles and crumbling rock may meet
and imite, there is' affinity between them.
Black rock and white rock may meet
and unité, there is affinity between them.
tu’ati,
E papa ofa’i, e papa araea, e tuati, e
e tau’a ta raua.
E papa iriiri, e papa otaota, e tua’ti,
e matua, e tau’a ta raua.
E papa U ri e te papa tea, e tu’ati, e
matua, e tau’a ta raua.
E papa One e te papa repo, e tu’ati, e
matua, e tau’a ta raua.
E papa tai, e papa vai, e tu’ati, e ma¬
tua, e tau’a ta raua.
E papa ’outu, e pajja ri’oa, e tu’ati, e
matua, e tau’a ta raua.
matua,
E papa tahatai,
e
papa
matua, e tau’a ta raua.
Taua tau’a
e
ore
E
ai
na
ra, o te
pu’e mea
a’au tu’ati,
a
tama’i ia ia raua,
e ta hôe ai.
hopara, e papa nohora’a, e
tu’ati, ’aore e matua, ’aore e tau’a ta
papa
raua.
matingtogether.
Rock that repuises and rock to sit
upon may meet and not unité, there is
no affinity between
them.
In ancient astronomy ail stars not included in
Sporades.—Ed,
Recitea in 1822 by Pao-raro,
Sandy rock and earthy rock may meet
and unité, there is affinity between them
Océan rock and river rock may meet
and unité, there is affinity between them.
Rock of the point and rock of the bay
may meet and unité, there is affinity
between them.
Rock of the shore and rock of the
reef may meet and unité, there is affinity
between them.
These affinities retain différences which
prevent ail these things from amalga-
some
recognized constellation were called the
Rai-tupu, Anna, Moo, high priests of Porapora, and also in
1835 by Tamera and Ananî, high priest and chief of Tahiti, respectively.
Night pervaded the world, and there was no day at that time.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
E mataetae rà te ta’ata i te fa’atu’ati’ati haere noa ra’a i taua mau mea nei !
’Naha ho’i Ta’aroa-mii !
Na taliu’a
oia iho i mata pu’upu’u hia’i Havai’i.
A tahi mata
mata
fenua.
pu’upu’u,
pu’upu’u a rire.
a
rire.
A rua
’Ai’ai a’era te
O Te-tupu-o-’ai’ai a noho ia Tumuiti fenua, a fanau ta’na, o Taune’e. Te
ne’e maira te fenua.
te
O Tau-ne’e a noho i te Pautere-fenua,
tere noa maira te fenua.
O Pau-tere-fenua a noho ia Ara’Arahu i te tumu, te ’arahu ra te fenua.
341
But man would get impatient trying
unité ail these things !
Behold Ta’aroa-nui!
In himself were
the devices that made uneven the face
of Havai’i (Invoked-space-that-filled).
The first unevenness took place and
there was applause.
The second un¬
evenness took place and there was
ap¬
to
plause.
Then the earth looked well.
Te-tupu-o-’ai’ai ( Growth-of-comeliness)
dwelt with Tumu-iti of land, and there
was boni Tau-ne’e.
Eand was creeping
in.
Tau-ne’e dwelt with Pau-tere-fenua
(All-rushing-land),
land
came
rushing
in.
Pau-tere-fenua dwelt with Ara-’arahu“
(Growth-of-coal) in the foundation, coal
on in the land.
Then Ta’aroa cried : “Let the stratum
rock stand out that sand may corne,
came
Ta’aroa : “A tù mai te
papa ia haere mai te one, ia fanau Tepori ia Ta’ere i te muhu.”
Pi’i
attira
Te one?
E one tuturi, e one pe’epe’e,
e one vari maira.
I atura
Ha-va-i-i i te one ; e one i te ’aere nu’u,
e one i te fenua mahora, e one i te ana
vai, e one i te tororaa moua, e one i te
e
one
hua,
’aere nu’u ra’au.
A he’e mai te fenua, e ara piri na te
nui maira, no te he’era’a ’tu o te
vai na te ’atau, e te tai na te ’aui.
tumu
Te ti’ara’a
Ta’a roa, ti’a na ia i te
I ni’a i te a’au o te
ho’e pae ava te ta’ahira’a o te ho’e ava’e,
e i ni’a i te a’au o te tahi
pae ava teo
pu’e ava varivari.
ta’ahira’a
o
te tahi
avae.
A hi’o rà Ta’aroa, ta’o atura ; “A tû
mai te papa tû ’oi ei tûura’a no te
mou’a.
la vai mai te papa fenua ei
fa’ahorahorara’a no te fenua e te tai.”
No te rahu a Ta’aroa i riro ai te iho
o te fenua ei
fenua ; riro atura Havai’i
ei fenua no te rahu a Ta’aroa.
A oriori Ta’aroa i te iho o te fenua.
Ueue ihora o Ta’aroa i te fenua, e aita
i ’aueue a’e.
Ua parau mai ra Ta’aroa ;
“O ta’u tao’a maita’i o ta’u fenu’a
nei e!”
Ua ta’o atura Ta’aroa, rahu atura;
“E Tû e, a haere mai ei tahu’a ia’u nei !”
that Te-pori
(Fatness) may he born
for Ta’ere (Keel)“ in the murmurings !”
Sand? There came sand to kneel on,
flying sand, fine sand, and muddy sand.
Havai’i became full of sand ; sand in
the space for armies, sand on the plains,
sand in the river beds, s'and for the
mountain ranges, sand for the forest
wilds.
As land came rushing on, there was a
narrow course around the great founda¬
tion whence fresh water flowed out to
the right and the sea flowed out to the
left,
The standing place for Ta’aroa there
over
the disturbed waters of the ■
passage of the reef.'"
On the reef of
one side he placed one foot, and on the
was
reef of the passage of the
he placed the other foot.
opposite side
And Ta’aroa looked and said : “Let
the basaltic peaks stand to support the
mountains. Let the stratum rock lie as
a bed for the earth and sea.”
It was the incantation of Ta’aroa that
made the substance of the land land;
Havai’i became land by Ta’aroa’s incan¬
tation.
Then Ta’aroa molded the substance
of the land, and he shook it, and it
yielded not. And he exclaimed : “What
good property I hâve in this land of
mine !”
And he uttered this incantation : “O
Tû (Stability), corne forth to he an
’Arahu means coal and also charcoal.
Coal îs not found in Tahiti, but the natives hâve
known about it from time immémorial, probably from their former voyages in lands which produced it,
Ta’ere, a god in the category of the gods, much is stated further.
This explains the attribute of Ta’aroa.
(See p. 336, footnote 1.)
Of
2®
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
342
Tû tapu,
Ua haere mai ra o Tû tapu, o
O Tû tahu’a rahi a Ta’aroa.
Ua ta’o attira Ta’aroa : “A horahora
mai i te one i ta’u va’a iti e ! A hora¬
hora i te one o ta’u vaa nui e. A horo
a
ha’a, a horo a ha’a, a horo a ha’a, e ia
oti roa!”
A hohora o Tû i te one,
ha’a i te ta’o o Ta’aroa.
Fanau maira te a’a
no
te fenua.
te
pou.
Atea
e
ati
o
Roots
world.
noho
“E te Tumu-nui e te
noa
a’e.
Ua ta’o atura Taaroa, “E te Tumunui e te Papa-rahapaha e, a toina mai
ei pou ; a pou hia’i to taua“’ fenua ; e
pou
hia,^^ e poupou hia.”
until ail is done !”
tupura’a
Papa-raharaha e, a toina mai ei pou, ei
pou mua, ei pou mûri.”
Ua toina mai ra i te pou ; o Hotu-ite-ra’i ei pou mua, o Ana-feo ei pou
mûri, faaateatea ’tura Taaroa ia Atea,
na nia iho ; rahu atura i te varua mana
no
And
Ta’aroa
commanded, saying:
“Lay out the sand for my small canoë !
Lay out the sand for my big canoë !
Run and do, run and do, run and do
And Tû spread out the sand, he ran
and did as Ta’aroa commanded him.
Ua haapapu atura Ta’arôa i te apu o
ra’i, te pa’a ra, ia Rumia, na ni’a i
Ua ta’o atura,
were
born
for
[génération],
the king, second génération
born, he lived for the third.
When the king, third génération was
born, he lived for the fourth.
When the king, fourth génération
was born, he lived for the fifth.
When the king, fifth génération was
born, he lived for the sixth.
When the king, sixth génération was
When
was
born, he lived for the seventh.
the king, seventh génération
born, he lived for the eighth.
When
was
When the king, eighth génération was
born, he lived for the ninth.
When the king, ninth génération was
born, he lived for the tenth.
There were tens of roots.
There were hundreds of roots.
There were thousands of roots.
There were myriads’ of roots.
Roots that spread upwards and roots
that spread downwards.
Roots that
spread inland and roots that spread
seawards.
As roots spread they held
the sand ; the land became firm.
Ta’aroa fixed the dôme of the sky,
the shell Rumia, upon pillars'.
He said :
“O Tumu-nui and Paparaharaha, bring forth pillars, let there
be a front pillar and a back pillar.”
And there were brought forth pillars ;
Hotu-i-te-ra’i
(Fruitfulness-of-the-sky)
for a front pillar, and Ana-feo (Coral
Aster)
for
a
back pillar, and Ta’aroa
extended the space, Atea
by
means
(Vast-expanse),
of them, and he invoked
a
great spirit to pervade Atea.
And Ta’aroa said : “O Tumu-nui and
Papa-raharaha, bring forth pillars ; there
shall be pillars upon our land;
shall be pillars, many pillars.”
period when the Tahitians worshipped but one suprême being.
“
la rahi te pou would now be used instead of ia poupou hia.
a
growth in the
When the king, first génération of
roots, was born, he lived for the second
l'i
The pronoun plural, tatou, would be thus used in modem Tahitian
the dual form; but taua was the old theological form of addressing more than
dating from
Tû,
a
Fanau te ari’i, o a’a mata rua, a
noho ia i te a’a mata toru.
Fanau te ari’i o a’a mata toru, a
noho i te a’a mata hà.
Fanau te ari’i, o a’a mata hà, a noho
ia i te a’a mata rima.
Fanau te ari’i, o a’a mata rima, a
noho ia i te a’a mata ono.
Fanau te ari’i, o a’a mata ono, a
noho ia i te a’a mata hitu.
Fanau te ari’i, o a’a mata hitu a noho
id i te a’a mata varu.
Fanau te ari’i o te a’a mata varu, a
noho ia i te a’a mata iva.
Fanau te ari’i, o te a’a mata iva, a
noho ia i te a’a mata tini.
A tini te aro o te a’a.
A rau te aro o te a’a.
A mano te aro o te a’a.
A mano tini te aro o te a’a.
Tea’a toro i ni’a e te a’a toro i raro,
te a’a toro i uta e te a’a toro i tài.
A
toro te a’a, a mau te one ; papû atura
te fenua.
te
Ta’aroa.
came
artisan of
horo
a
Fanau te ari’i, o a’a matamua, a
ia i te a’a mata-rua.
te
artisan for me !” And there
the sacred one, Tû, the great
instead
one
o£
there
taua,
god, perhaps
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
A ite
O
a
faarire, a toro.
When
Tia aéra, o Hotu-i-te-ra’i ei pou mua;
Ana-feo ei pou mûri ; Ti’amà-ta’aroa,
i pou hia’i te pou ti’ara’a,
nohora’a, te pou fa’a’ere’erera’a,
te pou ’orerorerora’a, te you vana’ana’ara’a, e te pou haerera’a.
ei pou roto;
te
pou
O fa’aroa i te
Tumu-nui,
fa’aroa i
te Papa-raharaha, a fa’aroa i te piha, a
fa’aroa i te ’opi a ra’i.
A toro te ra’i,
a
’a’ano te ra’i, i te pou fenua no
a
Plavai’i.
*
îl:
*
*
tini attira.
Te tupu o te ua, ràrà te ua.
Te tupu o te rimu e te piapia, ràrà
ia.
Te tupu o te uni ra’au,
this
was
realized,
there
was
applatise, there was extension.
There stood, Hotu-i-te-ra’i for a
front pillar ; Ana-feo for a back pillar ;
Ti’ama-Ta’aroa (Perfect-purity), the inner pillar; and there were the
pillar to
stand by, the pillar to sit by, the pillar
to blacken by, the pillar to debate by,
the élocution pillar, and the pillar of
exit.”’'
There was extension of Tumu-nui,
there was extension of Papa-raharaha,
extension of the chambers for the gods
and man, and extension of the horizon.
The sky was extended, it was widened
with the pillars of the land of Havai’i.
*
Te tupu o te pô, ràrà te pô.
Te tupu o te mou’a, ràrà te mou’a.
Te tupu o te vai, ràrà te vai.
Te tupu o te moana, ràrà te moana.
Te tupu o te to’a, ràrà o te to’a.
Te tupu o te ra’i, ràrà o te ra’i, e tua
attira
343
*
Hades grew, and darkness extended.
Mountains grew, and they multiplied.
Water grew, and rushed on.
The océan grew and rolled forth.
Rocks grew and increased.
The skies grew and extended until
they were ten in ntimber.
Rain developed and fell everywhere.
Moss and slime grew and increased.
ràrà o te uru
Forests grew and increased.
raaii.
o te ma’a, ràrà te ma’a.
Tupu o te aute, ràrà o te aute.
Tupu o te ra’au torotoro, ràrà o te
Te tupu
Food grew and increased.
Paper mulberry grew and increased.
Creeping plants grew and increased.
ra’au torotoro.
Tupu te nana’ihere, ràrà te nana’ihere.
Ha’uti’uti e aho
vai, e o te fenua.
o
te
moana,
Tupu te
mau
o
te
mea
tai, o te vai, e o te fenua, a
ràrà i te tai, i te vai e i te fenua.
Ua hi’o ihora o Ta’aroa i raro, e ua
hi’o attira i ni’a, ua ’ata a’era i te fa’i
oraorao
te
mai i to’na
aro.
and increased.
quickened in the sea,
rivers, and on the land.
Weeds grew
Life
in
the
Living things grew in the sea, in the
rivers, and on the land, and they in¬
creased in the sea, in the rivers, and
the land.
looked below, and then he
looked above, and he laughed on seeing
what was revealed to hini.
The face of clearness ahove looked
down upon clearness below; the face of
on
Te mata ra o te fa’i mai i ni’a, nànà
i te fa’i mai i raro ; te mata ra o te fa’i
mai i raro a nànà i te fa’i mai i ni’a.
Ta’aroa
In the Scripttires appear such expressions as “pillars of heaven” and pillars of the
earth”;
“The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproof” (Job 26:11); “Which shaketh
the earth ont of lier place, and the pillars thereof tremble’’ (Job 9:6); “For the pillars of the
earth are the Lord’s and He hath set the world upon them.’’
In mythology from east to west in
the Old World are varied représentations of the same tliing, such as Atlas
holding up the pillars
of the world and the “life-supporting world tree,” or “World-ash,” the roots of which reached
far down into t’he earth, and its great spreading branches, like pillars, supported the
sky and produced apples of gold which were the stars.
Scientists affirm that the phenomena produced by rays
of the Sun as they penetrated dense atmosphère such as would hâve existed before the Flood and
in a lesser degree after it, would hâve presented to the inhabitants of the earth these
appearances.
So it seems that the so-called “myths” of the ancients are graphie interprétations of their real
impressions.
In
the Tahitian
version, the name of the front pillar, Hotu-i-te-ra’i, (Fruitfulness-of-the-sky)
thonght as does the “Hife-supporting-world-tree’’; and on page 361 pillars instead
as asters in the sky.
Captain R. Kelso Carter, in his work entitled “Alpha and Oméga,’’ or “Birth and death in the
world” (San Francisco, 1894), has explained the above Scriptural and mythological allusions which
hâve been confirmed by modem scientific investigation.
*
conveys
of fruit
the
are
same
said to shine forth
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
344
pi’i ’hora Ta’aroa: “O vai tei
e?”
Ua parau mai ra to uta,
“O vau, O Tû-moua,” “O vau o Tûfenua,’ ’“0 Puna-heuheu,” “O vau, Vaiari’i,” Na Ta’aroa iho i tuu mai i vaho,”
“O vai tei tai na e?”
“O vau, Tinorua, te fatu moana, te fatu i tahua uo
Ua
uta
na
E atua tino
te
moana.”
no
te moana.
“O
rua
tu’ati ia,
Tahuri-mai-to’a.”
vau.
O
vau
Tupu-o-te-moana,” “O matou, to’a tini
rau
te
O
te iho
“O
O
moana.” “O
moana.”
oe
i faatû hia ’i
te
vai
tei ni’a
na
e?”
“O
te
raro
Tumu-nui.”
vau,
o
e?” “O vau o Rua i
“O vau, o Rua i te
“O vau o Rua i te
Papa-raharaha.”
re’area,” “O vau o Rua-i-te-muhumuhu.”
“O vai te fa’aea i ni’a i teie fenua e?”
“Matou, te mau mea oraora, o te horo
haere, o te ne’e, e o te ’au haere.”
“O vai to te
moana
te
e?”
“Matou
o
haere, o te ne’e haere, e o
’au haere.
O Ta’aroa ana’e te fatu
te horohoro
ia matou.”
E varua
te fa’aapi i te moana i
ato’a o ’Oropa’a to’na i’oa,
e reo haruru to to’na.
A ite Ta’aroa a fa’arirê.
Ua fenua
a’era te fenua, ua î atura ia i te mea
oraora.
E vai te tahe na te fenua, e
miti te faaî i te moana, e ua î ana’e
atura ia i te mea oraora.
Tei roto ana’e
a rà i te poiri ta’ota’o o te ra’i piri ia
te
mau
mana
tau
Rumia, i Ha-va-ï-î, Ha-va-ï-î,”® fanaura’a fenua; Ha-va-ï-î, fanaura-a atua;
Ha-va-ï-î, fanaura’a ari’i ; Ha-va-ï-î,
ianaura’a ta’ata.
‘T, Tu-fenua (Standing-land),” “I, Punaheuheu (Rushing-spring),” ‘T, Vai-ari’i
(Royal-river),” “Ta’aroa himself pro-
duced us ail!” “Who is in front there?”
“It is I, Tino-rua (Dual-body), lord of
the océan, the conjured lord of the
océan.”
He was a god of the Océan
with two joined bodies.
“Ihjs I, Tahuri-mai-to’a (Upsettingrock),” “Tupu-o-te-moana (Growth-ofthe-ocean),” “we, myriads of océan
rocks.”
“Thou didst establish the na¬
of the océan.”
“Who is' above there?” ‘T, Atea, the
ture
Atea, te tea nuu, te tea ra’i, te pori a
nu’u, te pori a ra’i, huri hia i te fenua.”
“O vai te
clearnes's below looked up to clearness
above.
Then Ta’aroa called out: “Who is in
back there?” Those in back answered :
“It is E Tu-moua (Standing-mountain),”
moving space, the sky space, the moving
fatness, the fatness of the sky thrown
ofï the earth.”
“Who is down
below?”
“I,
Rua
(Abyss) in Tumu-nui.”
“I, Rua in
Papa-raharaha.” “I, Rua of ripeness.” ‘T,
Rua-i-te-muhumuhu (Source-of-noise).”
“Who dwells upon the land?” “We,
living créatures, that are running to and
fro, that are crawling, and that are
swimming about.”
“Who dwells in the océan?”
“We
who run, who crawl, and who swim
about.
Ta’aroa is master of us ail.”
A great spirit ever pervades the sea,
his name is ’Oropa’a (Unyielding-war-
rior), and he has a roaring voice.
W'hen Ta’aroa saw ail, he applauded."*
Earth had become land, and it was filled
with
living créatures.
Fresh water
flowed throughout the land, sea filled
the océan, and they were filled with liv¬
ing créatures. But ail was still in the
thick darkness of the close sky of
Rumia, in Havai’i, the birthplace of
land ; Havai’i, the birthplace of gods ;
Plavai’i, the birthplace of kings ; Havai’i,
the birthplace of man.
Comparative Folklore on tpie Création
neighboring groups, Ta’aroa’s attributes were generally
on the preceding pages.
His image was always
made hollow with an opening in the back, and into this space were put
sacred feathers and small images of minor gods, so as to obtain from him
In most of the
accepted
as
described
See Genesîs 1:31, “And God
saw everytliing that He had made, and behold it was very good.”
Usage has changed the accents of the double t in Havai’i, both now being short, and but
one break of the voice coming between those two letters.
The true meaning of the word is traced
^
2°
in the chant.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
345
greater godly essence to convey elsewhere.
On the image were carvings
gods, indicating that he was the parent of them ail.
Kanaloa, the présent Hawaiian équivalent of Ta’aroa, is represented as an inferior deity, whose dominion was the Pô (Dark région),
and he was chief of rebellions spirits.
of numerous
From Fornander^'^ it is learned that the Hawaiians had
a
tradition
stating that the universe was created by Wakea (Atea or Vast-expanse),
and Papa (Rock). They begat a calabash and it was divided in two; the
upper part, serving as a cover, Wakea, the mother, threw upwards, and it
became the sky. The méat and seeds within she developed into sun, moon,
and stars; from the juice sprang the rain; and from the bowl were made
the land and
sea.
But there
are
fragments of very old Hawaiian legends which
from an egg which was laid by an immense
bird upon the waters in space. It burst open, one part of the shell be¬
came the sky and the other contained the world.
From the méat of
the egg sprang up Hawaii, which was peopled by Tahitians, who appeared
on the scene
shortly afterwards, landing on the eastern shores; the pig,
the dog, and the fowl accompanied them.
So it may he inferred that the Hawaiians originally had the above
Tahitian chants, to which they added the advent of the great bird.
Fornander has also given the Brahmanic account of création^® as follows:
“The universe existed only in darkness, imperceptible, undefinable, as
if wholly immersed in sleep. The self-existing power, himself undiscerned,
with five éléments and other principles, appeared in glory, dispelling the
gloom. He, whoni the mind alone can perceive, whose essence éludés the
external organs, who has no visible parts, who exists from eternity, even
he, the soûl of ail beings, whom no being can comprehend, shone forth
in person.
Having willed to produce varions beings from his own divine
substance, first with a thought he created the waters ; the waters are
called nara, because they were the production of Nara, or the spirit of
God; and since they were in his first ayana, or place of motion, he thence
is named Narayana, or moving on the waters.”
The Flindu legislator proceeds to tell that “the self-existing power
placed a productive seed in the waters, which became an egg, bright as
gold, blazing like the luminary with a thousand beams, from whence he
was born himself, the divine male, famed in ail worlds under the
appella¬
State
also
that the universe sprang
tion of Brahma.”
Comparative Dictionary, by Edward Tregear, are some
principal accounts of Ta’aroa under several équivalent names from
In the Maori
of the
Fornander, Abraham, The Polynesian race, London, 1878.
Analysis of the Code of Menu; Asiatic Jour., Nov., 1927.
346
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
places where he had varying attributes. In north New Zealand, Taiigaroa
or Takaroa was the son of
Rang! (Heaven) and Papa (Earth), and he
was a great god of the océan.
But in the South Island he was little
known; he was sometimes seen in the misty sunny spray.
Samoa, Tagaloa (pronounced Tangaloa) was the first uncreated
god of the “Cloudless-heaven,” “Spread-out-heaven,” and had a human
form.
He threw one stone down, and it became Savai’i ; then he threw
another, and it became Upolu. He was the creator and visiter of lands
and was worshipped under several manifestations, among which he was
supposed to be a moon god during a period answering to the month of
May, when people were not allowed to roam about out of their houses.
Tagaloa’s Symbol was a bowl or a hollow stone, or still better, a sacred
forest, whither the high chiefs resorted to hold council with him.
In Manihiki, Tangaroa was a fire-god, and from him Maui obtained
In
fire for
men.
In Tonga,
Tangaloa was a great god who dwelt in the sky. From him
He was the god of builders, arts and in¬
ventions, and of foreigners. He fished up the Tongan Islands from the
depths of the océan. Tangaloa had two sons, Tubo and Vakaakau-uli ;
Tubo became the progenitor of the Tongans, and Vakaakau-uli was the
ancestor of Europeans.
In Tonga, Tangaloa, and Maui were held too
sacred to be represented by images.
Theosophists believe that the human spirit is enveloped in seven bodies
or shells, from which it
gradually releases itself before it arrives at its
highest stage of perfection, and the Tahitian account of Ta’aroa changing
his shells may hâve originated from those conceptions, which are as follows:
emanated thunder and lightning.
Atma.
Buddhi.
HINDU
Higher Mana.
LowerMana.
Kama.
Linaa Sharira.
Sthula Shariri.
ËNGUSH
I
( Human soûl.
Animal soûl.
Spirit.
Spiritual soûl or bliss body.
j Casual body.
1 Mental body.
Astral body.
Etheric double.
Dense or physical body.
When the Dense or Physical body dies, the Etheric Double soon dies also
and lies by its side, they say, and the Astral Body, containing the other four,
takes about thirty-six hours to slip out of its etheric envelope.^®
The Astral Body is said to fall into a State of
languor after transition
from its etheric shell, a belief that seems to be the source of the statement of Ta’aroa’s becoming
weary of his first shell and
slipping out of
another one.
See chapter
on
religions beliefs of the Tahitian people (p. 200).
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tumu-nui
347
(Great-foundation) espousing Papa-raharaha (Stratum-rock)
suggests the ancient Oriental idea of the union of the sun and earth.
Tuamotuan Création Chant'*"
The universe was like an egg, which contained Te-Tumu
(The-Founda-
tion) and Te-Papa (The-Stratum-rock). It at last burst and produced
three layers superposed, one below
propping two above. Upon the lowest
layer remained Te-Tumu and Te-Papa, who created man, animais, and
plants.
The first
man
was
Matata
(Effort), produced without arms, and he
shortly after he had corne into being. The second man was Aitu
(Divinity), who came with one arm but without legs, and he died like
bis elder brother.
Finally, the third man was Hoa-tea (Fair-friend) or
Haotu (Admirable), and he was
perfectly formed.
died
After these
named Hoatu
(Sympathy). She became
Hoa-tea, and from them descended the human race. Their
children increased rapidly, the most notable of them
being Aito (Warrior
or Fierce) and his wife, Fenua
(Land).
came
a
woman
the wife of
When the people had greatly multiplied,
Hoa-tea, their progenitor, proposed to expand their dominion by raising the layer above them, to which
ail agreed except Aito and Fenua, who
preferred the horizontal position
they were accustomed to. So strong men raised the layer above
them with their arms, mounting upon each other’s shoulders as
they did
so until the
highest trees could stand upright.
that
Aito and Fenua
begat Tangaroa-i-te-pô (Ta’aroa-of-darkness), an evil
genius of great power who afterwards ruled the netherlands.
When the lowest
layer of earth became filled with création, the people
opening in the middle of the layer above, so that they could
get upon it also, and there they established themselves, taking with them
plants and animais from below. Then they raised the third layer in the
same manner as the first, and
ultimately established themselves there also,
so that human beings had three abodes.
made
an
Above the earth
skies,"'* also superposed, reaching down and
supported by their respective horizons, some being attached to those of
the earth; and the people continued to work expanding one
sky above
another in the same manner, until ail were set in order."^“
were
the
Given in 1890 by X. Caillet, who received it from the chief and regent, Paiore.
In the Tuamotuan illustration of the universe, a distinct division séparâtes the skies into a
right and left side. On the right were the régions in the skies for the gods, on the left those for
human spirits.
The gods could enter the skies on the left, but the human spirits could not enter
the gods’ région.
This chant given by Paiore is evidently in partial explanation of his drawing.—Ed.
”
348
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
After the
skies were disposée! of, the
people, who were at that time
immortal and endowed with great power, created the stars to illumine
the highest heavens, the sun to shine lower
down, and the moon nearest
to the earth.
AU these celestial bodies rose up
through shafts in their
horizons in the east, and set through others in the
in the west, ail in regular succession
except
the
corresponding horizons
sun,
which caused the
Tuamotuan conception of the heavens. (Reproduction of
photographs of the drawings of Paiore’s picture of Création made
Polynesian Society Journal, vol. 28, opp. p. 210, 1919.)
The
a
in
tracing from
1869. From
days and nights to be irregular. The hero Mâûi, son of Tangaroa-i-te-pô
Uahea, regulated the sun by seizing it by its rays one morning as it
was rising from its
hiding place, in the sanie way as described in other
legends.
and
The création of the universe was
scarcely terminated when Tangaroa,
who delighted in doing evil, set lire to the highest
heaven, seeking thus to
destroy everything.
But fortunately the fire was seen spreading by Tama-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
rua
who
349
(Two-children), Ont (Swollen), and Ruanuku (Source-of-armies),
quickly ascended froni the earth and extinguished the fiâmes.
Although Tangaroa was the strongest, these three men combined, fearlessly surrounded him, seized hold of him, and bore him down to the lowest
layer of earth, which was in utter darkness, and there banished him. He
hecame the suprême ruler of that région and remained the powerful god
of death.
Te-Tumu (The-Foundation) was the god of life and rewarded
spirits according to their deserts.
After these
events
human
beings hecame mortal ; and the spirits of
the wicked went down to dwell with Tangaroa, those of the good soared up
to the higher régions.
Tuamotuan Account oi? Tans and Maui**^
According to Tuamotuan mythology, it was Atea and not Tane who
at first a shapeless being, and he was ori hia (molded) into
comely
shape by Vahiné Nautahu (Enchantress Woman), who uttered incanta¬
tions over him similar to the orderings for the perfecting of Tane in the
Tahitian legend. Atea hecame god of the expanse just above the third layer
of earth.
(See figure, p. 348.)
was
Fa’ahotu, as in the Tahitian version, and they begat
daughters, who were called fanau’a hina’una-o-Atea
(handsome-ofïspring-of-Atea), and there followed birds, butterfiies, and ail
kinds of creeping things, which were called fanaua ’i’ino o Atea (commonofïspring-of-Atea ).
Atea’s wife
handsome
sons
was
and
Tane was the son of Te-hau
(Peace) and Metua (Parent), and while
still a youth he came down with his parents and some of his ancestors and
a numerous retinue from a
sky named Vavau to wage war with Atea.
Their power was great but hecame as nothing in the presence of Atea,
vdio smote
of his assailants
they died, and he routed the
they fied from his presence and scrambled as well as they
could up to their own sky. But young Tane fell behind in the dominion
others
so
some
so
that
that
of Atea.
Among those who escaped were Tane’s parents and his two grandfathers, named Pupu-ma-te-arearea (Joyous-troupe) and Mata’i-i-te-’urare’a
(Wind-of-red-and-yellow) ; and Tane seeing that he was left behind
fied to the third layer of earth and dwelt with human beings, who received
him kindly and from whom he learned to eat food, which he had never
tasted in the gods’
Obtained from
régions.
Taroi-nui,
a
TuamoUian chief, by
the aid of Mrs. Walker.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
350
Soon Atea perceived the young god Tane on the earth beneath
him,
and determined to capture and kill him also.
He set a guard at the entrance of each corner of the earth,
south,
north, east and west, so that
Tane might not escape, and sent gods in
pursuit of him. The lad fled
from one point to another,
cleverly evading and dodging his relentless enemies, until at last he saw one of the doorkeepers sitting in a crouching
position with his hands passed under his knees. Then was his chance.
Swift as lightning he sped through the
gâte and escaped to his own région.
Tane’s parents had been mourning for their son as dead, but to their
great joy as they looked out into the horizon one morning they saw that
there was indeed Tane returning home alive.
Having learned to eat food, Tane became hungry in the sky, and so
he asked his father for something to eat. But the father
answered, “There
is no food here; the only thing for you to do when
you are hungry is to
open your mouth and swallow wind.”
“That cannot satisfy,” answered Tane, “how
many men hâve you here?”
“Most of our men were killed by Atea,”
replied the father. “Only your
two grandfathers and their hosts
escaped hither alive; and there are your
ancestors
who remained here with their hosts.”
Tane then
was
went and
the beginning of
killed one of his ancestors and ate him, and this
cannibalism. Another day he became so hungry that
he went and killed another ancestor and ate him also. Then a third
time,
he thought of killing Atea to eat, but his father warned him not to venture
to
approach such a god.
Tane became matured, and he declared
for the past defeat of his father and
people.
against Atea in
revenge
His father still offered objec¬
He went to his ancestor Batu-tiri (Thunder)
tions; but Tane persisted.
and obtained thunderbolts
war
throw upon Atea.
yet, Tane, lest thou fail, but
wait until my hair is gray with âge, and this will he the
sign that Atea
is also aged ; then try thy skill in annihilating him.”
as
Then Te-Hau said to his
weapons to
son :
“Go
not
So Tane waited until his father’s head was hoary, when he went and
gatbered a mighty host from Vavau, headed by his ancestors, Rû-roa (Talltransplanter), Rû-poto (Short-transplanter), Rû-farara (Tottering-Rû),
Rû-tuapu’u (Rû-the-humpbacked), and Rû-honu (Rû-the-turtle), ail of
whom
came
with charms of great power.
Then Te-Hau told Tane
to
go to
his grandfather Mata’i-i-te-ura-re’a
(Wind-of-red-and-yellow) and ask him for seeds of the pia (Tacca pinna-
tiûda). after
obtaining which he returned to his father.
Te-Hau, “descend to the earth, and if you see
“Now my son,” said
ants
gathered at the stump of
a tree
called the toa
(Casuarina) to feed
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
upon
351
its flowers it will be the right time to plant your seeds, and you will
know what to do.”
So Tane and his hosts descended to the earth and found that the ants
had collected round the toa tree and were
feeding upon its flowers, and
then he planted his pia seeds, which soon
of
one
of the plants he sat,
grew.
Upon the spreading top
and he chanted the following lines :
Turu, turu ai toa e,
I te pou O te hoa o te rai e,
E huea i tara o te rai e !
O Rû-roa ta’ata,
Turu hia e ra’i i turu hia.
Tuturu ai toa e.
Noho ai rà te ra’i i ni’a,
I te pia, te teve, e i te auariiroa.
Then the pia plant rose up
Prop, now props the warrior,
With the pillar of the friend of the skies,
Cast up by enchantment will be the skies.
Tall Rû, the
man,
Propped up the sky which is propped.
Now propped by the warrior.
Remain up, now sky,
Upon, pia, teve, and the umbrella tree.
higher and higher with Tane, who thus
extended the heavens and fixed them in their proper
places, as he continued to chant in the same strain.
The pia plant remained as a prop
for the center of the first sky; the foundation stone remained down on the
lowest layer of earth to prop the world, and it was named
( The-road-upwards-to-red-bird ).
manu-ura
Te-ara-nui-pi-
When Atea
saw that Tane had corne intb his
région and had raised
skies, he said : “B noho anei au i te tuturi i te hoa 0 Havai’i nei, a
pari i te toto 0 Atea?” (Shah I remain and kneel in the presence of the
friend of Havai’i, who will seek the blood of Atea?)
And he gathered
the
ail his forces to meet Tane with his host.
Now Tane sought to kill Atea independently of the armies, and so one
day he went to Atea and asked him to make some fire by friction. Atea
made the fire while Tane held down the under attrition wood; but as it
began to burn, Tane blew upon it and displaced it. Then he asked Atea
to make more fire, which Atea did, and Tane
put it out the second time.
Atea then changed places with Tane, and requested him to make the fire.
So Tane made it, uttering enchantment, and when Atea blew upon the
fire as Tane had doue, it blazed more and more instead of dying out.
When
Tangaroa-mata-vera (Tangaroa-fiery-face), one of Tane’s men,
the fire burning he became envions of Tane and
and set fire to the sky above them. But Tane soon
saw
went and
slyly took some of it
perceiving the fiâmes
extinguished them; and on his return he took the thunderbolt
named Fatu-ura-Tane
he died.
(Red-master-Tane) and cast it upon Atea, so that
Tane then took Atea’s body and placed it upon his ship, named A-toa-
e-ruru-ai-hau
did not die.
(Of-warrior-who-collects-to-rule). But Atea’s mana (power)
It still remained great in the islands, and from Atea descended
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
352
the
royal Tuamotuan line of the Pômare family of Tahiti, as is shown in
genealogy.
their
After
disposing of Atea, Tane became very great, and he made his
earthly home the large cliff-bound atoll, Fakarava, formerly named Havaiiki,
and there he distributed languages on earth in the
following manner ;
E kiore te reo o te taata ;
E vava te reo o te o te manu;
Riroriro
te reo
o
te atua ;
Vinivini
te
o
te arii.
reo
From the rat came the human language ;
From the grasshopper came the lan¬
guage of birds ;
Variable sounds’ was the language of
the gods;
Whistling was the language of Idngs.
After ail these events, Tangaroa took to wife a mortal
being, named
Uahea, by whom he had six sons, named, Mâûi-matahiapo ( Mâûi-the-eldest), Mâûi-rua (Mâûi-the-second), Mâûi-toru (Mâûi-the-third), Mâûi-taha
(Side-Mâûi), Mâûi-Muri (Behihd-Mâûi), Mâûi-ti’iti’i or Karukaru (Mâûi-
of-knotted-hair, or wrinkled).
These six children had
their
father, and they enquired of
The last Mâûi decided to watch and
find ont his father himself. ’ After once or twice
getting a glimpse of Tan¬
garoa about the premises, dne evening he saw him emerge from their
hotise with his mother. Mâûi followed them until
they entered an orifice
which led to the second layer of earth and which was
guarded by two
genii, named Ro’o-iti (Little-fame) and Ro’o-ata (Laughing-fame), who
their mother in vain
never
seen
respecting him.
warded him off.
Nothing daunted, Mâûi assaulted the two guards and sttcceeded in
descending to the lower plain. Finding there that the entrance to
Tangaroa’s lowest région was closed, he entreated the guard named Maiô
(From-thence) to let him through, which the guard refused to do. So
Mâûi took a great stone, named Pô-fatu-ura-a-Tane
(Darkness-master-ofredness-of-Tane), and threw it down onto the closure, which at once gave
way. Then taking the form of his pet bird, he flew down, despite the impré¬
cations of Maiô, and there found his parents.
Uahea, surprised to
the bird of her youngest son in that place,
Tangaroa, who put the bird to the test by
throwing at it pièces of wood of different odors; it fell when the sixth
piece of wood struck it. Then Tangaroa took up the bird and caressingly
fed it so much that indigestion seized it, which caused ail its feathers to
fall off, so that Mâûi was obliged to assume his
proper form.
Tangaroa felt mortified in finding himself duped by his youngest son
and sorely upbraided him for venturing to appear where no mortal save
Uahea was allowed to corne, and in order to intimidate Mâûi he caused
see
called it to the attention of
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
evil spirits
him
on
353
(varua ino) to possess beasts, insects, and plants and to attack
ail sides.
Mâûi came ofï victorious, for which bis father rewarded
liim
by allowing him to catch the sun and regulate its course, so that
people in the world might bave time to cook food and eat it during the
day and to rest at night. It was by Mâûi, also, that tire was first kindled
in the world from the rays of the sun and made use of by human beings.
It will be further
seen
how Tuamotuan
sembles the Tahitian.
mythology in some points re-
Strifï: and Rsconciliation BftwfSn Hfavfn and Earth^
O tauà i te titiri pô no Ta’ere maopoma te Tumu-nui o tauà i te ta’ata
e te ra’i feteui o Tane, e matua tauà no
roto ia Ta’ere maopo’opo.
’opo
Tumu, titiri a’e atu ai e te
e ua rotu, e i te hupe
tu’u tu’u ore, topa aere te ua iritiriti, e
A riri te
ra’i,
e
ua
nui
a rô.
A riri te atua o Tane, i titiri ’ho ae ai
i raro te atua o Tane i te ra’i feteui
ra,
vaevae
ratima’i, e aneane, a aneane te ao nei
i te â raro.
O tauà atu à i te titiri pô e i ni’a i te
fenua, o tauà i te ra’i feteui o Tane ! A
riri â te Tumu, tiria a’e ai i te o’e, ei
e
tihitihi, ei tuava, ei mate, ei onohi, i te
ta’ata.
War
waged in darkness with Ta’ereand Tumu-nui against men
and the sky eternal of Tane;
it was
vigorous contention that sprang from
Ta’ere-of-all-skill.
Te Tumu got vexed, and so he cast
forth into the heavens constant heavy
mists that fell in heavy showers and
of-all-skill
as fine as the feet of ants.
Then the god Tane was angry, and he
cast down
from his’ etertial sky dry
rain
weather and
bones,
man.
A riri o Tane, atua o te mau mea
purotu, titiri iho ai i raro, e ’ahune nui,
e mataru oraora, ei
ha’apori i te ao nei.
O tauà te titiri pô o Ta’ere e i te
ta’ata ; o tauà i te ra’i feteui o Tane !
A titiri a’e atu ai te Tumu, i te moe
pô, e te moe ao, i te ao nei.
A riri à te atua
o
Tane, tiria iho ai i
mata ara i te ao, e moe no te
pô. I maramarama te ao nei i te â
raro o te râ i te ao, i tupu te ta’oto o te
ta’ata i te pô.
raro,
e
I titiri te Tumu i ta’na upu
i ni’a ia
Tane, titiri mai Tane i ta’na i raro i te
Tumu, e matua taua no roto ia Ta’ere.
a
A ’ufa Tane, a riri Tane atate Tane
irià Tane ! A rave Tane i ta’na apa’i
nui,
e
apa’i atu i te ta’ata ei popoa iti,
e
ei popoa nui ia teiruru mai ra i Ooro-
a
Tahitian high priest.
1
Recited in 1822
clearness, so that the world
cloudless with the beat below.
There was war again in darkness and
on the earth against the eternal sky of
Tane! Te Tumu was still more vexed,
and cast forth famine to cause high
was
This
no
flesh, death, and suicide to
enraged
Tane, god of beauty,
and he cast down overflowing plenty and
shoals of live fish, to cause fatnes's on
earth.
War raged in darkness, with Ta’ere,
Te Tumu, and man ;
the war was
against the sky eternal of Tane ! Therefore Te Tumu cast up drowsiness to
exist by day and by night in the world.
And god Tane was vexed again and
cast down wakefulness for the day and
sleep for the night. The world was
illuminated with the sun burning below
in the daytinie, and sleep fell upon man
at nighttime.
Te Tumu applied his enchantments
upon Tane, and Tane applied his upon
Te Tumu. It was vigorous contention
that originated from Hades.
Then Tane got enraged, Tane got
vexed, Tane spoke angrily, Tane was
pétulant, Tane took up his great bat to
strike down men into small pulps and
by Pao-raro and Ra’i-tupu, high priests of Porapora, and in 1845 by Tamerc,
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
354
hiti
e
i Ooro-peru, na tahua nui no
Puna’auia, e apa’i atu i Fa’ato-ra’i, o te
tau roa ia aau i Puna’auia, e fati atu te
are
poueru, e taua i te Ra’i-mahue,
ta’ai na i tahi e roa tiara’a.
Ta Tane
ia ha’a i rave ai oia i ta’na apa’i, e ua
opua i te tuva’u, e ua i te ino i tupu no
te Pô mai' i o atu i te ao marama
nei,
te hau o te ari’i Ro’o te roro’o ma ta’na
taua,
ra
o
Hoani.
into great pulps as tbey assemblée! at
Ooro-hiti (Snoring-border) and Ooro-
(Snoring-retreat), the ass'embly
grounds of Puna’auia [in Tahiti] ; to
strike Fa’ato-ra’i (Sky-conductor), that
long projecting reef of Puna’auia, where
the bursting of the surf makes -war with
peru
the heavens that hâve been pushed tip
and hâve traveled away to other ré¬
gions.
This, Tane took up his bat to do,
and he purposed to banish and cast
down ail evil_that sprang from Hades,
from this world of light, where
King Ro’o, the prayer chanter, reigned
away
with
Hoani
friend.
E hahaere niaite i
a’e
tono
manava
Tane e!
i
to
no
te
ao e Tane e, e
ia Ro’o e e tahi
mai, no ’oe, e ari’i
te
arere,
ao
Tei hea Tane?
Tera te haere mai
Taui aere i te mata o Tane tu i
roto i te mata o Tane tû i
rapae !
Eaha
tei te rima o Tane?
E ra’au ia e Pua
tei te rima !
nei !
O
arere
Tane,
e
raua
haere i
o
te
vai?
ei hauou, ei pô a’e no
e
a
hope ei ta’ai
onohi i
te
Raua
ao, e tanu
i
raua
te
o
Ro’o
i te Pua,
ite fai poiri
ruina
ma
te
ao.
O Tane e o Ro’o nui ’arere a fano
mai i te ao !
I na mua mai o Ro’o te
vana’a ia Tane.
A manava ’tu to te
e a tanu ia raua ra’au e pua, ei
hauou, mai te tao o Tane i te Tumu, ia
ao,
Ta’ere
e ia Ro’o te roro’o, e i to’na ra
hoa o Hoani e i te ta’ata :
“O taua
tama’i no tatou nei, i te taeae, e tama’i
ae i te poipoi e faite a’e i te
ahiahi, e
tama’i a’e i te ahiahi e faite a’e i te
poipoi.” O te Pua matamua ia i te ao
nei, e ra’au mo’a na Tane i Puna’auia i
Tahiti te tanu ra’a bia.
E Hau’ou te
i’oa no te pua i te anotau tahito ra.
Faite roa tura to te pp, e to te ao
i to te ra’i, mou roa ’tura te umeumera’a o to te fenua i raro nei e to te
ra'i feteui o Tane.
(Tempter),
his
bos’om
O Tane, deal gently with the earth;
send thy messenger, Ro’o, that he may
obtain a welcome from the world for
thee, O King Tane !
Where is Tane? There he is coming!
He has transformed the face of Tane
who stands within into that of Tane
who stands without !
What has he in
his hand?
Fie has a tree, a pua {Beslaria lorifolia) in his hand !
Who is with Tane?
Great Ro’o, the
messenger ; they are going to the world,
to plant the pua as a pledge of peace,
obliterate between them ail mysterious imprécations, and to banish gloom,
and self-destruction from the world.
to
Tane and great Ro’o, the messenger,
flew down to the world ! Ro’o preceded
Tane to herald him.
They were welcomed by the world, and they planted
their pua tree as a pledge of peace,
while "l'âne said to Te Tumu and Ta’ere,
and to Ro’o, the prayer chanter, and
his friend, Hoani, and to man ; “As for
conflict between us who are kinsfolk,
let it be strife in the morning with ré¬
conciliation in the evening, strife in the
evening with réconciliation in the morn¬
ing.”
That was the first pua tree in
this world, it was a sacred tree of
Tane’s planted at Puna’auia in Tahiti.
Flau’ou (Pledge-of-peace) was the name
of the pua in ancient times.
Thus Hades and the world were
reconciled with heaven, and strife ended
between the inhabitants of the earth
below and those of the sky eternal of
Tane.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
355
The Giînealogieîs oe the Gods
Te vana’a a vai? Te vana’a a Titinia-tai-fa’aaro. E ti’a, e ra’a ! A tau a !
E tau a i hea?
E tau a i te moera’a
Ara pa’i Ta’aroa tu tahua!
apiapi.
E mau ti’a tei ni’a, e mau ra’i tei raro.
A tatau Ta’aroa i te atua ' i te nu’u
atua i te pô.
A rahu atua i te pô ia Ta’aroa.
O
Ta’aroa nei i tû ra’i, ua fariua ei tata’u
pô ei tupura’a atua.
Ta’aroa i te tahu’a-nui, ia
Tû-nui-a’e-i-te-atua; o Tû-maro-ura teie,
T û-i-te-ra’i-marama,
Tû-i-te-to’i-aia-aTa’aroa,
te
no
A
i
upu
Tû-ta’iri-moana, e fa’aro’o te ’are miti
to’na reo.
Tû-atua-ha’apapu,
Tû
-
o-te-tau-i-ni’a-i-te-feia-e-meho-hae
re-ra, e mo’e roa ia i to’na maru.
O te
atua ia i hau a’e i te nu’u atua, no te
ei rima ’oia
mea
no
Tû-Metua teie,
O
nui-e-a’a-i-te-atua,
o
Ta’aroa.
Tû-rahu-nui, TûTû-toâ.
Whose orator is it?
Titi-ma-tai-fa’aaro
It is the orator
(Refugee-of-theopen-sea). Arise, make sacred ! Stay
on !
Stay on where ? Stay on in the
close sleeping space, Awake then Ta’a¬
roa, standing on the assembly ground !
of
Above was held upright, the sky was'
held down.
Ta’aroa called gods into
host of gods in darkness.
being,
a
gods.
Ta’aroa conjured forth his great
The bidding of Ta’aroa made gods in
darkness.
Wben he stood in the sky
to call in darkness, it was to create
Tu-nui-a’e-i-te-atua
(Stabilitygreatest-of-the-gods') ; this is Tu-maroura
(Stability-of-the-ura-girdle),^ Tu-ite-ra’i-marama
( Stability-of-the-moonlit-sky) ; Tu-i-te-to’i-aia-a-Ta’aroa (Stability - of - the-clearing-axe-of-Ta’aroa) ;
Tu-ta’iri-moana ( Stability-the-smiter-ofthe-sea), the .waves obeyed his voice.
Tu-atua-ha’apapu ( Stability-god-of-equilibrium) ;
Tu-o-te-tau-i-ni’a-i-te-feia-emeho-haere-ra
( Stability-who-hoveredoyer-fugitives-in-their-concealment) ; his
artisan
shadow safely obscured them.
He
was
god above the host of gods, because he
served
as
nui
hands
nui-e-a’a-i-te-atua
settles the gods),
Fanau mai
roto mai
ra
o
Atea,
e
tamahine i
i te apu o te ra’i, ia Rumia ;
o Atea ta’o nui, o te vai i te hiti’a o te
râ e tae roa i te to’o’a o te râ, mai te
fenua nei e tae roa i te ra’i. Ua api te
aere i to’na varua.
Tei raro e nei Atea i taua pô ra, te
tape’a hiara te pa’a o Rumia na ni’a
for Ta’aroa.
This is
(Father-stability), Tu-rahu(Stability-the-great-conjurer), Tu-
Tu-metua
( Great-stability-who-
Tu-toa (Stability-the-
warrior).
Atea (Vast-expanse)* was born, a
daughter within the dôme of the sky,
Rumia ; Atea of great bidding extending from east to west, from the earth
to the sky.
Her spirit pervaded space.
Atea was quite low down in that time
of darknes's, the dôme, Rumia, was held
Obtained from some of the reciters of The Création Chant.
“The Polynesian word atua (god), accepted in the Tahitian sense, is a compoiind of tliree
words, a-tu-a; a, the sign of the impérative mood, being commonly used in a broader sense, as is
seen in this chant, tu meaning stand,
and a, continuously, which rendered into Knglish is, “stand
^
continuonsly,” conveying the
meaning as “eternal,” our conception of the Deity. But usage
of the word, which was preserved by the priests in their theological
language, hâve changed the long sound of the u and a, and the word is now generally pronounced
and oblivion of the true
sanie
sense
without accent.
The word at-Hi, obsolète in modem Tahitian, conveys but one meaning, “eating-erect” ; but
Tiie Polynesian race, vol. i, p. 41, London, 1878, Fornander has explained the matter more
satisfactorily.
He says that in the work called Baldwin’s prehistoric nations, it is stated in
Indian lore that there once ruled over Arabia and Upper Egypt a great Cushite king named It
or Ait, whose
famé and exploits were recorded by the Greeks in the West and by the Iranians
in the East and who was called Aetus by the Greeks.
The recollection of that king he believes
survives in Polynesia in the form of ’aitu, which indicates a god or king of the purest descent.
^
This girdle was supposed to hâve been made of red and yellow feathers.
*
Atea, Vatea, or Wakea means “vast-expanse’* in ail Polynesia, and ateatea in Tahitian raeans
“limited space” or “light.”
In Genesis 1:7 the Hebrew word for firmanent literally means “ex¬
in
panse”
or
“expansiveness.”
356
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
iho e te fe’e nui
tupu i te tai.
Tumu-ra’i-fenua, Ote
e
O Tumu-nui e o Papa-raharaha ; a
nanà te mata o Tumu-nui i raro i te
mata o
Papa-raharaha, te mata o Papa-
raharaha
nànà
ni’a i te mata o
Tumu-nui, fanau a’e ta raua ari’i o Tefatu, ’oia te fatu nuu, fatu ra’i.
a
A noho Atea ia
i
Papa-tû-’oi,
fanau
a
Ra’i-tupua-nui-te-fanau-’eve, o
ta raua, o
te tupu nui
o te ao, te mahora o te ao,
rito o te ao.
He’e te tua o Ma-tohi-fanau-’eve, ei
tahu’a na Ra’i-tupua-nui.
o
te
O
Fai
O
Rauti
te
marae
au
tahu’a
te
te
Ta’aroa
i
te
o
Teie
ana’e
na
arere
Horo-fanae,
a
na
o
Ta’aroa;
o
Taiva,
( Great-sky-developer-born-in-commotion) ; he caused the
great developments of the world, the
laying out of the world, the renovation
(Living-water-of-Tane),
(Longgod of war), Faa-tae
( Cause-to-reach),
Nana
(Steadfastgaze), Fluri-aro (Face-turner), Fluritua
(Back-turner), and Amara (Re¬
striction), ail artisans for Ta’aroa.
Here are the messengers of Ta’aroa :
Taiva
(Estrangement),
Horo-fanae
(Early-runner), and Ire (Prize-winner), the handsome blue shark of Ta’a¬
roa, that is Fa’arava-i-te-ra’i (Sky-shade).
Ta’aroa.
a
tupua-nui-te-fanau-’eve
arm,
o
Ire te ma’o uri purotu
Ta’aroa, oia o Fa’arava-i-te-ra’i.
e
lord of the skies.
Atea dwelt with Papa-tu-’oi (Basalticpeak), and there was born to them Ra’i-
of Ta’aroa in the océan.
There followed Rima-roa
Rima-roa (atua i ni’a i
nuu
tahu’a
upon
was'
prayer in
the moving,
rolling océan ; the sea was the great
temple of the world.
Fai
(Ray-fish) was the swimming
temple.
Rauti (Stimulator) was the artisan
tama’i) o Faa-tae, o Nànà, o
Huri-aro, o Huri-tua, e o Amara, ei
te
down
of Papa-raha¬
raha looked up to the eyes of
Tijmu-nui,
and there was born their prince, Tefatu (The-lord) ; he was lord of hosts,
Ta’aroa.
There
moana.
Hee te tua
looked
eyes
Ta’aroa conjured forth Uru (Inspired),who inspired as Ta’aroa ordered
him.
He was Uru, the canoë bailer of
noa.
a
of Tumu-nui
Papa-raharaha, the
Vai-ora-a-Tane
Ta’aroa.
o
eyes
the water for the gods to lap up into
their mouths (Milky Way) ; just below
is Fliro’s sky of prophets.
A rahu Ta’aroa ia Uru, oia te fa’auru
i ta Ta’aroa i fa’aue, o Uru ahuahu va’a
pure tei te nu’u tai mimiha;
moana te marae nui o te ao nei.
earthly-heaven), that grew in the sea.
Tumu-nui and Papa-raharaha; the
tupua-nui.
They laid out the skies, the ten skies,
they draped the skies.’ Above ail is the
sky of sacred omens of Tane, and of the
Tane, te vai apu vaha a te atua; tei mûri
mai te ra’i taura mai a Hiro.
E
great octopus,”
(Foundation-of-
of the world.
And there followed Matohi-fanau-’eve °
(Clearing-adz-born-incommotion), to be an artisan for Ra’i-
Na raua i ha’amahora i te ra’i, te
ra’i tua tini ; tapa ra’i.
Tei ni’a roa a’e
te ra’i niu tapu a Tane, e te Vai-ora a
a
down over her by a
named Tumu-ra’i-fenua
who
was
a
The account of the arms of the octopus holding down the sky to the earth seeins a near
approach to the Egyptian story of the Arch of Typhon or “Serpent” endrcling the North Pôle,
which, as science also proves, was due to the presence of vapors from the tropical régions as they
spread out and approached the two pôles, wliere they would hâve appeared to be holding down
the dense dôme of vapor overhead. See also the sublime allusion to this in
Job 26:13:
“By His
spirit He hath garnislied the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent,” and see also the
“fiery flying serpent,” a figure of speech in Isaiah 14:29, texts which Captain R. Kelso Carter
lias also observed.
The arch encircling the South Pôle, most familiar to Southern Polynesians,
would hâve appeared to rise from the sea as above described.
®
In Fornander’s work, The Polynesian race, vol. 2, pp. 373, 386,
Eondon, 1880, in the song
of Ku-ali’i the god Ku
(Tu) is called Ku-o-ke-ko’i-maka-lani, which in Tahitian would be
Tu-i-te-to’i-mata-ra’i (Tu-of-the-axe-with-heavenly-edge), perhaps originally from Ma-tohi-fanau-’eve,
®
which
means
“Clearing-adz-born-in-commot'ion.”
These words somewhat resemble
like a curtain.”
^
a
line
in
Psalms
104:2, “Who stretchest
out
the
heavens
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Teie na arere a te nuu
atua:
o
te
These are the messengers for the host
Neva-
Iri-nau, o Rei-tù o Ti’a-o-uri,
Ti’a-o-atea, e o Te-ari’i-tapu-tima, no
neva,
o
tu’ura’a tapu.
357
of gods :
Nevaneva (Look-around), Iri(Chilly-vigils), Rei-tu (Straightneck), Ti’a-o-uri
(Approver-of-darkness), Ti’a-o-atea (Approver-of-extension), and Te-arii-tapu-tuua (The-kingof-offered-sacrifices), for the offering of
nau
sacrifices.
E atua ana’e te tahu’a
mana to ratou i te Pô e i
e
te
te ao
arere,
nei.
e
The artisans and messengers' 'were ail
they had power in Hades and
gods ;
on
Rahua maira te atua, o Ra’a ; e ino’a,
e mana, e hanahana, e mau riri to Ra’a
atua.
Ta’na ia i tu’u i te tairurura’a o
te nu’u atua i te oro’a o te ta’ata i te ao
nei.
glory, and holding anger were the attributes of the god Ra’a.
These qualities he
bestowed upon the assemblies of the
host of gods at the ceremonies of men
on
He’e te tua, o Tû-papa, ei vahiné na
Ra’a o ’lri-nau te ’arere o Ra’a.
A riri o Ra’a, o te pau ia ta’na i
fa’alupu mai na roto mai i te mata’i.
O Rapati’a taua mata’i ra, o te fenua
te
ho’o i taua niata’i
Fanau maira
atua
o
ra.
Ra’a
Te-vâ-hunuhunu.
e
o
Tû-papa, te
atua
’Orerorero ; he’e te tua,
Rua-tupua-nui maira.
e
earth.
There
followed
Tu-papa
abider), the wife of Ra’a.
his messenger.
When Ra’a
(Rock-
’lri-nau
was
enraged, he caused
by the wind. Ra¬
pati’a (Steady-blowing) was the name
of that wind, and land was the price
destruction
to
got
corne
of that wind.
ta
He’e te tua, na atua ra o Te-muhumuhu e o Ruanu’u ; he’e te tua, na
atua vahiné ra o Re’are’a, o Vana’a-
na’a,
earth.
Then was conjured forth the god
Ra’a (Sacredness) ; holiness, greatness,
o
o te
Ra’a and Tu-papa (Rock-abider) begat the god Te-va-hunuhunu (Soothin.gwind), who healed wounds and sicknesses on the battlefield.
Then
muhu
were
born the
gods, Te-muhu-
(The-murmurings) and Ruanu’u
(Source-of-armies), there followed the
Re’are’a (Joyousness), Va¬
na’ana’a
(Eloquence), and Orerorero
(Consultation) ; and there followed the
god
Rua-tupua-nui
( Source-of-greatgoddesses
growth).
Te-Muhumuhu
te
tau’a
hi’i
ia
Rua-
tupua-nui. A riri Rua-tupua-nui ia Temuhumuhu, i tinai hia ’tura i te Re’a¬
re’a.
O tau’a hii ra ia Rua-tupua-nui, o
Re’are’a, i tinaia ’tura i te Vana’ana’a.
A riri Rua ia te Vana’ana’a, te tau’a
hi’i, tinaia ’tura ia i te Orerorero.
A riri Rua
’tura i te tau.
ia
te
Orerorero, tinaia
O tau’a hi’i ia Rua i te tau ; a riri
Rua ia te tau, tinaia ’tura i te More.
Te-muhumuhu
was
the
nursing
Rua-tupua-nui. When Ruatupua-nui got enraged with Te-muhu¬
muhu, he was transferred to Re’are’a.
friend
of
That nurse of Rua-tupua-nui, Re’are’a,
transferred him to Vana’ana’a.
When Rua got enraged with Vana’a¬
na’a, his nursing friend, she transferred
him
to
over
Orerorero.
When Rua got vexed with Orerorero
he was taken to the seasons.
There was a nursing friend of Rua in
the seasons ; when he got angry with
the seasons, he was placed with More
(Ripeness).
O tau’a hi’i ia Rua i te More ; a riri
Rua ia te More, tinaia ’tura i te Piri.
There
a
nursing friend to Rua
when he got angry with
More, he was removed to Piri (Con¬
in
was
More ;
finement).
358
Bernice P. BisJiop Muséum—Bulletin 48
A
Rua
riri
Fa’a-rua-roa.
i
te
Piri, tinai ’tura i
A riri Rua i te Fa’a-rua-roa,
’tura ia Hinahina-a-matie.
tinaia
E mou’a, Turi-haiia te mou’a, e mou’a
ti’a fa’ataratara i te ra’i i tereira valii.
Teie
ta Rua-tupua-nui :
Rua-tupua-nui-o-te-ra’i-e-te-fenua-nei ;
Rua-te-muhumuhu. Rua-te-re’are’a. Rua-
te-vana-ana’a ; Rua-te-’orerorero ; Rua-tehoa-tau ; Rua-te-hoa-more ; Rua-te-piri ;
Rua-te-fa’a-rua-roa ; Rua-hinahina-matie ;
Rua-o-te-tai-i-ni’a-i-te-ra’i ;
Rua-o-te-tai-
i-raro-nei ;
O
Rua-tupua-nui-a-te-Tumu-nui ;
Rua-fa’atu-pua.
Rahua
Hina-te-’iva’iva
ei
Rua-tupua-nui.
O Ta-to’a te
tupua-nui.
arere
i
vahiné
rahua
na
Rua-
na
O Rua-hatu-tini-rau maira i te upu a
Ta’aroa ; ei atua i te Moana-urifa ei
ari’i o te tai ’euea.
Tino ta’ata to teie
atua, e moti a’e i te hi’u o a’u,
hatu noa tahi to’na i’oa.
O Rua-
O te tai manina i roto i te a’au o te
Moana-urifa ta’na mau vahi hipara’a, e
tei reira te apo’o ta’otora’a.
A tu’u i te ’arere na Rua-hatu, o
Utu-te-au.
E i’a ana’e
rau
e
ore
e
te
vahiné
a
Rua-hatu-tini-
hope ia tai’o i te hua’ai.
o Papa-ravahiné, fanau maira ta raua,
o Oro-pa’a; te vai noa maira ia atua i
te moana, e api roa te ao nei.
Aore a
O te Tumu-nui te tane,
’na e reo ia fa’i mai i te hina’aro.
E
vai upo’o tû noa mai ia mata’i hia ra. O
te tie niho te ’are teatea e fati mai ra.
vao
ta’na i te ta’ata
e
i te
e ’ore ’oia e ha’apae i te
Te pau noa nei te hoa’a pahi
E ’ore e ina’i hia ta’na e horo¬
ta’ata,
ari’i.
ato’a.
noa
long-cavern).
he
When Rua got vexed in Fa’a-rua-roa,
was transferred
to Hinahina-a-matie
(Gray-grass').
A
mountain,
Turi-hana
(Din-ofwork) was the mountain ; it stood in
peaks up to the sky at that place.
These are Rua-tupua-nui’s attributes :
Rua tupua - nui - in - the-skies-and-onearth; Rua-the-murmurer ; Rua-the-joyful ; .Rua-the-eloquent ; Rua-the-debater ;
Rua the friend of seasons ; Rua-thefriend-of-ripeness ; Rua-of-confinement ;
Rua-of-valley-of-long-cavern
Rua - of gray-grass ; Rua-of-the-ocean-in-the sky ;
-
-
-
-
mi’i, e ’aore a i ta’o mai e, “A tira vau.”
Ua tu’u ana’e te ta’ata i te moana ra,
’aore e ’itea te ho’i ra’a mai i te fenua.
O tohorâ te ’arere a Oro-pa’a.
Fanau maira o Mata-rua, tuputupua
nui i raro roa i te moana poiri, ei atua
-
Rua-of-the-ocean-below ;
Rua-tupua-nui-
of-Tumu-nui; and Rua-of-sullennes's.
Hina-te-’iva’iva
(Gloomy-gray) was
conjured forth to be a wife for Ruatupua-nui.
Ta-to’a (Rock-smiter, the eel) was
the messenger conjured for Rua-tupua-'
nui.
Rua-hatu-tini-rau (Source-of-fruitfulmyriads) came forth by Ta’aroa’s incan¬
tation ; he was god of the Moana-urifa
(Sea-of-rank-odor), king of the cast-up
océan.
This god had a man’s body
joined to the tail of a billfish.
Ruahatu simply was one of his names.
The smooth waters within the reefs' of
the Moana-urifa were his mirrors, and
in them were his sleeping pools.
To Rua-hatu was given the messen¬
ger,
Utu-te-au (Bill-the-billfish).
Ail
fishes
were
hatu-tini-rau,
haraha te
E horomi’i
When Rua got vexed in Piri, he was
to Fa’a-rua-roa
(Valley-of-
conveyed
and
the
his
wives
of
offspring
Ruawere
innumerable.
Tumu-nui was the husband, Paparaharaha was the wife, and there was'
born
to
them
Oro-pa’a (Dauntless-
that god
still exists in
throughout the world. Fie
language to tell us what he
warrior) ;
the
lias
océan
no
wants.
when
Fie lies with his head upwards
the breezes corne.
The white,
foaming
swallows
are his jaws.
He
persons and fleets of
does' not spare princes. The
breakers
whole
people ; he
polished hulls of ships he also swallows.
He takes nothing with what he engulfs,
and has not yet said, ‘T hâve had sufficient.”
to sea,
When
once
a
person
puts out
he is not certain of returning to
the land. The whale was the messenger
of Oro-pa’a.
There was born of the dark depths' of
the océan a huge monster with two
Henry—Ancîent Tahiti
tereira
no
vahj.
Aore
porahu, e rae o mua
porahu mata rua.
e
mûri
rae
A rahu Ta’aroa i te fatu
o
no
o
to’na
mûri,
e
te moana,
Tino-rua, e rua huru i na tino e rua;
o
e atua tahi
huru, e taata tahi huru; i
’au haere noa oia i te moana, o to’na ia
utuafare. E Ma’o te ’arere a Tino-rua.
faces,
as
359
a
god for those régions.
He
had no back to his head, but he had a
forehead before and behind ; it was a
head with two faces.
Ta’aroa conjured forth
lord for the
a
océan,
Tino-rua (Dual-body) of
natures in two bodies ; one nature
two
was
that of a god, and the other nature was
that of a man ; he swam about in the
which was his home.
Sharks
the messengers' of Tino-rua.
There
followed
Ma’a-tahi
(First-
océan,
A he’e te tua o Ma’a-tahi,
ra’a-tai, e atua no te moana.
o
Tua-
Fanau maira to te ahu o te fenua, o
Pere, atua vahiné no te vera o te fenua,
e vahiné ’ehu; he’e te tua o Tama-ehu,
’oia o Tama-tea ; e auahi te
mana o
taua na atua ra, e fa’aro’o noa ia i to
raua
ta’o i raro i te fenua e i te ra’i. Ei
nu’u tau auahi taua na atua
atua no te
ra.
were
branching) and Tua-ra’a-tai (Oceansacredness), as gods of the sea.
The beat of the earth produced Pere
(Consuming-heat), goddess of the
in
the
fire
earth, and she was a blonde
woman; then came Tama-ehu (Blondechild), also called Tama-tea (Fairchild, a blonde) ; fire was those gods’
agent of power; it obeyed them in the
bowels of the earth ® and in the skies.
Rua-tupua-nui te tumu a noho oia
i te vahiné, ia ’Ere’ere-fenua, fanau
a’ere ta’na ari’i, o One, o te ’Ere’erefenua ia matahiapo. He’e te tua, o Ata
O
fa’aru’e atura o Ruavahiné.
E atua vahiné
mana roa o ’Ere’erefenua, e haere ta’ata
noa mai ’oia ra, e tapa’o ia no te pau o
te fenua, i te vero ’aore ra i te tama’i.
E atua maona puai o One.
Na mua o
maira ;
atua
tupua-nui
ia
ua
Ata i te haere e fa’a’ite i tere o te
nu’u atua ia fatata maira.
E taui noa
’oia i te huru o te atua ta’na e hina’aro
'E
ra.
atua
ha’avare
noa
oia.
They were the chief fire gods.
Rua-tupua-nui was the origin ;
when
(Landblackness), there was born their king,
One (Wrestler). This was the first-born
he took to wife ’Ere’ere-fenua
of ’Ere’ere-fenua.
There followed the god Ata (Shadow) ; then Rua-tupua-nui abandoned that
wife.
erful
’Ere’ere-fenua
was
very
a
pow-
goddess ; when she came in person
it was the sign of destruction on
earth, by storm or by war. One waS
a strong wrestling god.
Ata went forth
before the gods to tell of their nearapproach. He could change his form
to that of any god he chose to represent.
He was a deceiving god.
Birth or THS Hsavsnly Bodiës”
Rua-tupua-nui te tumu ; a noho oia
i te vahiné, ia Atea-ta’o-nui, fanau ma¬
ira ta’na ari’i, o Feturere ; hee te tua,
o Marama ; hee te tua, o te Râ maira
;
hee te tua, o Fetu-ave, hee te tua, o
Fa’a-iti,
o
i te Ari’i
o
apato’erau.
Fa’a-nui, o Fa’a-ta-potupotu,
Mà-ra’i-re’a, hui tarava i te
Rua-tapua-nui
the origin ; when
(Atea-ofthe-great-bidding), there were born his
princes, Shooting-stars ; then followed
the Moon ; then followed the Sun ; then
followed the Cornets ; then followed
Fa’a-iti
(Little-valley, Perseus), Fa’a(Créât-valley, Auriga), and Fa’a-tapotupotu
(Open-valley,
Gemini),
in
King
Ma-ra’i-re’a
(Clear-open-sky),
nui
which
north.
®
The Tahitians
was
he took to wife Atea-ta’o-nui
constellations
are
ail
in
the
were
familiar with volcanîc workioigs from their knowledge of Hawaii and
no record of active volcanoes existing in their own group.
The name
Temehani applied to the famous Ra’iatean crater (pp. g6, 201, 584), meaning
“heat,” is
evidently a traditional way of accounting for its origin.
®
Recited in 1818, at Porapora, by Rua-nui (a clever old woman whose eyes were dim and
form bent with âge).
The stars were identified with their équivalents in English in 1822 by the
aîd of Papra’î, counselor of Porapora, and in 1842 by the best
authority in Tahiti.
other
îands, but they hâve
Mehani,
or
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
36o
A noho Fa’a-nui i te vahiné, ia Tahiari’i, fanau a’era ta’na ari’i, o Ta’uruaniii e horo i te ahiahi, na’na e vana’a i
te pô ma te ao, i te fétu, ma te marama,
e te râ, ma te avei’a ei arata’i i te pahî
O Hiro itua.
Hee te tua, o Ta’ero i te
pae o te râ, eo Matiti-tau.
A rara’o o Ta’urua-nui i to’na va’a
va’a o Mata-taui-noa, a fano i te
taha tooa, i te Ari’i o Apato’a, a noho
i te vahiné ia Rua-o-mere, te avei’a e
vai ra i te pae ra’i i te apato’a.
te
Fa’a-nui
maira
ta’na
ari’i,
o
Maunu-
e
rere
ra
tau.
i tara te feau i to’na
Maunu-’ura i to ’na va’a,
Te-aomui-e-rere-i-te-ra’i, a fano na te
A rara’o
o
o
apato’a; a noho Maunu-’ura i te vahiné,
ia te Apu-o-te-Ra’i, fanau a’era ta’na
ari’i, o Ta’urua-nui e faatere va’a ia
Atu-tahi, e e tû i apato’a i to’na pô, e
o Apaapa rua-manu.
Faatupu râ i te iho o te ra’i o ’Atutahi :
Hee te tua, oia o Aro, oia o
’Ara’a, oia o ’Ara’ara’a, oia o Ha’amaru.
No ’Atu-tahi te va’a, e hui feti’a i te
’uti’uti tau ni’a o te aro o te ra’i i te
apato’a, o Ta’urua-nui te faatere va’a.
Hee te tua, o Tau-ha maira. Hee te tua
o
Ta’urua-nui-o-te-hiti-apato’a.
his
wife, Tahi-
(Great-festivity, Venus), who
runs
in
ship at sea. And there followed Ta’ero
(Bacchus, Mercury), by the sun, and
Matiti-tau
(D r o o p i n g - pendant, the
Crow).“‘
Ta’urua nui
prepared his
canoë,
Mata taui noa (Continually - changingface)', and sailed along the west to King
South, and dwelt with his wife Rua-omere
(Cavern- of-the-parental-yearnings,
Southern Solstice, Capricornus), the com¬
-
-
pass
Fanau
with
the evening, and who heralds the night
and the day, the stars, the moon, and
the Sun, as a compass to guide Hiro’s “
the
’ura; o Maunu-’ura, e hiti mai i te
ahiahi, e mata rua, e fétu ’ura, e atua
dwelt
(Unique-sovereign, Capella in Auriga), and begat his prince Ta’urua-nui “
ari’i
-
that stands on the Southern side of
sky.
Thére was boni his prince Maunu’ura (Fading-redness, Mars), who rises
in the evening with two faces,’" a red
star, the god that Aies' to ofïer oblations
for thought in his season.
Maunu-’ura
prepared his
canoë,
it
(Great-daythat-flies-through-the-sky), and he sailed
was Te-ao-nui-e-rere-i-te-ra’i
South ; Maunu-’ura dwelt with his wife,
Apu-o-te-ra’i (Vault-of-heaven), and be¬
gat his princes, Ta’urua-nui (Fomalhaut), who steers the canoë of Atu-tahi
(Single-bonito, Piscis-Australis), which
stands south in its night, and Apaaparua-manu (Two-sides-of-birds, Crux).
Now let the nature of the sky of
Atu-tahi be produced ; There were boni
Aro (Make-way), ’Ara’a (ClearneSs),
and ’Ara’ara’a
(Brilliance, three stars
of the third magnitude), and Ha’amaru
(Softness, the five smallest stars). The
belongs to ’Atu-tahi ; it is a con¬
stellation in the clear, moteless sky in
the south, and Ta’urua-nui (Fomalhaut)
canoë
is the steersman.
Then was born Tauha (Cluster-of-four, the Southern Cross),
and there followed Ta’urua-nui-o-te-hiti-
A fano ’Atu-tahi i te to’oa o te râ,
a
noho i te vahiné, ia Tû-i-te-noanaurifa ;
hee te tua, o Metua-ai-papa,
Moana-’aere, o Moana—’a’ano-huri-hara,
o Moana-ohu-noa-ei-ha’amo’e-hara.
e
apato’a ( Great-festivity-of-the-border-ofthe-south, Canopus in Argo).
’Atu-tahi sailed to the west,
and
dwelt with his wife,
Tu-i-tu-moana-urifa
(Stand-in-the-sea-of-rank-odor, Hydra) ;
then were born Metua-ai-papa (ParentCorvus). Moana-’aere
(Trackless-ocean, the clear sky under
Hydra), Moana-’a’ano-huri-hara (Wide-
eater - of - rock,
In this chant Ta’urua is used to designate different stars.
In some places the affixes are
different.
See legend on page 546.
The Crow, as given here, is apparently a different constellation from Corvus given
below.—E^d.
The two faces
mean
the two shades o£ this planet’s disk.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
361
ocean-in-which-to-cast-crime, more sky),
and Moana - ’ohu
A noho Metua-ai-papa i te vahiné,
ia Te-ra’i-tu-roroa, fanau a’era ta’na
ari’i o Fetu-tea, ei hoa tau, ei te tau ra
oia hiti mai ai.
-
noa -
ei-ha’amo’e-hara
( Vortex - océan - in - which-to-lose-crime,
Crater).
Metua-ai-papa took to wife Te-ra’itu-roroa
(IvOng-extended-sky, between
Léo and Hydra), and begat his prince
P'etu-tea (Pale-star, Saturn), a periodical friend that rises in his
O Fetu-tea te ari’i; a noho i te tapo’i
O te ra’i, fanau maira te fétu hitihiti, te
fétu ’amo’amo nu’u nui, te fétu ’ai’aia
rü’roa, e te fétu pura noa.
Fetu-tea
host of
purotu, O Fa’arava-i-te-ra’i, te vai maira
i roto i to’na apo’o tei piha’i mai te
Pira’e-tea a Tane, tei te Vai-ora a Tane.
poupou“ O te ra’i ia Rumia
Te
ra,
ua
riro ana’e ia ei anâ ’amo’amo niu i ni’a
i te ra’i : O Anâ-mua, e pou tomora’a
’tu i te ’apu o te ra’i, oia o Ana-Hoa;
Anâ-muri, ta’i Rio aitu, fa’arava’ai atu e
te
’a’ahi, ei
pou
fa’a’ere’erera’a ; Anâ-
roto, pou tiamà ta’aroa; Anâ-tipù, e pou
hiti nia’a, e pou tia’ira’a ; Anâ-heuheu-
pô (or feufeu pô), fétu ’ura e fano i te
’aere ra’i i to’a, e pou hiti raro, e pou
orerorerora’a ;
Anâ-Tahu’a-Ta’ata-Metua-te-tupu-mavae e pou ti’ara’a ; Anâ-
tahu’a-vahine-o-toa-te-manava e pou vana’ana’a ra’a ; Anâ-varu, e pou nohora’a ;
Anâ-iva,
e pou
haerera’a; Anâ-ni’a, pou
fa’arava’aira’a ; i te ra’i oti’a.
were
twinkling stars, the
very
small
starfishes
and
[named] “eaten into,” and the phos¬
phorescent stars (nebulae).
stars
Hee te tu’a te Ma’ama’a-tai e na
’o’iri ai ata e rua e vai i roto i na apo’o
i te Vai-ora a Tane.
Tei reira te ma'o
season.
the king; he took to
wife the dôme of the sky and begat the
stars that shine and obscure, the great
was
There
followed
trigger
the
fishes that eat mist and
dwell in holes (vacant spots) in the Vaiora
a
Tane (Living-water of Tane,
Milky Way).
The handsome shark,“
Fa’arava-i-te-ra’i (Sky-Shade) is there
in his pool (the long clear space), and
close by is the Pira’e-tea a Tane (White
sea-swallow’* of Tane), Deneb in Cj'gnus’°, in the Vai-ora of Tane.
The pillars of the sky, Rumia, hâve
become great twinkling stars” in the
two
heavens :
Ana-mua“ (Front-aster, Antares in Scorpio) is the entrance pillar
of the dôme of the sky, that is Ana-hoa
(Friend-aster) ; Ana-muri (Behind- as¬
ter), weeping for Rio, god of bonito
and albicore fishers (Aldebaran in Taurus), is the pillar to blacken or tattoo
by; Ana-roto (Inner-aster, Spica in
Virgo)“ is' the pillar of perfect purity;'
Ana-Tipu (Deviating-aster, Dubhe in
Ursa Major), is the upper side pillar,
the pillar to guard by; Ana-heuheu-po
(Aster-throwing-off-darkness,
Alphard,
or Cor Flydra), a red star that Aies in
the open space south, is the lower pillar,
the pillar to debate by ; Ana-tahu’ata’ata-metua-te-tupu-mavae
( Aster-thefatherly - priest - of - man - who - grew-inspace, Arcturus in Bootes), is the pillar
to stand by; Ana-tahu’a-vahine-o-toa-temanava (Aster - the - priestess - of-braveheart, Procyon in Canis Minor), the pil¬
lar for élocution; Ana-varu
(Aster-
See legend of the handsome shark of Ta’aroa (p. 403).
For more about Pira’e-tea (White-sea-swallow) see page 364.
The Swan or Cygnus seems to be represented by the Sea-swallow in Tahiti, where swans
not known and were only vaguely remembered in mythology.
The old form of the plural te ponpou, is now expressed tlius, te mau pou, the word tnau
standing as a prefix for the plural of
nouas,
as seen
in the Tahitian Dictionary.
The names of some of these asters agréé well with the sense of the European names of the
constellations to which they belong.
As ana means “cave,” Miss Henry’s translation of it as “aster” is not understood.—Ed.
The “pillar of perfect purity” of a house was where young maîdens were held sacred from
molestation,
as
is shown in the chapter
on
arioi (p. 236).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
302
eighth, Betelguese in Orion), the pillar
sit by; Ana-iva (Aster-ninth, Phaet
in Columba), the pillar of exit ; Ana-ni’a
(Aster-above, Polaris or North Star in
the Little Bear) is the pillar to fish by
in the boundary of the sky.
Ail the heavenly bodies were to beautify the rugged house (star-spangled
sky), to pass before Ta’urua, the guiding star that rises' in the evening, as a
nation in the présence of King Ta’ero.
Ana-heuheu-po prepared his canoë,
Farau-a-niaro (Dry-shed), and sailed to
the numerous heavenly fishes (Pisces),
and took to wife, Tere-e-fa’aari’i-mai-ite-ra’i ( Errand-to-create-maj esty-in-heaven, the sky there), and begat his prince,
Ta’urua-nui (Jupiter), who struck the
zénith of the sky, the star that mounts
upon the back of early dawn in his
to
Ei purotu ana’e tei te fare ’eve’eve,
ei toina a’e i te aro o Ta’urua, ave’ia e
hiti mai i te ahiahi, ei nuna’a a’e i te
aro O Ta’ero Ari’i.
A rara’o o Anâ-heuheu-pô i te va’a,
i te Farau-a-marô, e fano attira i te atu
ra’i putuputu, a noho i te vahiné, ia
Tere-e-fa’aari’i-mai-i-te-ra’i, fanau a’ere
ta’na ari’i, o Ta’uruanui i tui i te poroii
te
ra’i, te fétu
A
rara’o
o
po’i i to’na tau.
o
e
a’e i te tua
Ta’urua-ntii
i
o
tui
uni
i
te
o te ra’i i to’na va’a, te va’a o
Marae-’oroiia, a fano e tinai i te hi’u
porou
nui.
O te hara ia o te taha
Ta’urua i ni’a ia Ta’ero, i
mata piri i te râ e rere i te ’ama’ama
vera
ia Atea.
o
i
te
vero
reirei
ai
A noho Ta’urua-ntii i tui i te porou
o te ra’i
i te vahiné, ia Te-’urataui-e-
pà,
ia
a fanau ta’na ari’i, o te hui tarava
Mata-ri’i, o Mere, e o Te-urti-mere-
mere.
s'eason.
Ta’urua-nui,”’ who struck the zénith
of thé sky, made ready his canoë, the
Marae-’orotia (Enchanted-temple), and
went forth and suppressed the tail of
the great storm.
This was the dévia¬
tion that catised Ta’urua to lose his
balance against Ta’ero, whose eyes were
closed by the sun, flying in the burning
expanse
of Atea.
Ta’urua-nui, who struck the zénith of
the sky, took to wife Te-’ura-taui-e-pa
(Redness - exchanged - and-parted-with),
and begat their princes, the constella¬
tions of Mata-ri’i (Small-eyes, Pléiades),
Mere (Parental-yearning, Orion’s belt),
and Te-tiru-meremere (The forest-of-
parental-yearnings,
o
Ta’urua-nui-i-te-amo-
A fà te fenua !
E fenua Paro’o-i-te-
He’e
’aha.
pa’urà.
te
tua,
E moti’a ho’i to’na
o
A-fa’a-
teniteni. E outil ho’i to’na, o Rave-a-tau.
E marae ho’i to’na, o Tui-hana. E pae-
ho’i to te
pae
fare tatai
A rara’o
i
te
o
marae
’aha
Tui-hana.
tui
Ta’itrua-nui-amo-’aha i
o Te-iri-o-hotu, a fano na
o te râ, a noho i te vahiné ia
va’a,
E
hana.
ti’a
fanau a’era ta’na
Mahu-raro.
e
Orion).
ail
the
rest
of
And there followed Ta’urua-nui-i-teaino-’aha ( Great-festivity-the-sennit-car-
rier, Sirius in Canis Major).
Land appeared !
Noted for barren-
ness was the land.
It had a mountain
named A-fa’ateniteni (Be-boastful).
It
had a cape named Rave-a-tau (Take-
for-ages). It had a temple named Tui(Obituaries). There was a pave¬
ment to the temple of Tui-hana.
And
hana
there was a house in which to learn the
obits.
te
hiHoro ;
te
ari’i, o Mahu-ni’a e o
Ta’urua-nui-amo-’aha prepared his ca¬
Te-iri-o-hotu (Fruitful-bark), and
sailed eastward, and took to wife Horo
(Avalanche) ; then were boni his princes,
Mahu-ni’a (Upper Magellan) and Mahuraro
(Lower Magellan).
noë,
Ta’ero, meaning “inebriate,” is similar to Bacchus. Formerly it was considérée!
royalty to indulge in ava drinking.
The Tahîtian Jupiter is not unlike the hero in northern mythology.
proper
for
Henry-—Ancient Tahiti
O te Ta’urua teie i fa’aari’i tahi pae
ia rupe a nu’u, e ia rupe a ra’i tahi pae.
E ari’i ana’e
to
Fa’a-hiti mai
pô
te
e to’na fétu I topa hia i
ni’a ia ratou te i’oa o taua mau fétu ra,
mai, te ari’i
e
mau
marae
atura taua mau
o
te ao
nei.
E moti taua
mau
’ioa
fétu
nui-mare’are’a, i te hiti’a
marae
ra
marae
ra
rae
o
ra
o
o
Nu’u-rua
i
ra
ra
o
i ni’a i te
ia Tahitite râ ; te
Mo’orea:
Tahu-ea i Ra’iatea ;
te
na ma¬
Ava-rau e o Vai-’otaha i Pora-
i te outu ra o Manunui-te-ra’i i Huahine.
pora, e te marae
faupepe te ari’i maro tea i te iho o
pà o te marae i Vai-’otaha i Porapora ; e i faupepe te ari’i maro-’ura i te
iho 0 te pà i te marae o Taputapu-atea
i Opoa i Ra’iatea.
Fa’aari’i i te iho o
te pà; o te pori o Fa’a-nui i Porapora,
e o te a’e ia o te pori o Opoa i Ra’iatea.
I
te
363
This (Sirius) was the Ta’urua that
created kings of the chiefs of earthly
hosts on one side, and of the chiefs in
the skies on the other side.
AU were royal personages in Fa’ahiti (Bordering-valley) from the period
of
darkness, and they each had
those names hâve been perpetuated in
their temples in this world.
The boundaries for their stars are
Tahiti-nui-marearea (Great - Tahiti - of -
the-golden-haze), in the east; the tem¬
ple named Nu’u-rua (Two-fleets) in
Mo’orea; the temple Tahu-ea (Invocation-for-deliverance) in Ra’iatea; the
temples of Ava-rau (Divers-passages)
and
Vai-’otaha
( Water-of-the-man-ofwar-bird) in Porapora ; and the temple
of the cape Manunui-i-te-ra’i (Benumbedof-the-sky) in Huahine.
Monarchs were invested with the yellow girdle within the walls of the tem¬
ple of Vai-’otaha in Porapora ; and
monarchs
were
or
phrase showing the
one
invested
with
the
red
girdle within the walls of the temple of
Taputapu-atea at Opoa in Ra’iatea.
Within those walls were they created
sovereigns ; hence aros'e tlie power of
Fa’a-nui in Porapora, and hence arose
the power of Opoa in Ra’iatea.
In old records Ta’urna is applied to a variety
Word
a star.
They bore the names of those stars, and
designated,
of stars, the explanatory
already partly shown.
as
(Festivity-that-rises-overbeing the native name of Point Venus in Tahiti), and
also Ta’urua-i-te-pati-feti’a (Festivity-that-leads-the-stars).
Fomalhaut is
Ta’urua-i-te-i’a-o-te-no’o (Festivity-of-the-fish-at-the-helm).
Orion’s belt
Venus is further named Ta’urua-e-hiti-i-Matavai
Matavai—Matavai
( Festivity-of-parental-yearnings-united ). AlCor Hydra is Ta’urua-feufeu (Festivity-throwing-ofï). Betelguese in Orion is Ta’urua-nui-o-Mere (Great-festivity-in-parental-yearnings).
Canopus in Argo is Ta’urua-e-tupu-tai-nanu (Festivity-fromwhence-comes-the-flux-of-the-sea) and also Ta’urua-nui-o-te-hiti-apato’a
(Great-festivity-of-the-border-of-the-south). Deneb in Cygnus is Ta’urua-i-te-ha’apâra’a-manu (Festivity-of-the-ascent-of-birds or the Whitesea-swallow of the god Tane).
Jupiter is Ta’urua-o-ra’i-taetae’a-oHavai’i i te tua
(Festivity-of-confusion-in-the-sky-with-Havai’i-in-therear) ; and also Ta’urua-e-hiti-i-ara-o-te-anuanua (Festivity-that-rises-inthe-path-of-the-rainbow).“ And Sirius is named Ta’urua-fau-papa (Fes-
is Ta’urua-o-Mere-ma-tû-tahi
phard
or
-
22
This
rainbow.
-
name
-
may
hâve
corne
from
a
recollection of the story of Jupiter layîng hold of the
364
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
tivity-of-original-high-chiefs) and also Ta’urua-e-hiti-i-tara-te-feia’i (Fes-
tivity-who-rises-with-prayers-and-religious-cei'emonies).
Thë Birth or Winds
O Râ-ta’iri te metua tane, o
metua vahiné, fanau maira
te
Te-muri
ta
raua
matahiapo, o Maoa’e-ra’i-aneane, ei ari’i
te mau
no
mata’i atoa.
Ra-ta’iri (Sun-striking, heat) was the
father, Te-muri (Behind) was the
mother, and there was boni their firstbcrn, Maoa’e-ra’i-aneane (North-east-
trade-wind-of-the-clear-sky), which be-
Pafa’ite ; he’e te tua, o
Mara’amu ; he’e te tua, o Ha'apiti, oia o
Fa’arua; a he’e te tua o Toerau, e maHe’e te tua, o
ra’i-moana maira.
king over ail the other winds.
There followed Pafa’ite (North-west-
came
wind) ; then came Mara’amu (Southwind) ; then the boisterous Ha’apiti or
Fa’arua (North - wind - with - two currents) ; and afterwards came Toerauma-ra’i-moana
(North-wind-with-clears'ky).
When the sea is plentifully capped
outside and lightiy capped inside the
-
Te rahi ra te hu’ahua i tai, màmà mai
nei i uta, o taua To’erau-ma-ra’i-moana
aihuma-huma ra.
reef,
it
moana,
is
then
that
To’erau-ma-ra’i-
deep and vast, is blowing.
Tanr, THE Man-God^**
e, ’aere ’ere e !
’Aore mata
upo’o, ’aore ihu, ’aore e tari’a,
vaha, ’aore ’ai, ’aore tua, ’aore
’ouma, ’aore ’ao’ao, ’aore ’opû, ’aore pito,
’aore huhà, aore tohe, ’aore e turi,
’aore ’avae, ’aore tapua’e ’avae ! Eaha te
tupu o teie tamaiti? ’Aere e, ’aere ’ere
’Aere
’aore
’aore
! I fanau rà ia vai ia tama ? I fanau
ia Atea e ia Pàpa-tu-’oi, O te fanau’a
’una’una a Ta’aroa.
e
horo
A
a’ena
te
arere
a
te
fanau’a
’una’una a Ta’aroa. Te arere ra o Florofana’e, a horo i te aro o te Tumu-nui,
ia raua o Rua-tupua-nui !
A horo rà te arere, a ite mai o Tumunui e o Rua-tupu-nui, ua mânava maira,
naô atura; “Horo-fana’e e!
Tena ’oe?”
ia
Naô atu nei o Horo-fana’e, “Teie au.”
“A tahi ’io i tae mai ai i te Tumu e
Rua-tupua-nui nei ?”
“E ’io!
E tere nui to’u !
Ti’i mai
nei au i te fare tahu’a a te Atua !
Te
tamaiti o Atea ua fanau, a ti’i e hamani.”
Ua fanau ia tama?
“Ua fanau.”
“A hi’o i te ti’a o tena tamaiti ?”
“E
pû-fenua I
E
pa’ipa’i
nui !
E
O, shapeless, O, shapeless ! No face,
head, no nose, no ears, no mouth, no
neck, no back, no chest, no ribs, no
abdomen, no umbilicus, no thighs, no
buttocks, no knees, no legs, no sole of
the foot I
O, what growth is' this little
child I
O, shapeless, o shapeless nothing I
Who could hâve borne such a
child?
He is boni of Atea and Papatu-’oi (Sharp-standing-rock), the handsome
offspring of Ta’aroa.
no
Let the messenger of the handsome
offspring of
senger
Ta’aroa
Horo-fana’e
run.
The
mes¬
(Early-runner), let
presence of Tumu-nui,
him run to the
and of Rua-tupua-nui I
Then the mess'enger ran, and when
Tumu-nui and Rua-tupu-nui saw him,
they welcomed him, and said : “Horofana’e !
Hâve you corne?”
Horo-fana’e answered, “Here I am.”
“Some great cause has brought you
Tumu and to Rua-tupua-nui?”
“There is a cause I
I hâve a great
errand !
I hâve corne for the bod}'
of artisans of the gods !
The son of
Atea is born, ,go and fashion him.”
“Is the child born ?”
“He is born.”
“Did you notice whom he resembles ?”
“A clod of earth ! A huge jelly-fish!
to
Recited in 1823 by Vara and by Ara-Mou’a, high priest of Ra’iatea; and in 1840
by Mahine
(Datighter), chief of Mai’ao and son of King Mato of Ra’iatea.
23
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
365
’aere e, e ’aere ere e! Te vai noa ra ia,
te tiraha noa mai ra ia i te ama’ama
nui O Atea.”
“Tera na tahu’a e haere, o Huri-tua
O s'hapeless, shapeless nothing!
There
he lies, extended in the great embrace
of Atea.”
“There are the artisans that shall
e
go,
O
Huri-aro, ua ti’a to tere.”
Huri-tua
aro
Tutui a’e ai a raua ete to’i i te rima,
’tura e huri tua i te tama, e huri
aro i te tama.
reva
Aita i
mata’u,
a
ha’apâ i te rima i ni’a iho ;
ri’ari’a i
Atea !
I rave
huhura attira
Tumu.
Na
arere
ra
a
te hau o te ari’i o
a’e ai a raua ete to’i, e
i raro i te aro o te
o
Ti’a-o-uri
e
o
Ti’a-o-
atea, i haere roa a’era i raro i Vai-tû-pô,
i te aro o Ta’aroa.
“Mânava
o-atea !
orua
e
Ti’a-o-uri
e
o
Ti’a-
A tahi tere nui i tae mai ai i
Vaitû-pô nei?”
“Tere nui ua hia a’e ai i Vai-tû-pô
nei! Ti’i mai nei i to pu’e tahu’a na, e
hopoi ei tahu’a no te tamaiti a te Ari’i,
Atea, aita i ha’apâ te rima o na
tahu’a o te Tumu-nui i ni’a iho, ua
o
ri’ari’a i te hau
o
te
ari’i
o
Atea.”
“A, ua ti’a, tera mai o Rima-roa e o
Nànà ; na tahu’a ia e haere.”
Rere ana’e attira ia na arere e na
tahu’a e ni’a i te tama ia Atea ra ; hi’o
a’era o Rima-roa, hi’o ho’i-o Nàna ! Aita
rà i ha’apà i te rima i ni’a iho i te tama,
i mata’u i ri’ari’a i te Ari’i o Atea !
I
rave ai i ta raua ete to’i, i huhura attira
i raro i Vai-tû-pô !
A ho’i na arere, o Ti’a-o-uri, e o Ti’ao-atea i Vai-tû-pô ia Ta’aroa ra; mâ¬
nava maira Ta’aroa, “A tahi à tere?”
“E ! A tahi à tere nui to maua !”
“Ahiri !”
“Ti’i mai nei i to varua na, e hopoi ei
a’e na te tamaiti o Atea-ta’o-nui !”
“Ua ti’a to orua tere, a hoho’i orua,
tera mai to’u varua.”
Fa’atupu attira Ta’aroa i te ’iri no te
tama, ei htirti no te tama, ia riro ’oia ei
atua niana, ei taata purotu hope roa : te
’iri o te hiitu, ei ’iri-matoru no te tama,
te ’iri o te atae, ei ’iri taratara no te
tama ; te ’iri o te miti, ei ’iri taitai no
te tama ; te ’iri no te tumu ha’ari ei ’iri
àfàfa no te tama; te ’iri purau ei ’iri
varua
(Back-turner) and Huriyour
errand is
(Face-turner),
agreed to.”
So these two strung their baskets
adzes upon their arms and went
fashion the back of the child, and
fashion the face of the child.
But they did not apply their hands
of
to
to
to
him; they feared, they dreaded the majesty of Atea ! This was why they took
up their baskets of adzes', and sped back
to
Tumu.
The messengers, Ti’a-o-uri (Approver-
of-darkness) and Ti’a-o-atea (Approverof-extension), then went away down to
Ta’aroa at Vai-tu-po (River-in-Hades).
“Welcome to you both, Ti’a-o-uri and
Ti’a-o-atea! A great errand has brought
you to Vai-tu-po?”
“We hâve a great errand which has
brought us to Vai-tu-po ! We hâve corne
for î'our body of artisans, to take them
to mould the son of Queen Atea, the
artisans of Tumu-nui did not apply their
hands to touch him, they dreaded the
majesty of Atea.”
“I agréé, there are Rima-roa (Rongarm) and Nana (Steadfas't-gaze) ; they
are the artisans that shall go.”
So those messengers and artisans flew
up to the child with Atea, Rima-roa
looked, and Nana looked ! But they did
not put forth their hands to touch the
child, they feared and dreaded Queen
Atea.
This was why they took their
baskets of adzes and fled back to Vaitu-po !
Then the messengers, Ti’a-o-uri and
Ti’a-o-atea returned to Ta'aroa at Vai-
tu-po ; lie welcomed them, and said :
“Another errand?”
“Ye.s'!
We hâve another great er¬
rand !”
“Let me hear it !”
“We hâve corne for your spirit, to
take it to the son of
Atea-ta’o-nui
(Vast-expanse-of-great-bidding).”
“Your errand is agreed to, return, you
two, there is my
spirit.”
Then Ta’aroa caused skins to grow
for the child, to .give him qualities, to
make him a great god, a perfectly
handsome man ; the bark of the hiitu
to
make the child hardv ;
the bark
of the atac, for a rough skin
for
the child; the crust of the sea (sait),
for a sait skin for the child ; the bark
366
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
pi’ei’ei no te tama ; te ’iri
o te ’ati, ei
’iri nifanifa no te tama ; te ’iri mara, ei
’iri rairai no te tama ; te ’iri apape, ei
’iri me’ume’u no te tama ; te ’iri o te
to’i, ei ’iri hinuhinu no te tama ; te ’iri
o te aito, ei ’iri ’ura’ura no te tama
; te
’iri o te ’uru, ei ’iri tapau no te tama;
te ’iri o te fai, ei ’iri vanavana no te
of the coconut tree, for a porous skin
for the child ; the purau bark, for a
skin full of fissures for the child; the
bark of the ’atsi, for a variegated skin
for the child ; the bark of the mara, for
a
thin skin for the child ; the apape
bark, for a thick skin for the child ; the
bark, for a shilling skin for the
child; the aito bark, for a red skin for
the
child ;
the uru
bark,
for
a
glutinous skin for the child; the skin
of the rayfish, for a prickly skin for the
child ; the crust of the water (ice) for a
cold skin for the child; the nature of
the wind, for a sensitive skin for the
child ; the shark’s skin, for a smooth
skin for the child ; the surface of the
Sun, for a warm skin for the child ; the
surface of the moon, for a light skin
toi
tama; te ’iri pape,"* ei ’iri anuanu no te
tama; te huru o te mata’i, ei ’iri manihinihi no te tama; te ’iri o te ma’o, ei
’iri pa’i’a no te tama ; te ’iri o te ma-
hana, ei ’iri vera no te tama ; te ’iri o te
ava’e, ei ’iri maramarama no te tama.
Ua hope roa ia nau ’iri i ni’a i te tama ;
te ’iri o to’na huru, te ’iri, o to’na huru,
te ’iri, o to’na huru, no te tama nei.
child.
the
for
skins
were
and establish !
Now
Ail
these
the child ; the skin and its
nature, the skin and its nature, for this
placed
on
child.
Arise Atea, thou,
A ti’a e Atea, oe, e a noho !
A fa’anoho rà i te tupu’ai upo’o o te tama.
Fa’anohohia ’tura e Atea te tupu’ai upo’o
o
te tama.
A fa’anoho rà i te pahu
’uru o te upo’o, e a fa’anoho i te iri
of the child’s head. Then
Atea set the crown of the head for the
child.
Now set the form of the skull
of the head, and set the scalp with hair
upon it, that it may be a head to anoint
with oil for the child.
Ail this was
donc.
Set a nape of the neck. There
set the Crown
te rouru i ni’a iho, ei upo’o tahinu
mono’i no te tama.
Hope ana’e atura
ia.
A fa’anoho i te pani’uru.
I fa’ano¬
hohia ’tura ei pani’uru no te tama.
A
fa’anoho i te horu upo’o, e te rae, ei
e
rae
hiehie,
te tama.
upo’o, te
tama.
e a
fa’anoho i te rahirahia o
hiehie,
e
temples for the child. Then were
the openings of the cranium, the
war-like forehead, and the temples for
te rahirahia o te
the
call
ice pape paari
(hard
child.
let
Now
there
There were
child.
be
set
ears
Set
deaf
to
the
to
the
be-
of
the
for
ears
ears that coiild hear
that could hear close by,
deep ears, nice and erect and thin ; and
come
far
open
off,
there
child.
la fa’anohohia te rua mata, Fa’anoho¬
hia ’tura te rua mata po’opo’o. A fa’a¬
noho rà i te tu’e mata rumaruma, tu’ati’ati, e te mata o te tama ; ei mata
’ana’ana, ei mata hipahipa, ei mata tutonu, ei mata ’amo’amo, ei mata hi’ohi’o, e ei roi mata to te tama.
la fa’anohohia rà te ihu o te tama.
A noho ei ihu titi’aifaro, ei ihu feufeu,
ei ihu ’oro’oro aore à rà e apo’o to te
ihu o te tama.
now
of the
for the neck
set
te tama.
Tahitians
nape
set
Ua fa’anohohia rà te tari’a o te tama.
A noho e tari’a turi ei tari’a afà, ei
tari’a fa’aro’oro’o atu, ei tari’a fa’aro’oro’o mai, ei tari’a tauo’o, ti’ati’a rairai
maita’i ; e e raumea ’to’a to te tari’a o
^
a
child.
Set an opening of the cranium
and a forehead, a war-like forehead, and
Ua fa’anohohia ’tura te horu
rae
set
was
ears,
ears
were
lobes
ears
there be set sockets for the
And there were set deep sockets
for the eyes.
Now set frowning eyebrows that join, and eyes for the child;
let them be bright eyes, glancing eyes,
fixed eyes, winking eyes, observing eyes,
Let
eyes.
and let the child hâve tears.
Now let there he set a nose for the
child. There was a straight nose, to be
a
snorting
nose,
there were as
child’s nose.
or
frozen water).
a
yet
snoring
no
nose,
nostrils
in
but
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Fa’anohohia ’tura te moi ta’a.
I
fa’anohohia te papari’a, e papari’a feoro,
e papari’a taratara, e
papari’a unouno’o,
e papari’a papaurii, roroa no te tama.
I
fa’anohoia te ’utu, ei ’utuu pe’epe’e, ei
’utu
faita,
’ume’ume,
ei
’utu
e ’utu ’ata’ata,
e
utu
me’ume’u.
Ei i fa’a¬
nohohia te ta’ani’a e te ta’araro, e te
ara niho ei niho ’ai mà’a no
te tama.
I fa’anohohia te apu upo’o ei ’uru
upo’o
no te tama,
î i roto i te upo’o.
ia fa’anohohia rà ei
I atura te ’uru upo’o
arapo’a
ei a’î ’ari’ari, ei rei
i te roro.
A fa’anoho rà i te arero, ei arero mitimiti no te tama, ia hope maita’i te vaha,
ei vaha paraparau.
E a fa’anoho i te
no
te
ponapona e
tama.
fa’anohohia te tapono e te moemoerua ei vaira’a turu ’a no
te tama.
Te rima, e ei e’e ruerue, ei pororima, ei
’apu’apu, ei ’apu rima, ei rimarima, e ei
ma’iu’u rima
no
te tama.
la fa’anohohia te ’ouma raharaha, te
pai, te ’ao’ao varavara e ei tuamo’o
honohono, e ei tua fa’a’ohu no te tama.
A ti’a e Atea, oe, e a noho ! A fa’a¬
noho ei mafatu etuetu, ei upa’a ta’ue’ue,
ei ’ufa’ufa ta’ue’ue, ei opu vaira’a mà’a,
ei ate, ei hihirau’ape, e ei ràtà no te
tama.
Fa’anoho ei ’a’au rahi, fa’anoho
ei ’a’au iti mi’imi’i.
O te manava ia no
û
te
tama,
e manava
horuhoru.
la fa’anohohia rà te ’opû
fatifati, e ei
pito o’o’o, ei hoperemo purotu e ei tohe
tuara.
A fa’anoho rà i te tapa po’opo’o, e ei
huhà avarivari, fa’anoho i te turi, ei
tu ri ’opa.
A fa’anoho i te ivi fara no te
’avae o te tama, te ’avae rourou, ei
momoa
tau,
ei
poro
’avae, ei manimani
pana no te tama.
Then were set joints for the jaws.
There were set cheeks, smooth cheeks,
cheeks full of rage, flushed cheeks, wide,
long cheeks for the child. There were
set lips, pliant lips, pouting lips, laughing lips, sneering, thick lips. And there
were set the upper jaw and the lower
jaw, and rows of teeth, teeth for the
child to eat with.
The exterior is set
child,
e
’avae
te
ei
tapua’e
ma’iu’u pana-
as
a
head for the
let there be set fullness for
the head.
Then the skull of the head
got filled with brain.
Now set a tongue, a clamorous tongue,
a voluble
tongue, a licking tongue for
the child, that the mouth may be perfect
now
talk with and to eat with.
to
a
la
367
knotty gullet and
a
And
a neck for the child.
Let there be set shoulders formed
for
as
to
rest
set
slender throat,
so
against pillows in sleeping
for the child. And set arms, and odoriferous arm-pits, elbows, wrists and palms
to the hands, Angers, and finger nails
for the child.^
Let there be set a broad chest, a fiat
bosom, ribs wide apart,
a
jointed spine,
and a flexible back for the child.
Aris'e Atea, thou, and establish !
Let
there be set a throbbing heart, a swing-
ing liver, swinging lungs, a stomach for
a
réceptacle for food, a smilt, a caul,
and kidneys for the child. Set large in¬
testines, set small, curling intestines.
These were the child’s vitals, vitals containing a conscience.
Let there be set a folding abdomen,,
with a deep rounded umbilicus', comely
loins. and parted buttocks.
Now set hollow groins, and shilling,
limber thighs ; set knees, they must be
hending knees. Let there be shin bones
for the legs of the child, and turned out
feet, full ankle bones, heels and soles to
the feet, and toes with toe nails to push
ravarava, E a fa’ati’ati’a
ri’i i te po’opo’o ri’i ’iri e
off with for the child.
Let the development of the child ail
be perfect.
And now cover the child with a sleek,
brown skin.
And set little hairs by ail
the pores of the skin.
When this was
A ti’a a’e o Atea i ni’a, i rave ai i
ta’na ete pûpû tui e’e a’era, i hou mai
ai i te ’uru menemene o te tama. I hou
mai i te tari’a ro’oro’o, e fa’anoho a’eroa
i te taturi i roto.
Hou mai ai i te ihu,
bored into the round skull of the child.
She bored into the ears to listen by,
and placed wax in them.
She bored
la hope maita’i roa te tupu o te tama.
A vehi râ i te tama i te ’iri hinuhinu
i te huruhuru
ati roa a’e. A
oti, a noho te manava o Atea !“
clone, the mind of Atea was set at rest.
Then Atea stood up, took her basket
of gimlet shells uncler her arm, and
noho te manava 0 Atea, lîterally meaning “the intestines of Atea were then at rest,’’
wotild now be expressed as maita’i atura te mana’o 0 Atea, “the mind of Atea was then at ease,’’
Manava without accent means intestines, but with the first a long, it meant welcome, as is seen in
the above greetings of the gods.
368
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
i houa mai ai te vaha paraparau e i te
o te tama.
Hautiuti mai ra te
tama, oto mai ra, ua ta’o atura, “E Atea
arapo’a
ua mamae roa vau !”
Oti roa a’era te tupu o te tama, na
Atea ana’e i rave.
Riro atura te tama
ei mea ora, na te varua o Ta’aroa i
e
,
ha’api’i i te ha’a, i riro ai Tane-mata-
morarai ei tamaiti hi’ora’a maita’i.
te mau tahu’a i rave atu ia Tane,
ta’u ana’e i te hau, i te mana o
Pa’ari atura
o
Aore
i maAtea.
Tane; o Tane ti’a vaho,
Tane ti’a i roto. A mamapu Tane, o
Tane te mamapu.
A hiohio Tane, o
Tane te hiohio. Tane hoa rau.
Tane
hoa nu’u, o Tane hoa ra’i.
A ite te
nu’u atua i te rouru e te huruhuru o
Tane, o te ore i au i to ratou huruhuru,
topa ’tura i te i’oa
e
rimu.
Ti’a rà o Tane i ni’a, na’ô maira :
“O vau maori teie, o Tane nui, atua o
te mau mea purotu !
I te*mata a’a ra’i !
O vau i te mata tui’au i to Ro’o te ro’oro’o.”
Teie ta Tane:
O Tane
Tane aho roa, Tane fenua
hoa
roa,
i te hora.
ta
Tane,
Vero-nu’u,
e
e o Vero-ra’ai, e toa te
tore ’ere’ere e rua ia e vai
pohe! Te ’ufa e ’ufa i uta, e
pohe ! Te ’ufa o Tane e ’ufa i te fare,
e polie te maru i roto, e
pohe te taata
i te ma’i.
A apa’i Tane i te taata, e
popoa iti ia.
O Tane te Atua o te mau
e
tahu’a
Tane.
te ao nei.
Ei ahu
O Tane moeoho.
o
no
te tai
o
To te feia tarai va’a. tp te feia papa’i
fare, to te feia faati’a marae, i naô ana’e
ia mau tahua’e :
“Ei mata ora te ha’a.
For
and caused Tane-mata-morari
shapeless-face)
to become a
(Tane-ofgood-look-
ing boy. Noue .of the artisans touched
Tane, they were ail afraid of the majesty, the power of Atea.
Tane matured ; Tane who stood outside, Tane who stood inside.
Tane
breathed heavily, Tane the heavy breather.
Tane whistled, Tane the whistler.
Tane of many friends. Tane the friend
of armies.
Tane the heavenly friend.
When the hosts of gods saw Tane’s.
hair, which was not like their feathers,
they named it moss.
Now Tane stood up and said : “And
so
this is I, great Tane, god of ail
things beautiful ! With eyes to measure the skies !
I whose eyes will imite
with those of Ro’o (Famé), the faThese are Tane’s attributes :
Tane
friend of armies, Tane of long breath,
Tane of distant lands, Tane the extir-
pator, Tane the resounder, Tane whose
touch subjected, Tane who drew away
sky of Atea, Tane of the tenth sky,
Tane of the open sky, Tane of extended
the
arms.
o
ra’au. O na
mai ra i te Vai-ora i te ra’i. Te ’ufa o
Tane e ’ufa i ni’a, e pohe ! Te ’ufa e
’ufa i raro, e pohe I
Te ’ufa, e ’ufa i
tai,
Atea, I am in great pain !”
Thus the development of the child
was perfected, accomplished it ail.
The
child became a living being, it was the
spirit of Ta’aroa that directed the work,
mous.”
nu’u,
Tane
pau, Tane haruru, Tane totoia, Tane i
to’ona i te ra’i ia Atea, Tane i te ra’i
tua tini, Tane i te ra’i
hamama, Tane
E rua ta’o
niu te ra’au,
into the nose and the talkative mouth
and the throat of the child.
The child
then moved, he wept, and cried :
“O
Tane had two great spears, Vero-nu’u
(Dart-upon-armies), of coconut wood,
and
Vero-ra’ai
(Attacking-dart), of
’aito.
that
These are the two dark streaks
still remain along the Vai-ora
(Milky Way), in the sky.“
When Tane
vented his rage above, there was death !
When he vented his rage below, there
was death !
When he vented his rage
at
sea, there was death !
When he
vented his rage inland, there was death !
When Tane’s' wrath was poured forth
in the house the shadows vanished from
within, and people got ill.
When Tane
struck a man, he became a pulp.
Tane
was
the god of ail artisans in this
World.
Tane was a bailer of the sea.
He was Tane who caused a restless,
anxious mind.
Those who hewed ont canoës', those
who built houses, those who erected
temples, ail these artisans said:
description of the great wooden spear called ta'o, literally meaning “to
the shoulder,” see accounts of war 'weapons (p. 298).
=“
t'iie
“Work
carry
on
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
ei to’i horo !”
i tupu ai.
parau
Fa’anoho
No Tane, aitu tahu’a,
ia
Ta’aroa ia Tane i
te
attira
ra’i tua tini te ra’i hamama tei reira te
a te atua.
E vai ai vaha na te
atua ; na te rima maui te apu atu i te
vaha, e rima mo’a ia na te atua.
Tei taua vai
i faaora hia
te fanau raa
e
Ire, te ma’o purotu
Ta’aroa ra, hou
o te taata; i horo’a hia ia
e
ra
Tû
o
ma
Ta’aroa na Tane.
E pira’e iti ’uo, i fa’a’ai hia i te ’atoti
ma’o purotu, tei te ra’i hamama a
Tane ; E manu iti hani, tau faaî rei na
’ai
Tane, ei
io’a
te
manu
ora
a
o
ura
arere
taua
na
Tane,
manu
ra,
o
Tae-fei-aitu
ra.
e
E
nau
ato’a tei taua vai
o Tane-manu te io’a, i
nui purotu
Tane
iti
hia mai i to’na tau ei mono ia
Tane i roto i te moana o teie nei ao. A
ite te feia faatere pahi i taua mau manu
tono
ra, i te marere raa mai e tau haere ai
i ni’a i te tira pahi e i te tai, e tapa’o ia
e ua tia’i hia ratou e Tane, atua nui.
E
ore roa e
ora i te vero
ahiri ratou i
hamani’ino i taua mau manu mo’a ra.
O Aruru te vahiné ta Ta’aroa i rahu
na Tane; e atua vahiné mana oia, na’na
i ha’apu’e i te mau mea purotu a Tane
i to ratou mau vairaa.
Rahua maira
o
A tu’u à i te
arere
Tane.
’Apo-rau ei
e, e fano oe i te ra’i
ata e, e ata tupu a’e !
na
arere
Tane !
ta vero
with wakeful eyes, and with expéditions
axes !”
Tane, god of artisans, was the
saying.
Tane in the tenth sky,
the open sky, where flows the Vai-ora
of the gods (Milky Way).
It was
water to lap up into the mouths of the
gods ; by the left hand they bore it to
the mouth, that was the sacred hand to
the gods.
In that water lives Ire (Prize-winner),
cause
Vai-ora
na
E Tû
hia ! E
E ata au a’e e I
E fano oe na te tai ta vero hia,
E ata e ! e ata poiri, e ata fetui I
369
of this
Ta’aroa placed
the handsome shark’’ that
by Tu
was
rescued
with Ta’aroa after man
created ; Ta’aroa gave it to Tane.
There was a little white sea-swallow
that was fed on rémoras from off the
handsome shark, in the open sky of
Tane.
It was a little pet bird that
nestled against Tane’s neck, upon his
shoulder, as his messenger, named Taefei-aitu (Arrivai - of - pétitions - to - thegods). And there were great handsome
red birds that Hved in the living water
of Tane, named Bird-Tane, which he
sometimes’ sent to represent him in the
terrestial océan.
When mariners saw
those birds flying overhead and alighting
upon their ship masts and in the sea
they knew they were protected by the
great god. Tane.
Sure destruction by
storm would hâve been the penalty had
they ill-treated those sacred birds.
the wife that
for Tane; she
was
a
great goddes's who collected
Tane’s
handsome
things into their
proper places.
Thcn was conjured as a messenger
for Tane, ’Apo-rau (Catcher-of-manyAruru
(Collector)
was
Ta’aroa conjured forth
things).
Give another messenger for Tane! O
Tu, fly thou to the sky where the storm
is gathering!
There is a cloud, a growing cloud !
It is a rising cloud !
Fly thou over the tempestuous sea,
O the clouds ! the dark cloud, the midnight cloud !
ROO THE
E fano oe i te ra’i ta vero hia.
E ata e, e ata ti’iti’i.
Fly thou to the stormy sky.
O the cloud ! it is a wide-spreading
E ata e !
E ata mareva.
Eiaha te ata hi’a,
Eiaha te ata tu noa,
O the cloud ! It is a flying cloud.
Not the slipping cloud,
Not the standing cloud,
Not the fleecy cloud,
Eiaha te ata ta’ata’a,
See the legencl on page 403.
was
cloud.
„
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
370
Not the shelving cloud,
Not the inflated cloud,
But beyond the drifting cloud,
Eiaha te ata fare,
Eiaha te ata pû’a’a,
O atu ra i te ata pe’e noa,
O ata i te ata oehau,
Te ata ura, te ata re’are’a,
Te ata teatea, te ata taupe.
O atu i te ata verovero,
O atu i te ata haaviriviri
E te ata mahàhà !
A fano oe i te ra’i ta vero hia.
E ata e ! e ata poiri, e ata fetu’i,
Beyond the changing cloud,
The red cloud, the yellow cloud,
The clear cloud, the drooping cloud,
Beyond the stormy cloud,
Beyond the furling cloud
And the vaporous cloud !
Fly thou to the lowering sky.
Oh the clouds ! the dark cloud, the
night cloud,
The frozen, gilded cloud !
E ata pa’ari, hiti mare’are’a !
O Eaurourou te ata,
mid-
Eaurourou (Darling-child-caressed)
the cloud,
travels,
is
and
E ta’ai na, ta’ai na, tupu, ta’ai na.
That travels' on,
travels on.
Ua hapu te ata paari
la Ro’o arere nui a Tane !
Ta’ai na, ta’ai na, tupu ta’ai na.
A moe O Ro’o nui i te ata, ta’ai na.
With Ro’o the great messenger of Tane !
Travel on, travel on, grow and travel on.
Great Ro’o sleeps in the cloud travel-
A hurihuri. a tauahi,
A faauta o Ro’o i te ata
A ta’ai na, tupu, ta’ai na.
A ’a’ai O Ro’o i te ata
A ta’ai na, tupu, ta’ai na.
A tatuatua o Ro’o i te ata
A ta’ai na, tupu, ta’ai na.
A hu’ihu’i o Ro’o i te ata
A ta’ai, tupu. ta’ai na.
A iti’iti o Ro’o i te ata,
A mamae ia Ro’o te ata,
Ro’o turns and caresses,
Ro’o sets himself in the cloud
As he travels on, grows, and travels on.
Ro’o feeds upon the cloud
As’ he travels on, grows, and travels on.
Ro’o is nude in the cloud
As he travels on, grows, and travels on.
Ro’o causes the cloud to throb
As he travels on, grows, and travels on.
Ro’o causes sharp pains in the cloud
The throes of parturiency with Ro’o
overtake the cloud,
Prégnant is the frozen cloud
ing on.
Ro’o is born of the cloud !
Travel on, grow and travel on.
Ro’o wears s'waddling clothes
cloud
A fanau ia Ro’o te ata !
Ta’ai
A ta
na,
tupu, ta’ai na.
pahi’i
o
Ro’o i te ata,
tupu, ta’ai na.
E fare hua no Ro’o te ata
Ta’ai na, a tupu, ta’ai na.
A ne’e o Ro’o, a totoro o Ro’o
Ta’ai na, a tupu, ta’ai na.
A haere o Ro’o i te ata,
A ta’ai, tupu, ta’ai na.
A pa’ari o Ro’o i te ata !
Hahaere e Ro’o ma Tû,
Tuava ê i te ata e rere
E ta’ai na, ta’ai na,
A ta’ai na,
Tupu, ta’ai na e !
O Ro’o mua,
Ro’o
arere
i te ata,
Grow,s', and travels
na
0
na
tahu’a nui ite a Tane.
As he travels on, grows, and travels on.
The cloud is an asylum for Ro’o
Traveling on, growing and traveling on.
Ro’o creeps, Ro’o reaches in the cloud,
Traveling on, growing and traveling on.
Ro’o walks in the cloud.
As he travels, .grows, and travels on.
Ro’o is rnatured in the cloud !
Départ, Ro’o and Tû,
nui teie
A rahu rà i te tahu’a na Tane.
ia !
O ’oina, o Eàfà, o ’O’oia, e o
in the
Turn back from the cloud that Aies
And travels on. travels on,
Tane, i rahua e Ta’aroa, i fanau hia e
Eaurourou, te ata pa’ari mareare’a.
ora,
grows,
Teie
Tui-
on !
This is Ro’o the first, Ro’o the great
messenger
of Tane, conjured by Ta’aroa
and born of Eaurourou, the frozen, gild¬
ed cloud.
Now conjure the artisans for Tane.
Here they are!
’Oina (Sharpness),
Fafa (Feeler), ’O’oia (Swiftness) and
Tuiora (Canoe-setter), these be 'Tane’s
great learned artisans.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tei Mou’a-’ura i Uporu te fenua o
Tane i te ao nei. i reira ta’na nu’u atua
te tairuru raa i te anotau ta’upiti no te
ao nei.
Mou’a-’ura
371
(Red-mountain) in Uporu
nu’u-marae, o Aruru-nu’u-ràrà, o Poro-
(Taha’a) was the land of Tane in this
World ; there his' godly host assembled
for earthly festivities.
In the open sky of Tane dwelt his
people who were remarkably ingénions ;
they were Pa’u (Splasher), Huhura
petupe-i-fare-one.
ble-house-of-refuge), Aruru - nu’u - rara
(Collector - of - scattered-hosts), Poro-a-
Tei te ra’i hamama o Tane na taata
ihi ’ea ra ; o Pà’ù o Huhura, o Hua-
a-uta, o Poro-a-tai, o Porapora-i-rau-ata,
e na vahiné tama, o Anei-ra’i, e o Tu-
(Scamperer), Hua-nu’u-marae
uta
(Porta-
(Proclaimer-inland), Poro-a-tai(Pro-
claimer-seaward), Porapora - i - rau - ata
(First-born-of-varied-Iaughing), and the
prolific women, Anei-ra’i (Scented-shrubof-the-sky)
and
Tupetupe-i-fare-one
O Tane
raua
’Aruru, fanau maira ta
e
o
tamaiti,
o
rahi roa.
i te tai’o
Fanau-tini, atua hua’ai
E ’ore ta’na vahiné
te rahi.
no
e
hope
(Loiterer-in-sand-house).
Tane and ’Aruru begat
Fanau-tini (Birth-of-many),
their
son
who beHis wives
a most prolific god.
cannot be counted as they are numerous.
came
throughout Polynesia, known mostly as god
light. In New Zealand he was god of forests, birds, and insects, son
of Rang! and Papa (Heaven and Stratum-rock). In the Hawaiian group
he was called Lani-Makua (Heavenly-chief ).
The name Ro’o with its variations, Lono and Rongo, is known through¬
out Polynesia as that of a great and powerful god, but there is some con¬
fusion made between this Ro’o and the Tahitian Ro’o the second, who
is not mentioned by the other islanders above cited, and the attributes
of the two are blended together.
In New Zealand he is called Rongo-ma-Tane, and said to be the son
of Rang! and Papa (Heaven and Stratum-rock).
In the song of Kû-ali’i,^® by Fornander, are the words, “Kakai ka
alla maueïeka, na Kû” (Following is the train of clouds after Kû), just
reversed from Tû following the clouds in search of Ro’o.
And in the
same song are mentioned the names of Kane, Kû, and Lono
(Tane, Tû,
and Ro’o), who formed the triad suprême among the Hawaiian deities,
and were worshipped by the Hawaiians as one god, under the title of “Kûkau-akahi” (The-one-established).
In Hawaiian mythology Ro’o’s full name is Lono-nui-noho-i-ka-wai
(Great-Lono-dwelling-in-water), which may hâve reference to the Tahitian
Tane
was
a
famotis god
of
statement that
In
sented
of
he was born in the cloud.
Mangareva Rongo (Ro’o) was worshipped as a great god repreby the rainbow, which harmonizes with the Tahitian “gilded cloud
Ro’o.”
The parentage
Fornander, Abraham, The
of Ro’o is somewhat confused in different
Polynesian Race, vol. 2, pp. 373, 386, London, 1880.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
372
groups;
the Samoans State that he was the son of Ta’aroa, being nearest
the Tahitian statement that he was conjured by Ta’aroa.
Exchange oe Sexes Between Atea and Faahotu and
Production
Fanau mai ra ta Fa’ahotu tama mata-
hiapo, O Tahu mua. A fa’a’ai hia i te
û pa’i no Fa’ahotu, mate atura i te po’ia.
Fanau maira o Tahu roto, fa’a’ai hia i
te û pa’i no Fa’ahotu, mate atura ia i te
po’ia.
Fanau mai ra o Tahu-muri
fa’a’ai hia i te û pa’i no Fa’ahotu, mate
ato’a atura i te po’ia !
“Ua mate ana’e à ia
“Ua mate !”
mau
tamari’i !”
haps with Atea.”
e
o
Tane.
E mânava ta Tane :
“Mânava orua,
e Ti’a-o-uri e o Ti’a-o-atea, a tahi tere
i tae mai ai orua i te vai ’ai vaha a
Tane nei.”
“E tere nui ! E tere tapiho’o to maua
i tae mai ai ia Tane nei!”
o
‘‘Ahiri !”
“Te mata o Atea, e hopoi atu ei mata
no Fa’ahotu, te mata o Fa’ahotu, e hopoi
ia ei mata no Atea. E mau anei?”
“E mau roa ia !”
“Te huru tane o Fa’ahotu ra, e hopoi
ana’e ia no Atea, e te huru vahiné o
Atea ra. e hopoi ana’e ia no Fa’ahotu.
E mau anei ia?”
“E mau roa ana’e ia !”
A upu rà o Tane Mauri ihora o Fa’a¬
hotu e o Atea. Na pu nauanau, na pu
na
tiraurau.
“A ara Atea !
Tete a nu’u, tete a
ra’i !
I te pori o Atea, i te poiri o
Atea i te marama o Atea ! A pû a hiti
rà !
Ei tafa e Atea!” Ta Uru ia upu
i te iho faahou raa mai o Atea.
“O vai teie vahiné nui e vai mai nei ?”
“O Fa’ahotu ia vahiné ua tapiho’o i
to’na huru tane i te huru vahiné o
Atea.”
Recited
The first-born of Fa’ahotu was born,
was Tahu (Magician), the first.
He
was nursed on the flat bosom of Fa’a¬
hotu and died of starvation.
Inner
Tahu was born and he was nursed on
the flat bosom of Fa’ahotu and he died
of starvation. Then last Tahu was born,
and he was nursed on the flat bosom of
Fa’ahotu and died also of starvation.
“So ail those children are dead !”
it
“What shall be done?”
“Make an exchange [of
Ti’a-o-atea, e tae roa ’tura i te Vai-ora
nahanaha,
More Gods^®
“They are dead !”
“Eaha e tia’i ?”
“E tapiho’o paha taua o Atea !”
“A haere e tapiho’o.”
Rere atura na ’arere o Ti’a-o-uri
oe
sexes]
per-
“Go and make the exchange.”
Then the messengers' Ti’a-o-uri and
Ti’a-o-atea flew up to the Vai-ora of
Tane.
Tane greeted them : “Welcome to y ou
both, Ti’a-o-uri and Ti’a-o-atea, an er-
rand has brought you hither to Tane’s
water to catch into the mouth.”
“It is a great errand ! It is an errand
of exchange that has brought us hither
to Tane !”
“Let
me
know it.”
“We want the face of Atea taken for
Fa’ahotu, and the face of Fa’ahotu taken
for Atea. Will that hold?”
“It will hold well !”
“Let ail that is masculine in Fa’ahotu
be taken for Atea, and ail that is
féminine in Atea be for Fa’ahotu. Will
that hold?”
"Ail that will hold well !”
Tane used enchantments, so that Fa’a¬
hotu and Atea fell into a trance.
He
willed it, he arranged it well, ail was
accomplished in attractive order,
“Awake Atea ! Resound in the army,
resound in the sky !
In the fatness, in
the darkness, in the light of Atea ! Now
be satisfîed, arise !
Be sonorous' Atea !”
This was the invocation of Uru, the
great canoë bailer of Ta’aroa as the
consciousness of Atea returned,
“Who is this great woman here?”
“That woman is Fa’ahotu who has
exchanged her masculine nature for the
féminine nature of Atea.
by Mahine, chief of Mai’ao; Anani, Tahitian chief, and Tamera, Tahitian high priest.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
“A ho’i mai rà
Ua ho’i te iho
na
pu’e atua !”
o
na
Tahu i
roto
ia
Fa’ahotu, a tono tahi Tahu e ei ana mua
a tono tahi e ei ana mua.
I
Ro’o te roro’o ei ana mua, te puai
ra
O
Ro’o ; te matahiapo atura ia.
Fanau atua maira ia Ro’o, e atua mana
i
vaho,
tono
roa, O
Ro’o mûri.
atea, o Pa’aroa ’ai’ai.
Na’na i fa’aaui
te fâ no te faatano omore, na’na i fa’aau
i te fenua aroraa, na mûri atura oia ia
Ro’o.
Taua pito ra, o Fara tau te
maire ia.
Teie ta Ro’o te roro’o e atua i’oa rau
Ro’o : Ro’o i te hiripo’i, Ro’o aninia,
Ro’o tuiaroha, Ro’o i te mohimohi, Ro’o
te hamama, Ro’o i te màmà, Ro’o i te
toiaha Ro’o i ni’a, Ro’o i raro, Ro’o i
uta,
Ro’o i tai, Ro’o i poiri, Ro’o i
maramarama, Ro’o te roroo’o i mauri i
roto i te metua vahiné.
Ro’o i te hihio,
Ro’o atua aho pau.
E para hia te ma’i
i te upu o Ro’o, e ora te ma’i ia Ro’o.
Fanau
maira
Tahu
“Now return, O body of gods !”
The essence of the Tahu returned
into Fa’ahotu, one Tahu sent to say he
would corne forth first, another said he
would be first. Ro’o the prayer chanter
sent
to
say
mua
e
ahi
ta’a
nu’u, oia te vana’a ia Tane aitu. Tahu
roto maira, e ahi ta’a ra’i ; fanau maira
Tahu-muri, e ahi ta’a i te Pô. Ite ai te
ta’ata i te tahu i te atua e i te varua-ino.
mea, o Hotu, o Te-pori
te puo o te fenua, e o te
ia Rua-Papa i
Ohu-tû-mou’a ;
ei faatuputupu ia no te fenua. He’e te
tua, o Hina-tû-a-ni’a, o Hina-tû-a-raro,
Hina-tû-a-ra’i, o Hina-tû-a-uta, o Hinatû-a-tai.
spear, and who chose the land for battlefields, so that he followed Ro’o. The
umbilical cord became the fara tree from
which hangs the maire fern.
These are the attributes of Ro’o the
chanter, Ro’o was a god of
Ro’o in distress, Ro’o in
dizziness, Ro’o in faintness, Ro’o in dimnes's, Ro’o in gaping, Ro’o in lightness,
Ro’o in heaviness, Ro’o on high,. Ro’o
below, Ro’o inland, Ro’o seaward, Ro’o
in darkness, Ro’o in the light, Ro’o the
prayer chanter who was entranced. in
his mother, Ro’o the whistler, Ro’o the
panting. Invocations to Ro’o were made
to cast out diseases, and he cured them.
prayer
many names :
Tahu the
pass
Ta’ere !
30
The messenger of the
was
born to
encom-
Tahu followed to encompass
then was born Last-Tahu to
encompass
Pô (Hades). From them
Second
the skies ;
learned to kindle
gods and démons.
magic with the
Te-fatu dwelt with his wife Fa’ahotu,
Ahahamea (Ex¬
altation), Hotu
(Fruitfulness), Tepori of Rua-papa (Fatness of Rockchasm) in the center of the earth, and
Ohu-tu-moua (Mountain - cloud - crest) ;
they caused verdure upon the earth.
And there followed Hina-tu-a-nia (Grayabove), Hina-tu-o-raro (Gray-below),
Hina-tu-a-ra’i (Gray-of-the-sky), Hina-
and begat his goddesses,
tai
o
first
armies, he was' god Tane’s herald.
tu-a-uta
Ti oropa’a, ti huri hia; a fanau Tepori ia Ta’ere, i Rua-papa i te puo o te
fenua, e tu’ati ti’a i te Pô; o Ta’ere-ma’opo’opo, o Ta’ere-matua-toitoi, a Tae’ere-pipine, o Ta’ere-fau’oa. E atua roa
god, he was Ro’o the second.”
Ro’o’s umbilical cord got entangled by
stratagem around that of his brother
Fa’aroa (Extender), clear Fa’aroa, hands’ome Fa’aroa who set targets for the
men
A noho 'Fe-fatu i te vahiné, ia Fa’a¬
hotu, fanau ta’na atua vahiné, o Ahaha-
he would be first, and he
the strongest; he became the firstborn.
That Ro’o was born a god, a
was
very great
Te pito O Ro’o fifiri rarama i roto, i
te pito O te teina, o Fa’aroa, o Fa’aroa
o
373
(Gray-inland), and Hina-tu-a-
(Gray-of-the-sea).
There was a crust, there was upheaving; and then was born of Te-pori, Ta¬
’ere of Rua-papa (Keel-of-rock-chasm)
in the center of the earth, which communicated with
Pô, and Ta’ere-ma-
(Keel-of-all-s'kill), Ta’ere-ma¬
( Keel-of-vigor-and-strength ),
Ta’ere-pipine (Keel-the-distributer), Ta¬
’ere-fau’oa (Keel-the-joiner).
A very
great god was Ta’ere!
’opo’opo
tua-toitoi
god Tane was Ro’o the first.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
374
A rahu rà i te tahu’a
O Tura’i-po
’opo’opo!
na
o
Ta’ere-ma-
Ti’iti’i-po
o
Faro, o Matamata-’arahu, o Aruaru-vahine, o Peperu, o Feu, o Atari-heui, o
o Tahu’a-muri, e o Mata’itai.
Na tahu’a rarahi teie ia Ta’ere i Rua-
Tutono,
i te puo o te fenua ; e rave rahi
à tahu’a i rahua mai e Ta’aroa na
Ta’ere. Rahua maira, o Hoani, ei tau’a
papa
atu
Ta’ere ; o Hoani-i-te-pô, Hoani-teHoani-i-te-atua, Hoani-i-te-taata, Ua
hope to paari i roto ia Hoani, te taua a
Ta’ere-ma-’opo’opo.
O Nevaneva te
na
ao,
’arere i tu’ua ei ve’a na Ta’ere mai roto
mai i te piha atua. Aore e atua vahiné
i te fare tahu’a ia Ta’ere ra.
Now give artisans for Ta’ere-ma-’opo¬
’opo!
They were, Tura’i-po (Pushnight-away) , Ti’iti’i-pô (Fetcher-in-darkness), Faro (Hope), Matamata-’arahu
(Soot-tattooer),
A.ruaru-vahine
(Pander), Peperu (Steerer), Feu (Shakeout), .Atari-heui (Unstable-heap), Tu¬
tono
peller),
(Dispatch), Tahu’a-muri (Proand Mata’ita’i (Reconnoiter).
These were the chief artisans for Ta’ere
of Rua-papa in the center of the earth;
and there were also many other artisans
that were conjured forth by Ta’aroa for
Ta’ere. There was conjured forth Ho¬
ani (Tempter), as a bosom friend for
Ta’ere; he was Hoani-i-te-po (TempterHoani-i-te-ao
(Tempter-onearth), Hoani-i-te-atua (Tempter-of-thegods),
Hoani-i-te-taata (Tempter-ofmen). Ail craftiness was in Hoani, the
in-Pô),
bosom
friend of Ta’ere-ma-’opo’opo.
Nevaneva (Look-aroimd) was the mes¬
appointed to communicate with
of gods. There
were no goddesses in the house of ar¬
senger
Ta’ere from the house
Ô Atea o tei ni’a tu’-ia mai te mata
i to te vahiné, o Hotu, i raro, fanau
a’era ta’na ari’i o Fau-te-ro’oro-o, o
Roro’o maira, e atua tahu’a pure.
Teie
tamahine
na
Papa-raharaha :
vahiné
tû
poro
Rau-ata-’ura,
penapena,
vahiné
vahiné
o
o
e
te
o
o
a
Ta’aroa
Rau-’ati’ati,
uru
ra’au ;
o
e
o
nau
Ihi,
e
o
Rauatua
atua
feia pa’ari e te ite ; e o
Te-à-noa, atua vahiné no te â noa raa i
roto i te fenua ; hee te tua, o Rio, atua
fa’arava’ai i te a’ahi e te atu.
no
above met those of
his wife, Hotu, below, and they begat
their prince, Fau-te-ro’oro’o
(Famous-
and there followed Roro’o
(Prayer-chanter), a god of priests for
chief) ;
prayers.
e
Tû-poro-mai, na atua
mou’a na Ta’aroa ; o
Rau-’ata-mea,
tisans' with Ta’ere.
The eyes of Atea
te
These are the daughters of Ta’aroa
and Papa-raharaha: Tu-poro-’tu (Stand-
to-proclaim-away)
Tu-poro-mai
goddesses
the mountains for
and
( Stand-to-proclaim-near-by),
proclaim
to
Ta’aroa:
upon
Rau-’ata-’ura
(Leaf - of - red-
(Leaf - of - pink stem). Rau-penapena (Protecting-leaf),
and Rau-’ati’ati (Prickly-leaf), goddesses
stem),
Rau-’ata-mea
of the forests : Ihi (Wisdom), goddess of
the wise and learned ; and Te-a-noa
(Spontaneous-burning), goddess of spon-
beat in the earth ; and there fol¬
lowed Rio (Fishing-pole), god of albicore and bonito fishers.
The department for gods was a sép¬
taneous
Te piha atua, e piha ê ia ; te piha tato’na tua i te aro o ha’eha’a.
ata i
ara te
one,
it below.
and that for people adjoining
Birth or More Gods^
.A hee mai te tua,
te tai a tau te
pô.
e
ia papama’ehe no
E pô fanaura’a atua, o te pô
Ta’aroa ; o ’Oro-taua te atua i
^
Recited in 1840 by
Muafanau
The
ceeded
sea
nights.”
It
was
was
the
rolled, and the tides
each
other
for
a
period
suc-
of
the birthnight of a god, it
night Mua-Ta’aroa (First-sev-
Tamera and Pati’i, high priests of Tahiti and Mo’orea, respectively.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
mai i tereira pô ; ’Oro atua o te Reva
e te Fenua nei; ’Oro haia; ’Oro atua o
te Arioi.
375
ered) ; ’Oro-taua (Warrior-at-war) was
the god boni that night; ’Oro (Warrior), god of the air and earth ; ’Oro,
the manslayer; ’Oro, god of the comedians.
O Hina-tû-a-uta te metua vahiné o
’Oro, i ha’amaru hia e Ta’aroa i raro
a’e i te ’ama’a uru i fanau mai ai o
’Oro, ei tamaiti na Ta’aroa. I Opoa i
te ao nei o ’Oro te fanau raa hia ; O
Tai-’au, te tane o Hina-tù-a-uta, te
metua
fa’a’amu
’Oro.
a
Hina-tu-a-uta (Hina-of-the-land) was
the mother of ’Oro ; she was overshadowed by Ta’aroa beneath a breadfruit
branch, which caus'ed the birth of ’Oro,
the son of Ta’aroa. Opoa of this earth
was
the birthplace of ’Oro ; Tai-’au
(Sea-for-swimming), the husband of
was the adoptive father
Hina-tu-a-uta,
of ’Oro.
A rahu Ta’aroa i te vahiné
o
Tû-feufeu-mai-i-te-ra’i,
he’e
na
te
’Oro,
tua,
Tautu e o Vai’ea atua a te ’arioi.
He’e te tua, o Navenave, ei arere na
’Oro ; he’e te tua o Tutae-avae-to'eto’e,
ei tia’i tapu ha’apoua na ’Oro haia.
o
conjured a wife for ’Oro;
Tu-feufeu-mai-i-te-ra’i (Standto-unfold-the-sky), and there followcd
Ta’aroa
she
was
Tautu
(Domesticated) and Vai’ea (Sav-
ing-water), gods of the comedians. Then
there came Navenave (Soother), the
messenger
for ’Oro, and also Tutaeavae-to’eto’e
(Good-father-cold-legs)to
victims for
keep guard over buried
’Oro, the manslayer.
A he’e mai te tua, e a papama’ehe no
tai, a tau te pô ; o te pô o Tireo, e
pô rahura’a atua.
la Hirivari, atua
mahie i Havai’i ; e ia Ta’i-varua, atua
nui no te hau. A rahu Ta’aroa ia Teuri e ia Ha’oa’oa. ei mau tuahine a’e
na ’Oro.
te
rolled, and low tide followed
period of nights’; the night of
Tireo (Breaking-forth) was a night for
conjuring gods. There came Hirivari
(Agitator-of-mud), god of development
in Havai’i; and Ta’i-varua (Weepingfor-souls), a great god of peace. Then
Ta’aroa conjured the goddesses Te-uri
(Darkness) and Ha’oa’oa (Grossness)
The
for
as
To’o toru
tau
tamahine ta ’Oro
Tû-feufeu-mai-te-ra’i,
e
o
te atua vahiné
mana roa ia no te tau hou ; teie te huru
o to ratou fanau ra’a mai :
He’e te tua
a
tau te
e
a
o
papamaehe
no
te
tai,
pô, o te pô ’Ohua, fanau maira
To’i-mata : he’e te tua, te pô o Maitû-fei-roa, fanau maira o ’Ai-tupua’i;
he’e te tua, te po o Hotu, fanau maira
o
o
Mahu-fatu-rau.
I pee ana’e teie mau atua vahiné e te
nu’u atua vahiné ’ape’e ia ratou, ia ’Oro
e ta’na nu’u atua i te tama’i, i ’ore roa
ratou i ma’iri.
pô fanau-ra’a
Mata-tahi, e atua
mata tahi fa’atano roa ia atua ; he’tetua.
Mua-ra’au te pô, e
O
fanau maira
atua,
o
sea
a
sisters for ’Oro.
’Oro and Tu-feufeu-mai-te-ra’i had
three daughters who were the greatest
goddesses of later times ; they were born
in this
manner :
The sea rolled and low tide came, the
night arrived, the night ‘Ohua (Becoming-circular), and there was born the
goddess To’i-mata (Axe-with-eyes) ; the
sea rolled, and in the night Mai-tu-feiroa
(From-standin’g-for-long-prayers),
’Ai-tupuai (Eater-on-summit) was'born;
then came the night Hotu (Pruitfulness), and Mahu-fatu-rau (Fog-of-manyowners) was born.
These goddesses, followed by a host
of other goddesses, always accompanied
’Oro and his host of gods to battle,
whither they never failed to go.
Mua-ra’au (First-plant) was the night;
it was the birthnight of gods ; Matatahi
(Single-eye)
The days were computed by the nights in olden times.
’
The legs of the image of Tuitae-avae-to’eto’e were always
of ’Oro in chapter on marae, p. 121.)
^
was
born; he was a
exposed to the cold.
(See service
376
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Ta-muri, e atua i pe’e noa i te ta’ata
ei tiai ia ratou i te ao nei.
O
god with One eye, who saw very straight ;
and there came Ta-muri (Go-behind),
a
god who followed people to watch
over
them in this life.
The following is from the Tahitian, worded in the same manner as in
the foregoing paragraphs :
The sea rolled and the tides sttcceeded each other for a period of nights,
Ho’ata-tino-rua (Jester-of-two-bodies) came; it was the
birthnight of a god, the great son of the god ’Oro (Warrior), who was
named Hoa-tapu (Sworn-friend), Ho’ata-meamea (Red-jester), Ho’atatino-rua, one god with three names, the last child and only son born of the
wife Tu-feufeu-mai-te-ra’i (Stand-to-unfold-the-sky).
until the night of
of Mua-hamiama (First-emergence), Ta’aroa conjured the
god Tipa (Healer), who presided over sickness and healed diseases. He
was god of the ’Oropa’as, the ancient kings of North Tahiti.
In the night
of Roto-hamiama (Inner-emergence), came Te-meharo (Strangler), god of
strangulation. In the night of Fa’aoti-hamiama (Last-emergence) came
Te-fatu-tiri (The-lord-of-thunder), a great god who caused the thunder to
roll and the lightning to flash.
In the night
A period of nights passed until Roto-ta’aroa
(Inner-severing)
came.
It
gods; there were, born Pàpà-ra’i (Sky-rock), god of
harvest; Tumu-horo-rire (Source-of-changing-leaves), god of the fall ; and
lastly, Rua-i-fa’a-toa (Source-of-bravery), god of strength, whose diversion
was cockfighting.
was
the birthnight of
The tide divided time, and the night of
came,
Fa’aoti-ta’aroa (L,ast-severing)
and there was born Tautu (Domesticated), who presided over cooking
and at home. There followed the night of Tane-ro’o-i-te-ao
(Tane-overtaken-by-day). Then was born Mau’u (Racket), who was a
great god. His presence in this world was announced by a loud Sound
resembling the report of a camion^ fired off on a clear, windy day. In the
same night there was born Ito (Vigilance), a god who kept watch over the
earth during the period without moonlight.
In the night of Ro’o-nui-i-te-ao (Overtaken-by-broad-daylight) was born
Oà-hî-vari (Blackness-fishing-in-mud), god of quagmire, named also Haeno-vaiurua (Fierceness-of-haunted-water).
This god was mottled and
resembled a man; he dwelt in the depths of mud, and shot up into the air
in the army
^
Mrs. Ninito Sumner, high chiefess of Papeari, and sister of Mrs. Salmon, asserted in 1897
that this report was often heard in the land long after heathenism was abolished, as she herself
could testify, and that it was last heard in 1891 in the Southern districts of Papeari and_ Mataiea
one clear windy morning just after sunrise, when the sound as of a cannon came resounding
from
the mountains far inland and died in the distance over the sea.
This phenomenon was
enquired into by white residents and natives, but no one could understand it, and so the old natives
came to
the conclusion that it must hâve been Mau’u, corne perhaps for the last time to visit
among
his old haunts in Tahiti.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
on
dark.nights with great force.
for him.
The
377
He could be seeii by those who watched
night Ro’o-mauri (Extinguished)
came
and Ti’ipâ (Barrenness),
god of sterility in women who had no children or in those who bore but one
child. There followed Mo’o-uri (Black-lizard), who showed himself in tbe
lowering sky along the horizon ; he guided those who sailed from the low
islands.
Then came Te-ohiu-maeva
(The-victorious-dart).
Ail these gods
of fools ; they sometimes bewitched the priests and
were very powerful gods when they possessed them ; only after a little while
would it be discovered that the gods of fools were possessing them.
were
the spécial deities
A period
of nights passed and the night Tireo (Breaking-forth)
Then was born of Latent-heat-of-the-earth, Tama-teina
came.
(Child-the-youngerbrother). He was the brother of Tama-ehu (Blond-child)Tama-teina
was god of surgery, who cured fractured skulls, broken bones, and acci¬
dentai wounds.
There followed Punua-moe-vai (River-basin-sleeping-inwater) ; he caused heavy rain to fall upon religious assemblies whenever
there was digression in their services. He was Punua-pae-vai (Punua-ofthe-river-side), and his messenger was Pae-tahi (O^ne-sided), the land
breeze. He was a tutelar god of King Moe in Taiarapu.
The sea rolled and night passed, until the night of ’Ohua (Becomingcircular) came, and there was born Vave’a (Towering-wave) ; he caused
the waves to become breakers out at sea and on the reefs.
There followed
(Storm-producer-imthe-sky). Then there came Tohu
(Pointer), who painted patterns upon the fishes; he dwelt in the caves of
Vero-huti-i-te-ra’i
the océan.
(From-standing) was the night, and there was
(Prolific-source), a god of the océan who had no nostrils,
so that he did not pant for breath.
Then were born Fa’atupu (Cause-tohappen), Moe-hau (Peaceful-slumber), and Fa’a-ipô (Orderer) ; they were
great household gods.
The sea rolled, Mai -tû
born Rua-Puna
Fa’aoti-ra’au (Last-plant) arrived; it was the birthnight of
(Red-wreath or Halo). He was the représentative of
the god Ra’a-mau-riri (Sacredness-holding-anger) and inhabited the halo
that encircled the sun by day and the moon by night during soleinn periods.
The night Fa’aoti-’ore’ore (Last-unyielding) was the birthnight of the
god Heima® (Winter). The night of Ta’aroa-tahi (First-severed) was the
birthright of the god Maunu-te-a’a (Root-destroyer), god of destruction of
plants. In the night of Ho’ata (Jester) were born A-toro-i-ra’i (Stretchingforth-to-heaven), god of everlasting work, who caused the grow,th of trees
The night
the god Te-hei-’ura
®
®
Tama-ehu was chief of fire gods.
(See genealogy of the god^ p. 359.)
Note the resemblance of the Tahitian word Heima to the Greek word Eheima.
378
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Tumu-oteoteo (Cause-of-budding), god of spring time; Taha(Forest-border), god of the sea coasts; and Mata-tini (Deca-eyes),
god of fish-net makers and of fishermen.
and food;
uru
In the night of Ma-haru (Clear-seizing) was born Tumu-ruperupe
(Cause-of-verdue), god of summer; and there followed A-varo (Heatedrash), a powerful god who inhabited the sacred avaro (Premna tahitensis)
tree, which has a speckled bark in conséquence.
Doctors invoked him to'
heal patients afhicted with rashes.
of Hotu (Fruitfulness) were born the goddesses, Vahine(Woman-to-hold-upright), who upheld everything on land that it
might keep steady; Vahine-mau-raro (Woman-to-hold-below), who held
everything growing in its place that it might not be moved off; Vahine-reureu-’amo’a (Woman-utilizer-of-the-’amo’a-fern), who sewed together the
fronds of that fern for petticoats; it was the clothing of wild people; and
there followed Vahine-mau-i-te-pae-fenua (Woman-holder-of-the-border-ofthe-land), who guarded ail appertaining to the seashore for the land, so that
it might not be subverted into the shoals; then came Ura-taetae (Executiveura-feathers), god of music, dancing, merrymaking, and enchantaient.
In the night
mau-ni’a
The
night Motu (Sundered) was the birthnight of gods; they were
(Gesticulator), Tarapà’à (Strong-point), Tane-te-boe (Oarsman),
Te-Fa’anaunau (The-adjuster), Paûtû-roa (Long-mourning-dress), and
Ovirimoe-’aa’ihere (Wild-[man]-sleeping-in-weeds) ; these were ail gods of
mourning, and their temples and altars were up in the mountains.
Ta-iti
“Màta’i
vero !”
a
heva,
e
ara
ia Ta-iti,
E piri teie na te heva.
e
“Look at the mourners, and beware of
Ta-iti, or there will be a storm !” This
was the mourners’ proverb.
There followed Tû-tahoroa
(Stand-to-permit), who guarded the roads
branching two ways from the path along the ridge of Mount Te-mehani, in
Ra’iatea, which led from this world into the spirit régions, to Rohutu-no’ano’a (Paradise-of-sweet-odors), in the air, high above the mountains, and
to the Pô (Flades), down in the center of the earth, to which Temehani
crater^ was the entrance.
This god kept watch at that central point for
departing soûls, some of whom lie bid return and tarry longer in their
mortal bodies, while to others lie in silence pointed the road upwards or
downwards that they were to take.
Then
was
born Roma-tane
(Voluptuous-man), who admitted people’s
soûls into Paradise and warded off those who were not to be received.®
’
*
See page 96.
See page 201.
Henry-—Ancient Tahiti
379
of Tireo was boni Poti’i-ta-rire (Girl-applauder), a handgoddess of the sorcerer. There followed Totoro-pota’a (Patterntrainer), god of hairdressing.
In the night
some
(Becoming-circular) was the birthnight of great gods of the
Mahu-ni’a (Upper-Magellan-cloud) gave birth to the god To’ahiti-mata-nui (Bordering-rock-with-great-eyes).
This god fell down to
the earth upon the stones of the land named To’a-hiti, and then he ascended
into space and became a powerful god over land and sea.
He was named
To’a-hiti-mata-nui and To’a-hiti-o-te-vao (Bordering-rock-of-the-valley-recess) by people inland, and he was named To’a-hiti-o-te-vave’a (Borderingrock-of-the-towering-waves) and To‘a-hiti-a-to’a (Bordering-rock-of-rocks)
by people at sea.
Ohua
valleys:
Na’na
i
tia’i
i
te
mau
vahi
ma’iri
i te mato ia ’ore te ta’ata ia
topa i reira, e na’na i pe’e haere i te
feia haere i te peho ia ’ore ia ro’ohia i
te ino.
la taupùpù te tahu’a ra i ta
ta’ue,
e
ra’au toiaha e tô mai uta i te
i tai, e ani ia raton ia To’a-hiti
e
tantnrn mai.
E ’itea noa hia e te
haere maira i te ’atete o te ra’oere ra’an
raton
fa’a
e
e
te
pe’e ra’a
mou’a.
hopoi’a,
Màmà
e tae
te vahi
o
te
noa
’oi’oi
ofafa’i
’tnra
noa
na te pae
ia ta raton
’tnra ta raton
ra’an i
i titan hia ra. Na To’ahiti ato’a i fa’aora i te feia ratere i te
to’a pû e te pari i te anotan vero, e i
te ’an poiri ia mo’e ra ta raton fa’aterera’a.
O Ave-aitû te rahna mai ei ’arere na
To’a-hiti.
E atna ave roa ia atna, i
itea hia ia fano mai i te ao nei. I tono
hia ’oia e To’a-hiti ei arata’i no te
nu’n a Tane i te tan tama’i.
He’e te tna, o Tifai-o-te-peho ; na’na
i fa’a’ore i te afàfà o te ra’au i tarai
hia ra, na’na ’to’a i ha’api’i i te tahu’a
i te tifai i te iri paparari.
“E taura a
Tifai, ” “Na Tifai ia taura.” O te ta’o
teie a te feia tarai va’a ra’a e te va’a
na te ari’i,
i ni’a i te taha mou’a, no
te rnea ia hope te va’a i te tarai hia ra,
i ta’amu haere ia te tahu’a i te taura
roroa na ni’a iho mai te fa’atautau atu
na
te
hiti,
na
mua,
e na
mûri, ei reira
tao atu ai ia Tifai e haere
tantum ia raton, a taoto noa ai
muhu ore i roto i te va’a.
A
e
mai
e
mai te
ria ri’i
a’e na tae maira o Tifai, e haere noa
’tura ia te va’a ma te mea rave ore hia
na
te taha mou’a, ma te ’opa’opa ’ore
mai te apere ra ; e mai te hope mauroa
He
to
presided over précipices and clififs,
people from falling over them,
save
and he hovered over those who went
far back into the valleys, to save them
from harm.
When artisans were burdened with dragging a heavy log ont
of a valley, they would invoke To’ahiti (Bordering-rock) to help them. His
approach was always made known to
them by a rustling of leaves and the
falling of stones down the mountain
side.
Then their burden became light,
and they soon succeeded in takin,g the
log to its destination.
To’a-hiti also
saved
seafarers
from being dashed
against mid-ocean rocks and ru.gged
coasts, in stormy weather and in darkness, when they lost their way.
Ave-aitu
(Tail-god) was conjured
forth to be a messenger for To’a-hiti.
He was a god with a long tail, which
was
seen
when he flew into this world.
To’a-hiti sent him as a guide for Tane’.s
hosts in time of war.
Then
there
came
Tifai-o-te-peho
(Mender-of-the-valley) ; he prevented
wood that was being hewn out from
splitting, and he also showed artisans
how to mend planks that were injured.
“The ropes of Tifai (Mender) ; these
ropes are for Tifai,” were the sayings
of those who hewed out sacred or royal
canoës upon the mountain sides, because
when the canoë was hewn out the ar¬
tisans would bind ropes around it with
long ends streaming down from each
side and end, and then they would in¬
voke Tifai to corne to their aid, and
lie very still inside the canoë.
In a
little while a rustling wind would announce the présence of
Tifai, and then
the canoë seemingly would go of its
380
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
ia te taura te pe’e ra’a, a he’e noa ai
ite ’aivi e na te mau vahi maruarua ra,
e tae roa ’tura i te fenua
pâpû. Tu’ua
raro, ’aore roa e pahurehure
a’e, ei reira e ti’a ai te tahu’a i ni’a,
ha’apa’o atu ai i ta ratou ’ohipa.
ia i
tura
ow'n
accord, down the mountain side as
straight
of
dart; and like the tail
bird would the ropes
as
over
a
out
streain
cliffs
tropic
as
the
and
it went forwards
avalanches down onto
low
ground. There it was let down without
having received a single scratch, and
then the artisans would rise out of the
canoë
E
rave
ia ratou i te taura
pehe, “E pû !
te
Tifai !”
ia
E
E pû !
marna
noa
e
na’o ai
E pâ, e taura a
’tura ia te va’a
putô, e tae oioi noa ’tura i te farau i
te marae o te tahua ra, e fa’aoti atura i
reira.
Te pô
atua ;
o Mua-ra’au, e pô fanaura’a
O Tuete maira, atua no te taitai.
He’e te tua, o Ta’i-iti-te-ara’ara, e atua
haere ta’ata, na te to’a i te moana. He’e
te tua, o Màtua, atua no te taure’are’a.
to
Work.
perform
their
part
of
the
They would take up the ropes and
sing, “Blow I
Yield !
Yield by the
ropes of Tifai!”
And the canoë would
become light to draw, and was soon
taken to the shed in the builders’ marae,
there to be completed.
The night of Mua-ra’au (First-plant)
was the birthnight of gods ; there came
Tuete
(Shameful-standing), god of
licentiousness. There followed Ta’i-itite-ara’ara (Low-cry-that-awakes), who
appeared
riors
at
as
a
sea.
little
man,
There
god of
came
(Strength), god of the vigorous.
war-
Matua
Birth or Insrcts and Advënt of Ghosts
e
He’e te tua, o Pepe-Tû, o Pepe-Hau,
Haaro-mata-raie atua no te mata-pô.
o
A api te ao nei i te ’oromatua no roto
mai i te ta’ata pohe.
Te oro-matua o
te
fa’auru i te upo’o ta’ata ra,
e
Oromatua maita’i ia, ’e’ita e hamani’ino
i te feti’i i te ao nei.
E varua ta’ata
oriori noa mai te Pô mai ra, e here hia
’tu e te ta’ata ora, e ore ia e hamani
ino mai. • E oromatua nihoniho roroa, e
varua ta’ata mai te Pô mai, e oromatua
ai aru, e ’u’unii e e ’ai i te feti’i e te
tahi atu mau ta’ata i te ao nei. E pohe
te ta’ata ia uru hia ra e tereira mau
oromatua i te ta’o o te pifao.
Then there came Pepe-Tu (Butterflies'-of-stability) and Pepe-Hau (Moths-
of-Peace), and Plaaro-mata-rai (Eyescooper-of-the-sky),” god of blindness.
The World became full of ghosts of
dead people, called oromatua.
Those
that occupied human skulls and were
kept in people’s homes were good oro¬
matua; they would not hurt their rela¬
tives in this World. Ghosts that rambled
back from Plades and were received
kindly by living people would do them
no harm.
Ghosts with long teeth were
also s'ouls of human beings from Hades ;
they were devouring ghosts of darkness
that would strangle and devour their
relatives or other people in this world.
People died when possessed by these
spirits at the bidding of the sorcerer.
Birth of thf Turtlë, Fowl, and Pig^“
(Ra’iatea) was really a land for strange things! It was people
prodticed tardes, fowls, and pigs, ail in one family.
Those people, a man and his wife, were named Tû-moana-urifa (Dweller-insea-of-rank odor) and Rifarifa (Scarred), and their son, Metua-pua’a (Pigparent). While they were on a visit at the Island of Pupua (Honden
Havai’i
of that land who
This pest may hâve been an insect of some kind not known in Tahiti.
These legends were recited in 1825 by Mo’o, a priest of Porapora.
381
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Island, Tuamotus), turtles were born to them and went ont to sea; and in
their young throughout the groups, frequenting sandy, low islands, in preference to others for laying their eggs.
When Tû-moana-urifa and his wife returned home to Havai’i, they
produced a family of chickens, which prospered and were let to go into
the woods, and from them the wild fowls of ail the islands are descended.
due time those turtles propagated
happened when the world was new, that a turtle and a fowl had a
dispute, one contending for the prestige above the other, when the turtle
said to the fowl:
“You are common, you will be eaten by women and
children, but I shall be sacred to the gods, I shall leap into the god’s
house.” The fowl answered scornfully, “How can you leap into the god’s
dwelling? You will yourself be eaten by women and children, but I shall
dive into the depths of the sea and escape from their hands.”
It
Just then the turtle was picked up by a strong man and taken to the
king, who was so pleased with it that he sent it to the marae for the
gods, and thus the turtle was ever afterwards held sacred for the gods
and was only eaten by kings, priests, and marae keepers.
But as the
fowl tried to dive into the sea for safety, it only succeeded in getting its
head under water, when a party of women and children passing by went
and seized it and took it home.
So the fowl became a domestic animal
and
by women and children. Only white fowls were ofïered
gods at the marae, because ail white birds were regarded as sacred.
was
to the
eaten
Tû-moana-urifa and Rifarifa had
one
child who
was
born
a
human
whom they prophetically named Metua-puaa (Pig-parent),
had grown up they took him to Porapora, where he
married a girl to whom he had long been affianced.
being,
and
a
son
when
he
The young
couple
were very
happy together for some time, when
day the young wife teased her husband on having no property in
Porapora. So he went to his mother and told lier of his grievance,
and she replied:
“Is that ail that troubles you, my son? Do not grieve,
but go early in the morning into the woods, and there open wide your
mouth, and out of it will rush a multitude of small animais which will
one
be called
pua’a maohi (pigs; literally, native beasts).
Secure them with
cord, and proceed at once to make a large peu and a large shed for them.
Before nightfall, your work will be doue and your pigs will hâve grown
to their full size.
Place them in the pen, then go and fetch your wife
to see
them, and présent them to her.
So the
son
obeyed his mother the following day, and to his great joy
expectations, and his wife and ail her family were de-
he realized ail his
lighted with the new animais, never suspecting whence they had sprung.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
382
From that litter were
became good
propagated ail other pigs upon this earth, and they
food for gods and men.
Incarnations or Gods and Spirits“
STONi:
Stone was possessed with godly power.
Tumu-nui and Tumu-iti, from
which the world developed into its présent State, were filled with the spirit
of the great god, Ta’aroa. Among the rocks of the Pari (Bluffs), of the
of Taiarapu, Tahiti, reposes a stone named Ta’aroa-ofa’i-i-te-Pari
(Ta’aroa-in-stone-of-the-bluffs), of ancient history, which is as follows :
coast
A long time ago, after Tahiti had corne away to the east, a man went one
evening to fish with hook and line among the rocks, and he had not been ont long
when he felt something drawing his hook of shell away, so thinking it was a fish,
he pulled it up only to find that he had hold of a tenacious stone, clinging by some
unseen power to the hook.
Detaching it with difficulty, he cast the stone off into
deep water, and tried anew to catch fish. But soon his hook was caught again by
the stone, which he drew up and cast away as before ; and so he continued ail the
evening trying to catch fish, but only getting his hook foui of the stone in whatever
direction he cast his line.
So
last he carried the stone to the shore, and on examining it in daylight
priests, it was revealed to them that it was possessed with the spirit of
Ta’aroa, and they placed it in a crevice of the Pari on Taiarapu, where it has ever
since remained, and fishermen rendered it homage due to Ta’aroa.
It became the
fisherman’s god of that région, and fish were presented to it.
at
with the
THRËS
Ail great trees
of the
of the marae, towering majestically high, were shadows
gods and spirits innumerable, and from their branches were made
dreaded idols.
The miro tree
{Thespesia populnea) was the spécial shadow of Roro’o
(Prayer-chanter), who inspired the priests in their dévotions, for which
cause it was held indispensable as a tree for the marae.
The
(Premna) was a shadow of the god A-varo (Heated
Persons approaching it irreverently were supposed soon to become
afflicted with blotches over the skin, resembling the spots on the
bark of the tree, the remedy for which was to burn a branch of it in
the fire, accompanied with prayers to the god A-varo, when the blotches
would fade and disappear.
avaro
tree
rash).
a
These legends were recited in 1825 by Mo’o, a priest of Porapora, and in
Tahitian priest.
1840 by Anani,
383
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
ANIMALS^^
Te Pa’e-pua’a-maohi, e ata no ’Orotauà, atua ta haià; o ’Oro-pua’a-mahui.
E pa’e rata, fa’a’amu hia, e ia wru ra,
itea hia ia
e
o
’Oro te noho
ra
i roto ;
te ta’ata i tereira pua’a ia amu.
Tei ni’a i te ra’i te tahi ta’a, tei raro
i te fenua te tahi ta’a, tapa’o ia e ua
hamama te vaha rahi o ’Oro, e horomi’i
oia i te ari'i, te va’a-mataeinaa e te
fenua.
E taehae rahi attira ia pua’a, e
e
pan
papa
upe’a rahi oia iho.
The boar was a shadow of ’Oro-tauà
( Warrior-at-war) as the nian-s'laying
god ; it was ’Oro-pua’a-mahui (’Oro-the-
When a gentle,
domesticated boar got possessed, it was
known that ’Oro was dwelling in him ;
pig-revealing-secrets).
pig could devour a man. Pointing
upwards to the sky was one jaw, and
pointing downwards to the earth was
the other jaw, which was the sign that
the mouth of ’Oro was open ready to
consume the king and his clans.
That
pig became very fierce, a great power
that
in itself in tbe
Te urî,
To’a-hiti mata ’oa ia ata ;
o ’aoa o uri, e tauturu ia, e partiru i te
no
ta’ata.
land.
The dog was the shadow of the elf,
To’a-hiti ( Bordering-rock-of-j ovial-face ).
The bark of the dog was help ; it was
protection to man.
an indigenous brown kind which lives
fruits and vegetables, was a shadow of ghosts. When it
visited people at night and uttered strange sotinds with its tongue or
scratched the thatch inside the roof of the house until daybreak, it was
communicating mysteries and réminiscences of war and times of peace
from dead warriors to living men.
But when it approached a sick bed
articulating strange sounds, it was the shadow of a devouring ghost
announcing the near approach of death to the patient.
The rat, called iore-ma’ohi,
mostly
on
Lizards were gods to the royal
Oropa’a family of Tahiti.
The mo’o-
face erect and forked tail, found far inland at Ta’apuna,
and which instilled awe as it looked at those who encountered it, was
areva, a lizard with
Tipa, the healing god. The tail of this lizard has two or
The mo’otea, a light-colored lizard, was the shadow of
Tû-o-te-ra’i-marama (Stability-of-the-moonlit-sky).
The mo’ouri (darklizard) and the mo’o’arara (streaked-lizard) were shadows of Te-ohiumaeva
(The-victorious-dart). The mo’opuapua (flower lizard), which
lives on flowers, was the shadow of the fairies among the flowers.
When
a royal child of the house of Oropa’a was born, these lizards were presented and invoked before it that it might hâve long life. Pômare II. was
the last prince for whom this ceremony was performed.
Lowering clouds
with fringy edges in the horizon were called “Ata-mo’o-areva no te tere
ari’i” (Clouds of the fork-tailed lizard of royal voyagers), and the weather
generally happened to coïncide so well with this appellation when members
of the Pômare family went to sea, that the term still lives in Tahiti in the
the shadow of
three radiations.
Besides human beings, the pig, the dog, and the brown rat,
in the woods, were t'he only Mammalia formerly known in Tahiti.
which lives on fruit and roots
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
384
modernized form, “Tere-ari’i”
of the gods
of the océan.
(Royal-voyage).
The turtle was the shadow
gods.
(Bird-of-roots) was a shadow of Ta’aroa. Ta’aroa-imanu-i-te-a’a (Ta’aroa-in-bird-of-roots) was said to hâve been a very
great bird^^ that could uproot the largest tree,- and legend states that it
overturned the little hill of Ma’atea in Vaira’o, Taiarapu, which has remained inverted to this day.
Ail white birds were regarded as shadows of the gods, and they were
named pi-vai-anoa (sprinkled-with-receding water).
Belonging to the genus Gallus were white fowls called moa-’uo, which
were presented as peace offerings at the marae.
The moa-oni, or crowing rooster, was the shadow of Rua-i-te-fa’atoa
(Source-of-warriors). His voice from the valley was an ominous sign
Birds
were
shadows of the
Manu-i-te-a’a
to the
warrior.
Belonging to the family Strigidae was the o’oea or pareva, an owl that
frequented the seashores at night for prey and is now extinct in Tahiti.
It was a shadow of voracious ghosts. Belonging to the genus Turdus was
the ’omama o-pua-faii, the light-yellow thrush of Tahiti, which inhabited
the sides of Mount ’Orohenâ; it was the shadow of ’Oro-i-te-maro-tea
’ omama’o-nri, of a darker
of Tama-tea (Blond-child) god
of salamanders.
Belonging to the genus Anas was the mo’ora-’ura, a redfeathered duck inhabiting the lake upon the summit of Mount ’Orohenâ;
il was the shadow of ’Oro-vehi-’ura (Warrior-covered-with-red).
The
mo’ora-oviri (wild-duck) was the shadow of the sylvan elves. The toroâ
(surf-duck) was the shadow of Hau, god of peace.
Among the parrakeets was the tavae, with bright, variegated plumage,
of the islands of Motu-iti, or Tupai, and Maupiha’a.
It was the shadow
of Tû-metua (Pather-Tû), god of stability; he was Tû-tavae.
The vinipa-tea, a white-breasted, purple, whistling^^ parrakeet of ail the Society
Islands, and the vini-pa-uri of Porapora, an entirely purple, whistling parra¬
keet, were the shadows of royalty, by whom their feathers were liighly
prized for ornaments. In this, royalty differed from the gods, whose colors
were invariably red and yellow and which when worn by royalty likened
them to the gods. Prrrple is also a symbol of royalty among the Plawaiians,
the idea, it is said, originally coming from Porapora. The vini-rehu (gray
whistling parrakeet), of ail the group, was the shadow of the gods of the
(Warrior-of-the-yellow-girdle).
And
the
shade verging into brown, was the shadow
The account of tins fabulons bird may hâve sprung from some knowledge of the great New
Zealand moa (.D'ijwrnis maximus) which the Tahitians may hâve gained from intercourse with
their New Zealand voyagers.
The name moa for the domestic fowl, as it is generally called
throughout Polynesia, is significant.
Vini signifies “to whistle.”
385
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
ari.
parrakeet of Rimatara (Austral Islands),
blue, and green plumage, was the shadow of Ta’aroa. The
(wild-a’a), green and red, found on the leeward islands, was
The vini-’ura, a whistling
of red, yellow,
a’a-taevao
the shadow of ’Oro-i-te-maro-’ura
(Warrior-of-the-red-girdle).
The tête,
parrakeet found in the hills in ail the group, which had the cry
“Tete!” was the shadow of the artisan elves of the hills.
The ’ura, a
a
black
the shadow of Tane. The tararà,
which cried “Petea,” two birds resembling each other, with long tails and plumage of green, red, and yel¬
low, were the shadows of the artistic elves and fairies of the woods. Ail
the Tahitian varieties of parrakeets are now extinct, but some kinds can
parrakeet of the mountains, was
which cried “Tararà,” and the petea,
red
still be found in Porapora.
Belonging to the family Paradiseidae was the arevareva, a plain type
paradise with a long tail and plumage of brown verging into
gold and white. It was the shadow of Ta’aroa. When it cried “Oti’i, oti’i,”
near people’s houses, those who heard it would say,
“Ta rua, ta rua”
(Repeat, repeat), and if it did not do so, it was a sign that Ta’aroa was
angry, and that the sick of the family would surely die.
This bird is
heard most in rainy weather, and its cry prolonged thus, “Oti’i, oti’i, ti’i,
ti’i, ti’i, ti’i,” is always indicative of the near approach of rain. It is
becoming very rare in Tahiti and Mo’orea.
of bird of
Belonging to the genus Ficus is the ruro (woodpecker)—the shadow
( Sacredness-holding-anger). It is fond of robbing fowls
of Ra’a-mau-riri
of their feathers for its nest.
Belonging to the genus Hirundo was the ’ope’a, a small swallow of
proportions with black plumage reflecting purple. It was a
shadow of the goddesses of the air.
Belonging to the genus Ciconia were the ’otu’u (white and slate colored varieties of stork), the shadows of Rua-nu’u (Source-of-armies).
People’s necks got twisted round so that the face looked behind when
they offended this bird, and the only remedy for the evil was for the
delinquent on confession of guilt to be presented in humble contrition to
the god, in image or bird form, when the neck was immediately restored
to its natural condition and the offense was forgiven.
beautiful
Belonging to the genus Ardea was the ’ao, a brown-and-white héron—■
the shadow of Ti’i’s white héron.
Belonging to the genus Ralliis was the ’oâ {Poresana tahitiensis), a rail
speckled black and white—the shadow of ’Oâ-hî-vari ( Blackness-fishing-inmud), the god of quagmire. The meho (hiding-in-the-bush), a rail called
also te-ve’a (the-heat) because of its red face and feet, was the shadow
of Tû-o-te-ra’i-marama
(Stability-of-the-moon-lit-sky).
This bird, almost
386
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
which
Formerly at Paofa’i, just
extinct now, shouts “Ho !” at intervals in a high tone like a persoii,
was
supposée! to be the voice of Father Tû.
back of the site where
now
stands the Tahitian Protestant
inhabited by many nieho.
churclP®,
was
On the border of the swanip stood
a inarae called Tû-marama
(Stability-of-the-moon), which was sacred to
the rails. Another species of rail, called taoe after their cry, lived in burrows near marshes.
As they fell an easy prey to cats they are now extinct.
swamp
a
Belonging to the family Columbae was the u’upa, a green, wild pigeon—•
woods. Its call is “ho ; ho ; ho ;
ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!” The first three notes wei'e louder and slower than
the others which followed in gradiially decreasing volume as they died
out.
The rupe, also green, which dwells in holes in the rocks of the
mountain recess, was the shadow of the ghost of the wild man of the
recess ; its cry is “ho !” at intervals, and is like the shout of a man in a
falsetto tone.
The titi, which cried “titi,” now extinct in Tahiti, was
speckled green and white, and it was the shadow of the mountain gods.
the shadow of the ghosts that haunted the
Belonging to the family Charadriidae was the torea (plover that whis“torea”), which was the shadow of Te-meharo, god of strangulation.
The uriri, a gray plover hovering about the river banks, was the shadow
of the water gods.
The teue, also a plover, was the shadow of the gods
tles
of the coast.
Belonging to the genus Procellaria was the otatare, tropical fulmar,
which was the shadow of Tama-chu (Blond-child), god of salamanders.
Belonging to the genus Dioniedea was the putu or ruru (common albatross), which was the shadow of Ta’aroa and the king of birds at the
atolls.
If this albatross flew by when a canoë was swamped at sea, the
men
would cry :
“E ta’u atua, Ta’aroa e ! Ha’amaita’i
moana na, ia tere.
Ho atu na i te
i te
motu i te
vahiné
e
te tamarii
e !”
'
And when
saved.
the bird
saw
them
it
“Oh my god, Ta’aroa !
Cause the sea
to be calm and navigable. Permit us to
reach the atolls with the women and
children !”
flew
to
their
rescue,
and they were
The putu-ninamu, sooty albatross, was the shadow of To’a-hiti-o-
(Bordering-rock-of-the-moving-recess [canoës]).
It warded
navigators from dangerous rocks at sea. In the sea of the putuninamu stood an island, probably rocky and barren, called Ma-ahu-ra’i
(Cleared-by-the-heat-of-heaven), in a line with several others northeast
of Tahiti which no longer exist. This island was probably a favorite resort
te-vao-tere
ofï
of the bird.
The
name
of the chiirch
is Pa’ofa’i.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
387
Belonging to the family Laridae, or gulls, were the pira’e-tea and
pira’e-uri (the white sea swallow and the black sea swallow), which were
shadows of Tane in the light and Tane in the dark, respectively.
In the
book entitled the “Journal of Tyerman and Bennet,” a record by two
men who visited the English and American missions in
1821 and 1822,
is the following account of tins bird, which they saw in Huahine:
“A
white bird, with a loirg blue bill, and web-footed, about tbe size of a dove,
was brought to us.
The natives call it Pira’e; and this harmless créature
was also one of the ‘lords many, and gods many,’ worshipped here.
It
was supposed to présidé over accidents,
and, being often found sitting
in the breadfruit trees, its protection against falls in climbing them was
soLight. It was believed that when this bird perceived any one thus precipitated by an unlucky slip, it would immediately fly beneath his body,
as if to rescue him before he reached the ground,
or, at least, lighten
his descent.
The chief who gave us this curions information, assured
us that he had proved it to be true by personal expérience;
for, on a
certain occasion, when he was dislodged from a breadfruit tree, one of
these compassionate birds glanced under him so closely as to touçh his
neck with the flapping of its wings, and he sustained no injury (as he
presumed) in conséquence of this happy interférence of one of the gods;
whereupon he immediately eut a large bunch of bananas, and went and
offered them to his deliverer at the marae.” When the pira’e approached
people, they would exclaim : “A he! Te manu, 0 Tae-fei-aitu, te manu
(Ah ha! The bird Tae-fei-aitu [Accepted-petitions-of-thegods], the sacred bird of Tane.) Thus hailing it as a messenger of peace
among them. The ’ôio, a gull that cries “O-io!” with the i sounded like e,
in a note higher than the long o and short 0, gracefully soars high and
descends low in a swinging motion, until it suddenly skims over the towering wave after its finny prey ; it was a shadow of the gods of the air.
The tarapapa, a gull that ascends and descends in the air more suddenly
than the ôio to attack its prey on the waves, was also a shadow of the
gods of the air. The ’ita’e or ’itata’e, gulls of pure white and speckled
black and white, which flock together as one family, were the shadows of
ra’a na Tane!”
the sisters Hina-tû-a-ni’a
(Gray-who-watched-above), Hina-tû-a-raro (Gray-
(Gray-who-watched-the-skies), Hina(Gray-who-watched-in-land), Hina-tû-a-tai (Gray-who-watched-atsea). These birds inhabit the trees of the hillsides at night and soar ofï
to sea at daybreak.
When they leave and return they produce sounds
like loud, clear peals of laughter in accents resembling their naine, “Ita’e!
who-watched-below), Hina-tû-a-ra’i
tû-a-uta
Ita’e!
Ita, ita, ita, itata’e!”
Belonging to the genus Pelecanus was
the ’otaha (man-of-war-bird),
388
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
which
was a shadow of ’Oro-pa’a
(Dauntless-warrior), the great moving
spirit of the océan and of the god ’Oro.
Belonging to the genus Sula was the ’euao
Tû-ta’iri-moana (Stability-the-smiter-of-the-sea).
when he sat tipon them.
(booby), the shadow of
The waters became calm
Belonging to the genus Phaëtlion were the mauroa-hope-’uo (tropic-birdwith-white-tail-feathers) and the mauroa-hope- ura (tropic-bird-with-red-tailfeathers), which were the shadows of Ta’aroa. At Maia’o-iti, Raivavae,
Maupiti, and Te-horoto, they were worshipped as tutelar gods. When the
people were in péril at sea they believed Ta’aroa’s shadow protected them
and that when they called upon Ta’aroa for
help the bird flew near to
escort them safely to land.
These birds were never molested by their
adorers, but in Tahiti, where they were not held superlatively sacred, the
long tail feathers were appropriated for helmets (pa-rae) for warriors
and chief mourners, who highly prized them.
The royal familles of the
Hawaiian islands also usecl them for their beautiful plumed ornaments,
called kalvilP~‘, some fine specimens of which are to be seen at Bernice P.
Bishop Muséum in Honolulu.
The upoa, a sea bird, was the shadow of royalty. It is found
mostly
Porapora and the islets of Ti’ahura, Mo’orea, where it burrows in the
sandy soil to make its nest and leave its young until they are fully fledged.
This bird cornes home to rest in the trees at night.
Its cry, at first
like that of a babe and then of a mother soothing lier child, sounds so
plaintive and human that when carried by the breeze people are easily
deceived by it. When this cry is heard in the stillness of the night over
the dwelling place of royalty, especially on islands unfrequented
by the
bird, it is regarded as a sure sign that some member of the family will
soon die.
This coincidence took place in 1873, shortly before the death
of Queen Pomare's grandchild, Pomare-ono, and of the Prince Consort
at
Ari’ifa’aite.
The birds of Tahiti are still remembered in song as follows :
te
O Tahiti teie o te vai uri rau.
huru o te ’oto o te manu.
Ua
rau
This is Tahiti of manv shaded waters;
are the songs of the birds.
various
But the gun of the white man and the destructive
foreign rat, which
has found its way by ships to the island shores, hâve played havoc with
them and hâve decreased their many sweet songs and ominous cries. The
sea birds still choose their haunts
upon the towering cliffs and in the dense
woods.
In
Tahiti, foreign birds are now being introduced with some suc-
This badge
of royalty was formerly iised also in Tahiti.
See
page
193.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
cess.
The
389
following extract from a book by Captain James Wilson’-® ex¬
presses the same idea as the song quoted above:
The number of the feathered tribe is very great. Besides the common, tame fo-vvl,
they hâve -wild ducks, parroquets of various kinds, the blue and the -white héron, flyflapper, -woodpecker, doves, boobies, noddies, petrels, sand-larks, plover, martin, menof--war and tropic-birds, with a multitdue of others unkno-wn to us. The mountains
produce a great variety of a larger and a smaller size, for beauty and for song; these
are never seen on the low lands, or near the sea.
Fishes’®
were
The tohorâ
and -were also said to be possessed
-who died at sea, especially of those
shado-ws of the gods
disembodied spirits of persons
"who -were dro-wned.
of
(whale) -was the shado-w of Ta’aroa.
The great blue-shark, which islanders generally say is not of a rapacious
nature, -was the shado-w of the
Ma’o-purotu (Handsome-shark) of Tan’e’s
living waters in the sky. Other sharks were messengers for Tino-rua
(Body-of-two-natures), lord of the océan, and their young were mes¬
sengers for Tohu (Pointer), who painted the fishes in different hues and
stripes and patterns. (See pp. 234, 377.) Sharks that were supposed to be
possessed with the spirits of people were said never to molest their rela¬
tives when they met them at sea, but would go to their rescue and carry
them on their back or in their jaws safely to land, at the same time producing sounds of sympathy like tones of the human voice. Numerous
ancestral shark stories much of the same nature are told throughout
Polynesia.
The high chief Moe (Sleep), of Mata’oae in Taiarapu, had a shark
god named Vivi-te-rua-ehu (Spray-of-light-cavern), whose habitation' was
a great hole on the coral reef of his district.
The shark was of a reddish
color and was regarded as a terror to ail at sea except to Moe and his
family. When it approached strangers, it is said that it would leap upon
their canoë to upset and devour them and was'only appeased when presented with a suitable présent, of cloth or a hog.
But it was said
always to hâve known and protected the chief or any member of his
family that was exposed to danger in the océan. This family also had
an immense eel god, also named Vivi-te-rua-ehu.
It was of a reddish
color, and it dwelt with the shark, whose attendant and messenger it was
believed to be. According to a legend, a man named Rahute (Abundant),
of the household of Chief Moe, once left his district in a quarrel and
went to Mataiea.
He soon longed to see his little son whom he had left
at home; and one day as he was fishing he met the family shark, told it
his trouble, and asked it to go and bring him his dear child. The shark
Wilson, James, Missionary voyage to the Southern Pacific Océan, London, 1799.
These legends of fishes were recited in 1840 by Tamera and in more recent years by others.
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
390
went its way.
as
It hovered around the shores of Mata’oae, until one day
the boy was playing near the
seaside upon the bank of the river, Vavî
(Rashness), it decoyed him into the sea, caught him in its jaws, and bore
him away to Mataiea.
The father was awaiting him at a passage on the
reef, and when he saw the shark' approach he swam onto a great wave
and received his son, who was placed unharmed in his arms.
This .story
is still recorded by members of that family.
At Hitia’a, Tahiti, was an
ancestral shark called Tae-hau-moana (Arrival-of-ocean-peace), owned
by a well-knorwn family named Rutia. It was said to roam about as far as
Ra’iatea, where it bad a home in thç coral rocks within the reef on the
eastern side.
This shark is said to be still living, and not many years
ago a young girl of the Rutia family at Hitia’a was named after it.
spirits
its varying color in dying was attributed
The fai (ray) was the swimming temple
of Ta’aroa.
(See p. 336.) The temahoehoc, a sluggish deep-sea monster,
was the, shadow of Hau (god of peace).
The au (billfish) was a shadow
of the gods and was worshipped at Papeari (in Tahiti), and at Porapora,
where King Ma’i had a démon which possessed it. The urua (cavalla) was
a shadow of the gods to the people of Papara and Papeari
(in Tahiti),
The mahîmahi (dolphin) was supposed to be possessed with the
of persons who died at sea, and
to those spirits leaving its body.
The papahi (sunfish)
also named in the marae.
where it was held sacred to the shrine of the marae.
was
a
shadow of
Ta’aroa, whose
canoë
was
(rémora) was the shadow and messenger of the blue-shark. The
pâ-ta’aroa, or ta’aroa simply, a sniall variegated parrot fish, was held sacred
at the Pari in Tai’arapu (Tahiti) as the shadow of Ta’aroa.
The atoti
The varions kinds of oopu
(Bleotris fusca) that cling to stones in
supposed to be possessed with the departed spirits of
fresh water
were
infants boni
prematurely.
•
shadow of
the sky
down to the earth in the dark period; and it still retains its propensity to
cling to and draw whatever its powerful ârms encounter. Being regarded
The great spotted fe'e (octopus) of the deep sea was the
Tumu-ra’i-fenua
(Foundation-of-earthly-heaven), who held
with awe in olden times, it was not molested by people.
pearl-oyster was the shadow of the gods, to the people of Pare.
pearl-oyster reflecting rainbow hues was the shadow of the gods,
of ’Oro especially. To the people of Tahaa cockles shaded red were
shadows of the gods, ‘O’ohu-tû-mou’a (Mountain-cloud-crests), as were,
also ail red-shaded things in the sea ; they were held sacred. The purple
cockle was a shadow of the spirits in Hades ; it was the shell of this cockle
that was used in Hades to scrape the soûls of human beings during their
probation period for sweetening for Ta’aroa’s po’e (pudding). See p. 201.)
The
The
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
391
gocl, from fear of deatli.
pûpû were shadows of the gods, notably the triimpet
shell, wliich was a herald of ’Oro. In Afa’ahiti (Tahiti), where varions
shells were worshipped, it is said that people who offended them were
visited with baldness and strange growths upon the head.
The shell of
the maoa {Turbo) was wrapped in the fronds of the maire (Polypodium
pustulatum) fern and suspended over a sow in giving birth to its young,
to give them health and vigor.
It was considered the swine’s god. The
vava
{Murex ramosus), found to hâve a mysterious murmuring Sound
when placed to the ear, was consulted as an oracle as the habitation of
oroniatua (returned spirits).
Fresh-water hihi (periwinkles) were supposed to be possessed with the departed spirits of infants prematurely
boni—like the ’o’opu mentioned above.
It was not eaten by those who worshipped it as a
Ail univalves called
regarded as mysterious agents of the gods and spirits,
notably, butterflies, moths, crickets, and dragonflies. The pepe-tû (butterfly) was the shadow of Tû (Stability). The pepe-hau (moth) was the
shadow of Tû, under the titles of Tù-nui-a’e-i-te-atua ( Stability-greatestof-the-gods) and Tû-o-te-to’i-aia (Stability-of-the-consuming-axe). There
Ail insects
were
the cricket ; when he approached people he was
protected refugees in time of war; when the
priest who watched over the places of refuge saw warriors approaching, he
would stand out boldly and cry with outstretched hands;
“0 vau, 0 to
Perete’i tia’i 'ai’a, i te haii 0 Tû-nui-a’e-i-te-atua!”
(It is I, the Cricket,
protecting the refugees, by the peace of Stability-greatest-of-the-gods ! )
This overpowering utterance would scatter the foes, who would leap away
to the borders, some plunging into the sea, to give wide berth to the cricket
was
power in the cry of
driven away.
He
never
realm.
The
dragonfly was a shadow of Hiro, god of thieves.
that flew and halted beforé and behind.
their clothes, so that when they entered
to
It
was
carried
It was a god
by thieves in
the dwelling of those they wished
rob, they let the dragonfly go, and it dazed the inmates so that they
did not notice that
they were being robbed.
Centipedes, of which there are two small indigenous kinds, not venoshort and thick and of a light-brown color, and the other long
and threadlike and phosphorescent, were the shadows of the god of medicine, Tama-teina (Child-the-younger-brother), whose elder brother was
Tama-ehu (Blond-child), god of salamanders.
When a centipede fell
upon a wound or bruise of any kind, it soon healed.
If it crawled upon
a
sick person, a speedy recovery followed.
If it crawled up onto the
umbilicus of a new-born babe, it was considered a sign that the child
would grow strong and live long.
The centipede was not molested at
mous, one
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
392
times, but left to crawl away of its
these
bit them.
own
accord,
so
that it
never
Spiders were shâdows of the gods. The big spider was the sliadow
Tû, as its name implies, Tû-tû-rahu-nui (Standing-stability-ofgreat-conjuring), which stood upori Taiarapu, the head of the fish Tahiti,
to guide it as it came away from Ra’iatea to the borders.
A very slender
gray spider, called Hina (Gray), that makes its home in house ceilings, was
the shadow of Hina-tû-a-uta (Gray-who-stood-inland), and it was not
disturbed by people.
Other small varieties were shadows of local gods.
of the god
Crabs
shadows of the gods'pf their respective localities.
were
The
iupa (land crab) and the u’a (hermit crab), of the land, that inhabited
marae, were never molested.
Those of ancestral marae were supposed to
produce a soothing effect upon the weak and infirm in a family and were
named ha’amo’a-hua (sanctifying-the-weak). They were invoked to soothe
a fretful child, to calm a
suffering patient, and to comfort the aged. The
u’a-miti (hermit crab of the sea) was a god to some persons.
It was
supposed that to eat it under such circumstances would cause swollen
glands, sometimes ending in death, and that a child born of a mother so
afïïicted came into the world with swollen glands.
The u’a-vahi-ha’ari
(coconut-cleaver, called purse-crab), which lives on coconuts, easily opening them with its great claws, was also a shadow of local gods.
The
pa’aiea, a fresh-water crab, was a shadow of the gods of fugitives. It is
said that a man named Hoa (Friend), of Pape’iha, Tahiti, once escaped
from his pursuers over the sea upon the back of a pa’aiea to the Pari
(Bluffs-of-Taiarapu). The varo (Squilla) was a shadow of the gods and
was supposed to cause death to those who
worshipped it as such if they
ate it.
Ground
worms
were
shadows of the salamanders and
in the incantation of the uinu-tî ceremony.
(See p.
able thing, animate or inanimate, was regarded as an
that had been
duly invoked to enter it, and
another know what he
with
to
a
or
she had chosen
as
a
one
are
216.)
still invoked
Any conceiv-
incarnation of a god
individual did not let
medium of communication
patron spirit, while the object chosen became a sacred incumbrance
its worshipper.
WINDS
Winds
were
warnings to man.
potent agents of the gods,
God Cricket had
a
murmuring mysteries and
wind; it was Ra’i-ma’i-na-te-atua (Sky-of-sickness-
from-the-gods). When the land was in danger of being laid waste in
war time the priest of the Cricket would
say in his name :
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
“E atoatoa, e Ra’i ma’i, ua fàtata taua
ma’i nei i te pohe ; homai i te upe’a
i to’u rima ia maoro a’ena, ananahi to
mau
outou
i’oa ro’o api e naupa’i !”
393
“It is a tempestuous wind, it is Raima’i (Sky-of-sickness), a tottering government; these sick persons' are nearly
dead ! Eet me hold the net (control the
government) for a season; tomorrow
will obtain new names of famé !”“
you
from the god, and the warriors of' that
would establish peace in the land in the name of the god, Cricket,
These words had great power
army
shadow of Tû.
The
Mauriuri-pe’e-va’a ( Cry-that-detached-canoes [authorities] ) was a
wind full of the Sound of the cricket’s cry.
That wind was the soûl of
the land, and when the Sound of it was heard, evil was approaching the
place, war was soon to rage.
Moe-rehu-turituri-roroa-no-Perete’i
(Lost-in-haze-of-distant-distracting-
sounds-of-the-cricket) was also a great wind of Tû-o-te-to’i-’oi (Stabilityof-the-sharp-axe). Its cry was deafening in the land, it was the upholder
of kingly power. That wind drove away invading armies, who, when tliey
heard it, would décidé not to fight and would precipitate themselves into
the sea to évadé contact with the enemy.
The sea and wind had ears to
obey the cricket, Tû-o-te-to’i-’oi.
The Tui-hana (Soul-reposing-prayer) wind, from the rocks of Fenua-ili
of the leeward islands, was a messenger of the gods ; they brought it.
It was a soothing wind, and the land was hallowed by it.
The Atoatoa (Contrary-wind), which blows very hard, was brought
by the gods at times to destroy the land because of the sins of the people.
That wind represented the gods themselves. As it approaches the seashore
it resounds ; it dashes upon the shore.
The sky darkens until the sun
cannot penetrate it.
This wind lias great force, and with it the gods
destroyed the land, which could not escape it.
The Moana-roa-no-Tane (Distant-depths-of-Tane [god of beauty] )
was a good wind indicating peace.
When it was blowing, the sky was
deep-blue and cloudless, and canoës sailed without harm to and fro at
sea and among the islands.
The Paetahi (One-sided), a wind of the coast, was the wind of
Punua-pae-vai (Side-pool-of-the-river-bank). It came from one side only,
along the coast.
The Huatau (N-orth-wind) was from Ta’aroa, the Great-foundation.
The Mara’amu-moana (Trade-wind) came from the gods as a mes¬
senger of peace in the land; people dwelt in safety at those times.
The
Mara’ai-pupua (Southerly-gale) was ’Oro’s; it brought forth war.
Warriors
generally adoptée! new names in memory of conquest or defeat.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
394
The Rapati'a (Westerly-wind), from Vai’otaha, Porapora, was of the
god Ra’a (Sacredness), and it produced destruction; it indicated the anger
of Sacredness.
The Mata’i-fe'etietie
(Cooling-wind), from the south, which caused the
frequently mended, carne from the god Heima (Winter). It
was a peaceful wind that came in
gusts.
fleets to be
Fa’arua,
The
Tumurua (Two-blendings, or Two-sources), jointnorth, a stormy wind in its season, came from Te-fatu-
or
workers from the
(The-lord-of-thunder). Corning from two directions it meets with
heavy clouds producing thunder and breaks down the trees of the shores
and the masts of the ships at sea.
It prevents people at sea from coming
to land, sending them far out of their course.
tiri
The To’erau
(North-westerly) wind brought rain from the god Tumu(Cause-of-verdure) ; it was for times of peace.
ruperupe
The Hinu-taia (Smoothed-calmness), a stifled wind, caused excessive
calmness; the shoals receded; there were no waves, no breakers upon the
reef, and no ripples along the shore. It was ominous of death to the land.
Nana.
te
atua
Havai’i, fanaura’a
no
No Havai’i, fanaura’a atua; no
Havai’i, fanaura’a ta’ata!
Te atua i
roto, te atua i vaho,. te atua i ni’a, te
atua i raro, te atua i tai, te atua i uta,
te atua fa’ahoho’à, te atua hoho’a ore,
te
atua taho’o
hara, te atua fa’aora
hara, te atua ’ai ta’ata, te atua haia, te
atua fa’aora ta’ata, te atua o te pô, te
atua o te ao, te atua o te ra’i tua tini !
fenua !
the ten skies.
E tai’o hia anei te atua?
Can the
E
The gods cannot ail be numbered !
ore
e
hope te atua ia fa’ahiti hia !
O Fare-fare-mata’i te fenua no te nu’u
i te ra’i, te fenua o te pape-ruru e
atua
te pape
E
hau.
mana
roa
to
nu’u atua, E
E hou’u te ta’ata,
te
ra’a to te atua,
e
fatiou te mau ra’au, e oriorio, e
mahe’ahe’a roa, e mimi’o ino to te fenua
e to te nioana i te mana o to’na rima,
i te aho o to’na paoa ihu.
E tari’a to
nua
e
te
gods ail be numbered?
Fare-fare-mata’i
(House-shelteringbreezes) -was the land of the host of
gods' in the sky, land of collecting, cool
'waters.
nui
mata
te mau mea atoa
moana ;
to
o
te fe¬
te mata’i, to te
to te puahiohio, e
vero, to te fafatutiri,
to te ureure ti’a moana,
e
fa’aro’o;
e
tari’a to te feti’a, to te ava’e, to te rà, to
te
Behold the gods of Havai’i, the birthplace of lands ! Of Havai’i, the birthplace of gods; of Havai’i, the birthplace
of people !
Gods internai, gods external,
gods above, gods below, gods of the
océan, gods of the land, gods incarnate,
gods not embodied, gods of rétribution,
gods' to pardon sin, man-devouring gods,
gods slaying -warriors, man-saving gods,
gods of darkness, gods of light, gods of
uira, to te tau ma te tai’o, to te
hà’uriuri, to te mau mautai, i
moana
fa’aro’oi' ana’e ia i te
reo
o
te nu’u atua.
Ail the hosts of gods had greatpo-wer.
Their glance -was holy. Man crouched,
trees bent do-wn, ail on land and in the
sea
der
-withered, gre-w pale, and shrank unthe pcwer of their hands, before
the breath of their nostrils.
Everything in the land and in the sea
had
ears ;
the winds, the storm, the
thunder, the whirlwind, and the 'waterspout, ail had ears to hear; the stars,
the moon, the sun, the lightning, the
seasons, the sea of rank odor, things innumerable obeyed the hidding of the
hosts of gods.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
395
Order Finaeey Estabeished^"
E te Tumu-nui e, ’eaha te ra’au nui e
ti’a i te aro o Atea, e ’eaha te manu
’ai’ai fa’a e fa’aea ’tu i te aina’a e ai i
to’na pua ; e ’eaha te manu o te moana
e fa’auta i te ofa’ara’a i to’na ’ama’a?
maiore te raau e ti’a i
e ’omama’o uri e te
’omama’o pua fau, na manu ’ai’ai fa’a e
fa’aea ’tu i to’na ’ama’a e e ai i to’na
pua; o te pira’e-tea e te pira’e ere’ere te
E Tane
te
aro
manu
o
o
i to’na
e,
e
Atea ;
te moana e
ra
ama’a.
fa’auta i te ofa’ara’a
E niu,“* o te hau roa te omou i te
raau atoa, e ti’a i te aro o Atea, e
vini te manu ’ai’ai fa’a e fa’aea i to’na
ama’a e ’ai i to’na pua.
E tau ato’a hia te ama’a e te manu o
mau
te
moana.
E mapê te ra’au, e torea e arevareva
’ai’ai fa’a e fa’aea i to’na ama’a
te manu
e
e
ai i te pua,
i te pae vai.
E tamanu te ra’au, e ua rau te manu
navenave e fa’aea i to’na ama’a e
oto
O Tumu-nui, what trees shall stand
in the presence of Atea, what birds of
the valley shall inhabit their branches
and eat their flowers, and what sea
birds shall build their nests in their
branches ?
O,
Tane,
the
breadfruit tree
shall
stand in the presence of Atea, the dark
thrush and the light yellow thrush are
the birds of the valley that shall dwell
in its branches and eat its spikes ; and
the white sea-swallow and the black seaswallow are the birds' that shall build
their nests in its branches.
The coconut tree, with head towering
above ail other trees, shall stand in the
of Atea, and the whistling
parrakeet is the bird of the valley that
shall .dwell in its branches and eat its
presence
flowers.
Sea birds shall also lodge in
its branches.
The mape
(hwcarpus edulis) is the
the whistling plover and the bird
of paradise" shall dwell in its branches
and eat its flowers, on the river bank.
tree ;
The tamanu (Callophyllum)
is the
tree, and numerous are the sweet sing-
ai i to’na pua.
ing birds that shall dwell in its branches
E toa te ra’au, e otaha e te manu
pûtû te e tau mai i te ama’a i te aro o
The toa (Casuarina) is the tree, and
the man-of-war-bird and the albatross
shall alight upon its branches, in the
and eat its flowers'.
Atea.
presence
E tou te ra’au,
manumanu
te manu e te
te fa’aea i to’na ama’a e e
e
rau
i to’na pua.
e
E mara te ra’au, e a’a taevao te manu
fa’aea i to’na ama’a, i te aro o Atea.
of Atea.
(Cardia)
is the tree, and
varions birds and insects shall inhabit
its branches and eat its flowers'.
The
tou
The
mara
(Nauclea forsteri)
is the
tree, and the parrakeet with green and
red feathers is the bird to inhabit its
branches in the presence of Atea.
fa’aea
The toi (Alphifonia sisyphoides) is
the tree, and the laughing-gull shall
live in its branches and eat its flowers.
(apape) te ra’au e ti’a i te
Atea e ita’e (itata’e) te manu e
fa’aea i to’na ama’a, e ’ai i tona pua.
The apape' (Panax) is the tree that
shall stand in the presence of Atea, and
the laughing-gull
shall dwell in its
branches and eat its flowers.
E to’i te ra’au, e ita’e te manu e
i to’na ama’a e ai i te pua.
E ’avai
aro
o
E ’aoa (orâ) te ra’au e ti’a i te aro o
Atea, e ’u’upa te manu ’ai’aifa’a e fa’aea
’tu, e ’ai’ai i to’na mâ’a ri’i.
“
^
The banyan (Urostigiiia
from the high priests Tamera and Mo’a.
for palm or coconut generally known throughout
This is the plain type of bird of paradise.
Received in 1840
Nùt- is the
name
prolicum) is
the tree that shall stand in the presence
of Atea, and the wild pigeon is the
bird that feeds in the valleys that shall
live there, and eat its little figs.
Polynesia.
396
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
E hutu
manu
te
nui
i te aro
e
o
ra’au nui, e otu’u, e ’ao te
tau mai i to’na ama’a i mua
Atea.
E te Tumu-nui e, ’eaha te ra’au pua
no’ano’a e ti’a i te aro o Atea, e eaha te
manu e ato i to’na ra pua, eaha te manu
e ’ai i te pua?
E Tane e, te pua, te tiare,
te
reva
aro
ra’au
Atea,
o
e te hutttno’ano’a e ti’a i te
vahiné te manu e ato i
pua
e
to’na ra pua. Te pepe e te
’ai’ai i te pua.
purehua te
E te Tumu-nui e, ’eaha te ra’au maruti’a i te aro o Atea, ’eaha te manu
e fa’aea ’tu e ’ai taraa’i noa i to’na
pua,
mahiti ê atu ai te manu ta’i navenave?
maru e
E Tane e, e hau (fau), te ra’au maru-
ti’a i te aro o Atea, e manumanu huru rau te fa’aea; e ’iore e u’a te
fa’aea ’tu e ’ai tama’i noa ’i i to’na pua,
e mahiti e ai te manu ta’i navenave.
maru
e
E te Tumu-nui e, ’eaha te ra’au ha’a
te fenua e ti’a i te aro o Atea, eaha
te manu ’ai’ai fa’a, e ’ai atu i te ma’a
e haehae i te ra’oere?
o
E Tane e, e tî“ te ra’au ha’a e tia i te
o Atea ; e ope’a te rere i roto i te
’ama’a e vivi te manu e ai i te pua o tera
ra’au, i te rua hiti ; e ta’ata te ’ai’ai i te
a’a momona ; e taure’are’a te haehae i te
raoere, ei rautî i te nu’u toa o Tane hoa
nu’u; e e hui tapairu o te Ari’i vahiné
te ’ato i te ra’o’ere re’are’a, no’ano’a, ei
fa’a’una’unara’a, e te fa’ahei i te pua.
aro
Te tumu fara no’ano’a; o te fara e
hotu i te fara tea, te fara e hotu i te
fara ’ura, e te fara e hotu i te hinono
’uo, purotu
ra’u ha’eha’a ia e ti’a
Atea ; e o Roma-tane o te
Rohutu-no’anoa te fa’aea ’tu i roto i
to’na ’ama’a no’ano’a.
E oro, e te hei
fara e te hinono, te hamani hia ei fa’ai
te
aro
^
ra, te
o
The leaf of the tî
The hala
The hutu (Barrinqtonia) is the great
tree, and the stork and the héron are
the great birds that shall alight on its
branches in the présence of Atea.
O
Tumu-nui,
what
trees
bearing
sweet flowers shall stand in the présence
Atea, and what birds shall pluck its
flowers, and what insects shall feed upon
of
the flowers ?
O Tane. the nua (Beslaria lorifolia),
the tiare (Gardénia tahitens-is), and the
hutureva
{Gerbera forsteri) are the
trees bearing sweet flowers that shall
.stand in the presence of Atea. Women
are
the birds that shall pluck their
blossoms, and butterflies and moths
shall feed upon their flowers.
O Tumu-nui, what shady tree shall
stand in the presence of Atea, what liv-
ing créatures shall dwell in it and quarrel over eating its flowers, and cause the
sweet singing birds to fly away?
O Tane. the hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
is the shady tree that shall stand before
Atea ; numerous kinds of insects shall
dwell there; rats and hermit-crabs shall
dwell in it and quarrel over eating its
flowers, which will cause the sweet sing¬
ing birds to fly away.
O Tumu-nui, what low plants of the
land shall stand before Atea, what birds
that feed in the valleys, or what living
créatures shall inhabit their branches
and eat their flowers and roots’ and tear
their leaves?
O Tane, the ti (Cordyline terminalis)
is the low tree that shall stand before
Atea ; the swallows shall fly among ifs
branches, the grasshopper shall feed on
the flowers of that plant by the bordering chasm ; man shall chew its sweet
roots'; vigorous men shall tear its leaves,
which shall stimulate the host of warriors of Tane, friend of armies ; and
the queen’s waiting maids shall gather
its yellow, fragrant leaves', for adornment, and wear its flowers in garlands.
The hala of sweet odors ; the ha! a
producing yellow strobiles, the hala producing red strobiles, and the hala that
beats the beautiful white blossoms^ are
the low trees that shall stand before
Atea ; Roma-tane, guardian of Paradise,
shall dwell in its
fragrant branches.
Rosettes and garlands of the strobiles
was considered to hâve great virtue; see pages 214, 306.
producing blossoms bearing pollen differs from that bearing strobiles.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
’una’una i te ta’ata i e
ra’o’ere ’ei hu’a pe’ue.
pua’a te’ai i te ’i’o fara.
e
titoe hia te
e te
E ta’ata
397
and flowers shall be made for ornaments
by man, and the leaves shall be torn into
strands for mats. Man and beast shall
eat
the strobiles.
E mati te ra’au, e tutu ha’a, e ’aito, e
te ’arioi te rave i te huoro fa’a’ura’ura.
Te tumu mei’a hiiru rau te ti’a i te
aro O Atea, o te manu huru rau o te
fa’a, te pepe, e te rô, te ’ai i te pua e te
mâ’a.
E ta’ata te ’ai i te mâ’a e te
rave i te ra’o’ere.
The mati {Ficus tinctoria) is the tree;
cloth-beaters. warriors, and arioi shall
make use of its berries for red dye.
The banana trees of many kinds shall
stand before Atea, and numerous birds
of the valleys, butterflies, and ants shall
feed on their flowers and fruit.
Man
shall partake of their fruit, and use
their leaves.
E fe’î te ra’au e tia’ i te aro o Atea,
i uta i te vao o te fa’a e i raro i te
fenua pàpû; e rupe e ’iore e ua rau te
huru o te manu ’ai’ai fa’a e ’ai i te
mâ’a. E ta’ata te ’ai i te fe’i e ato hia
te fare o te ta’ata taevao i te ra’o’ere.
The mountain plantain shall stand in
the presence of Atea, up in the recess'es
of the valleys, and on low ground ; the
E pa’i-taro te ra’au e ti’a i te aro o
Atea, e mo’ore, e meho mata e te ’avae
’ute’ute, o te tuo, te manu e ti’a i raro
a’e i to’na maru.
E Ta’ata te ’ai i te
pota e te mâ’a o te taro.
E farapepe (’ie’ie) te ra’au o te taha
mou’a ra e ti’a i te aro o Atea, e pepe
e te purehua e te u’u’pa te manu ’ai’ai
fa’a e ’ai hia ’tu ai to’na ra mâ’a.
E
Ta’ata te rave i te a’a, e rau te ha’a.
E tamore e ’opaero te ra’au o te vai
e ti’a i te aro o Atea, e piao te manu e
tau e rere atu, e ei reira te ’oâ patapata e fa’aea ai. E aretu, e mo’u, e te
mati o te mahora te ra’au ha’eha’a e ti’a
i te aro o Atea, e manumanu rau e
vivî te fa’aea ’tu i reira.
E
te
Tumu-nui
’eaha te ra’au e
taha mou’a, e aha te
e,
fa’a’una’una i te
fa’aro’oro’o haere hia na te ’aivi ra?
E Tane e, o te râtâ pua tira o te
mou’a, te pohue e tafifi na te tumu nui,
e
anuhe e amo’a, e te mau ra’au o te
mato ra, te fa’a’una’una i te taha mou’a ;
e pinai te faro’o-ro’ohia na te ’aivi ra.
E te Tumu nui e, ’eaha te manu e
fa’aea i te ra’au i mua i te aro o Atea ?
E Tane
te
e,
e
potipoti huru
ra’au
e
huhu,
e
rau, te
i te fare i
mua
mo’o,
e
veri,
o
the
rat,
and
many
'Paro patches shall
stand before Atea,
and the duck, and the rail with red face
and legs, that shouts, are the birds' to
dwell beneath their shade.
Man shall
eat the taro leaves and roots.
The ieie (Frevcinetia)
is the plant
mountain sides to stand before
of the
Atea, and butterflies, and moths, and the
wild pigeon are the living things that
feed in the valleys, to eat its fruits.
Man shall take its roots for many uses.
The watergrass and bulrushes of the
river
shall stand before Atea ;
the
dragon fly shall hait and fly among
them, and there shall dwell the speckled
rails.
Bunch-grass,
the
spear-grass
(gladdon) and the lawn grass are the
low plants to stand before Atea, and
varions insects and grasshoppers shall
dwell in them.
O Tumu-nui, what plants shall ornament
the mountain sides, and what
sounds shall be heard among the cliffs?
O Tane. the rata {Metrosideros poly-
morpha)
with
red
bloss'oms
of
the
mountains,
the
pohue
{C onvolvuhis)
that creeps over the great trees, the
anuhe (pectinate fern), the amoa {Ne-
phrolepis exaltata), and ail the plants
of the cliffs, shall ornament the moun¬
tain sides ; and the écho shall resound
the rocks.
O Tumu-nui, what living things shall
live in the woods and houses' in the
among
of Atea?
Tane, the wood-bee, the lizard, the
centipede, and varions beetles, shall live
presence
e
fa’aea i te uru
i te aro
mountain-pigeon,
kinds of birds that feed in the valleys
shall eat the fruit.
Man shall eat fe’i,
and the wild man shall thatch his house
with the leaves.
Atea.
O
in the woods and in the houses in the
presence
of Atea.
398
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
E te Tumu-nui e, ’eaha te ra’au nui e
fa’atopa i te ra’o’ere e fa’atupu fa’ahou
ai ia tae i te tau ?
E Tane
vi, e orâ, e ataè te ra’au
e fa’atupu
e, e
nui e fa’atopa i te ra’o’ere,
fa’ahou i a tae i te tau.
E
Tumu-nui
te
i te
mua
E Tane
i te
Atea?
o
nafea te mâ’a i
e
Atea.
o
aro
E nafea te vai i te vai?
E hue
e ’ano’ano e ponapona ’ofe nui
fari’i i te vai e amo haere noa ’i.
te
E nafea te tai?
E hue te fari’i i te tai, E va’a, e pahi
te fa’ateretere na te tai.
E te Tumu-nui e, ’eaha te pi’i a
fa’aro’oro’o haere hia na te fa’a?
E Tane e, te oto manu e te manu-
manu, te ’uâ pua’a, te ’aoa o ’uri, e te
tuô ta’ata te pi’ie e fa’aro’ohia na te fa’a.
E te Tumu-nui
haro
ua
E
ra’i
ra ?
i
ope’a te
manu
mania
’eaha te
e,
mania
te
e
manu
e
topara’a
te
no
haro ra’i
i
te
e tupu mai i te
topara’a ua ra, e
Tane e!
E te Tumu-nui e, ’ovai te fa’aea i te
fenua, ’ovai te fa’aea i te ri’oa
e ’ovai te fa’aapi i te fenua nei ?
E hui-ari’i te fa’aea i te outu fenua,
e
ra’atira te fa’aea i te ri’oa fenua, e
outu
fenua
ta’ata te fa’aapi i te fenua nei, e
E Tane
e,
fenua, na vai e
e
ha’apohe
vai
mea
ora
no
E Ta’ata
te
e
vai
Tane e.
ta’ahi i te repo
fa’a’apu i te fenua, e na
na
e
e fa’aora
te fenua?
te ta’ahi
’tu i te
i te fenua
e
mau
ta’ata
fa’a’apu i te fenua, e ta’ata te haapohe
te
fenua,
fa’aora
e
i
te
O, Tane, the vi (Spondias dulcis), the
(banyan) and the atae (Brythrina)
are the great trees that shall shed their
ora
leaves and grow again in their seasons.
e,
e, e auahi te ’ai’ai i te mâ’a
ta’ata, na te auahi e turama i mua
te
na
aro
O Tumu-nui, what great trees shall
shed their leaves and grow again in
their seasons?
mau
Tane e !
mea
ora
o
te
O Tumu-nui, what shall be done with
the food in the présence of Atea?
O Tane, fire shall render eatable the
food for man to eat, and fire shall give
light in the presence of Atea.
What shall be the containers of fresh
water?
The gourd, the coconut bottle, and
big bamboo joints shall hold water to
carry it conveniently everywhere.
What shall be done with the sea?
The gourd shall hold sea water ;
ca¬
ships shall sail over the sea.
O Tumu-nui, what cries shall be
heard in the valleys?
O Tane, the cries of birds and insects,
the squealing of pigs, the barking of
dogs, and the s'houts of people shall be
heard in the valleys.
O Tumu-nui, what bird shall soar up
noës
and
into the sky in the calm caused by the
rain
falling?
The swallow is the bird that shall
soar into the sky in the calm that. follows the falling of the rain, O Tane !
O Tumu-nui, who shall dwell upon
the points of land, who shall live in the
bays, and who shall replenish the earth?
Royal familles' shall dwell upon the
points, gentlemen shall live in the bays,
man shall replenish the earth, O Tane.
O Tumu-nui, who shall tread the
soil, who shall cultivate it, and who
shall kill or spare the living créatures
upon the land?
Man shall tread the soil, man shall
cultivate it, and man shall kill or spare
the living créatures upon it, O Tane.
Tumu or Taaroa Exalts Tanë^’’
Teie
Ta’aroa i tu’u
ta
fanau’a ’una’una
o
na
Ta’aroa :
Tane,
te
iti tei ia te Tumu ; e marae
nui tei ia Tane.
E tahu’a iti tei ia te
E
marae
Tumu; e tahu’a rahi tei ia Tane. E
pahu iti tei ia te Tumu ; e pahu nui tei
ia Tane.
te
Tumu;
E fatarau iti tei te marae ia
e fatarau nui tei ia Tane.
E
Received in
1840
from Tamera and Mo’a,
This is what Ta’aroa did for the god
Tane, the handsome offspring of Ta’a¬
roa :
Tumu had little temples; Tane had
great ones.
Tumu had a few priests ;
Tane had rnany priests.
Tumu had
small drums ; Tane had big drums.
Tumu had a few altars for his temple;
Tane had many altars. Tumu had gods
high priests.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
ia te Tumu,
Atua ’aha tei
e
iti
mea
Atua aha ’ura rahi tei ia
Tane. E ’opani iti tei te pâ o te marae
O te Tumu; e opani roa tei te pâ o te
’ura,
te
marae
o
te
o
e
Tane.
Tumu;
O Tane.
E ava’a iti tei te marae
ava’a nui tei te
e
E tuturi iti tei ia te Tumu;
e
marae
tuturi
nui tei ia Tane.
E aho iti tei ia ' te
Tumu no te tapa’au i to’na marae e
aho nui tei ia Tane. E Tapa’au iti tei
ia te Tumu, ei mono a’e i te tahu’a i
te otira’a e te upu^” i ta’na marae; e
Tapa’au nui tei ia te Tumu.
ta te
Tumu ;
e
E viri iti
E
viri nui tei ia Tane.
hoe iti tei ia te Tumu ei poura’a mai na
te manu mo’a i te marae ; e hoe nui
tei ia Tane. E tira iti tei ia te Tumu,
ei taura’a manu mo’a i te marae ; e
tira nui tei ia Tane i to’na marae..
E
Ahu tapu ha’eha’a tei te marae o te
Tumu ; e ahu teitei to te marae o
i
E Manu iti
te tau
te maraé o te
tau i te marae
mai te
Tumu
Tane.
moana
mai
Toroâ
te
o
Tane.
E Toroâ te
mai i te marae o te Tumu ra, e
Ruru te tau atu i to Tane marae.
E Oroâ iti to te Tumu ra; e Oroâ
rahi ia to Tane.
O Tane maori teie ; e atua mana roa !
Na Ta’aroa Tarie i ha’amana, e no roto
ana’e mai ia Ta’aroa to Tane mana. E
ra,
e
tau
ohipa nehenehe ana’e ta Tane i
Aita ’oia i taparahi i te ta’ata i
muta’aiho ra ; aria roa, i mûri roa i te
paura’a o te fenua i te miti nei, i riro ai
ei atua ta haia, aita re’a noa iho râ.
mau
rave.
399
in sennit with a few red feathers ; Tane
had gods' in sennit with many red
feathers.
The enclosure of the temple
of Tumu had a small rear entrance ; the
enclosure of 'lane’s temple had a broad
rear““ entrance.
The temple of
Tumu
had a small sacred enclosure within ;
that of Tane had a spacious one.
Tumu had a few stone slabs to lean
against for prayers ; Tane had many
leaning slabs. Tumu had a few stone
pillars', upon which the coconut-leaf
images to represent the priests were
placed, in his temple ; Tane had many
pillars. Tumu had a few coconut-leaf
images to represent his priests in his
temple; Tane had many in his. Tumu
had
a
few coconut-leaf
rosaries in his
Tane had many in his.
Tumu had a few paddles [pôles'] erected
[by which the sacred birds descended
into the temple] ; Tane had many pad¬
temple;
but
dles.
Tumu had a few masts upon
which the sacred birds alighted in the
temple; Tane had many masts in his
temple. Tumu had a low sacred wall
to his temple; Tane had a high wall to
his temple.
If a small sea bird alighted upon the
temple of Tumu, a surf-duck settled
upon Tane’s temple.
If a' surf-duck
alighted upon the temple of Tumu, an
albatross descended upon Tane’s temple.
When Tumu had a little religious
ceremony; Tane had a great one.
This then was Tane ; he was a very
great god.
Ta’aroa made him great,
and ali his greatness emanated from
Ta’aroa. Ail Tane’s work was beautiful.
He did not slay men in former times ;
it waS only very recently, long after the
Deluge, that he received the homage
of human sacrifices, but they were not
numerous.
The; Bir'th 01“ Nëw Lands^®
la tupu a te fenua mai Havai’i atu !
O Marina te fétu, o Aeuere te ari’i
I Havai’i, fanauraa fenua.
Mauri i te poipoi a ee
I te au marere i hiti tovau.
Let more land grow from Havai’i !
Mariua (Spica) is the star, Aeuere (Offering-cloth) is the king
Of Havai’i, the birthplace of lands,
The mornin,g apparition rides
Upon the flying
border.
vapor
of the chilly
For explanation of these features of the structures see chapter on marae (pp. 132-136).^
=5“
The phrase i te otira’a e te upu is not translatée! in the text literally, “in the finishing
by the prayer.”—Fd.
“
Recited in 1817 by the Ra’iatean scholars, Ara-mou’a and Vara, The modem names given
to some of the islands are enclosed in parenthèses in the left-hand column, and several islands
that are unidentifiable and may no longer exist are wrltten in italics.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
400
la tari
Tari a rutu mai i hea?
oe !
a
E rutu mai i te Moana-urifa, I hiti tooa !
Areare te
I te
nuu
tai, o Vavau matahiapo,
piti).
Areare a, o
A Pu-tai
O
The sea casts up Vavau (Porapora) the
(Mau-
A rutu a, areare te tai, o Maurua
Ma-pihaa,
a
(Manu-a’e),
oe
!
Tari
a
rutu
mai
i hea?
A rutu mai i hiti’a !
Areare te tai, o Huahine nuu piri
I te moana o Marama.™
fatu,
la tari a oe ! Tari a rutu mai i hea?
Areare te tai, o Maiao-iti manu,
I te moana o 'ÏÆarama.
la tari a oe!
Tari a rutu mai i hea?
Te fétu
Marina a rere i toa,
A rutu mai i to’erau i hiti’a I
Areare te tai o Nu’u-roa“
I te aru e huti i te Tai-o-vaua.
0 Te au a marere
Areare te tai, o
Pupua.
Rutu a’e i toerau
Areare te tai
O Nuuhiva roa,
sea
of
In
Marama
p.
sea
the
casts up
ris'ing
is
on
Nu’u-roa
of
waves
(Shaven-sea).’’’
and
strike
(Long-fleet)
Tai-o-vaua
Bear thou on !
Bear on and strike
where?
The vapor Aies
To the outer border of Tai-o-vaua.
Strike there !
sea
casts
up
Pupua
Honden Island).
Strike far north !
The sea casts up
The distant Nuuhiva
roa !
Polynesian Soc., vol. 2,
of the bird,
In the sea of Marama.
Bear thou on!
Bear
The
Marquesas),
I te are e huti
I te tai o vavea.
Tari a oe i toerau i tooa !
Rutu i hea?
E rutu i vavea !
Areare te tai, o Hotu-papa
The
The sea casts up Maiao-iti (Little-claw)
The
Tari a rutu mai i hea?
I hiti atu o Tai-o-vaua,
A rutu i reira!
Bellingshausen).
Bear thou on !
Bear on and strike
where?
Corne and strike east !
The sea casts up Huahine (Gray-fruit)
of the fleet fhat adhères to the
master.
On the sea of Marama (Moon).
Bear thou on !
Bear on and strike
where?
where ?
The star Marina Aies South,
Corne and strike northeast !
o
Tari a oe!
first boni,
With the fleet that strikes both ways ;
And Tubai (Stand-flat), little islets of
the king.
Strike on, the sea casts up Maurua
(Hold-two, Sir Charles Saunder’s
Island).
Strike on, they are Ma-pihaa (Withsprings. Lord Howe Island),
Pu-tai (Sea-cluster, Birds-there, Scilly
Island),
Papa-iti (Small-rock, the Thespesia, or
Papa-iti (Te-miromiro).
la tari
odor),
In the border of the west !
ai rua;
E O Tupai, na motu rii a te Arii.
Bear thou on !
Bear on and strike
where ?
Strike upon Moana-urifa (Sea-of-rank-
(Presented,
(Fleet-of-clans,
Of the waves that rise up
Into towering billows.
Bear thou on to the northwest !
Strike where? *
Strike the towering wave !
The sea casts up Hotu-papa (Surging-
rock)
known
35, 1893.
traditionally to the Maoris of New
Nu’u-roa is also known traditionally to the Maoris as Nuku-roa, the
ated to New Zealand as their land wlien they first settled upon it.
Meaning the Tuamotu Islands, which lie low in the sea.
Zealand;
name
see
Jour.
they appropri-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
O
te
Tari
Of the towering wave.
Bear thou on ! and still strike the tow¬
vavea.
a
i te
rutu a oe
Areare mai,
o
401
vavea !
ering wave.
There cornes Tai-nuna
land
Tai-num, fenua
Beyond Hotu-papa.
I O atu i Hotu-papa.
Areare te T'ai o Putu-ninamu,
Sea of Putu-ninamu
(Mixed-up-shoal),
(Sooty-tern) casts
up;
O Ma-ahu-rai te fenua ;
Areare a,
O Outii-taata-mahu-rei.
(Cleared - by - the - heat-ofheaven) is the land ;
There is cast up again,
Outu-taata-mahu-rei
(The-people’s-ver-
Areare te Tai o Nu’u-marea,
The
O
Ma-ahu-rai
Pata-pu maira.
a
a
oe !
rutu mai
I toeraii.
Sea of the Nuu-marea
parrot-fish)
(Host-of-
Casts up Fata-pu (Clustering-pile).
Tai-o-Manunu (Sea-of-cramps) casts up
Te-vero-ia (Fish-producing-storm) Is-
Areare te Tai-o-manunu
O Te-vero-ia te fenua.
Tari
Tari
dant-headland).
land.
Bear thou on !
Bear on and strike where?
Strike north.
i hea ?
Areare te tai, o Mataî-rea
The sea
Te fenua
Land of the long heating drum ;
o te pahu rutu roa;
O Taputapuatea^'’ te marae hoho roa,
E
rutu
i hea?
E
rutu i toerau.
Areare te tai, o Arapa iho;
E
E
oe !
E au tia i hea?
tia i te taha o te ra,
tia i te Uru-meremere.
au
maunu a tae ’oe,
Tupu o ura,
E tupu i rei o te moua
moua
A huti te
hiehie ;
vera
i
o
atu
e !
Tupu o ’ura, tupu i rei
Moti mai ai
Te moana i ô atu e !
Oia o Aihi“ (Vaihi, or Hawai’i),
Fenua o te matau nui ;
Fenua e à noa mai
Te vera hiehie ;
were
court yard.
Strike where? Strike north.
And swim where?
Swim towards the declining sun,
Swim towards Orion.
Distance will end at thine approadr,
Redness will grow,
It will grow on the mountain figurehead®
At thine approach,
Where the mountain is the houndary
over there, O I
Angry fiâmes shoot forth ;
Rednes's grows, grows on the figurehead
Bounding in
The océan over there I
That is Aihi (Bit-in-fishing),
Land of the great fishhook;”
Land of raging fire kindling
Angry fiâmes ;
The name of this marac would indicate that it was bitilt by
the only people having a marac named Taputapuatea.
^
(Basket, island)
Bear thou on!
O atea te
A tae oe,
Moti mai ai te
Taputapuatea is' the temple with long
Raparapa (Angular, island) alone.
Just over the sea is Tai-Rio-aitu (Weeping-for-god-Rio, Aldebaran).
a
au
Matai-rea (Breeze-of-
The sea casts up Arapa
alone ;
O Raparapa iro.
Tei tai atu o Tai-Rio-aitu.“
Tari
casts up
plenty),
Tahitians
or
Ra’iateans, who
Rio, god of bonito and albicore fîshennen.
“Figurehead” here means a projection on the mountain, and the angry fiâmes connected
the volcano, which in former times was always active and served as a landmark
with it mean
on Hawai’i.
The old name, Aihi, lias gradually subsided into Vaihi (Water-fountain) in Tahitian, probably owing to the grand cascades that stream from the mountains of Hawai’i.
Waihi and Owaihi
names of land retained in New Zealand Maori traditions.
The great fishhook was supposed to hâve been that of
Tafa’i by t'he Tahitians; see legend of Tafa’i (p. 558).
are
Maui by the Hawaiians, and of
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
402
Fenua huti hia mai,
Na te matapo’opo’o o vavea,
Land drawn up,
Through the undulations of the towering
Mai te Tiimu mai!
O atu, Oahu ia.
wave,
From the foimdatioii!
Beyond is Oahu.
According to Fornander,^® in Hawaiian folklore there are référencés
islands, great and small, that formerly connected the northern and South¬
ern groups in
Polynesia, of which no traces can now be found, a statement that is borne out by the above references to many lost islands beto
tween
Honden Island and the Hawaiian islands.
Instances of islands dis-
appearing following earthquake shocks are known in modem times. Still
sporadic islands exist in central Polynesia, directly south of the Hawaiian
islands, which would hâve served to connect them with the Southern group.
Création oe Man’Te
raro
raua ;
mata
o
Tû
ma
i te piha taata.
Ta’aroa i
i
nana
Ua apo’opo’o a’era
“Ua tupu te fenua, ua tupu te ra’i, e
tupu te moana; ua î ana’e ia i te
mea oraora.
Ua api te piha atua i te
ua
atua, na hea rà te piha taata e au ai?”
“E hamani rà i te taata !” A rahu
Ta’aroa i raro i te aro o ha’eha’a,
tu maira o Ti’i ho’e roa ra taata.
O te
ra
’ino ia i te ao nei. O
Ti’i ahu one. Ti’i ma’ara’a uta. Ti’i ma’ara’a i tai, Ti’i haamou-huna, Ti’i fa’aina
toi. E ’ao ’uo te Ti’i, e ’Ao fa’auru i te
pô e te ao i ta Ti’i e fa’aue atu.
taata matamua roa
O Na-pô-titi e o Na-po-tàtà te rahua
mai e Ta’aroa ei hoa varua ino lia Ti’i i
te
pô, ape’e mai nei i te ao nei.
A noho Te-fatu i te vahiné, ia Faahotu.
fanau mai ra o Hina-te-’u’uti-maha’i-
tua-mea, O Hina ai tua, Flina ai aro ; e
mata i mua e e mata i mûri to Hina,
atua vahiné fanau taata matamua roa i
te ao nei.
A noho tamahine
o
Ti’i-ia Hina
’u’uti-mahai-tua-mea, oia
o
te
te-
’ai tua
Fornander, Abraham, The Polynesian
^
e
The eyes of Tù (Stability) with
Tà’aroa ('The-unique-one) looked down
into the room for man.
together:
They consulted
“Land has grown, the sky has grown,
and the océan has grown; all these are
filled with living créatures.
The room
for gods is filled with gods, and now
what shall be done for the room for
man ?”
“We must now make man” [was the
decision].
So Ta’aroa conjured up from below,
and there stood forth Ti’i (Fetcher),
only
man
one
man.
He
in this world.
was' the very first
Fie was Ti’i, clothed
in sand, Ti’i the propagator inland ; Ti’i,
the propagator seaward ; Ti’i, secret de¬
stroyer; Ti’i, the axe s'harpener. Ti’i had
a
white héron, that bewitched by day
and by night all whom he bid it enter.
Na-po-titi (Lingering-night) and Na-
po-tata (Retarded-night) were conjured
forth by the Ta’aroa as démon friends
for Ti’i in darkness, and they followed
him into this world.
Te-fatu (The-lord) dwelt with his
wife, Faahotu (Be-fruitful), and they
begat Hina - te - ’u’uti - maha’i - tua - mea
(Gray - to - extract - and - mitigate-many-
things), Hina who ate from before and
from behind ; a front face and a back
face had Hina the goddess, who was
the first woman born in this world.
Ti’i took to wife in her girlhood,,
Hina-te-’u’uti-mahai-tua-mea,
she
vol, 2, p. 9, London, 1878.
This chant was recited in 1822 by Mahine, chief of Mai’ao; and in 1833 by Anani,
tian chief, and Tamera, a high priest.
race,
a
who
Tahi-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
te ’ai aro, fanau a’era ta raua, o Uru-ote-oa-ti’a; hee te tua, o Hina-’ere’eremanua, mûri iho o Hina-nui-fa’aharama’au, o Rua-faa-ra’i maira. I amui te
hua’ai o Ti’i e o Hina i te hua’ai o te
nu’u atua ei tane e ei vahiné i tereira
tau, i te
pô
O Ti’i'e
farina i te
ra.
o
Hina, i tu ra’i piri,
na
ao
ei tata’u no te ao, ei
tupuraa taata rii ia no te ao, i te piha
taata.
Ua api a’era te piha taata i te
taata, a ite Ta’aroa a faarire.
I te rahiraa o te taata, fanau maira te
pe’ape’a ; fanau ta te pe’apea, o te
pa’ari ; fanau ta te pa’ari, o te tau, fanau
a’era ta te tau, o te tahitohito.
A fanau mai ta Ti’i e ta Hina-maha’i-
tamarii, te ari’i nui maro ’ura ;
hua’ai na te atua mai te pô mai.
A
tû mai te taata i rahua e Ti’i ma Hinamana’i-tua-mea, oia te taata ri’i, te
manahune o te ao nei. A noho te ari’i
nui i te taata ri’i, fanau maira te huira’atira o te ao nei. A noho te hui ari’i
i te hui-ra’atira fanau maira te ari’i ri’i
o te ao nei.
tua-mea
e
403
ate from before and from behind, and
they begat Uru-o-te-oa-ti’a (Inspired-ofthe-house-of-high-chiefs) ; there followed
Hina-’ere’ere-manua
hasty-tempered) ;
faahara-ma’au
( Hina - black - and next came Hina-nuifHina - the - great - and -
sulky), and then was born Raa-faa-ra’i
(Source-of-kings). The children of Ti’i
and Hina intermarried” with the gods at
that period, in darkness.
When Ti’i and Hina stood in the
close sky^ and turned to the earth to
call to the world, it was' to create common
people for the world, in the de-
partment of man.
Thus the room for
man was filled with people, and Ta’aroa
saw it and applauded.
When people multiplied, trouble was
produced ; trouble begat wisdom ; wisdom
begat cunning; cunning begat
mockery.
When Ti’i and Hina-maha’i-tua-mea
( Hina - mitigator-of-many-things ) begat
children thev became the high royal family of the ’um girclle ; they were descendents of the gods from darkness.
When
people stood forth conjured into being by
Ti’i and Hina-maha’i-tua-mea, they be¬
came the common people, the plebians of
the world.
When the royal family espoused common people, they begat the
gentry of the world. When the royal
family espoused the gentry, they begat
the nobilitv of the world.
O te outu roroa te ’ai’a fenua o te hui
ari’i ; tei reira te marae nui o te fenua,
e ’ore e mo’e.
O te ’o’o’a hohonu te
’ai’a fenua o te hui raatira.
A î te
fenua i te taata a ràrà i te mau vahi
ato’a.
Tei tai e tei uta te fenua o te
taata
feia
ri’i,
e
piri haere ia fenua i to te
mana.
The long capes were the inheritance
of royalty and the nobility ; there stood
the great temples of the land which
could not be hidden..
Deep bays were
the inheritance of the gentry.
As the
land got thickly populated, the people
spread everywhere.
On the seashore
and inland were the lands of the
beians bordering on the lands of
great.
ple-
the
Thë Handsome; Shark or Taaroa=*
Man dwelt
011
the land and fishes dwelt in the
océan
for
a
long time
during the period of darkness without molesting each other ; and there 'was
a handsome bine shark, beloved of Ta’aroa, that s-wam close by the shore
to eat seaweed when high tide set in and frolicked with the children as they
sported in the sea. The shark’s name was Irê (Prize-winner), and it was
at last translated [transported?] up into the Vai-ora-a-Ta’aroa (Living-
Genesis, 6:2:
“The
sons
of God
saw
took them wives of ail which they chose.”
^
Recited in 1833 by Tamera, Tahîtian
the daiighters of
men
that they
were
fair; and they
high prîest, and Pati’i, high priest of Mo’orea.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
404
water-of-Ta'aroa), which is the Milky Way in the sky, when its name
became Fa’a-rava-i-te-ra’i (Sky-shade), and this is how it came to
pass:
The gods of the sea warned the gods of the land to beware lest the
man that the erst-
shark should eat man, and soon it was made known to
while domesticated shark intended to attack the
youths that played with him.
So the youths of the land were on their gnard to avoid
coming in contact
with the shark, when two yonng brothers noted for their
Tahi-a-ra’i
bravery, named
(First-of-the-sky) and Tahi-a-nu'u (First-of-hosts), encjuired
their elders when and where the shark wonld
approach the shore.
“When the tide is high he will approach yonder point; he is now over
there in the deep waiting to corne,” was the answer.
of
Nothing daunted, the
boys said, “Oh, we will wait for him,” and after making themselves spears
of hard wood they went ont iipon the
sandy point to meet the foe.
appeared. The boys
The tide rose high, and soon the great bine shark
auned
steadily while it swiftly approached them, and as it turned itself
the back of a great wave and opened its jâws to swallow the
elder brother, Tahi-a-ra’i, thrust his
spear into its throat. The shark broke
the spear in closing its jaws upon it, and then the
younger brother, Tahia-nu’u, darted his spear near its heart, at which he was
aiming but
over
upon
Then the shark appeared to he dead.
So the lads triumphantly
were about to hew the fish in
pièces, when it was
suddenly snatched out of their reach by Ta’aroa and Tû, who were dismissed.
got their hatchets and
pleased at the treatment their pet shark had received, up into the Living-
water-of-the-gods.
There they healed its wounds and resuscitated it.
DISCONTENT OF THE GODS IN DARKNESS*
E ru’i roa te ru’i a Riimia ia ta’o ; a
ta’ota’o te pô, te pô roa ia ta’o. A ’iu
te pô i te pô roa ia ta’o, o te pô roa
fenefenea,'' te pô o Rumia ! E tahi te
umi i te ’arere, ta’o ti’i i te ’iu maroaroa' o te pô. O te tai’oraa fenua, o te
ta’o i te apa’i nu’u, o te ta’o ia o te
apa’i ra’i piri.
e
te rua o te
O te ta’o tena i ta’o hia
ana’i’ e
o
te
ana’a.'
A ti’ei i te fe’e nui mau ra’i fenua.
A faro te Tumu-nui e a faro.
Tohua
to te manu
ta’ira’a,
Heard in
o
aru
tahatai
a
e’e
The night of Rumia
(Upset)
was
a
long night to name; it was thick darkness, the long night to name.
The
nights would be millions in the long
night to name, it was the long, wearis’ome night, the night of Rumia!
The
messengers went at ten-fathom paces,
with orders to end the shameftil mil¬
lions of nights.
These were orders
from the land, orders from the
congregated hosts, the orders from those gathered in confined sky. These orders came
froni the source of the careful and the
anxious.
There was exploring of the great octo-
ptis
nui
holding the sky to the earth. Tumu-
(Great-foundation) considered and
lips of the priests, Anna, Mo’o, Ra’i-tupu and Pape-aru of Porapora.
^Fenefenea (wearisome) is obsolète; ha'umani is the modem word.
®
Maroaroa (shamefiil) is obsolète; ha’ania is the modem word.
’
Ana’i (careful) is obsolète; rave-maita’i is the modem word.
®
Ana’a (anxious) is obsolète; mana’ona’o is t'he modem word.
■*
1822 from t'he
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
nei, o aru a e’e atu i tai na.
mai i uta
A tahu pohe Tû ia te fe’e nui mau
ra’i fenua, acre atura rà te fe’e nui i
mate ia Tû.
Te fetotono® ra te nu’u
atua ia Hotu i te ra’i piri.
A tahu pohe
Rua-tupua-nui
O
Rua-tupua-nui
te
ia
te
tahu’a
fe’e
i
Tumu-ra’i-fenua.
fe’e nui, o
nui.
mate
ai
O
te
“Ua mate o Tumu-ra’i-fenua !”
“Ua
“Ua mate !” O te ta’o ia mai te
mate !”
apa-to’a
o
rà
te
e
e
tape’a noa
te apa-to’erau, mai te hiti’a
to’o’a o te rà. Te
ra rà ’oia i te ra’i ; e fe’e nui
tae atu ite
opatapata ’ere’ere-’uo o
tomo
atura
to’na
huru fe’e i te
Ta’o
varua
Tumu-Ra’i-fenua
i roto i tereira
moana.
atura o
Hina-te-u’uti-maha’i-tua-
Rua-tupua-nui e ; “Eiaha oe
pohe marô noa i te ta’ata,
ia
mea
e
tahu
e
’ori’orio noa rà oe i ta oe i te taata, e
na’u e fa’aora.”
Aita ’tura te ta’ata i
tahu pohe hia e Rua-tupua-nui.
405
thoughtful. There were ominous
signs in the cries of the birds and in
the breakers along the shore that came
up inland and receded to the sea.
was'
Tû coniured death upon the great
Octopus holding the sky to the earth,
but it did not die by his agency.
Ail
the hosts' of gods were raging with
anger with Hotu (Fruitfulness) in confined sky. Then Rua-tupua-nui (Sourceof-great-growth) conjured death upon
the great octopus, and he was the con¬
jurer who caused the great octopus
Tumu-ra’i-fenua (Foundation-of-earthlyheaven) to die.
“Tumu-ra’i-fenua is dead !
He is
dead !
He is dead !” This was spoken
from South to porth, from the east to
the
west.
sky, he
But
was
a
he still clung to the
great spotted octopus.
black and white, and his spirit entered
into that kind of octopus which still
exists in the deep océan.
Hina-te-u’uti-maha’i-tua-mea said to
“Do not insist upon
conjuring man to death but only cause
Rua-tupua-nui :
him to fade, and I will resuscitate
him.”
So man was not conjured to
death by Rua-tupua-nui.
Attempt to Raise the Sky^"
“E tua’u i te Ra’i piri i teienei, e Te-
mumuhu
A rara’o na i te va’a o te
hiva, ia ti’i atu i te tahu’a ia te Tumunui e ia Rua-tupua-nui, e ti’i mai e toto’o i te ra’i i ni’a, ia ô mai na te
maramarama !”
Te vana’a ia na Uru te
mahea, o te ahuahu nui ia Tû ma Ta’ae !
roa.
A rarao rà Te-mu muhu i te va’a,
fano atura te ’arere, o Horo-fana’e, i te
aro
o
te
Tumu-nui e o Rua-tupua-nui.
E mânava
fana’e ?”
ta
raua :
“Tena
oe,
Horo
“Teie au!”
“A tahi tere nui to ’oe i tae mai ai !”
o
“E tere nui to’u i tae mai ai i te aro
te Tumu-nui e o Rua-tupua-nui nei.”
“Ahiri i to tere !”
“Ti’i mai nei au i te tahu’a i te fare
tahu’a o te Ari’i nei, e ti’i e fa’aatea i
te ra’i piri o Rumia.”
^
“The confined sky must be banished
O Te-mumuhu (The-murmuring) !
Préparé the canoë of the clan, go for
now,
the artisans of Tumu-nui
and
Rua-tu¬
pua-nui to corne and draw up the sky,
that light may corne in !” This was the
speech of the fair Uru (Inspired), the
famous canoë bailer of Tû with Ta’aroa.
Te-mumuhu prepared the canoë, and
then the messenger Ploro-fana’e (Earlyrunner) sailed to the presence of
Tumu-nui and Rua-tupua-nui.
They both welcomed him :
you corne,
Horo-fanae?”
“Hâve
“Here I am !”
“A great errand lias brought you
hither !”
“I hâve a great errand which has
brought me to the presence of Tumunui and Rua-tupua-nui.”
“Let us hear your errand !”
‘T hâve corne for' artisans from the
kings’ house of artisans', to go and expand the confined sky of Rumia.”
Petotono (enraged), aiso fetofeto in the Taliitian dictionary, hâve been superseded by
Given in 1825 by Tamera and Patii, higli priests of Tahiti and Mo’orea, respectively.
riri.
4o6
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
“Ua ti’a ; terà mai
roa
e
o
Fa’atae.”
tahua, o Rima-
na
Te tahu’a, o Rima-roa, raua o Fa’atae,
huhura a’e i ni’a ia Atea, i te ra’i piri.
Acre rà i haapae i te rima i ni’a ia.
a
Atea, i mata’u a’e i te hau
o te ari’i o
Atea.
I tutui a’e i ta raua ’ete to’i, a
huhura i te aro o te Tumu.
A rere te arere o Horo-fana’e i te aro
Ta’ere, i raro roa ino.
o
“Tei ia Ta’ere
matua-toitoi te fare tahu’a nei.”
Mânava
Ta’ere :
ta
tena ?”
oe
o
mai ai
oe
“E
tere
nui
pu’e tahu’a nei
ra’i
o
Atea i
raro
“Tera mai
a
to’u !
roa
e
ta’u
fa’ata’a iho.”
Tutui e’e a’e ai
roa
haere
ê.”
Homai
e
i
fa’aatea i
to
te
a
rave
o
rima e fa’aatea i te ra’i!
A mata’u,
ri’ari’a i te mana o Atea ! I rave a’e
ai a ratou ete to’i, i huhura ’tura i raro
i te Pori ia Ta’ere ra !
te
a
Naô attira o
“Tei ia Ta’ere
Horo-fana’e te feruri :
maoti te fare tahu’a
a
Ta’ere-ma-’opo’opo, Ta’ere-pipine,
Ta’ere-fau-oa, Ta’ere-matua-toitoi.”
nei !
did not reach their
him, they feared the
of King Atea.
So they strung
But
hands
to
Power
they
touch
together their baskets of adzes and returned to the presence of Tumu.
Then Horofana’e flew into the pres¬
ence
of Ta’ere (Keel) to the lowest
depths, saying, “Ta’ere, strength-of-artisans, then must hâve the artisans
Ta’ere welcomed him :
“Horofana’e
is that you?”
“Tins is I!”
“A great errand lias brought you ail
the way down into the presence of
Ta’ere !”
“I hâve a very great errand !
Give
your body of artisans, to go and expand the sky of Atea’, which is close
me
down.”
pu’e tahu’a,
na pu’e tahu’a ra, o
Matamata-arahu, o Aruaru vahiné,
o ’Peperu e o Faro, i ta
ratou ete to’i, hia’e ai i nia roa i te
aro o Atea.
Aita ra te ho’ê i ha’apà i
Tû-ra’i-pô,
sky.
needed.”
“Horofana’e,
“O vau teie !”
“A tahi tere nui i tae
i raro ia Ta’ere nei!”
“We agréé to it; there are the ar¬
tisans, Rima-roa (Long-arms) and Fa’a¬
tae (Caiise-to-reach).”
The artisan, Rima-roa, with Fa’atae,
hastened up to Atea, to the confined
“There is’ my body of artisans, choose
from them.”
So
ail
those
artisans,
Tu-ra’i-pô
(Push-night-away), Mata - mata arahu
(Soot), Aruaru vahiné (Tattooer), Pe-
(Pander - steerer),
peru
and
Faro
(Hope), strung their baskets of adzes
under their arms, and went up to the
of Atea. But not one of them
stretched forth his hand to expand the
presence
sky!
They feared gnd dreaded the
greatness of Atea !
Then they took
their baskets of adzes’ and fled back to
Pori (Fatness), where Ta’ere was !
Horo-fana’e then reflected :
“Ta’ere
must still hâve the required artisans !
Ta’ere-ma-’opo’opo
( T a’ere-of-all-skill),
Ta’ere pipine
(Ta’ere-the-distributer),
Ta’ere-fati’oa (Ta’ere-the-joiner), Ta’erematua toitoi
(Ta’ere - of - vigor - and -
-
Ho’i attira o Florofana’e ia Ta’ere
O Ta’ere a tono à i na tahu’a ia
roa.
Mata’ita’i, Tutono,
e
o
Feu.
I
haere
rà ia i ni’a e mata’ita’i ia Atea,
aore i
ha’anâ i te rima, i hi’o noa ia
Atea ! Mata’u a’era ia Atea !
I ri’ari’a
i te hau o Atea !
Rarave aéra a ratou
ete to’i i vai noa i te e’e, huhura ’ttira i
raro i te Pori, i te fare tahu’a aTa’ere.
noa
“Tei
nei !”
ia
Ta’ere
à
rà
te
pu’e tahu’a
strength) !”
So Horofana’e returned to Ta’ere and
Ta’ere again sent artisans ; they were
Mata’ita’i
(Reconnoiter). Tutono (Dis¬
and Feu (Spake-out).
But
they only went up and looked tipon
Atea, they did not reach forth their
hands to touch him !
They looked at
him!
And they dreaded his majesty!
So they took their baskets of adzes
that remained under their arms, and re¬
patch),
turned to Pori to the house of artisans
of Ta’ere.
“But [said they] Ta’ere must still
hâve the required artisans !”
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
A tono rà Ta’ere i te ’arere ia Nevai te piha atua e ti’i ia Tahu’amuai e ia Atari-heiii. A rave raua i ta
neva
Tupu-au’iu’i ta Tahu’amuai to’i e o Tupu-anuanua ta Atariheui, e haere roa tura raua e ni’a roa
ia Atea, e tara-tarai ia Ateâ, e ti’a papa
ia Atea, e iuiu ia Atea, E tavaivai ia
raua
to’i,
tau
o
Atea !
Then Ta’ere sent the messenger Ne(Look-around) to the room of
vaneva
gods, for Tahu’a-muai (Propeller) and
(Unstable-heap), and they
their
adzes.
Tupu-au’iu’i
(Ancient-grow'th) was the adz of Ta-
Atari-heui
two
took
hua-muai
rà ia
a ri’ari’a
ete atura a raua
mata’u,
atua
nau
i te hau o Atea !
to’i, huhura
piha tahu’a !
ho’i atura i te
“Aore atura maori
hu’a,
ia Atea,
ho’i
a
te
Ta’ere
roa
a
Tà
’tura,
a
Tumu
e
was
(Growth-
the adz of Atari-
chip Atea, to prop him up with rocks,
put him into deep sleep, to make
short work of Atea !
But those gods looked
upon
Atea.
They feared, they dreaded the majesty
of Atea !
And they placed their adzes
their baskets and fled back to the
of artisans.
“So. then. Tumu has no artisans, and
Ta’ere has none, that can raise the
king, Atea, that can separate the confined sky of Rumia from the earth !”
“They hâve none at ali !” This was
what the gods said.
And then were
in
room
e
tahu’a
ta¬
e
maea’e ai te ari’i, ia Atea, e ta’a i te
ra’i piri ia Rumia i te fenua nei !”
“Aore roa ia!”
O te ta’o teie o te
mau atua.
Fanau atua taata maira.
aore
Tupu-anuanua
heui, and they went directiy up to Atea,
to
hi’o
and
of-the-rainbow)
to
A
407
boni
demigods.
BiRTH on? THË Dëmigods
Fanaua maira ta Ta’woa e_ ta Paparaharaha, o Moe-hau-i-te-ra’i, e tino
vahiné, e poti’i herehere na te metua. A
hee te tua, e maeha’a, o
Rô-’ura-ro’o-iti
Rô-fero-ro’o-ata.
O Huri te va¬
Rô-’ura, e o Po’i-ê te vahiné na
Rô-fero, Tei raro roa i te papa_ o te
moana to ratou utuafare, tei te Pô.
e
o
hiné na
There was boni to Ta’aroa of Paparaharaha
Moe-hau-i-te-ra’i
(Peaceful-
sleep-in-the-skies) ; she had a woman’s
body, and she was a girl much loved by
her parents. There followed two sons who
w'ere
twins, Ro-’ura-ro’o-iti (Red-antof
little famé)
and Ro-fero-ro’o-ata
(Tied - ant - of - laughing - famé). Huri
(Overthrow) was the wife of Ro-’ura,
and Po’i-e (Strange-season) was the
wife of Ro-fero (Tied-ant), conjured
forth by Ta’aroa.
Far down beneath
-
-
the océan bed
nether land.
Te mata
mata
o
te
Atea
vahiné
o
o
taupe i raro
ra,
o
Hotu,
i te
fanau
Rû-te-to’o-ra’i, o RuRû-i-totoo-i-te-ra’i, o Rû-i-
maira ta raua, o
afa’i-ra’i,
a
io’a ana’e teie no te
taata ho’e, o Rû, i tuha i te fenua i
raro
a’e i na oti’a fenua, te Hiti’a-ote-râ, te To’o’a-o-te-râ, te Apa-to-a, e te
Apa-to’erau ; e te Hiti-i-to’a e te Hiti-itoe’rau, te To’o’a-i-To’a, e te To’o’a i
To’erau. A hee te tua, o Hina-fa’auru
ta’ai-i-te-fenua
e
va’a, o Hina-ta’ai-fenua ia Rû, o Hinai-a’a-i-te-marama, o Hina-nui-te-arara,
Hina-tutu-ha’a, ta’ata hoê. I fa’aea ’oia
i te marama e ara i te pôite feia ratere,
e te tutu ha’a na te atua.
E tutu ha’a
ta’na heiva i te ava’e.
was
their
home in the
The eyes^ of Atea glanced down at
those of his wife, Hotu (Fruitfulness),
and they begat Rû-te-to’o-ra’i (Trans-
planter-who-drew-the-sky), Rû-afa’i-ra’i
(Transplanter-the-raiser-of-the-skyÊ Ru-
(Transplanter - who - ex¬
pan ded-the-sky) , Ru - i - ta’ai - i - te-fenua
i-totoo-i-te-ra’i
(Transplanter - who-explored-the-earth) ;
ail these naines are for one man, Rû,
who divided the earth in east, west,
South, and north ; and southeast, northeast, Southwest and northwest.
And
there followed Hina-fa’auru (Gray-thecanoe-pilot), Hina-ta’ai-fenua (Gray-whoexplored-the-earth with Rû), Hina-i-a’ai-te-marama ( Gray-who-stepped-into-themoon), Hina-nui-te-araara (Great-Graythe-watch-woman), Hina-tutu-ha’a (Gray-
4o8
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
the-cloth-beater), one person.
She staid
in the moon to watch over travelers on
earth at night, and over cloth beaters
for the gods'.
Cloth beating was her
A noho Rù i te vahiné ia Rua-papa,
fanau maira ta raua, o Uahea o te Fareana
poiri
poiri taotao. I roto i taiia fa’aeara’a
ra te puta raa o to’na avae i te
hata to’a.
O Uahea te vahiné, o Hihi-Râ te tane,
fanau maira, ta raua, o Mâ-û-i-mua, oia
o Mâ-û-i nui tahu’a
pure matamua roa
o te ao nei.
Hee te tua, Mâ-û-i-muri,
Mâ-û-i-roto, Mâ-û-i-taha,
Mâ-û-i-poti’i,
oia o Hina-hina-tô-tô-’io ; e i mûri roa
maira o Mâ-û-i-upo’o-varu, oia o Mâ-û-
i-pû-fenua to’o ono ia Mâ-û-i.
E tamarii mairi pû
hopea mai
te
paipai
Mâ-û-i honea nei,
e
huru ta’ata to
ra
aore
roto.
fenua
o
te vehi
te
Mâ-û-i
o
metua
taua
i
ite
“Ua mate te tama nei !” “Ua mate ?”
Ua mate roa!”
“A ota’a i te maro
pu’upu’u, a ta’ai i te ti’iti’i rouru e ia
hope ra te tui hana a taora ’tu i te tai !”
Hope atura te ota’a e te ta’ai, tuia
hana a’era, tei te tai atura ! Te mafatu
rà o Mâ-û-i, te oraora noa ra ia i roto
i to’na ouma A painu rà, a
painu noa i
te are miti e !
A ite mai na tupuna i te
tai o Rô’ura ma Rôfero i te ota’a painu,
haru ihora, rave atura i te tama iti mai
roto mai i te vehi, ite atura e e ta’ata
ora, e ta’ata upo’o varu ; e tahi upo’o nui
i tù i ni’a, e ono upo’o rii i fa’a’ati na te
rei. A hi’i i te tama i roto i te ana feo
i raro ae i te moana, tupu atura e pa’ari
atura.
Ua naô atura taua ma tupuna ra ;
“Ua ite a’era ’oia e nofea mai ’oia?”
“Aore e mea e toe i tera huru ta’ata
upo’o varu !
fa’aturuma.”
A hio a’ena i tera ra huru
pastime in the moon.
Rû
dwelt
with
his
wife
Rua-papa
(Rock-chasm), and they begat Uahea
(Bereavement) of the Fare-ana (Cav-
ern-house) of total darkness. In that
dark abode, she pricked her foot with a
Sharp rock.
Uahea
(Sun-ray)
was
the
was
wife,
and
Hihi-Râ
the husband, and there
boni of them Mâ-û-i-mua (First
Mâ-û-i-Invocation), who was great
Mâ-û-i, the first priest in this world.
were
There
Mâ-û-i-roto
(NextMà-û-i-roto
(InnerrMâ-û-i),
Mâ-û-i-taha (Side-Mâ-û-i). Mâ-û-i-potii
(Girl-Mâ-û-i), who was Hina-hina-toto-’io ( Hina-fair-whose-every-hair-drewdrew) ; and lastly came Mâ-ù-i-upo’ovaru
(Mâ-û-i-with-eight-heads), who
was
Mâ-û-i-pu-fenua
(Mâ-û-i-of-theearthly-clod) ; there were six who were
Mâ-û-i),
followed
named Mâ-û-i.
The last Mâ-û-i was prematurely born,
enveloped
in
an
earthly clod ; like a
the covering of this last
Mâ-û-i, and his parents did not know
jellyfish
was
that
there was
a
developed
within it.
“This child is dead !”
“Ts he dead?”
“He is quite dead !”
being
“Wrap liim in a breadfruit-bark loin
girdle and tie it on with the hair headdress, and when the prayer for the re¬
pose of his soûl is ended cast him into
the sea!”
The wrappings and binding were done,
the prayer was over, then he was thrown
into the sea !
But the heart of Mâ-û-i
was
still fluttering in his hosora while
he floated and floated on the waves of
the sea ! And his ancestors beneath the
Ro-’ura and Ro-fero, s'eeing the
floating about, caught it, and
they took out the little boy from the
envelopes and saw that it was a living
person, a person with eight heads ; one
great head erect, and six small heads
océan,
bundle
it from the neck lifc].
The}'
nursed the child in a coral cave beneath
the océan, and he grew up and became
matured.
Then those ancestors thus spoke :
“Does he know whence he came?”
“Nothing can escape that sort of man,
with eight heads !
Look how reflective
he is!”
around
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
’Aria ri’i a’e, hoi atura Mâ-û-i i te
o te metuà vahiné ra ; tei reira o
Uahea e na tamari’i a pae a patôtô atu
ai teie Mâ-û-i i te uputa, e inaha te ti’a
noa
ra
ia ta’ata iipo’o varu !
Ua ui
ana
atura te metua
vahiné, “Ovai ho’i oe?”
Ua ta’o atura te tamaiti ;
ho’i au.”
Naô atura
o
Uahea :
“O Mâ-û-i
“O Mâ-û-i-mua
Mâ-û-i-muri, o Mâ-û-i-roto, o
Mâ-û-itaha, e o Mâ-û-i-poti’i ; teie ana’e
ia pu’e Mâ-û-i e pae, tei te Fare-ana nei,
teie,
o
nofea ’tu à ia Mâ-û-i hou?”
e
Ua ta’o atura teie Mâ-û-i ; “Ovau teie,
Uahea !
ana
Te tui hana i
poiri u e !
roto
i Fare-
To maro puupuu i putii
hia i te rouru tiitii ra e Uahea e ! ’Are,
’are ra vau i te tua i Havai’i e !
Mai
roto mai au i te ana o te moana, e
Uahea, io Rô’ura ma Rôfero ra. I tu’ia
noa na to’u pu’e upo’o varu i ni’a i te
feo o
Uahea
te
e !”
ana
i
raro
i
te
Not long afterward the sixth Mâ-û-i
returned to the cave of his mother ;
Uahea was there with her five children
when this Mâ-û-i knocked at the door,
and behold there stood a man with
eight heads !
And the mother
quired: “Who can you be?”
The son answered :
course.”
‘T
am
en-
Mâ-û-i, of
Uahea
replied:
“Here are Ma-u-iMa-u-i-muri, Ma-u-i-roto, Ma-u-itaha, and Ma-u-i-poti’i ; ail these five
■
mua,
Mâ-û-is
ana,
are here together in this Fareand from whence then cornes an-
other Mâ-û-i?”
Mâ-û-i-pû-fenua, o Mâ-û-i-ti’iti’i o te rà,
e
409'
moana
e
Then this Mâ-û-i answered :
“This' is
I, Mâ-û-i-pu-fenua (Mâ-û-i-of-the-earthly-clod), Mâ-û-i-ti’iti’i (Mâ-û-i-of-theheaddress), son of the Sun, O Uahea!
O the soûl reposing prayer in the dark,
damp Fare-ana !
Thy breadfruit-bark
girdle bound with the braided hair,
Uahea !
Swept was I then by the bil-
lows of the océan around Havai’i !
I
hâve corne from the cavern of the deep,
Uahea, where Ro’ura and Rofero are.
My eight heads hâve been bumping upon
the coral of that cave beneath the deep,
O Uahea!”
Putaputa roa ’tura te manava O
Uahea e na tamari’i i te Fare-ana poiri
ra !
Ua ite ana’e atura ia e o te tahi
mau a Mâ-û-i teie, ua ora mai te moana
mai.
Faaea roa ’tura o Mâ-û-i-upo’ovaru
i te Fare-ana i te metua vahiné
ra e te tahi pae tamari’i.
O te Mâ-û-i
teie i to’o i te ra’i e i ta’ai i te fenua ;
o te Mâ-û-i teie i here i te râ, e rave
rahi atu à ta’na haa.
Then
were
sorely pricked the hearts
of Uahea and her children in the dark
Fare-ana !
They knew that this was
really another Mâ-û-i, returned alive
the deep.
And so Mâ-û-i with
eight heads remained in the Fare-ana with
his mother and her other children. This
was Mâ-û-i who drew up the sky and
traveled over it to the land; this was
from
Mâ-û-i who noosed the sun,
Works did he do.
and
many
more
Are’a o Mâ-û-i-nui tahu’a nei, i vare’a
ia i te ru’uru’a ma te ’ea’ea i te
noa
apiapi o te pô ra. ’Aore i tere maita’i
te pure i tereire tau, ’aore e marae i oti
no
te pure.
But as for great Mâ-û-i the first, he
slept huddled up and panting in the confined darkness.
Prayers could not be
properly conducted at that period, and
a temple to pray in could not be made.
The Raising op the; Sky OP Rumia^^
Tauto’o a’era o Rû i te ra’i ia Rumia,
to’na ari’i, o Anâ-iva o te ra’i.
A
toto’o rà i te ra’i, e ni’a roa i Mou’araha i Porapora, e i Moua-avarivari i
Havai’i Tauturu a’e ai i te pia, te teve,
no
Received in 1833 and 1834 from Tamera and
At last Rû drew up the sky, Rumia
(Upset), for his king. Aster, the ninth
of the sky (Betelgues'e in Orion),
So
he drew and drew the sky until it
reached the summit of Mou’a-raha (FiatPa-ti'i, respectively.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
410
te
auari’iroa'® parahurahu,
roroa
o
te
pa’u tai.
e
i te farero
I afa’i noa a’era o Rû i te ra’i i ni’a,
aore i maraa, i taua to’ora’a ra, pu’u
ihora te tua, fera ihora te mata, totoro
ihora te a’au mi’imi’i no roto ia Rû i
e
topa ’tura i te pae o te ra’i i
Porapora, riro atura ei ata o te ta’o hia
e, o te Rua-nu’u-a-Rû i teie nei a tau.
rapae,
Ua
hi’o
maira
Tino-rua, mai te
o
moana mai, toto’o a’e ai oia i te ra’i no
to’na ari’i no Oropa’a o te moana. Aita
’toa ’tura te ra’i i mana’a ia Tino-rua.
hill) on Porapora and of Moua-ava’rivari
(Slender-hill) on Havai’i (or Ra’iatea).
And he propped it with the fiat tops of
the pia
(Tacca pinnatifida), the teve
(Amorphophalhis
campamilatus),
the
auari’i’roa
(Terminalia catappa), and
the tall tree coral from the shoals of
the sea.
Rû only lifted the sky, but he did not
succeed in quite raising it when he be-
hump-backed, his eyelids became
ectropion, and he got badly ruptured, so
that his small intestines dropped away
came
and s'ettled in the horizon of Porapora,
-and there they became clouds which
are called the Rua-nu’u-a-Rû
(Source-
of-hosts-of-Rû) to this day.
Then Tino-rua (Dual-body) looked
from the océan and went and struggled
with the sky for his king, Oropa’a
(Dauntless-warrior), of the deep. But
the sky did not get lifted up by Tinorua.
Te hi’o maira o Mâ-û-i-ti’ti’i Mâ-û-ita’o : “A’e ! a tahi tao’a to tatou ra’i e !
Pe’e a’e te ra’i i ni’a naô ia, e ra’i
taetae’a, topa iho i raro ei pa’a, o veve
hiti !
(E fenua veve ia.) Tapu atu na
1
te ave fe’e, haamamae roa ’tu na ia
Atea, fa’ata’a ia Rumia i te tua, fa’ata’a
ia Rumia i te aro, fa’ata’a i te pou mua,
te pou roto, te pou mûri, te pou tû, te
pou hahaere, e ia ta’a roa !”
I toto’o a’era Mâ-û-i i te ra’i no to’na
ari’i o Rehua-i-te-ra’i, e mana’a ’tura ia
Mâ-û-i e huru teitei roa ’tura.
O te
mana’a noa ana’e ra, aore i oti te to’oraa o te ra’i ia Rû e ia Tino-rua, aore
ato’a ia Mâ-û-i. Vaiiho noa ’tura ia i te
ra’i, i vaiiho pu’e haere
noa.
Ua tahuri
haere noa i te mau’a e i te uru ra’au nui.
I
ti’i
atura
Mâ-û-i
i
te
taura
ta’ai
fenua, i te tauhiro o te ra’i, i te tititi no
te matamata o te ra’i
tautinana
o
te
i
ra’i
i oraora, e no te
te fenua.
Mau
te ra’i ia Mâ-û-i, na’na i ta’ai i
mou’a teitei roa i te tura e fa’airi
atura i te ra’i na ni’a a’e.
atura
te
Ua,. ti’i atura Mâ-û-i i te tahu’a e
haere mai e ô i te ra’i, e ha’a e ia oti
te ’ere’ere o te ra’i i te ô hia, la pàpû
maita’i roa te ra’i i ni’a roa, e ha’amahuta i te atua na roto.
Fano atura Mâ-û-i i ni’a i te ra’i tua
tahi, i te ra’i tua rua, i te ra’i tua toru.
The auari’iroa
umbrella plant.
is
now
called
the
autara’a,
Mâ-û-i-ti’iti’i was looking on and
was his speech:
“Ah, what a fine
thing our slcy is ! If it ascends upwards,
we shall say it is a sky that reached
up,
and if it fall as a crust, it will be poorthis
border!
(That meant poor land.)
Cut
the arms of the octopus, give Atea
real pain, separate Rumia behind, separate Rumia before, separate the front pillar, the inner pillar, the back pillar, the
pillar to stand by, and the pillar of
exit so that he may be quite severed !”
So Mâ-û-i struggled with the sky for
away
king, Rehua-i-te-ra’i (Pollux-of-thesky), and he succeeded in raising it to
a good height.
But it was only raised,
the lifting of the sky was not accomplished by Rû or Tino-rua, nor by
Mâ-û-i. They just left the sky thrown
together in a heap, upset by mountains
and great forests.
Then Mâ-û-i went for ropes to tie
the land, for propping stones for the
sky, and for wedges' to place through
the gaps of the sky still adhering to the
earth.
He tied the ropes upon the
highest mountains and worked at the
sky until he set it upon them.
his
Then Mâ-û-i
went for other workers
and dig away the sky, to work
until the darkness was excluded, to set
it firmly on high for the gods to fly
to
corne
through.
Mâ-û-i flew up to the first sky, to the
second sky, to the third sky, to the
in
Dnglish
what
is
coramonly
called
the
Henrv—Ancient Tahiti
i te ra’i tua hà, e niairi anae mai o
nei e varii ra’i, tae atu ai i te ra’i
hamama a Tane, oia te ra’i tua tini.
E mânava ta Tane, “O oe tena e Mau-i-ti’iti’i ?”
“O vau teie !”
“A tahi tere nui to oe?”
“E tere nui roa to’u !”
‘‘Ahiri !”
“Te ’apu O te rai te pe’e mai nei i
ni’a, te tautinana noa ra i ni’a i te
mou’a O te fenua, e te vai poiri noa ra o
roto.
nei
te ra’i
oe
Tipapa mai nei au i te tahu’a ia
ti’i a’e e ô, e faataa
piri i te fenua.”
e
roa
’tu i
Fa’ati’a ’tura o Tane, o oia iho te
haere a fa’ata’a i ta’na pûpû ha’a. Reva
’tura Mâ-û-i.
Pûpû haari te pûpû i tô ê ai te mata
o
Atea ia Ta’urua po’ipo’i.
E
pûpû tohe roa te pûpû i tô ê ai te
One
Atea ia Ta’urua ahiahi.
E pûpû taratara te pûpû i tô ê ai te
mata one o Atea ia Pipiria ma.
E
mata
one
o
pûpû fa’ahiti te pûpû i tô ê ai te mata
one
o
Atea ia Ta’ero.
Tui e’e atura Tane i ta’na ete pûpû,
a’era i te tape o te ra’i i te rima,
ta’o ihora, “Tei hea ta’u pira’e iti ’uo
nei? e Tae-fei-aitû e, tei hea ’oe?”
rave
“Teie au.”
“Haere mai.”
iti ’uo i ni’a iho i te
tapono o Tane reva atura raiia. Ma’iri
mai ra te rai hamama a Tane, e tua
tini te ra’i i ma’iri atu, tae roa mai nei
Tane i te ao nei.
“O te aruriruri o te pûpû, o te anapanapa o te pûpû, ta ’oe e haere ; te
pûpû e te anapanapa, e ta’ahi oe i
ràira, i te fa’a iti ma te apiapi, o te
ruru mai te eaea, e Tane apo’a rau e !
E e’e ’oe i reira !”
Te ta’o ia o te
’arere manu iti o Tane, rere ê atura.
Ta’ahi atura o Tane i te fa’a iti apiapi
ma te anapanapa o te pûpû e hi’o atura
ia Atea, hi’o a’era i te Fenua.
A
ha’a ra !
Ravea mai e Tane te raau nui, ei
ti’aturu ma te tauto’o.
Ei aha rà te
to’o? Ei to’o mua, ei to’o mûri, ei to’o
roto, e i to’o vaho, e i too ’tu i te fenua
A
rere
mai te
te tua
o
te
Tane !
fourth sky, and thus lie passed through
nine skies until he reached the open
sky of Tane, which is the tenth sky.
Tane -welcomed him, “Is that you,
jVTâ-û-i-ti’iti’i?”
“It is I!”
“You hâve a great errand?”
“T hâve a very great errand !”
“Tell it me !”
“The dôme of the sky is coming up,
but it is still clinging to the tops of
the mountains of the earth, and ail is
still dark within.
I hâve corne to you
for artisans to go and dig ont, and
completely sever the confined sky from
the
earth.”
Tane agreed to go himself, and sorted
ont his shells for work.
Mâ-û-i went
away.
The coconut shell was what drew out
the face of the sand of Atea to the
morning star.
A long TurriteUa shell
what drew out
sand of Atea to the
was
the
face
of
evening star.
the
It
a prickly shell that drew out the
face of the sand of Atea to Castor and
Pollux. It was a sharp-edged shell that
was
spread out the face of the sand of
Atea to Mercury.
Tane carried his basket of shells under his arm, and took the sky measure
in his hand, and he said, “Whete is'
my
little white sea-swallow?
Tai-fei-
aitu
(Arrival-of-petitions-to-the-gods),
where are you ?”
“Here I am.”
“Corne hither.”
So the little white
manu
ra’i, ei ta’iri mata’i, ei vave’a i
Atea, ei haià mono i te nanti
o
411
bird
flew
onto
Tane’s shoulder, and they two departed.
The open sky of Tane was left behind,
and they passed through ten
skies; then
Tane arrived in this world.
“Go
to
the
unsettled
shells, to the
flas'hing of the shells ; to the shells and
flashing, tread thou there in the little,
confined valley, of huddling and panting,
O, Tane of ail skill ! Tread thou there!”
This was what the little bird messenger
of Tane said, and flew away.
So Tane stood in the confined valley
the flashing shells, and looked
Atea, then he looked at the earth,
among
at
and he worked !
Tane took great
props
levers
logs, they were for
and levers. But what were the
for?
They were to draw the
front, to draw the back, to draw the
to draw the outside, to sever
the earth from the sky, to ward off
wind, to be props to the back of Atea,
inside,
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
412
slain men in effigy for the rage of
Tane !
Now Tane dug and bored upon Atea
with his shells, and the Sound resounded
as
A ô rà Tane, e a hou rà i ni’a ia
Atea i tena pu’e pûpû, e pa’aina ’tura
i ni’a !
Te nanu ra o Atea! a naô te pa’aina
’tu te reo i ni’a! “E Tane e, a iriti atu
i to pûpû e i te tape o te ra’i, tia mamae au !”
A ô noa rà, a hou noa, e a
tura’i noa o Tane, e ta’a roa ’tura o
Atea, pe’e roa ’tura e ni’a roa ! Ta’a
ihora o Atea, ateatea noa ’tura ia te ao
nei.
Te marua, te tapotu,
piha ’tu,
te
e
i te fa’afa’a, i
i te piha mai. Ei te piha
Ei te piha tairurura’a, e i te piha
hororaa ! Purara mai ra i vaho, mai te
tuoro e te tapi’i te tahi i te tahi !
Te
nu’u atua mai to ratou piha na mua, te
nu’u ta’ata mai to ratou piha a ria ri’i
a’e.
Te hope’a teie o na po a ’iu, te
hea?
pô roa ia Rumia.
I tono Te-fatu ei ia’na mua, i tono
Rua-nu’u ei ia’na mua, a tono o Ro’ote-roro’o, oia o Mo’o mûri ei iana mua,
e o te puai rahi rà o teie mau atua, o
Ro’o mûri ia, i fa’areia mai ai i vaho
nei.
O Ro’o-te-roro’o.
Ei ia Ro’o te fa’aro’o, ei aiai te faaroo.
ei atea te fa’aro’o.
te ari’i o Ro’o.
A vahi
i
te
tua
i
Ua ari’i o Ro’o i to’na ’euea.’’
E afa’i i te huru o Ro’o : E huri tau,
o Ro’o i te pô, o Ro’o i te ao tei ia’na
pô, tei ia’na te ao.
te
Ta Ro’o tau’a i noa’a mai no roto i te
fare tahu’a ia Ta’ere ra, o Hoani, oia
te hoani i te atua e te taata i te pô, e
i te ao, na roto e na ni’a a’eiteie nei ao,
aore
rà i tae i te ra’i.
Ei te nu’u
ao.
I te
atua te pô, ei te taata te
pô ana’e te atua te fanau ra’a,
i te ateateara’a
nei.
o
te
ao
Ta’a ê maira i
te
rai te
ave
o
te
fee
o Tumu-ra’i-fenua, o te tahu pohe
hia e Rua-tupua-nui, topa atura i toa,
riro atura ei fenua taua fee nui ra, oia
te fenua ra o Tupua’i e vai noa ra i
teie nei a tau.
nui,
Euea is
now
on
high !
Then
Atea
was
enraged !
and
his
voice thus resounded on high ! “O Tane,
withdraw your shells and the sky meas-
I am in pain!” But Tane went on
digging and boring, and pushing until
ure,
Atea
quite detached and as'cended
high ! Then Atea was free, and
light came into the world.
There was tumbling and rolling over
each other, in the ravines, in that department and in this department.
Tn
what deparfments ?
In the • assembly
was
up on
room and the room to run from !
ail dispersed outside, shouting and
They
cling-
ing one to the other !
The host of
gods from their department first, and
then the host of people from their de¬
partment a little afterwards. This was
the ending of the millions of nights of
the long night of Rumia.
Te-fatu sent word that he would hâve
the presti.ge, Rua-nu’u sent to say he
would be first. Ro’o-te-roro’o (Fame-the-
prayer-chanter), who was Ro’o the
second, said he would be first ; but the
most powerful of ail the gods was Ro’o
the second as they were s'et free in this
world. It was Ro’o-te-roro’o.
It was for Ro’o to make pious, to
make piety glorious, to spread piety
abroad. Let there be division made for
king Ro’o.
Ro’o became king by his own power.
Give Ro’o his attributes : Ro’o the
changer of the seasons, Ro’o of the
night, Ro’o of the day. Night and day
his.
Ro’o’s bosom friend,
tained from the house
were
whom he
of
artisans
ob-
of
Ta’ere, was Hoani fTempter), who be¬
came the tempter of gods and man, in
darkness and in light, within and around
this world, but not in the skies.
The night was for the gods, and the
day was for man. It was only in the
night that gods were born after the
world was made clear.
The arms of the great octopus, Tumu-
ra’i-fenua, who was conjured to death
by Rua-tupua-nui, became detached from
the sky, and they fell away s’outh, and
the great octopus became land, which is
Tubua’i
(Summit) [of the Austral
Islands], which remains there to this day.
obsolète, and puai is used in its stead.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
’A’eho pua ’vira te tau i te pae ra’i i
pô ia mutu ra mai Tireo e tae atu
i ni’a ia Hiro ma Ho’ata, ta te atua ia
Rumia i fa’ahiahia.
Ei pou no te ra’i,
O te ta’ohia e taua mau
atua ra e, o
te
Ra’i-pua-tâtà.
Aruerue te pure ia vanaa a tau te pô ;
te pô roa ia ta’o, no te pô a Rumia
ia mutu, ma Tireo; no Hiro ma Ho’ata
ia mutu, ma Motu, po hopea no te
ava’e.
no
There
soms
413
were
reeds
bearing red blos-
that stood in the horizon after the
period had passed away from [the
of] Tireo (Breaking-forth) to
[the nights of] Hiro (Cunning) and
Ho’ata (Jester),’* which the gods of
Rumia greatly admired. They were sup¬
porters of the s'ky, which the gods
named Ra’i-pua-tata
(Sky-of-the-blossoming-rods, the aurora).“
Prayers resounded with éloquence
throughout the nights ; from the long
night to name, the night of Rumia as it
passed, to Tireo; from Hiro and Ho’ata
as they passed, to Motu (Sundered), the
last night of the moon.
dark
night
Apter THE Sky Was Raised^®
E
i ite ai te taata i te huru o te
i te ata o te ra’i.
E ao i ite
ai i te ’aere o Atea.
E ao a tû mai ai
o
Hina-te-’u’uti-mahai-tua-mea i vaho,
a ueue ti’a ai i te ro’o pû, e ro’o fai, e
inaina e tupa e ’onana miti, e ’onana
vai.
ao
fenua
e
Hee te tai
ava’e e feti’a.
taa
raa,
aore
ahiahi, hee mai ra, e
E ra’i heuia te ra’i, aore
e vairaa no te râ, aore
e
vairaa no te ava’e e te feti’a, te hee
haere noa ra ia i roto i te ra’i heuia no
te tuia haapurara raa hia e Atea.
Teie te tau i
ratou
marae
patu ai te taata i ta
I Opoa i Ha-
matamua.
vai’i te patu raa hia, e na Mâ-û-i, tahu’a
matamua, i ha’amo’a na Ta’aroa nui, o
te ta’o hia e ; “E tino, e arii Ta’aroa
tupu a’e, ’au moana ’aere.”
Ua
fa’ati’a
ratou
i
te
fare,
ua
e
Ta’o ihora tane ia Mâ-û-i upo’o varu :
“Tera mai na ’arere, o Ti’a-o-uri e o
Ti’a-o-atea, a ti’i i te ari’i ia Rai-tupua,
tei te mao roa ai ata ra, i te roto o te
Vai-ora a Tane.”
girdle,
shells, famous ray-fishes, little
prawns.
The
theré
The
sea rolled and evening came and
followed the moon and stars.
skies were in confusion, in them
nothing was set; there was no place for
the sun, no place for the moon, and the
stars had no set places, ail were gliding
about
in
confusion
as
Atea
had
houses,
and
because
pushed them out of order.
This was the period when the people
erected their first temple.
It was built
at Opoa in Havai’i, and was dedicated
by Mâ-û-i, the first priest, to the great
Ta’aroa. of whom it was said : “Ta’aroa
is a being, a king, who grew and swam
They
built
themselves
cultivated the soil, and presented their
peace offerings in a becoming manner
to their god, Ta’aroa, and Mâ-û-i, the
priest, entered fully upon his sacerdotal
duties, while the sky was in confusion.
Then Tane said to Mâ-û-i with eight
heads : “There are the two messengers,
Ti’a-o-uri (Approver-of-darkness) and
Ti’a-o-atea (Approver-of-extension), go
[with them] for King Rai-tupua (Sky-
developer) ; he is with the long shark
For the names of the nights, su.ch as Cunning, Jester, see page 331.
The aurora •was a Symbol of royalty in the Society Islands, represented
is shown in the chapter on coronation (p. 189).
Received in 1834 from Tamera and Pa-ti’i.
sea-eggs,
land crabs, sea prawns and fresh-water
in the deoths of space.”
e
pûpû atura ma te
au i ta ratou apoaroa i to ratou atua, ia
Ta’aroa, e ua rave pàpû atura Mâ-û-i i
ta’na ohipa tahu’a, i te tau o ra’i heuia.
fa’a’apu i te fenua,
It was day time when people beheld
the landscape and the clouds of the sky.
It was' day tirae when they saw the
endless space of Atea. It was day time
when Hina-te-’u’uti-mahai-tua-mea stood
out and shook forth famous trumpet
by the
ura
loin-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
414
that eats clouds in the lake of the Vaiora of Tane
(the dark space in Milky
Fano atura Mâ-û-i e na ’arere ra i te
Vai ora a Tane i te ma’o purotu ra.
Faarooroo mai ra ratou i te reo i taua
roto ra :
“Pira’e, Pira’e e ! tei hea ta
oe atoti iti e ’ai?”
“Tera tei mûri !”
“Mûri i hea?”
“Tei mûri faarere ia tatauru !”
“E hopu vau?”
“A hopu!”
A Hopu a’e l'à te ari’i Ra’i-tupua, i
raro
i ô roa, e noa’a maira te ’atoti
horo’a ’tura na te manu iti hani e ’ai.
Ae a’era Ra’i-tupu i ni’a i te vai, nana
’tura te mata i na tipapa.
Fa’afatata
ihora, naô atura :
Manava outou, e
Mâ-û-i, e Tia-o-uri, e Tia-o-atea! A
tahi tare nui i tae’a mai ai i te Vai-ora
O Tane nei !”
roa
to matou !
I tii mai
haere a’e e
,
nei ia ’oe e Ra’i-tupua, e
fa’aafaro i te ra’i heuia.”
“Ua fanau a’era
o
raro
ra’i?”
ava’e te rà,
e
te feti’a, ua purara ê
ana’e, na ’oe rà e fa’anoho ia nahonaho ?”
Ua
e !
ti’a, a haere rà outou.”
“Hoi mai nei Mâ-û-i, o Ti’a-o-uri, e o
Ti’a-o-atea, ia ra’i heuia.
Te ari'i ra o Ra’i-tupua, i ti’a na i
ni’a, ne’e a’e i te pae vai, huhume rarirari ihora i to’na maro e ta’o atura i
ta’na tahu’a, a Mà-tohi tu’iro’o e fa’aea
’tu i te ra’i hamama a Tane i to’na ha’a.
Te mata ra o Ra’i-tupua a nànà ti’a i
ni’a, a rere ai oia Ra’itupua e, mairi mai
ra
o ra’i hamama tua tini a Tane,
ua
ma’iri mai ra o ra’i tua iva, o ra’i tua
varu, o ra’i tua hitu, o ra’i tua ono, o
ra’i tua rima, o ra’i tua h à, o ra’i tua
toru e o ra’i tua rua, a tû râ o Ra’i-
tupua i ni’a ia .ra’i tua tahi
a nànà i te
pu’e ra’i heuia, naô atura ; ’Aere heuie I
’Aere ’aere
e
te
fanau
mau
o
where the handsome shark was.
They
heard voices in that lake thus :
“O,
Pira’e
(Sea-swallow), Pira’e! which
little rémora do you wish to eat?”
“There it is behind.”
“Behind where?”
“It is behind, swimming off !”
“Shall I dive after it?”
“Dive !”
So King Ra’i-tupua dove down in the
distance, caught the rémora, and took it
to the little pet bird to eat.
Then Ra’itupua ( Sky-producer) came along on the
surface of the water, and he beheld the
messengers that had corne for him.
He
approached them and said : “Welcome
to you ail, Mà-û-i, Ti’a-o-uri, and Ti’ao-atea ! A great errand has brought you
the Vai-ora of Tane !”
“We hâve a very great errand ! We
hâve corne for thee, Ra’i-tupua, to go
and s'et in order the sky in confusion.”
“Is the
burden?”
sky delivered of its
lower
“It is delivered.”
“Ua fanau.”
“Eaha ana’e ia?”
“E ata, e tuaivi mou’a, e marari, e
hue noa, e a’ere ra’au to te fenua.
Te
vai heui noa mai ra
te ra’i i ni’a ’tu,
“A
So Mâ-û-i and those mess'engers flew
the lake of the Vai-ora of Tane,
up to
to
“E tere nui
te
Way).”
e !”
mea
Ina rapae roa te ra’i,
roto.
A pau te
i roto, a pau te fanau
’toa i
marama
“What
has
it
produced?”
“There are clouds, mountain ranges,
clear spots, upheavals, and dense for-
ests
the earth.
upon
The skies above
remain in confusion, the moon, the sun,
and stars are ail displaced abroad, but
thou wilt set them in proper order?”
“Oh, yes !
turn
now.”
I
willing,
am
you may
re-
So Mâ-û-i. Ti’a-o-uri. and Ti’a-o-atea
in confusion.
King Ra’i-tupua arose, crept up the
river bank, and ail dripping, fastened
on
his loin-girdle and then he bid his
famous artisan, Ma-tohi (Clearing-adz),
returned to the sky
remain in readiness to work in the open
sky of Tane.
The face of Ra’i-tupua was turned
upwards; he flew, and he left behind
him the open tenth sky of Tane, he left
behind him the ninth sky, the eighth
sky, the seventh sky, the sixth sky, the
fifth sky, the fourth sky, the third sky,
and the second sky, and then Ra’i-tupua
stoo.d upon the first sky and beheld ail
the skies in confusion, and he exclaimed :
“O
vast
confusion !
Immens-
ity of space !” The skies and everything within them extended away out-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
O
râ i roto, a pau te
roto.
fanau te feti’a i
415
wards. The moon was produced within,
the sün was produced within, the stars
ail produced within.
Then Ra’i-tupua flew down to the
earth.
He looked inland and saw pro¬
were
Fano maira o Ra’i-tupua e raro roa
i te fenua nei.
Nànà ’tura te mata i
uta, a pau te fanau te mou’a, a pau te
fanau te mato, te ’aivi, te peho, te fa’a,
te ’aere ra’au e ua î i te manu te ’iore
e te mo’o.
Ua pau te fanau te orà, te
mati, te purau, e te fara ; ua totoro noa
te a’a mai te ama’a mai, e tae i te repo
fenua.
A pau te fanau te tamanu, te
tou, te amae, te mara, te atae, te vi, te
tutui, te toi, to ohe, e te anuhe i roto.
A pau te fanau te vai tahe te roto hopuna, te pû vai, e te ofafai i roto.
duced mountains, cliffs,
streams.
within.
E
pa’ara te pu’e ra, no te va’a ;
i to’a, tafifi i
to’erau; na ra’au tena i tia’i hia i te
va’a tapu a Tane.
E farapepe to te
mata-vao, ei ’ie’ie e ta’ai i te va’a tapu
o
a
raau
ra’au tena i tupu
na
Tane.
To mata o Ra’i-tupua i nànà ti’a i tai,
hi’o atura, ua pau te fanau miti i roto ;
e
moana, e e
pa’u to te miti ; a pau te
fanau te i’a, te tohorà, te a’au, te rimu,
te to’a. te pûpû, te feo, e te pu’a i roto.
Tei ni’a mai te hei ava’e, te tapi’i, te
ureure-ti’a-moana, e te puahiohio.
A
pau te fanau te ra’i uri e te ra’i tea i
roto; e ao tea e ao uri to te fenua nei.
e
te
moa
o
aità ia.
E te ti’a
oire, te fare no te ta’ata,
purera’a.
te
maira
te marae
noa
e
quiet
lakes.
ponds
and
stones
were long rods for the use of
rods that grew from the south
forming thickets to the north ; those
There
canoës';
in readiness for the sacred
of Tane. There was the ie'ie, in
the recesses, with long fibers with which
to tie the sacred canoës of Tane.
Ra’i-tupua turned his face seawards,
and there he saw the océan produced
within ; there was the deep sea, and there
were also shoals within ; there were pro¬
duced the fishes. whales, the reefs, searods
were
canoës
weeds, rocks, shells, corals, and limestone
within. Overhead were clouds, the moon
halo, the sun halo, the waterspout, and
the whirlwind.
There were produced
darknesS and light of the skies within ;
and there were dark days and light days
upon
Ra’i-tupua a hi’o ti’a mai i
te ao o te taata, a ite e ua pau te fanau
fenua; e ri’oa, e ’o’o’a, e ’outu toro i
tai ; e tahora e e mûri a vai to reira ; e
’a’aihere, e tiare, ua rau te ma’a ; e tô,
e mei’a, e fe’i, e umara, e te uhi a pau
te fanau te uri e te ’iore. ’are’a te pua’a
Te mata
hills, woods, val-
leys, and extensive forests, which were
filled
with birds, rats, and lizards.
There were produced the banyan tree,
the mati, the purau and the fara ; ail
these had Ions; roots extending from the
branches, down to the ground.
There
were produced the
tamanu, the tou, the
amae, the mara, the ’atac, the vi, the
tutui, the bamboo, and the pectinate
(fern). There were produced running
the earth.
The eves of Ra’i-tupua looked tdwards
the dwelling place of man, and he saw
land was produced ; there were gulfs
and bays with capes stretching out;
there were rivers and friths; there were
weeds, flowers, and a variety of food ;
sugar-cane,
bananas, plantains, sweet
potatoes, and yams.
Dogs and rats
were
also born, but pigs and fowls
had not yet corne into being. And there
stood the settlement, houses for the
people, and a temple to pray in.
DISORDER DISPELLED”
Tane it Ra’i-tupua naô
“E ti’a ’oe e Ra’i-tupua, e a noho,
ia fa’anohohia rà o ra’i heui noa, mai te
’afaro e te purotu !”
Ma’au fa’aro’oro’o i te tao o Uru i
te pua i ra’i tae, e a riri.
A pare rà
A
atura :
manava
Tane welcomed
Ra’i-tupua and said:
Ra’i-tupua, and establish, now
cause the sky in confusion to be set in
order and beauty!”
Ma’au (Unsightliness) listened to the
speech of Uru (Inspired) in the re-
“Arise,
Recited in 1833 and 1834 in Tahiti by King Pômare; Mahine, cliief of Maiao; Pati'i,
priest of Mo’orea; and Tamera, Taliitian high priest.
high
4i6
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Tane ma Rua-nu’u. O Atea ra i hara i
ma’au !
E ma’au ru’iru’i na te pô ;
e ma’au
ro’oro’o na te ao.
te
E ma’au taupepe a nu’u tama’i e te
nu’u tahu’a ; e ma’au taupepe a ra’i ;
ma’au i te ta’ata nri, ma’au i te ’ehu,
e i te mata pô ; e ma’au i te ava’e
hapa,
te ava’e fe’efee, te tete’a, i te pupure, i
’eià, i te aiharuma, e ma’au i te roiroi. Te ma’au o Hina ’ai tua, o Hina
’ai aro te ma’au o na pu’e ruahine ra,
te
pito i ta’a i te tua ;
te
teiaha
rà?
o
tino
te
Aue,
aue
te
o
e te ma’au o te
ruhi-ruhi !
Ealia
rà !
of the extended sky and was enraged. Then Tane and Rua-nu’u took to
cesses
the fort. Atea had become defective with
unsightliness ! Unsightliness throughout
the night; unsightliness throughout the
day.
Disgraceful lagging in the army and
the body of artisans ; disgraceful lagging
in the sky ; unsïghtly dark persons, unsigthly fair ones, and blind ones. Un¬
sightliness of club feet, of elephantiasis,
of phantoms, of albinos, atrocious thefts,
and greediness ; unsightliness in the stillnes's.
The unsightliness of Hina who
ate behind and before, and of the old
women,
whose umbilici had twisted
round to their backs ; and the unsight¬
liness of bodies that were weighed down
with âge !
What then ?
Ala.s', alas
th en !
O Atea ra. i taua ma’au ra i ta’ita’i
na e i te aro o Tane na’na.
O Tane
ra i
taua ma’au ra, i ta’ita’i na e i te
aro
o
Atea na’na.
O Atea ra i taua
ma’au ra, fa’ahoia na i te aro o Tane
na’na.
A vae na rà ! Ua oti
Ua upu i roto ia Atea.
attira
i te
Ahiri ia
vae,
vae !
Vae ’oirà ; e moe pô. e moe ao, tuhura
a’e i te tua o Atea. E tupapa’u, e ma’ama’a-tea e haere i te aro o Tane.
Na Tane e fa’a’ore i te ma’au, ia purotu
te mau mea ato’a.
Na pu’e ruahine atua ra, riro attira ia
ei tia’i fenua i te ao nei.
Oia o Hina-
maha’i-tua-mea, o te ’ai tua e ’ai aro no
e ruahine metua ta’ata ’oia, tera
to’na io’a, o Ruahine-metua.
E mea
te mea
maoro
i to’na itea ’ore
roa
faahou hia
ta’ata, i itea noa hia e tei
piha mai ’oia ; i te ahiahi ri’i, ia ’oa’oa
noa te rua’au vahiné ri’i ra, e ia ’arearea noa, e naô ia te ta’ata e, “Teie mai
e
te
nei
mata
o
Ruahine-metua.”
Na Ruahine
ra,
Teuri,
o
o
Haoaoa,
’Orerorero, o Vana’ana’a, o Tahua’a,
o Moeruru’a, o Anna, o Fa’aïpû, o Tamaumau-’orero, o Pttonoono, o Fa’aïpô,
o
’Aiaru, o Arutaruta-tamaumau-auahi,
o
e
vahiné iti
mata
te
raa
i
mau
uratira
o
mi’omi’o
te
no
ma
noa
o
te
ore
roa
taata,
o
Firifiri-
i te auahi i ta’na ahi
O Ruahine nihoniho-roroa atua
vahiné fa’atupu ’ino, o Nihoniho-tete’i
e
pohe.
roa
tamaumau
te
vahiné
taehae
’ai
aufau, e o Ai-tupuai.
Atea took ail this unsightliness into
the presence of Tane as his. And Tané
took it into the presence of Atea as
his.
But Atea returned them into the
pres'ence
of Tane as his.
Now make a division of them !
Di¬
vision is made, Atea lias invoked it
within himself.
Show the division !
“This then is the division,” said he,
“night sleep and day sleep shall play
the back of Atea. Ghosts and pale
lunatics shall go into the presence of
Tane.
Tane shall put an end to un¬
sightliness that ail things may become
upon
beautiful.”
The old
goddesses became
world.
There was
Hina-maha’i-tua-mea, who ate before
and behind; as this old woman was the
mother of man, she was called Ruahinemetua
(Old-mother). Long after she
guardians
women
of the
disappeared from human eyes, her pres¬
was
felt in the evenings.
When
old women were happy and merry, people would say, “Ruahine-metua lias
ence
corne
among
There
us.”
were
the
old
women,
Teuri
(Blacknes's),
Haoaoa
(Ruggedness),
’Orerorero (Orator), Vana’ana’a (Elo¬
quence), Tahu’a (Artificer), Moeruru’a
(Dreamer), Auna (Solicitude), Fa’aipu
(Linguist), Tamaumau-’orero
(Talebearer), Puonoono (Persistence), Fa’aipo (Ball-maker), ’Aiaru (Harbinger-of-
death), and Arutaruta-tamaumau-auahi
(Seizer - of - food - the-fire-kindler), who
was
a
very little, wizen woman, with
fiery red eyes from being parched by
continually kindling the fire of her fur-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
417
nace“ which never died out. And there
were also Ruahine-nihoniho-roroa (Old-
goddess
woman-with-long-teeth),
of
strife and cruelt}^ Nihoniho-tetei(Ghoul),
a fierce man-devourer, Firifiri-aufau (Ge-
vahiné niana ra o Pere, ei
te auahi â noa o te fenua.
O Tama-’ehu, te tuane a’e o Pere, ei
atua ia no te ahu o te fenua i te pô ra.
E ao to Pere i raro i te fenua, ’aore e
vera ; tei ni’a mai te auahi e â noa ai.
E fa’aeara’a mana to Perc^ i raro i te
fenua, e ape’e mana ana’e ta’na ia haere
na raro e na ni’a i te fenua o te ao nei.
Te
atua
atua
ia
no
A fa’anoho rà Ra’i-tupua i te
Mai ta te tahu’a e ’apapa
noa.
pahi
ra to
noa.
rai heui
i te vae
Ra’i-tupua ha’a i te ra’i hui
Na Tane i faito maite i te
area
o
te
Fa’anoho atura o
Ra’i-tupua i te Marama, i te Râ, e i te
feti’a, i te moana ’ere’ere o te Ra’i'^ mai
raro atu nei, mai te fa’apapu atu i
to
ra’i, i ta’na tape ra’i.
vaira’a o Ma-tohi i ni’a roa.
Ateatea ’tura o Atea ei ma’uera’a na
te atua.
Terà ta’na tuha’a i raro a’e i
ratou mau
te
’apu o te ra’i ; o te mata’i, te ata, te
anuanua, te reva, e te mau peu
te reva ra.
Mau roa ’tura te
ato’a i
ra’i
o
Rumia, ’a’ano atura i taua mau tahu’a
ra.
Fa’anoho atura Ta’aroa i te mata atau
no Atea, o Ta’urua e horo i te ahi-ahi,
atura Ta’aroa; “Ei ao fefe mua
fenua, ei tô, ei hauhau, ei hau fenua
noho; to mata atau o Ta’urua, e
naô
Atea e.”
nealogist), and Ai-tupuai (Eater-on-thesummit, probably on the octopus).
The great goddess Pere (Consumingheat) mu.st be goddess of spontaneous
burning of the earth.
Tama-’ehu”'
(Blond-child), the brother of Pere, must
be god of beat in the nether lands.
Pere lias light down in the earth, without beat ; above is the tire ever burning.
Awe-inspiring is the résidence of Pere
down in the earth, great are her at¬
tendants that follow her below and
above the surface of the world.
Ra’i-tupua then set in order the skies
in confusion. As a shipbuilder sets' one
plank above another so Ra’i-tupua worked
skies in confusion.
Tane measured the spaces
at the
sions beneath the dôme of the sky, the
wind, the clouds, the rainbow, the atmo¬
sphère and ail it contains. The sky of
Rumia became fixed and extended by
those artificers'.
Then Ta’aroa placed as a right eye
for Atea, Ta’urua {"Venus), who runs
in the evening, and he said :
“It is to
be a light bending before the earth, to
lead it, to give great peace, peace to the
inhabited world; thy right eye is Ta’u¬
rua,
Fa’anoho atura Ta’aroa i te mata
maui o Atea, o Ta’ero, naô atura; “A
hotu te riri, a hotu te tama’i i te ao
nei; to mata maui, o Ta’ero, e Atea
between
sky’° with his sky measure. Ra’itupua set the moon, the sun, and the
stars in the blue depths' of heaven from
below, while his artisan, Ma-tohi, adjusted them from above.
Atea became clear for the gods to
fly through.
These were his posses¬
each
O Atea.”
Ta’aroa placed as left eye for
Atea, Ta’ero (Mercury), and said: “Eet
And
anger
be kindled, let
the earth;
Atea.”
thy
left
war
eye
is
rage
upon
Ta’ero, O
In I-Tawaiian folklore it is said that the goddess Pele, who was generally grand and
majestic, sometimes assumed the form here described. She originated in Tahit'b as is shown in the
legend of Tafai; so the never-dying fiirnace may mean the volcano of Kilauea, which in Tahiti
is called Te-auahî-o-Pere (The-fire-of-Pere).
It will be remembered that Tama-’ehu is called ’Ehu-a-Kama (Blondness-of-child) in Hawaî-
ian
folklore.
The idea
of ten
skies
may
hâve originated from the theosophic teachings that
there are
descending
seven planes, the names of the two
upper ones unknown, the first five named in the
order as follows: Manas-Ego, Kama-Manus or Pligher Psychic, Pranic-Kama or Lower Psychic,
Astral Plane, Prakritic or Terrestial Plane.
The lowest four, adepts in theosophy daim to
know, but the three highest planes they regard as inconceivable to man.
The Terrestial Plane
corresponds to Atea.
Philologists trace the word rai (with its équivalents, baki, bangi and îani) to the Hebrew
Word rakia (sky).
In Mangaian folklore, the sun and moon are called the eyes of Atea, whom they call Vatea,
4i8
Bcrnice P. BisJiop Muséum—Bulletin 48
DIVISION OF PROPERTY
Tel roto i te Apu nui o te Rai, tei te
ereere, oia te aehai, oia te rai
hamama o Tane, oia te rai tua taa, te
hui tarava e te fétu taa noa te faanoho raa hia maite purotu e Tane, atua ote
lu the great vault of heaven, in the
blue depths, in the measureless space,
in the open sky of Tane, in many skies,
one above the other, were the hosts' of
moana
constellations and Sporades set beautifully by Tane, god of beauty. The
twinkling stars, the great stars of the
skies, the moon, the sun, the rain, the
wind, the lunar rainbow (pale-pledge),
the halo, the rainbow, the silvery, mottled calm sky, the ominous, red cloud,
and ail the layers of clouds were set in
order by Ra’i-tupua with Tane.
Ail
these Tane made beautiful ; they were
mea purotu.
O te feti’a ’amo’amo,
feti’a nui o te Ra’i, te ava’e, te râ, o
mau
te
te ua, o te mata’i, o te tapu-tea,*’ te
tapi’i, te anuanaua, o te ’uti’uti, te tohuura, te mau pati’i ata ato’a, na Ra’itupua ma Tane i fa’anoho.
Na Tane ana’e
ia i faapurotu, o to Tane ana’e ia feti’i.
family.
ail his
A ti’a rà Tane, a hihio, a mamapu !
Ua ta’o atura; “Ahiri rà, a vae na à,”
Fa’aue a’era Ta’aroa, “A vae na rà!”
Then Tane stood and whistled and
breathed heavily ! and he said, “Now let
us see, and continue to make division.”
And Ta’aroa said, “Now make division!”
“The eel with long ears (pectoral
“E tuna tari’a roroa, e tuhura i te
o Tane.
E tuna hihi roroa, e tuhura
i te tua o Atea.
E tuna hihi popoto, e
haere noa i te aro o Tane. Te tuna nui
opapata, te tuna e rio i te pû ra, e
tuhura i te tua o Atea.” Te tuna e rere
fins)^* shall sport in the presence of
The eel with long barbels shall
aro
Tane.
sport upon the back of Atea.
The eel
with short barbels shall go freely into
the presence of Tane. The great spotted
i te ’ie’ie, te tuna e Parie, afi’i nui parahurahu e haere noa i te aro o Tane.
Te
tuna
e
Pa’uo,
Te tuna
o Tane.
Atea.
te aro
e
e
tuhura i te
ai ori, e haere
tua
noa
eel, and the rio (a great black eel) of
the pools, shall sport upon the back
of Atea. The eel that springs along the
ieie [called] the parie, with a great,
fiat head,
shall go freely into the
o
i
presence
of Tane.
The light-colored eel
The
shall sport upon the back of Atea.
eel that feeds upon the plantains
drop in the water shall
the presence of Tane.
Te nato,
te
e tuhura i te tua o Atea, e
’oo’pu ri’i tore ra e haere noa ia i te
aro
e
Tane.
o
Te
tuhura i te tua
vai
Atea.”
oura
o
e
te
The
onana.e
go
“The
râ
o
the back
unsightly Tetea
of
the
dark
hole
(White-mon-
place, away among the outside bluffs of
putupua no raro i te rio’a hohonu ra, ia
vai à ia i reira.”
mai
upon
in Havaii,
which cornes up from beneath through
the bubbling waters to bask in sunshine
upon the stones in calm, clear weather,
shall remain as a phantom in his' own
i ni’a i te ofafa’i i te tau rii màmâ ra,
fa’aea noa ia ei tuputupua, i to’na iho
vahi i rapae roa i te pari. Te mau tu¬
haa
sport
and the little striped ’oo’pu shall
freely into the presence of Tane.
ster)’’“
e
A
shall
that
freely into
The shrimps and prawns shall sport upon
the back of Atea.”
“Te rna’au ra, o Tetea, ’oroaru i
Havai’i, o te tae mai raro mai i te puo’orora’a o te vai, e taua’ia’i i te mahana
atura:
nato
of Atea,
go
the seashore.
The hideous monsters
down in the deep gulfs shall remain
there.”
Then Rua-tupua-nui set to work and
said:
“O Tumu-nui, O Tane, what
Rua-tupua-nui naô
TaPii-tea, signifying “pale covenant,” is a near approach to the Scriptural account (Genesis
9:13) of the rainbow being set in the heavens as a token of Cod’s covenant that there would bc
no
more
flood.
This eel is found at Lake Vaihiria in the interior of Tahiti.
It roams over damp ground
and when ît finds escape impossible lias a touching way of looking behind or up at its capfor.
^
It is
not
known
now
what tliis monster
was.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
“E te Tumu-nui, e Tane e, ’eaha te
i te tai e mahuta i te tau ma te
tai’o?”
i’a
“E Rua-tupua-nui e, e Marara te i’a
i ni’a i te tua, i te tau ma te
tai’o. E hare, e ouma, e ’orare, e tehu,
ia ta’au atu ai te ia puto’a, e rere i te
tau ma te tai’o.”
e
rere roa
“E te Tumu-nui, e Tane e, eaha te
e
mahuta i te moana i te tau
ma te tai’o?”
i’a nui
“E ’A’avere,
’au, e ’ou’a, te ’A’ahi,
te ’Auhopu, te Mahimahi,_ e i’a ta’au atu
â te i’a
e
e
Rua-tupua-nui e,
e
mahuta i
i te tau ma te tai’o. E e ava
te i’a e maliuta i te vai e te tai i te tau
ma te tai’o.”
te moana
“E te Tumu-nui, e Tane e, eaha te
i’a e ’au noa na te moana atea e putoi
ai i te mata are? E ’eaha te i’a e ofa’a
e pato i te huoro i te one tapa tai?”
“E Rua-tupua-nui e, e tohora, e ma’o,
e honu, e humî, e huru rau te i’a nui e
au noa na te moana atea, e putoi ai i te
mata ’are.
E e honu te of’a e pâtô i
ta’na huoro i roto i te one i tahatai.”
“E te Tumu-nui, e Tane e, eaha te i’a
e haro i te mata a to’a?”
“E Rua-tupua-nui e, e pahoro, e maito,
’i’ihi, e maene, e mu, e ’o’iri,
e fai, ia tini rau te i’a rii ’una-una, e te
puhi huru rau, te haro i te mata o te
e
urne,
e
to’a.”
“E te
i’a i tai
Tumu-nui.
pao, e
e
e
Tane
e,
eaha te
imi i te rua?”
“E Rua-tupua-nui e, e
puhi e fe’e,
e
’oura, e ’ohiti, e te papa’a huru
rau, te pao e imi i te rua.”
varo, e
‘‘E te Tumu-nui, e Tane e, eaha te
ia e huri ai i raro to’na mata?”
fishes of the
sea
shall leap
appointed seasons?”
”0 Rua-tupua-nui,
up
in their
the flying-fish shall
high from the océan in his season.
Young tunnies, sardines, white-bait, mullets, and scores of other fishes that form
shoals shall leap up in their seasons.”
“O Tumu-nui, O Tane, what great
fishes shall leap in the océan in their
soar
season?”
“The swordfish, the saury pike, the
porpoise, the albicore, the bonito, the
dolphin, and scores of other fishes, O
Rua-tupua-nui, shall leap in the océan
in their seasons.
The salmon shall
leap in the rivers and the sea in its
season.”
“O Tumu-nui, O Tane, what fishes
shall swim at large in the great deep,
and rest upon the crest of the wave ?
And what fish shall lay and hatch its
in the sand of the seashore?”
Rua-tupua-nui, the whale, the
shark, the turtle, and the seal, and many
kinds of great fishes shall swim at
large in the great deep, and rest on the
crest of the wave.
And the turtle shall
lay and hatch its eggs in the sand of
eggs
“O
the seashore.”
“O Tumu-nui, O Tane, what
shall twirl through the coral?”
fishes
“O Rua-tupua-nui, let the parrot-fish,
the surgeon-fish, the leather-jacket, the
red-fish, the
yellow-fish, the blue-fish,
the gar-fish, the ray-fish, and let myriads
of little ornamental fishes, and numerous
eels twirl through the coral.”
“O Tumu-nui, O Tane, what fishes of
the sea shall burrow and s’eek dwellingholes ?”
“O Rua-tupua-nui, the eel, the octo-
the squilla, the lobster, the sandcrab, and the varions sea-crabs, shall
pus,
dwelling-holes.”
O Tane, what fishes
shall move about with their faces down-
burrow and seek
“O Tumu-nui,
“E Rua-tupua-nui e, e fetu’e, e vana,
wards ?”
“O Rua-tupua-nui, the big-spined urchin, the fine-spined urchin, the little
ta’au
Turbo, the periwinkle. the tiger-cowrie,
’ina, e hava’e, e ma’oa, e hihi, e poreho, e pû, e pûpû huru rau atu à, e
e
taramea,
atu à te
e
ma’ama’atai,
e
rori,
e
i’a e huri ai i raro to’na mata.”
“E te Tumu-nui,
e
419
hi’o ai i te râ?”
e
Tane e, eaha te i’a
urchin,
the
short-spined
urchin,
the
the trumget-shell, and other varions
kinds of shells, the sun-star-fish, the
sand-star-fish. the sea-cucumbers
scores of other fishes shall roam
their faces downwards.”
“O Tumu-nui, O
shall face the sun?”
and
with
Tane, what fishes
Beniice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
420
“E Rua-tupua-nui e, pârau, e pâhua,
tio, e ’ahi, e ’u’u, e rau atu à te i’a
apa rua e hi’o atu i te râ.”
e
“E
i’a
e
te Tuniu-nui, e Tane
te pûpû o te moana e
e,
navai te
fa’atore 'e e
ha’apurepure haere ?”
“É Rua-tupua-nui e, na Tohu, atua i
te ana i te moana e parai ’una’una hope
i te i’a e te pûpû o te moana.”
“O Rua-tupua-nui, the pearl-oyster,
the Tridacna, the oyster, the clam, the
mussel, the varions other bivalves shall
face the sun.”
“O Tumu-nui, O
Tane, who shall put
stripes and patterns upon the fishes and
shells of the deep ?”
“O Rua-tupua-nui, Tohu ( Pointer'),
god of the chasms in the deep, shall
paint in perfect, goreeous colors, the
fishes and the shells of the deep.”
MAN AS AN ORIGIN OF
PLANTS'"
Misciîi,i,anëous Plants
It bas been sbown
(p. 339) tbat wben Ta’aroa sbook off bis featbers
in tbe dose sky of Rumia they produced verdure upon the earth ;
the
but after
sky was raised to its présent position and mortality of human beings
increased, many new plants sprang up froni their bodies.
the
body ; the spreading branches were bis limbs, and the
leaves bis hands; the fruit was bis head, and within it was bis tongue (the
The
trunk
or
uru
was
breadfruit
bis
(Artocarpus incisa) sprang from a man;
heart of the breadfruit).
(Cocos nucifera) sprang from the human head;
husk the hair, the ridges upon the shell were
the cranium sutures, which meet at the bottom of the coconut. The veins
of the skull are still to be traced ail over the shell ; the two small holes
were the eyes;
the big hole on the top of the coconut, from which sprouts
the young plant, was the mouth; the tears became the water of the nut;
and the brain became the uto, or spongy substance that grows and absorbs
the water in the coconut and feeds the young sprout; the ribs became the
leaves, and the blood became the sap of the tree.
The haari
the shell
was
or
coconut
the skull, the
The different varieties of majîe or rata or Tahitian chestnut
(Inocarpus
from human beings. The nuts sprang from the kidneys,
(mape and rata) imply. The leaves came from the
smilt [sic], the sap was the blood, and the nose and nostrils are still to be
traced in the wonderful contortions of the trunk of the tree.
The hutu (Barringtonia) sprang from the human heart, the name implying heart, which the fruit resembles.
The toa or aito (Casuarina) (names meaning “warrior”) trees were pro¬
duced from warriors’ bodies.
Their blood became the sap and their hair
edulis)
sprang
which both
names
the leaves.
The nono
(Morinda citrifolia) was produced from ear wax.
a bright-yellow dye.
bark of the tree is obtained
Given in
1824 by Moo, a priest of
Mo’orea, and in 1840 by Anani,
a
From the
chief of Taiarapu.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
421
and ava {Piper methysticum) were produced from
stems.
The ape {Alocasia macrorrhiza) grew from man.
The trunk of the
plant was the thigh, and the leaves grew from the peritoneum.
The uhi or various kinds of yam (Dioscorea) were produced from the
legs of human beings.
Taro (Colocasia antiquoriim) was produced from the feet of man, and
his lungs became its leaves.
The ferns nahe (Angiopteris evecta) and para {Marattia salicma) grew
from man’s liver, the shape of which is seen on the root stocks of those
plants.
Ti {Cordyline terminalis) came from the thigh boues and shin boues.
Its wood was used by the Tahitians in olden times to splice broken shin
To
sugar-cane,
or
the human spine, which accounts for their jointed
bones.
Aute
{Hibiscus)
In the
meia,
or
was
produced from the ruddy face.
banana {Musa sapientum) is traced the windpipe of
man—in the stem from which are
of fruit.
suspended the flowers below the bunch
h
chapped skin became the
bark with cracks in it, and the inner skin became the tender, under bark.
Puff halls that grow upon rotten wood developed from human ears.
The satiny moss that clings to stone was produced from the small hairs
that grow from the pores of the skin.
’Taria-'iore (rats’ ears), an edible fungus, was produced from rats’ ears.
To the bark of trees, human skin is traced;
Thë Coconut
Tahiti had corne away to the east when coconuts first grew here.
were
trees that towered up against the sky in a place named
oro-fern).
Râ-tairi
They
Oro-fero (Tied-
(Scorching-sun) was a man, and Pîtô-ura (United-red-feathers)
his wife, and they begat heads that became coconuts soon after birth;
there were three in number. The first coconut was named Pa-rapu (Fortwas
-in-perplexity), a son; the second, also a son, was named Toerau-roa (Continual-north-wind) ; and the third, which was a daughter, they called
Plâ-muri (Final-prayer).
Those three coconuts were followed by a son who was a perfect
human being, named Pa-fa’ite (Reconciliation-fort).
He sprang up to
manhood at once, and he collected his two brothers and sister, the coco¬
nuts, and planted them on land which he named Tumu-to-aroaro (Treesthat-reached-the-lining-or-sky), because they grew up towering above ail
other trees, until they reached the sky, and their heads got lost to view.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
422
large coconuts. Pa-rapu,
yielded the haari-oviri (green-husked coconut), and Toerau-roa
bore the hauri-uraura (brown-husked variety), while Hamuri, the sister,
bore very small coconuts called raita.
From these three varieties hâve
developed the coconuts of ail shades and sizes known in these islands.
It was soon found that these new trees and their fruits were very
valuable to man, and so people planted them everywhere in Tahiti and
Mo’orea.
From thence they were carried by the waves of the sea to
the Tuamotu Islands and onwards throughout ail the groups, in proof
of which the long points of land which caught up the drifting nuts are
more densely wooded with coconut trees than other parts of the islands.
Another version of the origin of the coconut follows.^'
Coconuts sprang from human heads, as is seen to this day by varions
proofs upon the nut and tree.
A very long time ago, there was such a famine in Tahiti that people
stripped the land of ail that was eatable and were reduced to eating red
clay.
Children wept with hunger which could not be satisfied, their
The two brother trees produced two kinds of
the elder,
despair for them, and many families died of starvation.
a man named Piti-iri (Husky-chestnut), and his
wife, whose name was Pito-ura (Red-umbilicus), who had three small
children, Pa-rapu (Fort-in-perplexity) and Toerau-roa ( Continual-northwind), two sons, and the third a daughter, named Ha-muri (Final-prayer).
The mother died in her efforts to provide for her children, not taking
nourishment herself, and the sorrow-stricken father took his motherless
parents wept in
At that time there was
into the interior of the island to a table-land called Oro-fero
(Tied-oro-fern), where he made a comfortable hut to résidé in. Then
bidding the eldest son take care of the two younger children he left
children
them and went in search of food.
He went up
into the recesses of the valleys, only to find that others
ail available food. Then he was
had been there before him and taken
benighted, and on the following day he climbed the great mountain sides
in search of fei (plantain).
He continued his search for two days to
but on the third day his eyes, which had become dim with
and hunger, were gladdened by the sight of a cluster of the desired
trees laden with ripe fruit growing at the base of a towering peak.
He
no
purpose,
tears
soon
to
possessed himself of a load of fei, ate some not cooked, and hastened
his children, whom he could not reach until the following
return to
2’
Told by Piha-tai (Chamber-in-the-sea), an old woman of good Ra’iatean descent, who
attached herself to the Orsmond family in 1818, after they had settled in Ra’iatea as missionaries.
She became a valued servant in the household, was regarded as a second mother by the Orsmond
children and their families, and after spending her last days at Plitiaa in the home of the family
of Mr. Isaac S. Henry, died in 1871 of great âge, being over a hundred years old.
When Captain
Cook arrived she had reached maturity.
Henry—Ancîent Tahiti
423
day, the fourth since he had left them. When he arrived, he found
where they had huddled together outside of the hut awaiting
him.
On approaching them, he found that their heads were growing,
and soon he perceived they were producing plants that he had never
seen before.
As he buried each child, he carefully placed the heads so
as to
allow the plants to continue growing.
They matured into three
coconut trees and yielded fruit in a few days, and they were the first
them dead,
of their kind that ever grew in these islands.
From them sprang
ail the varieties of cocnuts, and when Tahiti and Mo’orea were filled with
trees
them, the sea carried away stray ones among ail the islands and threw them
the sandy banks of the atolls and long capes, where they hâve ever
upon
since flourished.
Thi: BriIadî'ruiT-®
O Noho-ari'i te ari’i !
O Rua-ta’ata te metua no te uru. No
Ra’iatea oia, tera te marae, o Toapuhi;
tera ta’ua vahiné o Rumau-ari’i, o Ahunoa
te
marae,
o
Tai-pari ’tahi i’oa
no
tereira marae.
No mutaa roa iho i te
tau i ai noa hea’ite araea ei maa.
Fanau mai ra to raua ta-mari’i to’o
maha ; o Tara-te-feiao te matahiapo, o
Huo-totoi-ae i Mûri ae, o Terau-haehae
i mûri ’ho ; tau tamaroa to’o toru ; e o
Tauaroaro te maha, e tamahine, hoe roa
ra
tuahine iti.
Noho-ari’i (King’s-seat) was' the king!
Rûa-ta’ata (Man-pit) was the parent
of the breadfruit. He belonged to Ra’i¬
atea; his temple was Toapuhi (Eel-
rock) ; his wife was Rumau-ari’i (Realroyal-haste), and her temple was Ahunoa
(Only-to-wall), another name of
that temple being Tai-pari (Seawardblufï). This was very long ago when
red clay was used as food.
Those two persons had four childen :
Tara-te-feiao (Prayers-with-earthly-ceremonies), the eldest; Huo-totoi-ae
(Stray-game), the next one ; Terau-hae¬
hae
(The-torn-leaf), another; these
three were boys ; and the fourth was
Tauaroaro (Misty-season), a gi'rl^only
little sister.
There came a time when there was a
famine in this land, in the reign of
one
Tae
hoe tau i o’e ai teie
fenua i te tau o te ari’i ra Noho-ari’i
o te oe i taohu ’i o Uturoa e, o Uturoa
i te Rere-a-fara, e fara te maa; o
Uturoa i te fa’a-araea, e araea te maa ;
o Uturoa i te Haha-teve, e teve te maa;
o Utu-roa i te Tupa iri ava,
e tupa te
maa !
aéra
i
te
Tupu aéra te aroha o Rua-ta’ata e te
vahiné, i to raua tamari’i i te poia, rave
atura, tui e ihora i nia i te moua, i
roto i te hoe ana iti, fa’aea iho ra i
E ia tae i te hoe
ahiahi, poroi atura Rua-ta’ata i te va¬
reirae ai i te mamau.
hiné :
“E Rumau-ari’i e! ia
e,
e
haera
oe
i
rapae,
ara oe
ia poipoi
e
oe
hi’o
i ta’u
“S
This Ra’iatean legend was written
from récital by his grandfather, Tataura.
“
Land crabs
vary
Noho-ari’i; this was the cause of Utu¬
(Long-cape) being spoken of as
Utu-roa fleeing to the fara—fara was the
food; Utu-roa of the red clay—red clay
was the food; Utu-roa resorting to the
acrid teve, for that was the food ; Utu¬
roa
of the bitter-backed land crab””—
roa
land crabs were the food !
Rüa-ta’ata and his wife
with pity for their starving
were
filled
children, so
they took them and carried them up
into the mountains to
a
they staid to eat ferns.
and there
One evening,
cave,
Rua-ta’ata said to his wife :
in
will
“O Rumau-ari’i ! when you awake
the
morning,
go
outside, and
you
in 1887 by Tupaia, a schoolmaster at Motu-tapu, Ra’iatea,
in taste according to the food they eat, and many are bitter.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
424
ia, e hi’o oe i i te tumu
o te ra’au, o to’u ia
tino e to’u na avae, e hi’o oe i te maa
menemene i nia iho, e uru ia no to’u nei
upo’o. E te hune i roto i taua maa ra,
rima
e
rau
uru
e
te maaraa e
o
to’u
taua
ia
maa
i
atu
aena
to
o
rua
arero.
E
rave
oe
e
ra, e paru i te vai, e
taua tamari’i, ia paia
raton.”
tunu
i.
fa’a’ai
maitai
ri’i
ra
i roto i te
it, which will be the cranium of
ana
i te pu’e tama¬
i ni’a, e ua maru roa taua vahi ra i te
hoe ra’au purotu.
Te vai noa ra te
mau mea ’toa i poroihia e te tane
ra,
e
ua
mairi te uru maoa i raro ae i
ra.
I mairi hia ai taua fa’a
i te i’oa ia Tua-uru.
taua tumu
ra
will be my tongue.
Roast the fruit,
soak it in water,’" beat off the skin, and
eat
auroa
maite
ihora
auahi, e a ama, afai aéra e te vai
ha’apao atura i ta te tane i parau ;
i te
fa’a’ai atura na te mau tamari’i e amu
ato’atura oia iho. Aita ra taua ma’a ra
i fa’a’avarihia na te Ari’i, mai ta te
ta’ata i matau ra, na taua feti’i iti ra i
fa’a’avari,
ari’i.
te
some,
and feed
our
children also
Then Rua-ta’ata went
outside, and his
wife, not comprehending him, remained
in the
cave
with their children.
Early
i feti’i iho hoi raton no
e
in
the
morning,
the
woman
went out, and looked up, and
saw that ail around the place was shaded
by a beautiful tree. Everything was as
lier hus'band had foretold to her, and
there was ripe breadfruit that had fallen
upon the ground beneath the tree.
This
is why that little valley is called Tuaarose,
uru
Te itera’a ’tu ia te vahiné i te
o
te parau a te tane ; rave oto
atura oia i taua ma’a ra, tunu
e
my
inside the fruit
head, and the heart
ra.
I te poipoi roa, tia aéra taua vahiné
i nia, haere atura i rapae, hi’o aéra
iti
hands which hâve become leaves ;
look at the trunk and two branchings
of the tree, and they will be my body
and legs ; look at the round fruit upon
with it that they and you may no longer
be craving for food.”
Haere atura Rua-ta’ata i rapae ; fa’aea
’tura te vahiné mai te taa ore o te
manao,
my
see
(Place-of-breadfruit).
Then the wife knew the meaning of
her husband’s words ; and weeping, she
collected the fruit, which she roasted ;
and when they were cooked, she carried them into the water and did as her
husband had directed her, and then she
fed her children with breadfruit and
ate some herself.
But that food was
inaugurated by the king according
this
first
fruits, althoitgh they were related to
not
the custom among the people ;
s'mall family themselves ate the
to
the king.
I te ho’e mahaue haere atura te teuteu ari’i i uta i taua peho ra tinao i te
puhi
ratou
atu
iho
e
i
te oura e te o’opu, e ite ihora
te hune e te pa’a uru o te panu
i roto i te pape, rave aéra e amu
i te toetoea ri’i ma’a no ni’a iho
ra
parau aéra,
“E ma’a maitai rahi teie e !
No fea mai nei ra?
One day, the king’s servants
into that valley to catch some
eels, shrimps, and o’opu (Bleotris fusca),
and seeing the core and skins of the
At last
went up
breadfruit
that
the
water
had
carried
they picked them up and ate
the little pièces of breadfruit that re¬
mained on them, and they exclaimed,
“What very good food this is ! Whence
down,
does it corne?”
To
ia imira’a tu i te vaira’a
ratou
o
ma’a ra, e uta roa i te peho tae
atura i taua fa’a iti ra, itea ihora te
tumu o taua uru ra !
Tei pihai ho taua
vahiné ra, ua ui atura, “Eaha teie
ma’a?”
Parau mai ra taua vahiné ra,
taua
“Nofea te roa’a ra’a mai?”
‘‘Teie, no roto mai i ta’u tane ia Ruata’ata,^ o te fa’ariro ia’na iho ei uru ma’a
“E ’Uru.”
of the place
her, “What is this fruit?”
She answered, “It is uru (head, or breadfruit).”
“Where does it corne from?”
“Here,
from my husband, Rua-ta’ata, who let
breadfruit soaked in -water and then beaten till the burnt skin falls off is very
After being treated in this way it is often given to young children; it is also eaten
(méat or other accompaniment).
Roasted
good to eat.
So they went in search
of that fruit in the back of the valley,
until they reached the little dale, and
there they saw the wonderful tree. The
W'oman was near
it, and they said to
in the absence of inai
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
tai i to maua tamari’i i te ma’a
i teie nei oe.”
te
no
ore
Fa’ahiahia ’tura raton i taua tumu ra,
i te tauperetau haere noa ra’a i raro ;
ua hope roa te mau huru ato’a o te uru
i ni’a i taua tumu ho’e ra.
Iriti hia
’tura taua tumu uru ra e te teuteu ari’i,
afai hia ’tura i tai, i te fenua o taua
vahiné ra tanu hia ’tura i te marae tupuna ra,
i Ahunoa.
Tei reira
taihi
Uru
ho’e ta’ata no Taha’a, ua
oia i te ho’e a’a o taua tumu
aéra
te
ra, afai atura i Taha’a te tanu
ra’a; tupu atura ta’na e hotu aéra. Mau
’tura te i’oa o taua ta’ata ra,
Taihi no tona taihira’a i te a’a uru.
noa
A
pofai
maoa
a
ra
o
i
te
va’a
tauaua,
himself becorae
his sorrow for
without food.”
breadfruit because of
me
and our children
They ail admired the tree, with its
branches bending downwards, laden with
ail the different varieties of the bread¬
fruit known in these islands.
Then the king’s' servants took up the
tree, carried it down to the coast to
the woman’s land and planted it by lier
family temple, Ahunoa.
Then there was a man from Taha’a,
who wrenched off a root from the
breadfruit tree and took it to Taha’a,
where he planted it ; and it grew and
bore.
Then that man’s naroe became
Taihi
(Wrencher),
because
had
he
wrenched off the breadfruit root.
te teuteu ari’i i te uru
fa’atomo
425
a
fa’atai i te pu roa o te mai’ai, hoe atura
i Opoa i te vahi rahi e ’ai mua na te
ari’i te ma’iai o te fenua.
The king’s servants picked some ripe
breadfruit, with which they loaded the
canoë
that was used for errands of
homage ; they blew the trumpet shell
to announce the arrivai of firstfruits and
paddled off to Opoa, the great place
where the royal family inaugurated the
feast of the firstfruits of the land.
Ite iho ra te ari’i o Noho-ari’i i taua
ma’a ra e mea maitai rahi, fa’aue atura
i te teuteu ari’i e ti’i e iriti mai e tahiti
i taua tumu ra i Opoa e aratai ato’a
mai i na fatu a taua ra’au ra. Ti’i
atura, afai roa hia maira taua tumu ra
i Opoa, tanu hia ’tura i mua i te aro
o te ari’i.
Tei reira te ho’e vahiné, o
Toea-nui-oe-hau te i’oa, no ni’a i te
peho mai, tipe’e atura i te tahi paia’a,
hopoi atura i uta te tanura’a, tupu atura
te uru i reira, i parau hia i taua peho
ra
e
o
Majore.
E i’oa ’tura ie
no
te
’uru o te pi’ira’a ia Mahuru ari’i no
Ra’iatea i taua i’oa ra uru.
E upo’o
atura te i’oa o te uru ta’ata, no te auraro ia ’na i te ravera’a i tera i’oa.
o Ru-mau-ari’i e na tamari’i i
ra’au ra, aita ra i maoro ua tupu
maira te ohi no te a’a i motu i uta, e
uru pu atura te pupu e hotu oioi ana’e
Ua oto
taua
Then King Noho-ari’i found the food
good and ordered his servants to
go and take up the tree and transplant
it at Opoa and to bring the owners of
the tree with them.
So they went and
brought them to Opoa and planted the
tree in the presence of the king.
A
woman
there named herself Toea-nuioe-hau (Great - sensational - remainder),
and she begged for a bunch of roots,
which she took and planted in a valley
very
and there they grew, so
valley was named Maiore’*
(Almost-without). This appellation be¬
far back ;
that that
the name for head (breadfruit),
after King Mahuru of Ra’iatea was
named Uru, and peoples’ heads were ever
afterwards called upo’o in deference to
him in adopting that name.
came
Ru-mau-ari’i and her children wept
for the tree; but it was not long before
shoots sprang up from the roots that
were broken inland, and they formed a
atura.
clump
I parau hia te uru i hotu a Porapora
i tahito ra e, o te Uru a Teiti, no te
at
of
forth fruit.
Teiti
trees
The first head
Porapora long
which
soon
brought
(breadfruit) produced
ago
was
called Teiti’s,
there
named
The name maiore for breadfruit has dropped eut of use. and the old name 'uru is
But the huraan head is called upo’o and not ’mî'm.
retained.
mea
na
SI
te
ho’e vahiné 110 reira, o
because
a
woman
from
426
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
te i’oa i
i
e
mai i te a’a ’uru
rave
Porapora.
i
tanu
matamua
i
roa
tumu ’uru ia
a
Opoa
no
O te tumu nru
tupii i Porapora, o te
Teiti.
Teiti
(Smallness), took a root frora
Opoa and planted it at Porapora. The
first head (breadfruit) ever planted at
Porapora was called the head tree of
Teiti.
THE FIRST GOD’S
E pa’a tino no Ta’aroa iho te
atua matamua i roto i te marae.
I
te
roa,
e
ho’e niahana i
fare
“O
ia ?”
oe
haapohe na Ta’a¬
Ua parau mai ra na
iho pa ’i !”
tamhine ;
A hi’o rà taua na tamahine a Ta’aroa
i taua pera ra!
I rave na Ta’aroa
i to’na manava ei pati’i ata marevareva,
to’na toa’hua e to’na ’i’o ei pori no te
ra
fenua, to’na rima ei faaetaeta fenua, to’¬
na ma’iu’u
ei apu e ei poa i’a, e to’na
aau ei oura e ei puhi no te vai e te tai.
Ua iriti a’era
Ta’aroa i to’na mata
no’na ra, e i hô a’era
na Tû-poro-’tu, ua iriti a’era oia i to’na
mata aui, e i hô a’era ia na Te-â-noa.
Ua parau atura o Ta’aroa i taua na
o
atau i taua pera
tamahine
ra :
“A ti’i orua i taua
I haere atura
ra.”
vaa
i taua paà tino o
tàtà i te riu, e toto ia
no Ta’aroa, oia te ’ute’ute i ’ute’utehia
’i te ra’i ; e no reira te anuanua nei,
Ta’aroa ra, e
no
te
toto
o
raua
ua
Ta’aroa i tàtà hia
e
na
tamahine ra no roto i te pa’a tino o Ta’¬
aroa.
E ia oti i te ahuahuhia, ua mâ
ia o roto, ua rave atura na tamahine i
taua va’a ra, e ua afa’i atura i roto
mai i te ’ava’a marae.
Te ivi tuamo’o
ra, o te tahuhu ia; o
’ao’ao, o te ta’ota’o ia no te fare
atua; o to’na ivi ouma ra, o te raupo’i
ia, e to’na ivi papa, ote unuunu ia no
to’na
te
fare atua.“
The first god’s
was
ti’a mai nei te varua i te atea,
painu noa ’tura te tino i te tai ; ua
parau ihora oia i na tamahine na’na
ra ;
“Popoti’i, popoti’i e ! e hia va’a i
tua?”
Ua parau maira na tamahine;
“Au a huru, au a huru !”
Ua ta’o
atura taua varua o Ta’aroa ra; “O vai
ra
HOUSE'
the
house in the temple
empty body of Ta’aroa’s
person, and
other god’s
own
it became a model for ail
houses.
One dav Ta’aroa let himself go into a
trance and his spirit stood away in space
while his body floated in the sea; then
he said to his daughters : “Oh, girls,
girls ! how many canoës are there at
sea?”
And the daughters replied :
“It
is like one, it is like one!”
Then Ta’¬
aroa’s spirit said:
“Who can it be?”
And they answered;
“It is thyself assuredly !”
So all those daughters of Ta’aroa
looked at the body! Ta’aroa had taken
his vitals for broad, floating clouds,
his flare and his flesh for fatness of
the earth, his arms and hands for
strength
for the earth,
his nails
for
shells and scales' for the fishes, and
his intestines for shrimps and eels of
the rivers and of the sea.
Then Ta’aroa took out his right eye
from his body and gave it to Tu-poro’tu (Stand-to-proclaim-away), and he
took out his left eye, and gave it to
Te-a-noa (Spontaneous-burning).
And
Ta’aroa said to those two daughters,
“Go and bring that canoë.”
So they two went for the empty body
of Ta’aroa and bailed out the leakage,
which was his' blood, and it became the
redness
in
the sky; and the rainbow
from the blood that those
daughters bailed out of the empty carsprang
of Ta’aroa. When the bailing was
done, all was clean within and the girls
took up the canoë, and they carried it
into the holy of holies of the temple.
The backbone was the ridgepole, the
rihs were the supporters of the god’s
house, the breast-bone was' the capping
of the roof, and the thigh-bones became
the carved ornaments around the god’s
cass
house.
^
Received in 1824 from Pu-fara-motu and Mo’o, priests; and from
Ma’i, king of
and also from priests on Tahiti and Mo’orea generally.
^
See account of the fare atua mentioned by Captain Cook and other
chapter on marae (p. 137).
Porapora;
early navigators in
maihe.*
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
THE DISCOVERY OF PIRE BY
O Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-à
auahi.
i
auahi
Acre
metua
te
ni’a i
te
te
i te
i te mâ’a
fenua
anotau pô ra.
I ai noa te taata
Ota ma te mamae o te opû, no
ia tunu.
ore
o
te
rave’a
E i te pe’e ra’a o te ra’i ia Rumia i
ni’a, e te ite ra’a o te taata i te ao,
hina’aro atura i te tuva’u roa i te pô o
to ratou utufare, hinaaro atura
i te
auahi, ei auahi tunu ma’a, ei auahi tiahi
i te
poiri i te pô.
Feruri noa ’tura o Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-à ua
tao atura i ta’na vahiné, ia Ma-hui-ê, e
i
na
hoa, ia Tuturi e ia Faarori:
e na’upa ’i te auahi nei?
“Eaha rà
Peneia’e tei ia
vai noa raa !”
tatou
nei te
auahi te
rave
a’era
o
poto roa ’tura te ômore, po’opo’o
’tura te ofa’i, aore râ e auahi i â.
roa
hi’o a’era
i te ho’e ra’o nui
’ura’ura i te tauraa i ni’a i te tahi amaa
Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-à
fau
e aro atura.
Ua ta’o atura
to’na mana’o;
‘‘Aria, tei te fau maihe
nei paha te auahi !”
Ua parau mai ra
ta’na vahiné ; “Eaha ta oe e oremo’o"
noa na ?”
Naô atura oia ; “E ra’o nui
mai i teie nei amaa
mai PO e aro atura, te ta’o nei to’u
mana’o e tei taua fau nei paha te auahi.”
Ua ta’o atura te vahiné ; “Oia mau ! A
vahi na i tena amaa marô, a tamata i te
’ura’ura,
ua
tau
hi’a i te auahi.”
iho ra te tane ua vavahi i
taua ma’a ra’au ra, ua haere ato’a mai
te vahiné e na hoa, ua mata’ita’i i te
tamataraa i te hi’a i te auahi,
E ma’a
Ua
rave
*
*
®
( More-light-beneaththe father of fire.
There was no fire upon the earth’s
surface during the dark period. People
ate raw food, which produced colic, because they had no means of cooking it.
Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-a
And
was
when
the
raised, and people
sky of Rumia was
saw
the light, they
wished to banish night entirely away
front their homes, and so they wanted
fire, fire to cook their food witli, fire
to drive away the darkness of night.
And Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-a reflected and
said to his wife Ma-hui-e (By-new-
regime), and to his friends, Tuturi
(Kneel) and Faarori (Toughen) : “By
what
niay
means
can
be that
we
fire be obtained?
It
hâve it existing with
.
And Faarori took a rock from the sea
■—it was limestone—for the hand attrition, and he took a great stone upon
the shore for the under attrition ; he
rubbed until the limestone got diminished by the land stone, but no fire was
kindled.
And he tried friction upon
wood, upon banana trunks, and
food its'elf, but to no purpose.
Then he took a toa spear and applied it
to the stone; it got heated and worn
short, and the stone got deeply indented,
green
upon
but
la tae râ i te ho’e tau, ua
o
FRICTION'
clear-sky)
us.”
Faarori i te to’a o te
tai, e pu’a, ei aurima, e ua rave i te ho’e
ofa’i nui o te fenua ei ’au’ati ; a hi’a
noa rà e pau noa ’tura te pu’a i taua
ofa’i ’au’ati ra, aore auahi i ama.
Tamata ato’a ihora i te hi’a i te raau ota, i
te fâmei’a,
e
i te mâ’a iho, aore e
faufa’a. Ua rave ihora i te ho’e ômore
toa, e ua hi’a i taua ofa’i ra ; âea ihora,
Ua
427
no
fire was kindled.
one
day Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-a happened to be looking at a largé red fly
which alighted upon a dry fau branch,
and
there
it disappeared.
Then he
thought to himself : “What now perhaps
there is fire in the dry fau.” And his
But
wife said to him :
“What are you
He answered:
soliloauizing about?”
“A great red fly alighted upon this dry
branch and then disappeared, so I am
thinking that there
fau tree.”
may
be fire in this
“That is right.” said the wife, “spllt
that dry branch, and try to obtain
open
fire
by friction.”
Then the husband took the piece of
wood and split it open, and the wife
and friends came also to see the attempt
to
produce fire by friction.
Recited in 1820 by King Tama-toa of Ra’iatea, and also by his priests,
Maihe is obsolète; maro is now used.
Oremo’o noa na is obsolète; paraparau noa na has taken its place.
The piece
Vai-’au and Tito.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
428
fau nui marô te ’au’ati e ma’a vahi iti
taraihia no taua ra’au ra te aurima.
under attrition, was
big piece of the dry fau, and the
upper attrition wood was a small piece
of wood used for
a
of it
Aore i maoro, ama roa a’era te auahi !
Ua huhuti Tuturi i to’na io rouni, eie aita i ura ; ua tü i te rimu
tai ei tamau, e aore à i ama !
Rave ihora i te nonoha marô o te fare
tamau,
no
te
nei,
e
oihia, tapiri atura i taua ma’a
auahi o te ra’au ra, ama roa a’era, aita
rà i maoro, pohe atura. Tapiri atura i
te puni
lia’ari e ama ’tura ia auahi mai
Haere atura i te raau maro
tutu’i atura, e aita i roroa, ura roa
tura te auahi rahi mai te anapa uira
te ura ore.
e
ra
te maramarama.
eut
into
shape.
It was' not long when fire was kindled !
Tuturi pulled out his hair, one
by one, to keep the fire burning, but it
did not blaze ; then he got seaweed for
tinder, and still it did not burn. Finally
he got some dry house grass, rubbed it
till it was pliant and held it against the
fire in the wood, and then it blazed but
soon went out.
They applied dry coconut husk, and that caught fire but only
smoldered.
Then they went for dry
kindling wood and applied it, and soon
a great fire was
burning as brightly as
the flashes of
lightning.
Umere ana’e atura ratou mai te naô
e :
“O ta tatou tao’a maita’i te auahi
nei e !
I teie nei rà, ua ma’iri iho nei
te ai i te mâ’a ai ota.”
And they ail
applauded and exclaimed : “Oh, what a treasure we hâve
in this fire !
There will now be an
end to eating uncooked food.”
A imi rà i te autahu no taua auahi ra,
ama’a marô ana’e, e auahi nui tei
hamani hia. Pô a’era, maramarama noa
’tura te atura’i fenua i te auahi, rahi
noa ’tura te umere e te mata’ita’i o te
taata !
Ua haere mai ra te arii, pûpû
hia ’tura taua auahi ra na’na.
And they went for kindling wood for
the fire—it was ail dry wood—and a
great fire was made.
Night came and
the face of the earth was illuminated
with the fire ; then there were loud
praises and many people came to see
it.
The king came, and the fire was
e
presented to him.
Ua ui a’era te ari’i e:
“Eaha rà te
tamau o teie nei auahi e tae’a maita’i
Ua ta’o a’era te vahiné
ai i te ao?”
o
Ao-ao-mâ-ra’i-à
maita’i,
to maua
rahurahu huru pê.”
e
ra:
ari’i,
“Tera
e
te
ra’au
tutui pê,
e
Oia ’tura, ua rave tamau anae ihora
i te auahi.
Te ’au’ati fau nei
i hi’a hi’a, te nonoha maro nei i oioi
hia, te ahi nei i tapiri e pû hia; a ura
te nonoha, itapiri hia te puru ha’ari e
ama ’tura mai te ura ore, a tautahu i te
ra’au marô, a maramarama te atura’i
fenua i te pô.
Te ama’a tutui pê nei
i rahurahu i te auahi tamau, te tutui
na i tupa’i hia, tuitui hia tutu’i hia i te
auahi, i maramarama ’i te atura’i fenua
te taata
i
te
pô nei.
O Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-à te ta’ata matamua
te tunu i te mâ’a i teie nei fenua.
E
te mâ’a matamua i tunu hia e mei’a ia,
e rerera’i.
E rnà’a maita’i rahi roa, o te
mataura’a ihora ia te taata i te mâ’a
o
And the king said :
“What can retaiii this fire that it may last until daytime?”
The wife of Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-a replied,
“There is good wood. O our king, the
decayed tutui lAlenritesl. it will smolder
when decayed.”
And so it was that people obtained
fire and perpetuated it.
The fau wood
was
rubbed. the dry house grass was
softened bv the hand, placed against the
fire, and blown
the grass blazed,
applied and retained
the fire smoldering, dry kindling wood
was applied and it made a great fire, andcoconut
husk
upon;
was
the face of the earth
was
illuminated at
Coconut husk and the decayed
tu.tm kept the fire perpetually smoldering ;
the candle-nuts were beaten open, they
night.
strung together, and lighted with
fire and thus the face of the earth was
illuminated at night.
were
Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-a was the first person
who cooked food upon this land.
And
the first food that he cooked was the
banana called rerera’i [a large round
kind].
It was found very good food.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
maita’i noa ’tura te opù i te mâ’a
ama,
mahanahana.
and from that time people became accustomed to cooked meals, and their di¬
organs
derived comfort
the warmth of the food.
gestive
pô e nei rà, ia tua’u ê hia ’tu !
E uta i te moana o
E uta i hea ?
E
O te
429
E uta rà i hea?
te
hiti’a-o-te-râ !
i te niarae i Havai’i nei !
E uta
i hea?
E uta i te avae manu e pou i
uta
ra !
E uta i te pô i hea ?
E
uta
hopoi ê atu i te pô ra !
E uta i te Râ-tûnû.
E uta i hea ?
But
as
for
from
darkness, let it be ban-
But carry it whither?
Carry it to the océan in the east !
Carry it whither? Bear it to the temple
of Havai’i, here !
Carry it whither?
Carry it to the feet of the birds that
alight inland! Carry darkness whither?
Take it away to the nether lands !
Carry it whither? Take it to the sun
ished
away !
half lost to view !
O Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-à maori te metua o
auahi, e o Ma-hui-ê, ta’na vahiné, te
tamau atu ia ore ia polie.
E tutui nei i tuitui hia i te niau ta
te
Tahiti mori i ite i mutaaiho ra,
aita ’tu.
Ua ite noa te taata Tahiti i
te faatahe i te haari ei monoi rouru,
aore roa ra i ta uiti" hia ei mori.
Na
te orometua Beretane nei i haapii i te
hamani i te mori haari, e tera te mori
haari matamua, e one i tuu hia i roto i
te apu haari, i ta uiti hia ’i i te tapa
te taata
o te taviri hia i nia
faaati hia ’tu ai i te mori.
nei,
i te niau,
e
Te vai noa maira te ofai auati nui
Faarori i Tainuu i Raiatea i teie nei
tau, i Uturoa.
o
a
So Ao-ao-ma-ra’i-a was the father of
fire, and Ma-hui-e, his wife, perpetuated
it, so as to keep it from dying.
Candle-nuts strung together with the
of the coconut leaf formed the
stem
only lamp known to Tahitians formerly.
Tahitians knew how to melt coconut
mille for hair oil, but they never placed
tapers in it for light.
It was the English missionaries who taught them to
make lamps of coconut oil, and the
first lamps in Tahiti were made by plac-
ing s'and in a coconut shell, and stand¬
ing a taper of tapa or cotton twisted
upon a piece of coconut leaf rib in it,
surrounded with oil.
The great attrition stone named Faa¬
rori is standing at Tainu’u (Movingocean) to this day, at Uturoa.
STORIES OF MAUI
Maui, thë High Priest^
E Mâ-û-i te i’oa o te pure i ni’a i te
Mâ-û-i tahu’a o te fa’atupu i
marae, no
te
ha’apa’ora’a pure.
ligions rites.
I te pe’era’a o te ra’i i ni’a te fano
maira te atua na roto ia Atea, e te noho
haere ra te taata e ati roa a’e i te ao
nei ; ia rahi rà te marae e te tahu’a e
au
ai, ia fari’i maita’i hia te atua.
rave
Ua
papû ihora Mâ-û-i i ta’na ohipa
toro’a tahu’a nui a te atua mai te anotau
i te
pô mai.
Ho’e
roa
ra
the sky was raised, the gods
flying through Atea, and people
were establishing themselves' throughout
the earth, but there was need of more
temples and more priests, in order to
reçoive the gods in a befitting manner.
Then Mâ-û-i entered fully into his duties as high priest of the gods from
After
were
the
ino to taua
ao
nei, aore
’ohipa i oti maita’i no te hiti-ra’a e
te topara’a ’oi’oi o te râ.
A tahu i te
e
Mâ-û-i (Invocation) was the name
of prayers in the temple, so called after
Mâ-û-i the priest, the founder of re¬
period of darkness.
but one drawback to this
work could be properly accomplished because the sun rose and
There
world,
was
no
®
The Word ’uiti is taken from the Englîsh word “wîck,” as the Tahitians hâve no corresponding name for it.
’
Recited in 1825 by Hotu, Pufara-motii, and Mo’o, priests of Porapora, and in 1885 by
Tataura and his grandson, cliieftains of Motu-tapu in Ra’iatea.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
430
ahi mâ’a i te po’ipo’i, e a ha’opo’i, aore
i â te mâ’a, pô atura ; a ama te ahimâ’a e a hua’i, aore i pa’ia maita’i te
ua po faahou atura !
Ai rorî noa’tura te taata i te ma’a no taua ahi-mâ’a
ra, no te rû i taua mahana poto ra. e
teruteru noa ’tura te utu o te taata i te
ma’ero no te amu raa i te ape ’aiota.
taata
O
uru
po’i
te
râ
i
haere
atu
ai
mua,
o
Mâ-û-i i to’na tere fa’a’ati fenua e fa’ati’a i te marae i te fenua apî, e fa’anoho
haere i te tahu’a pipi na’na.
O te tau
Anâ-mua,
o
nuu
tautau iho
i
nu’u tautau a’e i mûri.
Ua tae noa
ihora i tua ro’ohia ihora i te pô.
E
ao a’e a tautau Mâ-û-i i te fenua i piri
mario i raro a’e i te moana, ro’ohia i
te
pô !
Tae atura i te fenua, o Fa’anâ te
fenua, te patu ra i te marae, o Apo’o-’ao
te io’a o taua marae ra, e ho’e noa iho
’ofa’i, o te ofa’i faoa, i te tu’ura’a i
tereira mahana, pô atura. Po’ipo’i a’era,
ua
rave fa’ahou atura i te ohipa, e te
patu ra i te marae, tahataha maira te
mahana.
A ite rà o Mâ-û-i, a ta’io i te hihi
rà e ua ahuru.
Ua ahuru ato’a te
taura ta’na i rave, mau roa a’era te
hihi o te ra iâ Mâ-û-i, ta’amu hia ’tura
i ni’a i te mato, aore e ’aueuera’a. Mau
roa ’tura te râ, patu ana’e atura te taata
i te marae e fa’aoti, hope maita’i atura i
taua mahana ra.
E ia oti roa, tu’u fa’a¬
hou atura Mâ-û-i i te hihi râ tere fa’a¬
hou atura te râ mai muta’a ihora.
Fa’aoti
atura ra Mâ-û-i i ta’na ohipa
tu’u atura i te tahu’a i te marae
api, i ’Apoo-’ao, ho’i atura i Havai’i e
ta’na ato’a ra tau nu’u, e apo’opo’o i te
i reira ;
mau
atua
e
te taata
’i te mahana.
e
nafea râ
e
roa-
soon.' When an oven was heated
in the morning and the food was placed
in it, the victuals were not cooked when
set too
nightfall
the food was
opened, people had not properly partaken of their
meal when it was night again ! So they
ate rare food from the oven, in those
short days, and their lips became swollen from irritation in eating ape (Alocasia macrorrhha°) only half cooked.
The sun was just rising when Mâ-û-i
set out on his journey to visit ail lands,
to build temples upon new lands, and
to establish there the priesthood which
he had trained. It was during the period
of Antares fin Scorpio) and he had a
fleet passing on before and a fleet
pressing on behind. They had no sooner
got out to s'ea when they were benighted. When daylight came, Mâ-û-i
fished up land that was jambed beneath
the sea, and they were again benighted !
At length they reached an island
named Fa’ana (Pacify), and they were
erecting a temple—Apo’o-’ao (Heronpit) was the naine of that temple—and
only one stone, the chief cornerstone,
was laid that day when night came.
The
following morning they resumed their
work, and they were making the wall
of the temple when the sun began to
came;
cooked and the
when
oven
was
décliné.
When Mâ-û-i saw that, he counted
the rays of the sun and there were ten.
Then he took ten ropes with which
he firmly secured the rays of the sun,
and he tied them to a rock so that
shaken.
The sun
thus fixed, and the people built the
walls of the temple and completed it
that day.
And when ail was finished,
Mâ-û-i let go the rays, and the sun
continued its course in the same manner
as before.
But Mâ-û-i ended his work there ; he
left priests with the new temple named
they could not be
was
’Apoo-’ao, and returned to Havai’i with
his fleets to consult with the gods and
people what to do to prolong the day.
Maux thë Prophët
This Mâ-û-i
corne a vaa
ama
was
ore
prophet ; he told the people that there would
(canoë without an outrigger) after which would also
also
a
®
This may refer to the tîme when the sun was frequently obscured by dense clouds.
®
The root of Alocasia macrorrhi::a takes a long time to cook, and it îs very acrid when
well done, as is also the taro (Colocasia antiquortiin).
not
Henry—An dent Tahiti
431
(canoë without cordage)/” which prédictions from
prehistoric times the priests and bards faithfully handed to their people,
always puzzled to understand how such things could be, until. the arrivai
of Captain Wallis, whose ship had also later been described before it appeared as the vaa ama ore by more modem prophets. Those went still
further and also described the foreigners who would bring it, and in due
time came before the astonished people the steamship propelled without
rigging, and the steam tug, literally, without cordage.
corne
a
vaa
taiira
ore
NoOSING OP THË SUN^®“
Riri rahi atura o Mâ-û-i-upo’o-varu,
Mâ-û-i-ti’iti’i o te Râ, i to’na ra metua,
i te râ. Ua riri no te mea aita te metua
vahiné i amu i te mâ’a mai te au, e ua
aroha i te mea i pu’u noa, to’na utu i te
ape
Ua riri ato’a i te iteraa
aiota.
e
i tere maita’i te ohipa a te tua’ana,
te poto o te mahana.
aore
no
Hamani a’era Mâ-û-i i te here e here
i te râ. Here pa’ari ta’na i ha’a, e here
ro’â,
e
more,
e
here mati, e here ’ie’ie, e here
te here nape, o te tutau ana’e
Now Mâ-û-i-upo’o-varu. Mâ-û-i-ti’iti’i,
enraged with his
because his
mother
her
food, and he was sorry for her having
her lips swollen from eating ill-cooked
ape. He was enraged also in finding
son
of the sun, became
father, the
sun.
was enraged
could not enjoy
He
that the work of his elder brother could
not
progress
properly because
shortness of the days.
of
the
So Mâ-û-i made nooses with which to
catch the sun. -He made strong nooses
of the bark of roa, of mati, of ieie, of
fau, and of coconut sennit, ail of which
’tura i te firi
o
Hina-hina-tô-tô-io, te tuahine
Mâ-û-i.
he steeped in the sea. And he also took
a braid of hair of his sister, Hina-hinato-to-io (Hina - fair - whose - every-hair-
Haere atura Mâ-û-i i te auaha ana
mai roto mai, hi’o atura te torotoro ri’i
ra te hihi râ i tai.
’Ou’a ’tura i ni’a i
Then Mâ-û-i went to the mouth of
the cave, from within, and looked, and
saw the rays of the stin just appearing
ont at sea.
He leaped on to the reef
as the rays were lengthening, and when
the sun’s disk appeared, he threw his
i
hia
te
rouru
a’e
o
tai
Rave
atoa
a’au, te roroa maira te hihi mahana,
i te fâra’a mai o te pû mahana, taora
atura i te here na ni’a iho, e mau atura
i ni’a i te ’aî o te râ.
te
e
’Ou’a maira Mâ-û-i i ni’a i te fenua
mai ni’a mai i te a’au, ta’amu ’oi’oi atura
i te taura o te râ i ni’a i te ho’e ofa’i
tû roa i fatata mai, e tia’i ihora i te
Ha’uti’uti maite ihora te râ i
i te taura, otu’itu’i atura, te opua
o Mâ-û-i e ’ou’a ’tu i ni’a i te râ.
hope’a.
roto
ra
Naô atura o Uahea te ta’o i te tamaiti :
“E ara pa’i oe e Mâ-û-i, a ama
a’e oe i te râ.” Aore rà Mâ-û-i i taia,
tei nia ’tura i te rà te ta’ahira’a.
o Mâ-û-i ;
“Eiaha rà ! O
Mâ-û-i ! ua mate roa oe ia’u
Naô atura
vau
teie,
’a’uanei.”
o
drew-drew).
nooses
over
ropes of the sun around a long stone
that stood close by, and fastened them,
and awaited the result. The sun strug-
gled within the ropes and jerked them,
and so Mâ-û-i purposed leaping tip
it.
And Uahea said to her son ;
“Look
well to thyself, Mâ-û-i, lest thou be
burned in the sun.”
But Mâ-û-i had
onto
no
fear, and he went
the sun.
a
native of Tahiti.
up
and stood
upon
And Mâ-û-i said : “Desist now ! This
is I, Mâ-û-i !
Thou wilt die by my
hands soon.”
See page 4; also Polynesian Researches, by William pllis,
Recited in 1825 by Hotu, Pufara-motu, and Moo, and
.Hills, of tlonolulu,
it, and they held around
the neck of the sun.
Mâ-û-i leaped back on to the land
from the reef, he quickly twisted the
Rondon, 1830.
added to in 1901 by Mrs. Nu’u
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
432
Te haere ihora te puai o te râ! ta’i
rau
e
i ni’a, pa’apa’a a’era, motumotu ihora te rahi o taua mau here ra,
toe noa ihora te here rouru o Hina ra.
Ua fa’ateniteni a’era o Mâ-û-i i ni’a
iho i te râ :
’E’ita oe e ora ia’u ; O
Mâ-û-i teie, Mâ-û-i-nui, Mâ-û-i-ti’iti’i-'ote-râ !”
Ua parau maira te râ; “A mau iho
nei au i te here rouru o Hina-hina-tôtô-io na e !
la ora vau !”
Ua naô atura Mâ-û-i :
“E ore oe e
ora !
Alîiri oe i haere rii noa, e ama ia
te mâ’a na ta’u metua vahiné, e eita ia
ta’u tua’ana e mau noa ia oe i ta’na
ravera’a ohipa.
Ua haere ’oi’oi noa
râ oe.”
Ua tao atura te Râ ; “la mate au ra,
eita ia ta outou maa e noa’a, e ore roa
tua
e
maramarama
no
te
patura’a mara’e, e
riro râ ei poiri ana’e. E tu’u rà oe ia’u
e
na’u e fa’atere maita’i i ta outou
ohipa.”
Naô ihora o Mâ-û-i ; “E’ita anei o e
haavare mai?”
Ua ta’o atura te Râ, “E ore au e
ha’avare,
tatara
e
mauiui rahi !”
rà
oe
i teie taura
Ta’ahi atura Mâ-û-i i te pû o te ra,
tahi pû e paruparu atura ; tatara atura i
te taura rouru.
Haere rii maite atura
te râ aore i rû faahou te fano i te ra’i.
Te
te
mau
i’oa
rorea te
ra
noa
maira te taura
a
râ, e itea noa hia e te taata.
e
mau
o
noa
taua mau taura a
mai i nia i te
Mâ-û i
O vai-
Mâ-û-i
ra.
Maita’i roa ’tura te ao nei; ta’i rua
’tura ahi mâ’a i ’ama i te mahana ho’e,
pa’ia ’tura te taata i te mâ’a rave mai¬
ta’i.
’ohipa.
metua,
to
te
Oti
nahonaho
maita’i
atura
te
Maururu a’era Mâ-û-i i to’na
i te râ, e maururu ana’e atura
ao
The
nei i te râ.
The
gained strength, he went on
distance and ali the nooses
got burned and broken except the one
made of Hina’s hair.
Then Mâ-û-i thus boasted as he stood
Sun
for
S'orne
upon
the
“Thou
sun :
canst not
escape
this is Mâ-û-i, great Mâ-û-i, Mâ-ûi-ti’i-ti’i-o-te-ra !”
The sun answered : “Ah, I am caught
me;
bj' the
noose
of hair from Hina-hina-
Let me go !”
Mâ-û-i renlied : “You ■will not escape!
Had you gone slo-wly, my mother’s food
would hâve got cooked, and my brother
would not hâve had to hold you in
to-to-io !
doing his work.
going fast.”
But
you
hâve been
The sun s’aid : “If I die, you cannot
find food, there -will be no light by
which to build temples, ail ■will be in
darkness.
But let me go, and I will
cause
your
work to prosper well.”
Then Mâ-û-i said :
“Will you not
deceive me ?”
‘T will not deceive you,” replied the
“but
sun,
rope !”
unfasten
this
very
painful
Then Mâ-û-i stamped upon the disk
of the sun so that it got cracked and
weakened, and he unfastened the rope
of hair. The sun then went slowly, and
never again hastened its course in the
sky.
The other ropes“ of Mâ-û-i still re¬
main attached to the sun; they are easily seen by people. Vai-rorea (Waterpushed-up) is the name of those ropes
of Mâ-û-i that remain
So
ovens
on the sun.
the World became perfect, two
of food were cooked in a day, and
people were satisfied with properly prepared victuals. Work was then done
with System. Mâ-û-i was pleased with
his
was
father, the sun, and ail
also pleased with him.
the world
following is an interesting addition to this legend
Te vai ra te ana o Mâ-û-i i te moti
ra’a ’tu o To’à-hotu e o Vai-rà-ô.
Tei
tahatai atu i te papa o te pae i Vai-rà-ô
tahi tapua’e avae o Mâ-û-i i te ta’ahi
ra’a ’tu i ni’a i te a’au, e tei ni’a i te
a’au te tahi tapua’e avae. i to’na here ra’a
’tu i te râ.
Te vai ra te vai inu a
The
cavern
of
Mâ-û-i
is
on
the
noosed the
sun.
boundary between To’a-hotu and Vairà-ô.
On the rocky shore of the Vairà-ô side is one footprint of Mâ-û-i as
he stepped away out on to the reef,
and upon the reef is the other footprint,
which
he made
as
he
The “ropes of Ma-u-i” suspended from the sun hâve been shown to Polynesian, children
their parents from the remotest period; they are the sun’s rays as they appear through mist.
Obtained in 1901 from Mrs. Nu’u Hills, a native of Vata’oae, Tahiti.
by
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Mâ-û-i i roto i te papa i te tai i piha’i
atu i te tapua’e avae i tahatai ra.
Tei Mata’oae te vaira’a o te ofa’i i
tamau hia te taura o te râ; tei piha’i
’ho i te vai, o Vâvi e ua motu te ’ofa’i
i te taviri-ra’a o taua mau taura a
Mâ-û-i ra, o te ta’o noa hia.
Tei te mou’a ra Pô-’uo-mata i uta ’tu
te ana i ta’o hia e, te ofa’ara’a otaha a
Mâ-û-i, i teie a tau.
433
A pool of drinking water
Mâ-û-i’s is in a rock in the
that
sea
by the footprint of the shore.
was
clos'e
In Mata’oae stands the stone around
which were attached the ropes of the
Sun;
it is by the river Vavi (Rashness),
and around it are spiral indentations,
said to be from Mâ-û-i’s ropes.
Upon
the
mountain
Pô’uo-mata
(Night-of-white-face) inland, is a cave
which
called
is’
the
nest
Mâ-û-i’s
of
man-of-war-birds, to this day.
The State of the -world after the suit went slowly was changed :
Huru ê atura te ao nei. He’e maira te
tua, e ahiahi, topa maira te ua ora, e ua
nui, e ua rotu maira. He’e maira te
tua, e ahiahi, e ua ’iritiriti, e vaevaearô,
e
te ua torîrî.
He’e maira te tua, e
He’e maira
e ra’i
aneane.
He’e maira te tua, e ao, e ra’i
pô’ia, mûri maira e ’ura auara’i. A
toto ’ura aua ra’i, a mea aua ra’i, e
ra’i to pura, e vero.
He’e te tua e
ahiahi, e hei’ura, e anuanua ava’e maira,
e ua maira.
He’e te tua, e ao, e râ hihi
maira, e râ tô vevero, e râ tô hihira, e
râ tû nu’u.
A pau te fenua te uira, te
ao, e pati’i
te tua,
e
fafatu-tiri,
ata, e rauma’i.
ahiahi,
te
e
tohu-’ura,
anuanua,
te tapu-tea
te
tohu ’ura; a pau te fanau te ’uti’uti tohu
tama’i.
The world was then changed. The sea
rolled, and it was evening, and there fell
hailstones “ which were great raindrops
and there followed heavy rain of a
day’s duration. The sea rolled and it
was
evening, and there fell showery
rain, drizzling rain, and pouring rain.
The sea rolled, and it was day, and
there appeared broad, fiat clouds and
fine
weather.
The
s'ea
rolled
and
it
evening, and there appeared red
signs and a clear cloudless sky. The
sea
rolled and it was day, and there
was a lowering sky followed by threatening redness. When threatening redness
knocks, when it Works, the sky
carries flashes', and storms follow. The
sea
rolled and it was evening, then
there was a red wreath [moon halo], a
lunar rainbow, and rain followed.
The
sea rolled and it was day, and there fol¬
lowed the Sun with rays, the sun that
draws showers, the sun with long slanting rays, the sun that stands over
armies'. There were produced lightning,
thunder, the rainbow, the mock-rainbow (pale-covenant), ominous redness,
and there were produced flas'hes omin¬
was
ous
of
war.
TAHITI, THE FISH
HëEALDING oE 'The: Fish
Teie
te
taupo’o
no
matarufau i te parau
te
fenua.
Ha’amata i te fenua
Tahiti, oia te
fa’ataratara o
Tai-’a-rapu, i Hiti
i
ta’a
’tu,
Ei
papauru
o
o te ara pi’opi’o :
Ei ha’amatara’a o te afi’i i’a o Mata¬
rufau.
Ei ihu no te i’a o Mou-’oro.
Ei apo’o-ihu
instead
o
Ana-reià.
This
to
the
heralding of Tahiti,
its greatness in extolling
is
assert
the
land.
the
head
Beginning with the peninsula, Tai’a-rapu, Border of the crooked paths :
Matarufau (Herald) is the crown of
tremity
Hailstones are occasionally seen in Tahiti, and
of na ora, which literally means “live ra
tliey
of the
of
are
now
the
fish
[the eastern
Bluffs'].
called
ua
ex-
Mou-’oro
paari (hard rain),
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
434
O
Tiare-iti.
O Horo-nui-a-Paii-te-ruea i Anuhi ra te papauru ’aui.
Ei ’auae ni’a o Tahuareva.
Ei ’auae
raro
Tau-tira.
Ei niho o te i’a o
Po-fatu-ra’a.
Ei arero o To’e-hau-
atau
hau.
Pueu.
mata
Ei
’arapo’a
o
E mata ’atau o
aui o Eté ahu. O
Vai-turumu
i
Fara-’ari. Ei
raro a’e
i te
’arapo’a o Pueu e o Afa’ahiti.
(Extinct-warrior)
is
the
nose
of the
[on the Bluffs].
Ana-reià (Drycaves) are the nostrils [they are twin
caves].
Tiare-iti (Small-tiare, an islet
fish
the east) is the rig'ht cheek. Horonui-a-Pai-i-te-ruea (The-great-ascent-ofPai-into-the-mist)" at Anuhi (Slidingoff) is the left cheek. Mount Tahuareva
to
(Floor-in-space) is the upper jaw. Tau(Set-mast) cape is the under jaw.
tira
[The
cave]
Po-fatu-ra’a
(Darkness-
ruled-by-sacredness) contains the teeth
of the fish (rocks). To’e-hau-hau (Colddampness) is the 'tongue [at Tautira].
Vai-turumu ( Water-of-confused-sound in
Pueu ( White-jambo) is the throat.
Fara-
ari
(Tapering-fara)
Ete-ahu
is
the
right
eye.
(Flinch-from-heat) is the left
eye. Pueu and Afa’ahiti iMake-mention,
border-of-divultion) are the under part
of the throat.
Ei pehau ’aui
’atau
nu’u.
o
Papara.
Hitia’a.
Ei pehau
Ei ’i’o tua Te-pori-oo
Ei ’i’o aro te Pori-o-mano.
topatopa no te i’a o Pu-na-au-ia.
Ei
Ei
h'a’apori i te atau o ’Utu-ai-mahu-rau i
Pae’a.
Hitia’a is the left pectoral fin. Papara
(Yellow fort) is the right pectoral fin.
Te-pori-o-nu’u (The-fatness-of-hosts') is
Te-pori-o-mano
the back caudal flesh.
(Fatness-of-thousands)
caudal flesh.
Pû-na-au-ia
is
the
under
(The-trumpet-
is-mine) is the lower extremity of the
abdomen of the fish.
’Utu-’ai-mahu-rau
(Cape-eating-mists) in Pa’ea (Fort-ofrefuge) is the fatness of the right side.
Ei
piha’a o te i’a o Vai-hi-ria. Ei
ni’a o Orohenâ.
Ei tara raro o
Matavai.
Ei opû Hapaiano’o.
Ei mafatu Tapahi.
Ei ha’apori i te aui Teone-ahua. Ei
pito o
Motu-a’au. Ei
tara
pufenua Te-’etu-roaroa.
hara’a. Ei ’a’o
area
i Fa’a’a.
no
Ei tau-upu Ta-
te i’a Pufau i Hotu-
Vai-hi-ria (Water-gus'hing-later)’ lake
is the blowhole of the fish (like those
of a whale).
Mount Orohenâ (Front-
dorsal-fin) is the upper horn. Matavai
(Beginning-of-water) is the horn of the
ventral
fin.
Hapaiano’o (Confluentwaters) is the full part of the abdomen.
Tapahi (Cleaver) is the heart. Te-oneahua (Heated-sand) is the fatness of
the left side. Motu-a’au (Reef-islet) is
the umbilicus.
Te-’etu-roaroa (Longuprooting) is the central point. Tahara’a (Slope) is the anal fin.
Pu-fau*
(Clump-of-fau) at FTotuarea (Bearingspace) in Fa’a’a (To heat) is the fat
from the fish.
Ei firifiri Fanatea, te ’otia ia e nioti
ai ai o Fa’a’a, e ha’amata ai Puna’auia. Ei tima’a aui o Torea. Ei tima’a
’atau o Tata’a.
atu
is
Fana-tea ( White-bow) is the caul that
the terminus between Fa’a’a (To-
heat) and Puna’auia (The-trumpet-ismine). Torea (Plover, a hill on the left
side of the block house at Fa’a’a) is the
beginning of the caudal fin on the left
See legend of Pai, page 578.
great spring by the same name issues from tlie lake out of a hillside in the district of
Mataiea.
The name Pu-fau was adopted for that spot in olden times because the clump of trees stood
by the highway where pedestrians stopped to rest and talk. "Ho atu i te pu-fau fa’aea ’tu ai”
(I.et us reach the fan clump and there rest), was a common saying among travelers.
-
^
A
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
side.
right
Inaha rà te hi’u o te i’a rahi o
Tahiti nei ! O ’Outu-maoro te hope’a o
taua hi’u nei.
O Tahiti Toa.
O Tahiti-nui, o Tahiti-iti,
I ta ana’i hia ;
’Oia o Tahiti niu roa,
O Hiti roa i ni’a.
Teie te parau taratara na to
Tahiti:
Tahiti nui a Tû.
O Tahiti a ’Oropa’a.
435
Tata’a
(Précipitons)
corresponding
dal fin.
side
hill is tlie
of the cau¬
Behold, then, the tail of this great fish,
Outu-maoro
(Long-cape, at
Puna’auia) is the end of this tail.
Tahiti!
Tahiti of the warriors'.
Great-Tahiti and Little-Tahiti,
Standing in a row together ;
They are Tahiti the long tract of land,
The long upper border.
Here are boastful sayings of the Tahitians :
Great-Tahiti of Tû,
Tahiti of ’Oro-pa’a (Dauntless warrior,
O Tahiti-nui pai’umara’a o te râ.
the god of the océan).
Great-Tahiti, the mounting place of the
O Tahiti-nui
Great-Tahiti, long tract of the
Sun.
roa
i hiti
ni’a;
border ;
upper
Na te tua te râ te pai’uma.
O Tahiti i te afeafe rau.
O Tahiti o te Hiti-i-te-ara-pi’opi’o.
Tahiti of many peaks,
Tahiti with Hiti-i-te-ara-pi’opi’o
O Tahiti -nui tae pahi,
O Tahiti rei pahi,
Great-Tahiti which arrived like a ship,
Tahiti with the figurehead [Taiarapu
O Tahiti-nui moe aru,
Tahiti-nui ia rua papa.
O Tahiti o te ’ura tea.
Na o ’Orohenâ, te tara ni’a
Great-Tahiti lying in woods,
Great-Tahiti of rocky chasms,”
Tahiti of the yellow feathers.
te
Behold ’Orohena
upper
Tahiti rahi, ’ata’ata noa !
Tahiti-iti, Mo’orea !
Mo’orea e fa’aau hia i te fe’e,
Mo’orea i
te
[Taia-
horn
(First-dors'al-fin), the
That stands in the open sky !
The feather seekers frequent its great
slopes,
Upon the summit is the iake
roto.
’Aura’a o te Mo’orâ ’ura.
O Tahiti-nui mare’are’a !
Onioni te moa
I uta i mahu rau.
O Tahiti teie o te vai uri rau,
Ua rau te huru o te ’oto o te
rapu-peninsula],
Bluffs],
F, tû i te ra’i atea !
E ti’a te ti’i ’ura i na taha nui,
Tei ni’a mai
Upon its back climbs the sun.
manu.
ràrà varu, ’anaira’a mou’a
Oti’a o na mataeina’a e varu.
Mo’orea o te a’era’a o te mata’i.
E fenua topa i te mûri a hoe
Ei utari i te tere ra’a mai
O Tahiti-nui i te hiti o te ra’i.
Tahiti-iti i tau hia na e te atua,
Fenua i tau hia e te Ari’i Ra’apoto,
Where swims the red-feathered duck.®
Great-Tahiti of the golden haze !'
The fowls challenge boastfully
Amid the inland mists.
This is Tahiti of many shaded waters,
Varied are the songs of the birds.
Grand, jovial Tahiti!
Little-Tahiti, Mo’orea (Offshoot) !
Mo’orea compared to an octopus,
Mo’orea of eight radiations of moun¬
tain ranges
Dividing it into eight districts.
Mo’orea, which is struck by the wind.
Land which fell over the helm
And followed in the wake
Of Great-Tahiti in the horizon.
Little-Tahiti
gods,
first
alighted
on
by the
upon which settled King Ra’apoto
(Brief-sacredness, a god),
Land
There are winding caves of unknown depth in Tahiti, and One in the district of Haapape in
the north was supposed to lead down to the center of the earth, where the god Taere and his
artisans resided.
The red-feathered duck was highly prized for its feathers.
^
A dense bright mist seen at sunrise.
"
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
436
While Great-Tahiti had no gods'.
I te tau ’a’ore e atua i Tahiti-nui.
O ’Aimeo (Ai-meho), te tua ro’i i te
hau O te tôâ;
O te horora’a o te tôâ i ha’ati hia i
(Eater-in-refuge), the bed of
’Aimeo
peace
for the warrior;
Thither fled the warriors, when closely
pursued in Great-Tahiti.®
Tahiti-nui.
To ail these boastings Ra’iateans would answer:
“Tahiti torn awaj' !
“Tahiti ’eve’eve !
Tahiti-nui manahune,
Tahiti-nui atua ’ore,
Tahiti nui moe’arue,
Tahiti rahi fa’aea,
O Tahiti fa’aro’ore,
Tahiti rahi fa’efa’ea,
Tahiti reomona.
Tahiti-iti e tu mai i hiti,
Mo’orea" i te rârà varu e,
’Oe ato’a tahi pae o to matou i’a !
Tahiti-nui e Tahiti-iti
Mai Havai’i nui te a uta,
Havai’i nui te a tai
E vai te pô.
Great-Tahiti vrithout gods,
Great boastful Tahiti,
Grand heedless Tahiti,
Disobedient Tahiti,
Grand capricious Tahiti,
Tahiti of insinuating voice.
O Little-Tahiti, standing on the border,
Mo’orea with eight radiations,
Thou art aiso a portion of our own fish !
Great-Tahiti and Little-Tahiti.
From great Havai’i sweeping inland,
Great Havai’i sweeping out into the sait,
miti, miti
Havai’i nui ’a poti’i ’au, a
sait
E i’a
Terehe !
Great Havai’i of the girl swimmer,
Terehe !
O little brain, O tempered brain,
Beware of Tahiti,
Lest thou be deceived, and I get worsted
below !
A fish of ours is Tahiti.
Yellow feathers may abound with you.
But red feathers hâve we in abundance.”
ia raro ino vau e !
na
matou
océan
That stands' from darkness.
Te roro iti e, te roro taitai e,
E ara ia Tahiti,
A vare,
plebian Tahiti,
Great
Tahiti.
E mautai ’ura tea ta ’outou,
Te pu’e noa ràrà ta matou ’ura ’u’ute.”
To this retort the Tahitians would reply :
“Eaha ho’i to Tahiti e ’ino ai ai Ra’iE topara’a mahana ho’i e te avae
na matou o Ra’iatea.
E fari’i pehu ho’i
na matou o Ra’iatea.
E hiti mai te ma¬
hana i Tahiti nei, e ma’iri atu i Ra’iatea
“How can Tahiti be underrated by
Ra’iatea? The setting place of our sun
and moon is Ra’iatea.
The récipient of
our rubbish is Ra’iatea.
The sun rises
atea?
na ;
e
pai’uma te
avae
i Tahiti nei
over
ma’iri atu i raro na.
Na te hiti’a-o-terâ nei te ’otaha te ma’ue i te po’ipo’i,
e ei Ra’iatea na i te ahiahi fa’atopa ’tu
ai i to ratou huruhuru, e ho’i noa mai
ai i Tahiti nei. O Tahiti o Hiti-ni’a, o
Ra’iatea o Hiti-raro.
O raro ho’i outou i tô’o’a na, o ni’a
matou i te hiti’a o te râ nei.
la tae
mai to Ra’iatea i Tahiti nei, te parau ra
e te fa’atere nei i ni’a, e o ni’a mau à
ia.
la ho’i atu rà ratou i Ra’iatea, e
na’o ia e, te fa’atere nei i raro, e o
raro iho à ho’i o Ra’iatea no Tahiti.”
®
them.
are
Java named Morea.
Polynesian
race,
vol,
2,
sailing up, and it is really up.
But
when they return to Ra’iatea, they say
they are sailing down, and Ra’iatea is
really down from Tahiti.” And so the
dispute ended.
Refugees from Tahiti who fled there usually
During the religions conflict, King Pômare
safe in this retreat.
®
In Fornander’s
Tahiti, and sets over Ra’iatea ; the
as'cends over Tahiti and sets down
there.
The man-of-war-bird Aies from
the east here in the morning, and ar¬
rives at Ra’iatea to drop its feathers in
the evening, and return free to Tahiti.
Tahiti is Hiti-ni’a (Upper-border), Ra’i¬
atea is Hiti-raro (Lower-border).
You are indeed below in the west, and
we
are above in the east here.
When
Ra’iateans corne to Tahiti, they say they
moon
e
p.
were
not
pursued, and the Mo’oreans protected
and
the
missionaries
10,
is raentioned
a
and
theîr
mountain
followers
were
in
west
range
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
437
HAWAIIAN CHANT RELATING TO TAHITI'”
O Kahiki ; ia wai Kahiki ?
la Kû.
O Kahiki, moku kai a loa,
O Kahiki (Tahiti), for whom is Kahiki?
For Kû (Tû).
O Kahiki, land of the far-reaching océan,
Land where ’Olopana (Oropaa) dwelt.
Within is the land, outside is' the sun;
Indistinct (hazy) is the sun and the
land when approaching.
’Aina a ’Olopana i noho ai !
I loko ka moku, i waho ka lâ!
O ke aloalo ka lâ, ka moku, ke hiki mai.
Ane ua ’ike ’oe?
Ua ’ike,
Ua ’ike ho’i au ia Kahiki.
He moku leo pahaohao wale Kahiki.
No Kahiki kanaka i pi’i a luna
A ka iwikuamoo o ka lani ;
A luna, ke’ehi iho,
Nànà iho ia lalo.
Here the bard
Perhaps
hâve
you
seen
it?
I hâve seen it,
I hâve surely seen Kahiki.
A land with a strange language is Kahiki.
The men of Kahiki hâve ascended up
The backbone of heaven
And up there they trample indeed.
And look down below.
stiddenly deviates from his graphie sketch of Tahiti,
“foreign land” :
and refers to Kahiki in its broader sense,
Aole
O
Kahiki kanaka ;
Hookahi
o
Kanakas (men of our race) are not in
Kahiki.
One kind of man is in Kahiki, the haols
Kahiki kanaka,—he haole ;
(white-man) ;
Me ia la he Akua,
Me a’u la he kanaka ;
He kanaka no,
Pai kau, a ke kanaka hookahi e hiki.
He is like a god,
I am like a man,
A man indeed,
Wandering about, and the only man who
got there.
Thi; Departurb oe the Pish
Native scholars afHrm that Tahiti
once
formed
a
part of Havai’i and,
quickened into a living fish, was from there conducted to its présent position.
Follovring is the legend of the transplanting of Tahiti
E’ere teie i to Tahiti tiaraa mai tahito mai.
E mea tahiti-hia mai Tahiti
i hiti’a nei mai Havai’i-nui mai, no, reira
taua ioa nei o Tâ-hiti.
E i’a nui i te
tere ra’a mai, riro fa’ahou ai ei fenua,
mai te Pahi rei mua nui ra.
O te tahi ia pae no Havai’i, tu’ati atu
ai i Uporu (Taha’a), ua api roa to tai
mai Hiva i Opoa i uta, e tae roa-’tu ai
i tai i Uporu. E fenua tû tahi, o Ha¬
vai’i-nui te à uta e te à tai.
Tahiti did not always stand where it
is.
Tahiti was transplanted here
in the east from Great Havai’i (Ra’iatea), hence the name Tâ-hiti (Trans¬
planted). It came away as a huge fish,
and then became land again; it resembled a ship with a great figurehead.
It formed part of Havai’i,'” connecting
it with Uporu (Taha’a). The sea was
now
filled with it inland from Hiva
(Clan)
by Opoa (Indented) to the outer border
of Uporu.'* AU was one land, Great
Plavai’i, that swept inwards and out-
wards.
p^.
388.
From the chant of Ku-ali’i
(King Tu) of Oahu, Hawaii, given in Fornander's work, vol. 2,
The words in parenthèses hâve been added.
The “backbone of heaven” evidently implies the front dorsal fin of the fish, Mount ’Orohena.
Recited in 1822 and 1824 by King Pômare II; Mahine, a chief; and Tamera, a priest.
Havai’i, analyzed Ha-va-i-i, means Invoked-space-that-filled.
U-po-ru (Hasty-night-conflict) relates to the dark period when there
freedom; the name is now pronounced without accents.
was
struggling for
438
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
E fenua
o
Tahiti
no
aito
na
ra,
Vai-ta-fa’i, o Terà-tai, o Tai-to’a,
Tautai, o Tai-nui-atea, o Tai-ta’ata,
o
o
o
Marua-to’a, o Pau-fata, o Peu-rû-aro, o
Mârô, o Mavete, o Te-uri, e o Te-’ehn.
I te ho’e tau, e unuunura’a
te utuafare a te atua ; e mo’a
tei Opoa,
i Havai’inui, ’aore i ’aaoa o moa, ’aore i ’aoa
o ’uri, ’aore pua’a, ’aore ta’ata i oriori
haere.
Aore mata’i, manaia rahi to te
tai.
Tae a’era i te ho’e
tereira tau, hara ’aera te
raahana
i
ho’e poti’i
purotu, o 'Tere-he, o te haere huna noa
e ’au haere i te vai i te pae fare.
Riri
maira te atua, fa’atupu atura i te hopi’i
e
paremo
atura
Tere-he,
’Au maira te
ho’e tuna nui ’aita ’tu, ’a’ore i itea i tera
tau e i teie, mai roto mai i te ho’e ’o’ô
i raro i te tahora vai, o te horomi’i noa
i taua poti’i ra.
Ho’e
ta’ata
rava’a
ore
i
’ite i taua
’oia te tupuna vahiné ruhiruhia
o
te poti’i, o Mou’a-ha’a, o te hi’o e
’a’ita ra i te fare, haere mata’u noa ’tura
i te atua e imi ; ite a’era e ua na te vai
te haere, e i te taera’a i reira, inaha
te topa ra i raro a’e i te vai, e ria ri’i
a’e riro atura i te tuna nui, horomi’i hia
’tura.
Topa hià ’i te i’oa o te tupuna
vahiné, o Mavete-’ai-tuna.
mea
ra,
Tahiti
uru
rà
te
tuna
i
te
varua
o
te
tae’a hia na te ara hohonu i raro roa
i te fenua.
Tei Opoa te afi’i, tei tai
roa i Uporu te hi’u, te tu’u ra’a ia te
i’a i tai, a ta’ai na.
A fâ roa i te tai,
tai fâ roa a te i’a taui ra’i ; teie a riro
ai Tahiti nei.
of land owned
by
vai’i, when no cock must crow, no dog
must bark, no pig, no man must walk
abroad.
The wind blew not, and the
sea was very still.
At last, one day during that time, a
comely maid, named Tere-he (Wrongerrand), transgressed by stealing away
swim
to
in
the
river
her
near
This displeased the gods,
so
home.
that they
caus'ed numbness to overcome Tere-he
and she was drowned.
Then there
up an eel of wonderous size.
Such as was never seen before or afterwards, from a great hole in the bed of
the river, which swallowed her whole.
There was one person powerless to
save, who saw ail this ; it was the aged
grandmother of the girl, named Mou’aswam
(Low-hill), who, missing her at
home, ventured out with fear of the
god to find her; and she traced her
to the river, where she arrived only to
ha’a
her
see
sink
beneath
the
water
and
shortly afterwards taken by the great
eel
and
Mavete
A
tract
a
There was once a time of sacred re¬
striction at Opoa, the home of the gods ;
there was hallowedness' in Great-Ha-
reason
poti’i, a hae, a pahae i te a’a a ràrà, a
topatopa te ra’au ! A ha’amata, a oti, o
pera ua noa’a ta’na i’a nui i te fenua i
was
warriors, Vai-ta-fa’i (Fixed-by-revelation), Tera-tai (That-sea), Tai-to’a
(Rocky-sea), Tautai (Fis'herman), Tainui-atea (Great-boundless-sea), Tai-ta’¬
ata
(Sea-of-people), Marua-to’a (Fallof-rocks), Pau-fata (Consumed - onaltar). Peu - ru - aro (Habit-of-speedyfighting), Maro (Persistance), Mavete
(Unfolding), Te-uri (Darkness), and
Te-’ehu (The-blonde).
the
swallowed whole.
For this
the grandmother named
’ai tune (Expanding - eel - de -
was
-
vourer).
-
Now the eel got possessed with the
spirit of the girl, it got enraged, it tore
up roots as it rushed about, and trees
were
overthrown !
It began and it
ended, the corpse had now developed a
great fish of the land into which it
found a passage deep down in the earth.
The head was at Opoa, the tail extended
far out from Uporu (Tahaa) and the
fish
set
out
to
sea
and
traveled.
It
appeared away off in the sea, the sea
that appeared in the distance, of the
fish changing skies ; this is what be-
Tahiti.
The gods did not fors'ake the sacred
services at Opoa because of this, only
Tu rahu nui
(Stability-the-great-concame
’A’ore te atua i fa’arue i te unuunura’a
maori rà o TûTa’aroa ,te fa’atere
mai i taua i’a nei ; tei ni’a ’oia i te afi’i.
Opoa no teie
rahu-nui, tahu’a
i
mea,
a
-
-
jurer), artisan of Ta’aroa, guided the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tai-’a-rapu, i te terera’a mai, fa’anoho
i
atura i
hiti, ho’i atura i te nu’u atua ra.
E tûra’a nui to te i’a i te tere ê ra’a,
mûri,
rara
o
varu, e
ei utari
Tû
no
noa
Havai’i
i
to’na
Tahiti-nui (Great-Tahiti) arrived like
ship witli a great figurehead (high
cliff) at Hiti-ni’a (Upper-border). Orohenâ, the highest mountain, was the
first dorsal fin [as the naine implies].
Tahiti-iti (Little-Tahiti), Mo’orea (Offshoot) with eight radiations [mountain
ranges], was' the second dorsal fin, land
a
Tahiti-iti,’“ Mo’orea i te
fenua topa i te mûri a hoe,
terera’a mai o Tahiti-nui.
nei
in its course ; he stood upon its
head, Tai-’a-rapu (Disturbed-sea), as it
came away ;
he set it in the east, and
then he returned to the host of gods.
Oh, the hsh stood grandly as it moved
And verged out towards the new horizon
Of a new sky !
It was Tahiti, possessed
Witli the soûl of the maid, Terehe.
te
mai
fish
away.
A fâ ’tu ai i te pae-ra’i hou
O te ra’i hou e !
O Tahiti, urua e te varua
O te poti’i ra, o Terehe.
Mai te pahi rei mua nui ra o Tahiti
i te tae ra’a mai i Hiti-ni’a.
Ei tara
ni’a te moii’a teitei hau, o ’Orohenâ, Ei
tara
439
that fell over the helm and followed in
the wake of Tahiti-nui.
There stands Havai’i in its place, and
ra
vaira’a, vai taha’a noa mai nei Uporu i
ta’ohia’i e o Taha’a, ta’a ê noa ’i i te
area i ropû.
Ei topatopa no te i’a na
fenua ra o Me-tû (Meti’a), e o Te-ti’aroa, i te fa’aera’a mai i Hiti ni’a Ei
topatopa no Mo’ore’a Mai’ao-iti, i te
Uporu remains exposed, for which reason
it is called Taha’a (Nakednes's) ;
they are severed by a straight [that
rolls] between them.
The islands of
Me-ti’a (Thing-standing) and Te-ti’a-
(Standing-afar-off)
roa
To’o’a-o-te-râ.
of
the
fish
Mai’ao-iti
off
from
West.
’A’ore hui ari’i i ni’a i Tahiti a te toa
i te tere ra’a mai, o na fatu toa ra e te
va’a mata’eina’a te tia’i i te fenua i te
ta’a ê ra’a ; i ta’o hia’i e o Tahiti-manahune.
it
as
were
at
halted
droppings
Hiti-ni’a.
(Little-claw) was dropped
Mo’orea (Offshoot) in the
There was no royal family upon Ta¬
hiti of the warriors as it came away ;
the warriors who owned it and their
clans took charge of the land as it
broke loose ; for this cause it was named
Tahiti-manahune
(Plebeian-Tahiti).
CuTTING THË SiNEWS OE THE FiSH
Te
i’a
ra
Tahiti,
o
ua
pàpû
ia
i
to’na ra tùra’a hou, ia ’oti’oti rà te uaua
ia ore ia ha’uti fa’ahou, e ia pâpû to’na
tûra’a i te. vahi ho’e, ia pâpû ’amuri noa
’tu e au ai.
its
eut its' sinews to prevent it from
moving, so that it might remain stable
in one place ever afterwards.
Haapapura’a-fenua (Making-land-stable) was the ceremony, Te-pa-huru-nuito
E ’oro’a o Ha’apapura’a-fenua, e to’i o
Te
pâ - huru - nui - ma - te-vai-tau, no te
uaua i’a, ia Tinorua, te fatu moana.
-
’oro’a ’oti’otira’a i te
I te tae ra’a ’tu i
noa
ra
The
now
for the ceremony of cutting the sinews
of the fish, for Tino-rua (Dual-body),
lord of the océan.
On arriving at the border, Tahiti and
hiti, te vai ta ho’e
names
Tai-a-rapu were United in one land;
they were not divided by Te-auaa gulf ;
e
i te ’o’oa o
a’ira’a mou’a nui
are
(The-imposing-lookingfort-that-stands-for-ages) was the axe
ma - te - vai-tau
Tai-rapu, ’a’ore i ta’a
Te-aua’a, ’are’a rà na an-
Tahiti
hei,
e
vao
te
Tahiti, the fish, had become stable in
new
position, but it was necessary
but the two great mountain ranges were
’are’a i
Tahiti-nui and Tahiti-iti, for Tahiti and Mo’orea,
only used in flowery speeches and in
greater and smaller peninsulas of Tahiti
Èuropeans in the group.
so
well defined in this story,
song;
and they hâve gradually corne to mean the
proper, a usage that was common before the arrivai of
(See map of Tahiti
so
marked by Captain Cook.)
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
440
ropû, i te vahi
te
tai.
A tû
e
haere hia i teienei
e
maoro te fenua ; a fanau te u’i
apï i te fenua, a para te mei’a, a î’î te
fe’î, a a’aoa te moa i te uru, a ’aoa te
’urï i tahatai, a pipi’i te niho o te pua’a,
a pa’aiea te ’ava, a pua te taro, a farara
te tô, a puri te mahi, a taroea te aute i
te fenua. O Ta-fa’i toa upo’o tû te ta’o :
“E tâpû maite i te uaua o taua i’a nei,
e tâpû, e tâpû, e ’e tâpûpû !
O Vai-ari,
o
e
Vai-’uriri,
o
’Ati-ma-ono
o
fa’a’ta’a ’tu ai To’a-hutu i te
Pa-para,
uru
ta-
tara, e o Riri, To’o-tea e o Vai-uru i
Mata-’o-ae ; e fa’ata’a ê atu ia tiri ha’ati
te mata’i i te upo’o“ o te i’a, ia pâpû te
nohora’a o te i’a.”
separated by a plain, where the sea now
enters.
The
land had been long standing;
générations were born in the land,
bananas were ripe, mountain plantains
were
matured, cock-crowing resounded
in the woods, dogs were barking on the
seashore, hogs’ tusks were turned upwords, ava plants had matured, taro was
blossoming,
sugar-cane
was
leaning
forwards, fermented breadfruit was
working, the paper mulberry song“
new
was heard in the land.
Then s'aid the
victorious vrarrior, named Ta-fa’i" (By-
“The sinews of this fish
revelatiori) :
they must be eut, eut
and eut! Variari (Billowy-river), Vari’uriri
(Gray-plover-river), Ati-ma-ono
must be well eut ;
(Tribe-of-six), and Pâpara (Yellowfort) must then be severed from To’ahutu
(Spraying-rock), of the tatara
breadfruit, and Riri (Anger), To’otea
(Light - wooden - idol), Vai-uru (Possessed-water), in Mata-’o-ae“ (Spadefor-sacrifices) ; they must be separated
that the wind may freely blow around
the head of the fish, that the fish may
A haere mai na toa e tinai i te fenua :
Tera-tai a ’ite, te rima a tinai, ’aore
e
e
ra
faufa’a ; o Tai-to’a a ’ite, a tinai, ’a’ore
faufa’a ; o Tautai a ’ite, oTai-nui-atea
Tai-ta’ata a ’ite, homai e tinai
i te fenua i ta ratou to'i, ’aore ana’e rà
a
’ite,
o
i motu ri’i a’e i taua mau ’aito ra. Topa
ihora te tahu’a ra o Pou-’ou-ma-fenua i
taua vahi ra, o Te-’aua’a.
Na ’aito Fare-ti’i-o-te-ra’i ; na ’aito o
Fare-’a’ama-o-te-pô ; na ’aito o te fenua
tapu, o Huri-ma’a-vehi ; o na ’aito ana’e
ia o nu’u ti’a ma rare, i te vao o Tahitinui ; a ’ite, a tinai i ta ratou to’i, ’a’ore
rà e faufa’a!
Topa ihora te tahu’a ra,
o
Pou-’ou-ma-fenua, i taua vahi ra, o
Te-’aua’a.
Ua ta’o ihora
e :
o
‘‘Aria, ei atua I
Ta-fa’i. toa upo’o tû
O ta’u atua e ’ite
remain
Then
stable.”
came the warriors
to smite the
land :
Tera-tai (That-sea) saw and
laid on his hands, but to no effect ; Tai-
(Rocky-sea) saw and smote to no
effect; Tautai (Fisherman) saw, Tai-nuitoa
atea
’ata
(Great-boundless-sea) saw. Tai-ta¬
(Sea-of-people) saw, and came and
smote
none
the land with their axes ; but
of those warriors succeeded in
making an impression upon it. Then
the
priest, Pou-’ou-ma-fenua
(Postbarked-to-the-ground), named that place
Te-aua’a (The-but-for-that).
The warriors of the Fare-ti’i-o-te-rai
(House-of-imps-of-the-skies) ; the war¬
Fare-’a’ama-o-te-po (Fire-
riors of the
house-of-Hades) ; the warriors of the
sacred land (Paradise) of Huri-ma’avehi
(Wrapped-food-spread-out) ; ail
these
stood
were
warriors
of the
hosts that
below, upon the plain of Great
Tahiti ; they saw, they smote with their
axes, but to no purpose !
Then the
priest Pou-’ou-ma-fenua named that
place Te-’aua’a.
Then said Ta-fa’i, the victorious warrior : “Wait, we must hâve gods !
O
The song was for beating out the bark into doth.
See legend o£ Tafa’i (p. 552).
The mata-’o was a wooden spade; the 0 îs short in the above
name from usage.
Upo’o, for “head,” under ordinary circumstances, is exclusîveiy appHed to that of a person,
afii signifies the head of a lower animal; but this fish, having been possessed of a human
spirit, was not ranked with the lower animais.
and
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
■ O
atua i te ra’i, o atua ta’ata, e
ha’mai e tinai i te fenua nei!
E ta’i
au i ta’u faufa’a i tua, no outou te ue.
Ta’u moe e ’ite, moe i te pô e moe i te
e !
ha’mai e tinai !
ao,
Ta’u Marama e ’ite,
Marama i te ra’i, o Marama ta’ata,
ha’mai e tinai! E ta’i au i ta’u faufa’a
ia Marama.
O
gods that I know I Gods of the skies,
demigods, corne and smite this land! I
shall yield my strength to the sea, and
commotion shall be yours.
My sleep
that I know, night sleep and day sleep,
corne and smite !
My Moon that I know,
Moon in the sky, Moon for man, corne
and smite ! I shall yield my strength to
the
’Aore rà
ha’apa’o mai.
Te parau maira te ’aito ra o Maruae
atua i
to’a : “la mau maoti to faufa’a !
Ei
faufa’a ’ha rà to faufa’a? ’Eiha ’ei fau¬
fa’a ’irimore. Te huruhuru tei to tua e
hutia e matorutoru, e mamae, e ’ore ’oe
e ta’i?’’
“E ’ore,” te ta’o ia o Ta-fa’i.
“E huruhuru tei to ta’a e hutia, e
matorutoru, e mamae, e ’ore ’oe e ta’i?”
“E ’ore.”
“Te huruhuru i to tu’e mata, i to hihi
mata, i to pa’oa ihu, e huhutia, e ’ore e
matorutoru, e mamae, e ’ore ’oe e ta’i?
“E ’ore!”
“la mau maoti rà i to faufa’a.
A
rara’o i to va’a, a topa i te i’oa o Te-
pâ-tea.”
Te ’arere, o Ta-fa’i, e te tau’a a’e, o
’Ohu-na, a tere raua i to’a i Tupuai i
te
aro
o
te Ari’i
Marere-nui-marua-to’a.
A ’ite mai Marere-nui ua ta’o maira;
“Mânava ’orua, Vai-ta-fa’i e ’Ohu-na !
A tahi tere nui i tae mai ai i to’a i
Tupua’i nei.”
“E
tere
nui
ia !
Te
i’a
nui
ra
o
Tahiti, e ’o’oti i te uaua, e fa’ata’a ê i
te ’arapo’a, ia ’ore ia ha’uti fa’ahou.”
’Ovai te tahu’a o tena ’ohipa ?”
“’A’ore ! Ua tamata ana’e te mau toa
o te fenua ma te faufa’a ’ore ; ’aore roa
te i’a i motu ri’i a’e i- te to’i te ta¬
hu’a.” Fa’a’ite hua hia ’tura te parau no
taua mau toa ra, e ua ta’o atura te ari’i ;
“Ahe I Pohera’a mata’i ia.”
“
Na’o atura taua na ’arere ra; “Ti’i
mai nei maua ia ’oe, e te Ari’i Marerenui e, e haere a’e e rave ia manuia taua
’ohipa ra.”
“’Ovai te atua i tena na ha’a?”
’A’ore ! ’A’ore e atua i fa’aro’o
“
fenua
This island
was
mai.
441
Moon.”
god responded.
warrior, Marua-toa (Falling-ofthe-rock), then said to him : “Muster up
thy strength ! But what kind of strength
hast thou?
Let it not be free fighting,
lest thou fail.
Should the hairs of thy
back be plucked to subdue, to give pain,
wouldst thou not cry?”
“No,” was the reply of Ta-fa’i.
“Should the hairs of thy beard be
plucked to subdue, to give pain, wouldst
thou not cry?”
But
no
The
“No.”
“Should
thine eyebrows, thine eyelashes', or the hairs of thy nostrils be
plucked, would that not subdue, give
pain, make thee cry?”
“No.”
“Then
paré
thy
muster up
canoë
and
(The-white-fort).”
thy strength.
name
Pré¬
it Te-pa-tea
So the messenger,
na
Ta-fa’i, and ’Ohu(Spun-around), his bosom friend,
sailed South to Tupuai (Summit),"'’ into
the presence of King Marere-nui-maruato’a (Great-soarer-falling-from-rocks).
When Marere-nui saw them lie said:
“Welcome to you, Vai-ta-fa’i (Fixed-by-
revelation) and ‘Ohu-na ! A great errand has brought you south to Tubuai.”
“It is a great errand ! The great fish,
Tahiti, its sinews must be eut, its throat
must be
again.”
rent
asunder that it
move
not
“Who are the artisans for that work ?”
“There are noue ! The warriors of the
land hâve ail tried to no purpose ; no
impression has been made upon the fish
with the
axes
of the
artisans.”
Then
they told ail concerning those warriors,
and the king replied, “Ah I They are
defeated in a good cause.”
And the messengers said : “So we
hâve corne for thee, O King Marere-nui,
to go and lay on your hands to accomplish that work.”
“What gods hâve you in your efforts?”
“None !
No gods hâve heeded us.
supposed to be the summit of the head of the great octopus, Tumu-rai-
(Foundation-of-earthly-heaven).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
442
te
vai
te
atua
maira Tahiti-manahune ma
’ore.
Feruri ri’i atura te ari’i o Tupuai, ta’o
atura :
“E ’ore au e tae, iia te to’i o Te-
Tahiti-manahune
iioa
gods.”
e parau ’oe,
Vai-ta-fa’i, e no te ’oro’a o Tino-rua,
te fatu moana, ei ’oti’oti i te uaua o te
i’a, o Tahiti, Tâpû atu ai.”
e
na
e mea
mau
maira i taua to’i nui ra i
e na’o maira ; “O te
to’na rima nui,
to’i rahi teie o
Te-pâ-huru-nui-mai-te-
vai-tau, no te ’oro’a o Tino rua, te fatu
moana, ei ’oti’oti i te uaua o te i’a nui,
o Tahiti nei !
la o mai te tupu fenua,
ia o mai te tupu ’ere’ere, ia o te mata’i
ata, ia o mata’i atu i tua mou’a, ei
mou’a ninivaru ; ei ha’a vana’a ana’e i
te
ra’i atata !”
Urua ’tura te to’i, mâmâ roa a’era i te
rima o Ta-fa’i, tâpû atura, amaha ohie
noa ’tura te fenua i te tâpûra’a.
’A’ore
atura te rahi ato’a o taua mau toa ra i
fa’aea e ta’aroa ’tura te arâpo’a, huti mi
nei te upo’o o te i’a i mûri, vai noa ’tura
i to’na ra vahi no taua vao nui ' i ropû
i na ana’ira’a mou’a teitei o Tahiti-nui
nei, te ma’a fenua ’ari’ari i topa hia o
Tara-vao, i piha’i iho i te ’o’o’a pi’opi’o e
tae atu i tua, o te topa hia e te tahu’a
ra o Te-’aua’a.
’Aua’a taua to’i ra, oi
’ore atu
e
’o’o’a.
E o taua mau fenua i fa’ata’a hia e te
tai ra, topa hia’tura i Te-vâ-i-uta e i
Te-vâ-i-tai; o Vai-ari, o Vai-’uriuri, o
Ati-ma-ono, e o Pâpara, te fenua, o Tevâ-i-uta; e o te fenua i ta’a
hia
o
Te-vâ-i-tai.
ra
te topa
Oti atura te tâpûpû ra’a uaua o te i’a,
pâpû atura te fenua o Tahiti-nui. Topa
The compound word, te-z-a, is
meaning being forgotten.
now
So the warriors, Vai-ta-fa’i and ’Ohuprepared to départ. They took the fish
axe,
teiaha roa, e ria ri’i a’e, fa’atere atura
na to’erau.
Ho’i atura i Tahiti i te tairurura’a
nu’u toa e te va’a mata’eina’a ra, ua
manava maira ui atura;
“Teihea ihora
to ’orua tere?”
Ua ta’o atura raua, “Teie ia,” i te
fa’aite ra’a i taua to’i nui toiaha ra.
Ua ti’a maira taua toa upo’o tû ra, o
Tafa’i,
without
then eut.”
Na ’arere, o Vai-ta-fa’i e o ’Ohu-na
fa’aineine i te tere. A rave i te to’i
i’a, Te-pâ-huru-nui-ma-te-vai-tau,
there
The king of Tubuai reflected and then
replied : “I shall not go, there is the
axe, Te-pa-huru-nui-ma-te-vai-tau, and
you, Vai-ta-fa’i, say it is for the ceremony of Tino-rua, lord of the océan, to
eut the sinews' of the fish, Tahiti, and
pâ-huru-nui-ma-te-vai-tau,
a
stands
Te-pa-huru-nui-ma-te-vai-tau, which
very great and heavy one, and soon
they set sail northwards.
They returned to Tahiti to the assembly of the hosts of warriors and clans,
who, as they welcomed them, enquired,
“What is the resuit of your errand?”
And they replied, “Here it is,” holding
up the great, heavy axe.
Then the
victorious warrior, Tafa’i, came forward,
and holding the axe in his great hands,
was a
he said :
“This is the great axe, Te-pa-
huru-nui-mai-te-vai-tau, for the ceremony of Tino-rua, lord of the océan, to
eut the sinews of this great fish, Tahiti!
That the growth of the land may find
room, that the lowering blackness may
pass through, that the wind with clouds
may pass through, that the wind may
sweep around the mountains, that the
mountains may be circumambulated, all
for heralds of the awe-inspiring sky!”
Then the axe became possessed, it became light in the hands of Ta-fa’i, and
he chopped the land, which at once yield-
ed to the stroke. Then all the warriors
did not cease chopping until the sinews
of the throat were eut asunder, and the
head of the fish drew backwards, so that
there remained stationary of the great
plain between the two lofty mountain
ranges of Great-Tahiti only an isthmus,
now
called Tara-vao
(Corner-plain),
with a lock of winding gulfs' opening
into the océan, which was named by the
priest, Te-’aua’a. But for that axe there
would hâve been no gulf.
And the
land thus divided by the sea was called
Te-vâ-i-uta“ (Main-plain), and Te-vâi-tai (Ultra-plain) ; Variari
(Billowyriver), Vai-’uriri (Gray-plover-river),
Ati-ma-ono (Tribe-of-six), and Pâpara
(White-fort), forming the main Te-va;
and the severed land was named Te-vai-tai (Ultra-Te-va).
So the cutting of the sinews of the fish
was
written in
one,
completed, and the land of Greatteva, without the accent
on
the
a,
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
hia’tura te i’oa
va-i-tai,
o
te
upo’o o tei’a, o Te-
Tai-’a-rapu,
o
no
te
mea
Tahiti became stable.
raro,
Tara-vao nui ari’i ’ore, ta’aê
Vai-ari nui i te a’ara, o Vai-’uriri
maohe.
Topa hia ’tura Ta-
atu ai
nui
fa’i
nei.
a
tere
o
Vai-ta-fa’i,
no taua
Then the head of
Te-va-i-tai, was also named
Tai-’a-rapu (Disturbed-sea), because the
océan was disturbed as it separated outwards; Hiti-i-te-ara-pi’opi’o (Border-ofthe-winding-paths) because it borders
upon the winding gulf of Te-’aua’a.
Thus remained great Tara-vao standing
below, great Tara-vao without a king,
severed from great Vari-ari, of sweet
odor, and from Vai-’uriri, that moved
off gracefully. Then was Tafa’i named
Vai-ta-fa’i, because of this work that he
the
ua
rapu te moana i to’na ta’aê ra’a ’tu i
tai ; o Hiti-i-te-ara-pi’opi’o, no te mea
tei te hiti ’oia i te ’ô’o’a pi’opi’o o Te’aua’a. Vai noa ’tura Tara-vao nui ti’a
ma
443
ohipa ma’na
fish,
did.
Warrior chiefs became warrior kings over plebeian Tahiti,
their families intermarried and became
one
with the
in the motherland.
and gradtially
royal family of Opoa
TuamoTuan VpRSION^^
The god Tû, who ruled suprême in the Tuamotu Islands, was intending
Tahiti, the Fish, into the great lagoon called Rangiroa (Distantland), north-northeast of Tahiti, which he had built as an aua (enclosure)
for it; and Mo’orea he was going to place in the smaller lagoon, built also
for that purpose, to the west of Rangiroa, named Tikahau (Peacefulstanding) ; but the fish and its attendant ran aground upon a shoal, where
they hâve remained fast ever since. The outlines of Tahiti and Mo’orea
correspond fairly well with those of the two lagoons just mentioned, which
could encircle them—a circumstance that gave credence to this story in the
to conduct
Tuamotus.
MIGRATION OF THE GODS TO MOOREA AND TAHITP’’
There
came
a
time when the
gods mounted upon the wind and were
wafted over the océan from Havai’i to take possession of the lands of the
border. Myriads of gods came and alighted upon Little-Tahiti and
Mo’orea, that mounts up into the wind ; but noue came to GreatTahiti. Then the people of Tahiti called angrily in the forests for gods to
corne, and the mountain pigeons cried for gods from the mountain heights;
they raised a mighty, bitter cry for the gods to corne, and yet none came !
At length a strong To’erau (north wind) swept over the steep heights of
the bluffs of Taiarapu, and gods descended upon the left cheek of the fish.
Then the people were terror-stricken and fled from their presence. They
cried no more for the gods !
upper
upon
22
23
Received from Mr. Orsmond Walker.
Received in 1825 from King Pômare II,
Mahine (a chief), and Temera (a priest).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
444
Na nia i te mata’i te atua te fano mai
i Tahiti,
Horo atua te ta’ata ma te mata’u
I roto i te ana e te fa’afa’a ri’i
O te aivi o te fenua,
I ni’a i te apu’u mou’a
A fanae te po, a fanae te ao,
Mai te titotito ra’a manu ana’e ra
Te ma’a ri’i i reira !
Ti’a nui
I
mau
te
E Tori’i
Aumea
a’a i te fenua ;
i te ra’i,
Ua ha’ati Tautira i te
E hau matau
tira
mea !
to te atua
I te auaha ôre e!
Tia’i oma’oma’o i Tautira
Haoa a tae ho’i i Tautira
Then the people fled away with terror
Into caves and ravines
Of the mountainous’ land,
And upon the mountain
peaks.
The night ebbed, the day ebbed,
Only like birds’ peckings
Were their morsels
time !
of
food
at
that
Grandly stood the gills (of the fish)
te
e, e lira
Upon the winds did the gods fly to
Tahiti,
ra
As the roots of the land held firm ;
O Tori’i (Vehiatua, high chief), red
was the sky,
Redness encompassed Tautira !
A dreaded rule was that of the gods
With no interpréter !
Attended by the thrushes' of Tautira!
When Haoa ^Vehiatua) went to Tau¬
tira
e!
r te moemoe i te ta’ata ’ore e,
E hau atua i horo e ai
Eonely without people,
by the gods which had
Te ta’ata i Tautira e;
Tautira te fa’aeara’a o te mau atua,
O Aera’a-i-te-mata’i !
It was ruled
caused to flee
The people of Tautira;
Tautira, the dwelling place of the
gods,
Aeraa-i-te-matai
Te parau ra te atua, e horo e ai te
ta’ata.
Te parau maira te atua;
“Homai, i Aera’a-o-te-mata’i,
Te uru ta’ata i te toa.”
E te parau maira te ta’ata :
“Eita matou e tae i tenana vahi,
E matau matou i te hau o te atua !”
E fa’aruera’a ia fenua,
Ei oma’oma’o te tia’i eiaha te ta’ata.
(Mounting-place-of-
the-wind) !
The gods spoke, and then the people
fled,
The gods said:
“Give us, at Aeraa-o-te-matai,
The heads of warrior men.”^*
And the people answered ;
“We shall not go thither,
We are in dread of the reign of the
gods !”
And then the land was abandoned,
Thrushes guarded it and not people.
In the midst of their fear the
people prayed! They then raised their
supplication to the gods not to destroy them, and they repented
having called angrily upon them to corne.
voices in
Then the tens of gods and the thousands of gods had compassion upon
these mortal
beings and did them no harm.
The gods descended into the
great valley and upon the plains of Tautira, but the people approached them
then they gradually dispersed and settled throughout the land of
Great-Tahiti, and the people of Tautira returned to their valley, having no
not;
more
fear.
Soon the people of the long upper border (Tahiti and Mo’orea) erected
temples and dedicated them to the gods, and they felt themselves protected
by the spirit world as in days of yore in Havai’i.
The heads of slain warriors
were
takeii to the great marae of Tautira.
Henry—-Ancient Tahiti
445
Ta’aroa, with his artisan, Tû, and Tane, god of beauty, reigned suprême
ail the earth at that time; they were above ail the hosts of gods
throughout the islands. Ta’aroa gave Tane his great power.
over
THE DELUGE
Tahitian Version’I pau ihora Tahiti i te tai, o, Tahiti
nui e O Tahiti iti ! ’A’ore pua’a, ’a’ore
’a’ore ’iore ’a’ore manu, ’a’ore uri
moa,
i toe, maori ra ta to’o rua ta’ata i fa’aora mai.
Na o te atua ta manu e te
manumanu i haru i te ra’i i ’ore ai.
E mata’i rahi Huatau, e ua e e vai
rahi, e te mata’i tiriaha, ma te puahi’ohi’o.
Ua pe’e te ra’au rarahi mai
te pai a’a ’toa i ni’a, e mai te mau
papa ato’a, i roto i te reva, i taua
mata’i rahi e te puahi’ohi’o ra.
O te
ho’e
tane e te
ra
tau
ta’ata to’o
vahiné, te to’e ra ia.
rua,
te
Ua rave
a’ere te vahiné i ta’na fanaua ri’i moa,
ua rave ihora te tane i ta’na pinia ri’i
pua’a, ua rave atura te vahiné i ta’na
fanaua ri’i uri ma’ohi e ta’na ’iore ri’i,
o te’ai hia ei ’ina’i i muta’aihora, e ua
rave maira te tane i ta raua ota’a pe’ue
e
te tapa.
Te haere atura e imi i te
ha’apûra’a.
Ua hi’o atura te tane i Orohenà, e ua
atura i ta’na vahiné :
“E horo
taua i ni’a i tera ra mou’a teitei roa.”
parati
e
“Na’o maira tê vahiné ;
haere i reira !”
“Eiaha
taua
“Eaiha, e taea ’toa ia i te miti, e a’e
taua
fafeneu,
i
i
ni’a i
ni’a
taua e taea e
’tura i reira.
te
ia
teie
nei
ma’a
Pito-hiti nei,
miti i reira.”
mou’a
O
saved them.
There
came
and
storm
’e’ita
raua
a
whirlwinds.
wind,
destructive
north
strong
a
rain, and freshets, with
Great
trees
caught up by the roots, with ail
kinds of rocks', and were carried up into
the air by that tempest and the whirl¬
were
winds.
But there was one couple, a man and
his wife, who were spared. The woraan
took her little chickens, the man took
his young pigs ; the woman took her
young
times
man
dogs and rats, which in former
eaten for méat, and the
were
took their roll of mats and clothes.
They were going to seek
refuge.
place of
a
The husband looked up at Mount
Orohena and said to his wife : “Let us
run
up to
that highest mountain.”
The wife answered :
there !”
“Why not?
peak, and the
go
“Eaha e ’ore ai? O te mato roa moa
iho ia, e ’ore ho’i taua e taea e te miti
i reira.”
ra
-was
once
submerged by the
both Great-Tahiti and Little-Tahiti.
No pigs', no fowls, no rats, no dogs remained, except those that were preserved
by two persons. The gods caught tip
the birds and insects into the sky and
Tahiti
sea,
there.”
That
sea
“We must not
is
the
cannot
highest
reach
us
“No, that will also be reached by the
sea.
But
let
us
ascend
this
cone-
shaped mountain, up on Pito-hiti ; there
the sea cannot reach us.” So they both
thither.
Those two persons,
went
and ail the llving
Fa’aea putuputu ana’e atura taua na
ta’ata e rua ra, e ta raua ’to’a mau peu
ri’i ora, i ni’a i o te niou’a, ia Pito-hiti ;
a’ita i taea e te miti, te vai taha’a noa
ra
ra to ratou
fa’aeara’a mai te fare
’ore, e ama’a ra’au te paruru.
things that they had in their possession
kept close together upon Pito-hiti ; the
sea did not reach them ; but their abode
was
ail exposed; they had no house,
and so they erected boughs of trees for
Pau ihora te fenua i te tai e te vai.
Mo’e roa a’ere Orohena i raro, o taua
mou’a, ra o Pito-hiti ana’e ra tei toe
arapu was flooded by the sea and
water.
Mount
Orohena
was
^
Taken down in
shelter.
1829 in Tahiti from Paparua, a
Then ail the land of Tahiti and
teacher, and Mo’a, a high priest.
Tai-
fresh
sub-
446
atu
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
na.
Mai
te
tai
Tahiti iti, ’a’ore ia
e
tua
ra
o
ni’a
merged; only Mount Pito-hiti remained
ia
mou’a i toe i ni’a.
above
[Mo’orea] ;
Ru’i ahuru a’era, ua pahe’e ihora te
tai, hi’o ihora raua ta’ata e te vahiné te
viriviria ri’i o te mou’a ; ru’i fa’ahou, o
te tapotura’a o te mou’a, te teitei haere
ra’a.
Ua parau ihora : “Ua màha te
riri o Ta’aroa tahi Tumu !
Ua pohe,
ua ririo te tai, ua pa’apa’a te tai, ua ta’a
ra taua i te moari nei
Te hui hoa, ua
pohe, te hui ari’i ua pohe, te fenua ua
pau, e te mou’a ua va’u ti’iti’i hia !
Ë
pohe rahi teie, e manava huhui noa ’tu
a taua,
e tatua noa ’tu i te opu i te
taura, e pohe atu a taua ’to’a !”
Ua horohia te mou’a, ua i’i te peho i
ofafa’i ; e ia huru papamarô roa ra
fenua, oriori haere a’era taua na ta’¬
ata to’o piti ra, purara a ’tura te pua’a,
te uri, te moa, e te ’iore, haere ana’e
attira e imi haere i te ma’a na ratou iho.
pohe haere noa ra te ia i roto i te ana
ri’i, o to ratou ia apo’o i raro iho nei
i te tai.
Ua tahiri paoo hia te fare ua
ana’e te marae.
Ua unu a’era te mata’i, te haere noa
ra te manino i te rahira’a, e manino roa
a’era i ni’a i te fenua, te mairi noa
maira te mau ofàfa’i e te mau ra’au i
taihi tumu hia ra, e o te pe’e i te puahi’ohi’o i ni’a roa i te reva o te topatopa mai i ni’a i te fenua mai te ua
rotu ra.
Te pe’ape’a à te pe’ape’a mai
te ra’i mai.
Ua na’o atura te vahiné :
“E hoa, i
ora mai nei taua i te miti e te
vai, e
e pohepohe atu
ra taua i teie nei mau
ofafa’i e te ra’au e mairi haere mai nei !
Ei hea ra taua e noho ai?”
maruarua
Neneva ’tura raua, ua parau ihora te
tane ;
“E ’ô atu vau i te tahi apo’o ei
nohora’a no taua, a pohe a’e ho’i taua i
te mairihia e teie nei mau ofa’i e te
ra’au !”
O ihora oia i te rua i te taha mou’a,
i te pae fa’a vauvau atura i te nonoha
pohe miti, nina ’tura i te one i te
aiiaha, opani atura i te papa. A noho
raua
i roto mai te poia
riaria e te moe-
no
the
open
over
mountain
■
océan
Uittle-Tahiti
left
was
when the sea
and his wife
looked and beheld the tops of the mountains
just appearing; another night
passed, and the mo,untain ranges were
rising. Then they said : “The anger of
Ta’aroa, the unique foundation, is appeased ! The s'ea is calm, it has gone
down, it is dry, but we are left between
subsided,
and
the
heaven and earth.
man
Ail
friends
otir
are
dead, our chiefs are dead, the land is
destroyed, and the mountains are clean
shorn !
This is a great disaster ; were
brace
to
our
intestines
between
planks, were we to girdle our abdomens
with ropes, still we also must die !”
Upon the mountain were landslides,
and the valleys were filled with stones ;
and as the land got dry, those two pen¬
sons walked abroad, and the hogs, dogs,
fowls, and rats went forth ; they al!
their own way to
for themselves.
went
ment
Neoneo haere noa ’tura te fenua i te
ta’ata pohe, te pua’a te uri e te moa,
ho’e ana’e tiraha noa ra’a.
Te pohe-
surface
above [the surface].
Ten nights thus passed,
we
te
te
Like
water.
the
was
seek nourish-
There was putréfaction upon the
dead people, hogs,
do.gs,
land
and
fowls, that were ail lying side by side.
Fishes were dying in little caves in
which they had lodged while beneath
from
the
sea.
Ail
the
houses
were
swept
and the temples had fallen down.
When the wind was dying out, and
calmness
was
spreading everywhere
upon the land, there were stones and
whole trees that had been torn iip by
the roots and carried high into space by
the whirlwind falling thickly to the
earth like heavy rain.
Trouble after
away,
trouble
came
from the skies.
Then the woman said: “Friend, we
hâve been saved from the sea and fresh
and now we shall die by the
falling of these stones and trees that
are
coming down!
Where s'hall we
water,
dwell ?”
They looked around, and the husband
said :
“I shall dig a hole for us to
dwell in, or we shall die from the fall¬
ing of these stones and trees !”
dug a chamber on the side of
mountain, facing a valley, laid the
floor with grass that the sea had killed,
strewed sand at the entrance, and closed
it with a stone slab.
Then they staid
And he
a
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
a
fa’aro’o noa'
topara’a o te ofa’i e te
ra’au, e mea harviru rahi ia, e te pina’i-
moe
mehameha,
te
e
ai
raua
i
nai
noa
ra
te
te fa’a i te haruru.
ri’i a’era
vara
tahi
noa
a’era.
roa
ihora,
Tia’i attira
ra,
e
ra
topara’a mai,
mao
roa
raua
e
E vara-
aéra,
ru’i
tatai
ua
màmû
ho’e
atu,
ra’au
ua
a’era, ua pohe roa taua mata’i ino
ao
e
te
’ore
ua
topa mai.
roa
te
ofa’i
e
te
E ra’i aneane to ni’a, ti’ati’a
’tura raua i rapae, o te pu niou’a ana’e
ra
ia i te puera’a i mua i te aro.
’Ao’re e ra’au, o te repo uraura ana’e
ai,
ra
maro
e te papa e te mato purepure ; ua
te fenua.
roa
there painfully hungry, lonely and
frightened, for a night and a day, listening to the falling of the stones and
trees.
The report of them was very
loud, and the valleys resounded with the
echoes.
The falling gradually became
less, then single, until it ceased, and
there was perfect silence.
But they waited one night longer, and
when day came the bad wind had quite
abated, and the falling of the stones and
trees had quite ceas'ed.
A cloudless sky
was overhead when they stood outside,
and only the bare mountains met their
gaze.
There were no trees, but only
in
the red soil and stratum rock, and spotted boulders lying exposed; the land
was
To
tapi
roa
ia popoura’a i tahatai, tapihaere attira i te fare ’ore ; ua nina
hia te pu ra’au rarahi, ’a’ore rà
rauoro,
’a’ore
more,
’a’ore
a’eho ei ato i te fare ahiri i fa’ati’ahia
te ra’ati.
Ua ha’apapa noa ihora raua
i te ra’au roroa ei parurti a’e no raua.
E araea e te ia te ma’a i i a’e ai te opti.
O tahi nei arti’i, e poipoi a’era, fanau
ihora ia vahiné, to’o piti, e maeha’a,
tamàroa e te tamàhine.
Ua mihi ihora
taua na mettia ra i te ma’a ’ore na to
raua tamari’i.
’A’ore a’e e taro i te tia’a
ra’a, a’o’re
ava
i te paia’a
ra’a, ’a’ore
meia i para i ni’a, ’a’ore to i te farara
ra’a. ’A’ore aa ri’i i itea noa iho, ahiri
ho’i e pohiri ri’i a’e i tupti mai.
Ua
mihi ato’a raua i te veve ; ’a’ore pu’ti-
pti’ti, ’a’ore ’orâ, ’a’ore atite ia tutu i
ha’a ei tapa vehi a’e no te tamari’i !
Fanau fa’ahoti ihora
te
greatly perplexed because of
house ; ail the clusters of
great trees were
leveled down, but
there were no coconut leaves, no fare
leaves, and no purau bark, or reeds to
use for thatching a house if thev erected
the wood.
So they simply stacked long
pôles together and formed a shelter for
themselves. Red clay and fish were their
only food to fill the stomach.
One night passed, and morning came,
and
were
having
no
then the
a
woman
was
boy and a girl.
delivered of twins,
The father and moth-
bewailed the famine because of their
children.
There was no taro blossomer
ing,
no
were
no
there
ward.
sending out roots ; there
ripe bananas above them, and
ava
wms
no
sugar-cane
leaning for-
There were no roots to be found.
Ah, if there were only a few scions
shooting up ! They also bewailed their
poverty ; there was no breadfruit tree
bark. no banyan bark, and no paper
mulberry, to beat into cloth for clothing
for the children !
vahiné, ho’e
nei arti’i e poipoi a’e ua fanau te tama ;
’a’ore à i mâ’ahia, ua pa’ari te tamari’i.
te
I roa a’era te tahatai i te ta’ata a’ahu
’ore !
O te matahiapo ra, ua taoto ia
i to’na mûri a’e, e tei mûri a’e, taoto
atura ia i to’na mua.
A’ita
quite dry.
Then they went down to the seaside.
raua
nia’ti, ’a’ore
447
The
woman
was
again delivered of
children ; one night would pass, and as
the day came a child was born ; the
food had not yet grown when the chil¬
dren got matured.
The shores became
with
people not
The elder child married the
thickly
populated
younger,
and the younger child married
dressed !
the elder.
rea
ta’ata, api
noa
roa
iho tau
ua
pahute te
a’era te fenua i
te ta’ata
api. O taua na ta’ata ra te fa’atupu-ui,
to’o piti noa iho raua, te tane e te va¬
=
The statement that only one couple
fusion of the history of Adam and Kve.
It was not long before there was a
multitude of people ; the land was filled
with a young nation. That one couple”
were the progenitors ; the man and his
peopled the land after the fîood
seems
to
be
a
con¬
448
Bernicc P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
hine i api ai Tahiti-nui e Tahiti-iti i te
ta’ata i mûri a’e i te paura’a i te miti.
Area te ra’au, tupu atura ia, ruperupe
maira te ferma.
Ho’e nei po e ho’e ao,
ua hotu atura te maiore, ua oteo a’era
ha’ari, ’a’ore e ma’a i toe i te hotu.
te
Hi'o atura e ta’ata i te fatara’a o te
ma’a i te ominira’a o te pua, ru’i toru
noa iho nei te tupura’a, ua -ahune roa te
fenua i te ma’a. Ua ’ai atura i te ma’a
paia maitai atura.
e
fare, tutu atura
ha’a, ahua mai nei te ta’ata i te
Ato hia ’tura te ma’a
i te
ahu.
Totoro
fenua.
atura
te
hue i
ni’a i te
E inaha, te vai noa nei Tahiti!
Te
heeuri nei, te i nei te peho e te mou’a i
te mau mea ora e i te ma’a.
Te i nei
o aro-rua i te i’a, e ’a’ore tamutera’a o
te ma’a!
Te ti’a noa mai ra ho’i o
Pito-hiti i te to’oa i Tahiti.
E te vai
noa nei
a
te ofafa’i ta’ata’a i mairi i
ni’a i te fenua ra, e atai noa a’e Tahiti,
mahere ra paha ua mau atura tahi pae i
te repo
were
the means of replenishing
Great-Tahiti and Little-Tahiti with peu¬
wife
ple, after the flood.
As for the plants, they sprang up at
last, so that the land became verdant.
Then in one night and one day, the
breadfruit began to form, the coconut
sheaths were protruding, and no food
was behindhand in developing.
The people looked and saw the fruit
clustering as they developed from the
blossoras, and after only three nights’
growth the land was filled with plenty.
People ate of the food and became well
satis'fied.
Firially, liouses were covered
with thatch, cloth was beaten out, and
people were clothed.
Gourds spread
the land.
And behold, Tahiti
out over
still exists ! It is
valleys and mountains
are filled with living créatures and food.
luxuriant,
the
The
sea
between the shores and the
reefs abounds with fishes and there is
no limit to food! Mount Pito-hiti stands
in the valley of Papeno’o in North Ta¬
hiti, and the loose stones that fell upon
the land are still lying ail over Tahiti;
but perhaps some of them hâve fixed in
the soil.
fenua.
Raiatban Version®
Ua pau a’enei teie fenua i te miti. Ua
te ra’i i te pee ra’a i ni’a, te to’o
rua nau ta’ata e fa’aea ra, e taua raua,
maoro
o
Te-aho-roa, te fatu fare, e o Ro’o te
taua o te
fa’aea i iana
ra.
Ua haere raua i te ho’e tau e taia i
i te moana i roto mai i te a’au. E
tutu Oeo te tautai.
Tae a’era o Ro’o ma Teahoroa i Toamarama, motu iti i te paeau i ni’a i te
Ava rua, noa’a mai ra te oeo i reira. E
tautai manuia rahi, hape a’era ra raua i
roto
te
te
apo’o feo
o
Moana-’urifa,
Ruahatu-tini-rau, atua o
e vahi mo’a roa na’na
Ro’ohia ’tu te taotooto maira Ruahatu i
roto i taua ana i raro i te moana ra,
aita rà raua i ite.
a
This land lias been deluged by the
A long time after the sky was
raised, there resided at Opoa two men
sea.
were
bosom friends, Te-aho-roa
(Eong-breath), who was the host, and
Ro’o, his friend who lived with him.
It happened one day that they went to
fish in deep water within the borders of
the reef and were dragging for pompanos.
Ro’o and Teahoroa arrived at
Toa marama (Rock - of - the - moon), a
who
-
sraall islet
on
the upper side of Ava-
(Double-passage),"' and there they
found pompanos.
Their fishing was' a
rua
but they unguardedly went to
grotto of Ruahatu-tini-rau
(Source-of-fruitful-myriads), god of
Moana-urifa (Sea-of-rank-odor), which
was a very sacred spot to him.
They
happened to arrive just when Ruahatu
was faking a nap in that grotto of the
deep, but they did not know it.
succoss,
the
coral
^
Recited in 1822 by Paora’i, a counselor, and "Vai’au, a priest of Porapora, also by Paoraro,
priest of Ra’iatea; and in 1824 by Pati’i, a high priest of Mo’orea.
^
This passage is the entrance to Uturoa, the capital, northeast of Ra’iatea.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tu’u
Ro’o ma Teahoroa i ta
i tà’ai hia i te ofa’i, i raro
i te tai, mairi attira te tahi matau e te
ofa’i ato’a, i ni’a i te tupuai upo’o o te
atua !
Ara ’tura ia, te haro ra ’oia i
to’na Æuru, mau atura te matua e te
ofa’i i te rima.
Hi’o atura o Ro’o ma
Teahoroa i te otuituira’a o te anave, e
mea
Ro’o and Teahoroa dropped their fish-
atura
mataii
raua
uana
roa,
manao
ihora
raua
e
i’a !
hôoks, which
were attached to stones,
down into the water, and one of the
hooks fell with the stone upon the
Crown
of the head of the god.
Tins
awoke hirn, and as he drew his' Angers
through his hair, he took hold of the
fishhook and stone! Ro’o and Teahoroa
saw the jerking of the line, which was
Ua huhuti maira i te anave i ni’a, e
fatata maira i te va’a, e ina’a ! Ua hi’o
ihora raua i te maevaevara’a o te rotiru
as
roroa
saw
te putuputu !
Ua ta’o atura
“A tae ho’i ia taua e, e ta’ata
teie, e’ere i te i’a ! E tuputupua ia no
te moana !
Ta’ata polie taua !”
e
raua :
E ni’a roa a’era Rua-hatu i te va’a,
hi’o riri maira i taua na ta’ata ra ! Ua
ui maira:
“O vai ’orua na?”
Na’o a’era raua :
“O maua, o Ro’o
ma Teahoroa.”
“Nei?
O vai to ’orua
i’oa ?”
Ua paraua atura Teahoroa:
“O maua
pa'i, o Ro’o ma Teahoroa! ua hara mai
nei maua, i te taiara’a i teie vahi mo’a,
e
fa’aroa
ra
oe
ia
maua
e
te
Ari’i
e !
E ’ore roa maua e hape fa’ahou mai i
teie nei vahi.”
Na ui maira taua tuputupua ra :
‘“E
fetii anei ta ’orua i uta na?”
‘‘E, e fetii to maua i uta i Opoa, i
tae mai ai maua e hî i te i’a na matou.
I toa-marama nei.”
“E vahiné anei ta ’orua i uta na?”
“E, e vahiné ho’i ta maua.”
“E va’a
reira ?”
mataeina’a ato’a ta ’outoti
i
very
vigorous, and they thought that it
fish !
So the3' drew the line, and
it came up towards the canoë, lo ! thej'
was
a
spreading out, long thick hair ! And
they exclaimed : “Woe be to us both,
this is a man, and not a fish !
It is a
monster of the deep !
We are doomed
men
!”
last, Rua-hatu got up into the
and he scowled upon the men !
Then he asked :
“Who are you two?”
They answered : “We are Ro’o and
At
canoë,
Teahoroa.”
“Aye ?
What
are
your
names ?”
And Teahoroa answered: “Asstiredly
are Ro’o and Teahoroa!
We hâve
we
transgressed in coming to this sacred
spot to fish, but forgive us both, O
King! We will never again err in com¬
ing to this place.”
Then the monster asked :
relatives inland?”
“Hâve j'ou
“Yes’, we hâve relatives inland, at
Opoa, which is why we hâve corne here
fish, at Toa-marama.”
“Hâve you wives inland?”
“Yes, we hâve wives inland.”
“Hâve you clans there also?”
to
“E, e va’a mataeina’a ta matou.”
“Yes,
“E hui ari’i ta outou?”
“E, e hui ari’i ho’i ta matou.”
449
we
hâve clans.”
“Hâve you a royal family?”
te
“Yes, asstiredly we hâve a royal
family.”
“Is the princess Airaro (Eat-below),
who is beloved of the gods of the océan,
“E tei reira ho’i ia poti’i ari’i.”
“E tamari’i anei to ’orua i uta na?”
“E, e tamari’i e te mo’otua ho’i.”
“Hâve you children inland?”
“Yes, indeed, we hâve children and
“Tei reira ato’a te poti’i ari’i ra
Airaro. o te here hia e te atua o
moana ?”
o
Na’o maira o Rua-hatu :
“A ti’i na
’orua e parau atu ia ratou ato’a ra e,
e haere mai i tai nei, i Toa-marama nei,
i tenana, eiaha roa e oununu.”
No te poti’i ari’i maitai ra, o Airaro,
’outou e ora ai. Ei Toa-marama nei’ou¬
toti e noho ai auanei, e ta’ata e tae mai
i onei ra e ora ia.
Ua riri ’au ia ’orua i ha’apeapea ia’u,
ua hamani ’ino ’orua ia’u.
E ’ore ra vau
e ’ato aruru i te rave !
E ta’ihi-tumu
roa vau !
Ei teienei ’aru’i e ninahia ’i e
there also?”
“Yes, that princess is certainly there.”
grandchildren.”
Rua-hatu s'aid :
“Go and tell them ail
here, to Toa-marama, immediately; do not delay. Becaitse of the
good princess Airaro, you shall be saved.
You must ail be here, on Toa-marama
ere long, and whoever cornes here shall
be saved. I am vexed with you for disturbing me ; you hâve been unkind to
me.
But I will not only pluck the tips
of the branches, I will overthrow to the
foundation ! This very night will I sub¬
merge Moiint Te-mehani-ave-ari’i (Theto
corne
out
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
450
au
te
niou’a
Te-mehani-ave-ari’i, i
ra,
Opoa a’era, i te miti.
E mou ho’i' o
O vau, O Rua-hatu ari’i
Ra’iatea ato’a.
te tai euea !”
O
Hoho’i hotatara
’tura
noa
Teahoroa i uta, i Opoa,
o
Ro’o
ma
ti’i i to raua
fetii, to raua tamari’i, te mo’otua, ta
raua vahiné; e ti’i i te
pue ari’i e i te
e
va’a-mataeina’a.
Te fàtata
maira
e
tahatai a hi’o te ta’ata no uta, a ite,
te t’iati’a noa ra to raua poniu i te
matautau rahi !
Ua ta’o atura
raua
i to
ato’a i
ratou
‘‘Mai haere tatou i tai, i Toamarama, e noho atu ai i teie nei à !
I
uta ra e,
poroi hia mai rnaua e te ari’i Ruahatu e
eiaha to’otahi
’outou nei e noho i uta
No maua te hara i
o
i teie nei ’aru’i.
riri mai ai ’oia, e
na
’a’uaei
e
ninahia ai
Te-Mehani-ave-ari’i i te tai, eaha ’outou
e ora ai?
E ’ore roa te ho’e e toe noa
iho i uta nei.
O te ta’ata, te moa, te
’uri, te pua’a, e te ’iore o te tae i Tou¬
rna rama
te
ora.”
O Tane-u-poto te ari’i i Opoa i tereira
tau, ei taniahine a’e o Airaro, Ha’aputuputu oioi atura raua i te ari’i vahiné
e te fetii ari’i ato’a, ’a’ita te tahi i
mairi,
fa’auta ana’e hia ihora i ni’a i te motu,
ma te taupùpù ’ore.
Ua fa’aro’o mai te
fetii, o te utuafare o Eo’o ma Teahoroa
e
hope
roa, e
tahi
pae
va’a-mata-eina’a,
E
turi
roa
ana’e ia ; tari’a
i taua parau ra.
Ua ata noa ihora ra
thi pe va’a-mataeina’a I
Amuamu a’era
to’o tahi, fa’aturituri ihora to’o tahi i te
tari’a.
pou
rei pahi atura to ratou, e
Ro’o ma Teahoroa parau
tari’a.
’ore atura ta
i ô i te pû
A fa’aineine, ea ana’e ra tei fa’aro’o
i te parau a Ruahatu o te tai euea !
I
hoe mai te horuhoru rahi i tai i Toamarama.
Ma tapae ihora i reira ni’a te
tahi pae i te va’a te noho ra’a, tei ni’a
te tahi pae i te motu, ’a’ore e muhumuhura’a !
Tera ana’e te manu, te tuturahunui e te manumanu, ata a te atua,
ua
haru ana’e hia e ta ratou iho atua,
i ni’a i te ra’i no taua ati ra.
Roroa ri’i a’era, fa’aro’o ihora te
ta’ata i te mura’a o te tai, te pa’apa’aina ra’a o te tai i ni’a i te uru ra’au
i tahatai, te ahehera’a a te farero e te
u’urura’a e te arearera’a o te miti o te
ha’amo’e i te a’au.
Mai te toa-pu i te moana ra to ratou
fa’aeara’a, te vai marô
noa
ra
o
Toa-
heat-of-the-line-of-kings),
the
at Opoa, in
Ail Ra’iatea shall certainly be
sea.
destroyed. It is I, Rua-hatu, king of the
mighty océan.”
Ro’o and Teahoroa paddled towards
the land to Opoa, with a creepmg sen¬
sation over them as they went for their
families, their children, grandchildren,
and their wives ; and also for the royal
family and their clan.
As they approached the shore, the people saw that
the hair of their
from great fear !
stood
heads
on
end
They said to everybody on shore,
“Corne, let us ail go off to Toa-marama,
and abide there, at once !
King Rua¬
hatu desired us to tell you that nobody
-
the mainland here to-
must
remain
rama
will be saved.”
night.
on
We two hâve trangres'sed and
incurred his displeasure, and soon Mount
Te-mehani-ave-ari’i will be submerged
in the sea, and how could you escape
here?
Not one will be spared here on
the mainland.
Only the people, fowls,
dogs, pigs, and rats that go to 'l'oa-ma-
Tane-u-poto (Man - of - short - banish-
ment)
was the king at that time, and
Airaro was his daughter. They quickly
ass'embled the queen and ail the royal
family, not one of whom was missing,
and they were borne off to the islet
without drawbacks.
Ail the household
of Ro’o and Teahoroa and some of the
people of the clans gave credence to the
message.
But others laughed !
Some
mocked, while others turned a deaf ear ;
they became as deaf posts, as the ears
of ships^ figureheads, so that the words
of Ro’o and Teahoroa could not enter
their ears.
So ail those who heeded the message
from Ruahatu of the mighty océan got
They paddled
ready and paddled away I
great terror, out to Toa-marama.
There they landed; some staid on their
in
canoës,
there
and
was
some
not a
on
the
Sound
to
islet;
be
and
heard
them !
Ail the birds, spiders,
insects, shadows of the gods; were
caught up by their respective deities',
into the skies, for the emergency.
After a while, the people heard the
murmuring of the sea, the crackling of
the branches of the trees by the waves
of the mainland, and the rattling of
coral and the rushing sound of the con¬
among
and
fluent
Like
which covered the reef.
the mid-ocean rock was their
sea
resting place, Toa-marama, and it
was
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
ari’i
te mea tei reira te poti’i
Airaro, i here hia e te atua o
left dry, because of the pres'ence of the
princess Airaro, beloved of the sea gods.
ru’i, te hutu noa ra
ra ia i uta i
splashing upwards and rising high above
no
marama,
ra o
te moana.
Huru tui a’era te
te
te
miti i ni’a,
fenua.
te nina
e
Itea hia na te marania Te-Mehani-aveari’i, e inaha, ua moe roa i te tai ; mai
te moana rahi fa’aaro ra o uta ia hi’o alu.
Area ra taua toa iti i nohohia e te ta’ata
ra, ’a’ore roa i tae’a i te tai, o te huru
ia te huru.
Topa tàue maite ihora to ratou ta’oto
e
ia aahiata, ara a’era, hi’o atura te
pahe’e ra te miti i tua e ia po’ipo’i roa
a’era, ua roroma, ua pa’apa’a roa ’tura
te a’au, ua tohitohi ivi atura.
E hinu'
tai a ia, hape hia ra e a’ita i hutu puai
iho nei te miti.
I hi’o atura te
ta’ata i te fenua, e ua
ofatifati roa hia te ama’a ra’au, ua huri
roa hia te a’a i ni’a, te vai ehuehu noa
ra
te tai i te pehu fenua i tahatai !
Hoe atura ratou i uta i taua po’ipo’i ra,
hi’o atura ratou i te toi paia, i te
farero e te i’a pohepohe e te mau apu
ia, te pue haere noa ra i nia i te pae.
’A’ore roa e ta’ata o uta, ua pau roa ia,
ua
tutumihamihahia ia i te tai. ’A’ore
fare, ua marua te marae, ’a’ore manu i
rere
haere, ’a’ore roa pua’a i te etu
haere ra’a i te fenua, ’a’ore moa i totereo, ’a’ore ’uri i horo haere, ’a’ore e
ma’a i te pu uru.
Ua ano ana’e, ua
ma
na’o roa ino ia, e te i ra te pae
mou’a e te tapotura’a o te mou’a i te
mea pohe, te apu i’a e te
farero e te
feo. Te vai noa ra i reira i teie nei à,
taua
mau
hia ia
e
451
te
mea
feia
o
e
te
tai
ra,
’imi atu.
e
itea
noa
night advanced, the
As the
the mainland.
By moonlight they
Ta-mehani-ave-ar’i
saw
was
sea was
that Mount
completely sub-
merged by the sea; ali inland appeared
like the trackless océan.
But that little
rock’ where the people were was not
reached by the sea; it remained just as
it
was.
They ail fell into
daybreak,
a
deep sleep until
when they awoke and
saw
the sea was gliding out to the océan ;
then in the morning the tide was low,
the reef was quite dry, it stood up com¬
pletely bare. The sea was unrippled as
though it had not just been wildly
tossing.
The people looked toward the land,
and
saw
were
ail
that the branches of the trees
broken and uprooted, and the
along the shore was' mixed with
débris from the soil. Thither they paddled that morning, and they saw slimy
sea
rocks, branches of coral, and dead fishes,
and shells of Mollusca scattered over
the shore.
There were no people in¬
land ; ail were swept away by the sea.
There were no houses, the temples' had
fallen down ; there were no birds flying
about,
no
pigs uprooting the earth, no
fowls crowing, no dogs running about,
and there were no fruits upon the
clumps of trees. AU was desolate, alf
was clean swept.
The sides of the hills
and rising grounds were filled with dead
things, and with Mollusca shells and
branching coral and rocks. The shells
corals from the sea still remain
there, they can easily be found by those
and
who seek them.
Ea’aea ana’e atura te ta’ata i uta,
hoho’i ana’e ihora i to ratou ra fenua i
Opoa fa’aea ’tura ma te mâ’a ’ore. Anoi
noa hia atura te i’a i te ’araea i tereia
tau, i ora mai ai. Ru’i ho’e nei te ra’au
te teoteo fa’ahou ra’a mai ; avae ho’e
nei, ruperupe roa iho ra te fenua, no te
tau atura te mau ma’a toa te tupu.
Ora a’era te hui ari’i e te ta’ata ri’i
o te fanau mai te po mai, e te mau mea
oraora o te fenua, '1
fa’ahou atura te
The people remained on shore; they
returned to their land in Opoa and
were there without food.
They ate red
clay with fish at that time, which saved
their lives.
In one night the trees began
to bud again, in one month verdure covered the land, and then every kind of
food came in its season.
Titus were pres'erved the royal family,
and people that had sprung from
dark period, and the animais of
the
the
®
The islet called Toa-marama is very low, without trees or plants of any kind, and rests upon
shoal of some extent.
It is completely washed over by the sea when the tide is very high, and
it is about a quarter of a mile from the mainland.
It is remarkable that this little
hâve been regarded as t’he place of refuge from the flood, for in order to bave been left
would hâve been in a deep aquatic center, while the reef and mainland were lost to
beneath the waters.
a
speck should
dry, it
view
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
452
fenua i ta ratou hua’ai. Tu’ua fa’alion
hia maira te manu, te tuturahunui, e te
manumanu
ri’i mai te ra’i mai, i ta
-atou mau fa’aeara’a a’ita rea noa iho
tau, tahi attira o te fenua nai huru e
i tei te anotau i mua i te paura’a i te
miti ra.
The land
land.
by them.
sects
their
were
was
again replenished
The birds, spiders, and in-
sent
down front the skies to
dwelling places ; and it
was
not
long before the land appeared as it had
been cluring the period before it was
inundated by the sea.
These two versions of the Deluge in islands of the same
group differ
greatly front each other. In the Tahitian legend no reason is given for the
Corning of the flood or how only one man and his wife were prepared to
meet it and eventually saved ; and the
description of the manner in which
the flood
came
soniewhat resembles the Biblical
account.
The Ra’iatean
legend gives a reason for the flood and describes it merely as a very high
influx of the
sea.
The story of the Deluge is known in some form or other throughout
Polynesia, but these are specimens of the most original versions free front
foreign teachings.
TEMPLES AFTER THE DELUGE'
Ua fao ihora te ta’ata i te marae api
i Ra’iatea e a patu, o Tàhu-’ea ia marae,
O
Rua-hatu te fatu.
Tu-u i te tia’i’o
’Oâ-hî-vari. E tau paturaa marae i hia,
e firi ra’a nape e imi ra’a ura na te atua.
People erected corner stones and built
new marae in Ra’iatea, named Tahu’ea (Magical-deliverance), and Rua-hatu
was
the master of it.
The guardian
placed there was ’Oa-hi-vari (Blacknessa
fishing-in-mud).
It
I au atu Rua-hatu, ari’i o te tai euea,
i Huahine nui, e ua vahi ihora i na ava,
Apo’o-uhu e o Pe’i-hî ; fao ihora i te
o Mata’i-re’a.
Tu’u i te outu i
tai o Manunu-i-te-ra’i, o Vai-ta-raea te
vai.
Pâ ihora i te atua, o Tane.
o
marae,
ua
Au maira Rua-hatu i Huahine iti, e
vahi ihora i te ava, o Fare-re’a.
Au maira Rua-hatu i Mai’ao iti, e ua
vahi ihora i te ava, o Ava-rei ! fao
ihora i te marae, o Pô-’ura, Pâ ihora i
o
Ta’aroa.
Tu-u i te vai i raro
Vai-fa’are, tu’u i te mou’a i ni’a o
te atua o
Ravea.
I
au
a
period of repairing fallen
of seek-
Rua-hatu, king of the mighty océan,
to Great-Huahine, where he broke
swam
open the passages, Apo’o-uhu (Aperature-of-the-parrot fish) and Pe’i-hi (Prayer-for-fishing), and he erected the corner
stones' of the temple Mata-’i-rea (Breezeof-plenty. The cape outside is Manunu-ite-ra’i (Benumbed-of-the-sky), and the
water is Vai-ta-raea (Water-of-over-exertion). That [région] was given to the
god Tane.
Rua-hatu
swam
to
Little-Huahine,
and broke open the passage Fare-re’a
( House-o f-plenty).
Rua-hatu swam to Mai’ao (Sir-CharlesSander’s Island) and opened the passage,
Ava-rei (Pas’sage-with-a-neck) ; then he
erected the corner stones of the temple
Po-ura (Red-night), which was given
to Ta’aroa. The river below is Vai-faare
(Water-in-waves), the mountain above
maira
o
Rua-hatu
Mo’orea, vahi ihora i te
®
was
marae, or braiding sennit, and
ing ura feathers for the gods.
Recited by Pati’i,
a
e
ava
i
ni’a
i toa,
i
o
high priest of Mo’orea.
is Ravea (Means-used).
Rua-hatu
swam
to
opened
a
passage
Mo’orea
in the reef
on
and
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
453
fao ihora i te niarae, o te
(at Afareaitu) named Tia-oua’
(Stand-to-leap) ; then he erected the
corner stones of the temple, Ahuru-atama (Tens-of-children).
The assembly
ground below is Punipuni-area (Hidingin-spaces), the river is Faatoro-manava
(Afïection-going-forth), the mountain is
'Te-fa’aupo’o (The-heading). Rua-hatu
was god himself there.
Au ti’a maira o Rua-hatu i na Tao-eha i tooa, hi’o a’era ’oia i uta, e ua vahi
ihora ’oia i te ava o Tao-te-ha.
Fao
ihora i te marae, o Nu’u-rua i Varari ;
tu’u i te mou’a i ni’a, o Fare-’ea, tuu i
te tahua i raro, o Ta-tere e o Pâ-hoa;
tu’u i te vai, o Taia-miti. O Rua-hatu
iho te atua i reira.
Rua-hatu swam on to Tao-e-ha (Fourconfederates, district of Ha’apiti), in the
west; he looked inland and broke open
Ti’a-oua ;
South
Tu’u i te tahua i raro,
O
Punipuni-area, tu’u i te vai, o Fa’atoro-manava, tu’u i te mou’a, o Tefa’aupo’o. Ei atua Rua-hatu iho i reira.
Ahuru-a-tama.
the passage Tao-te-ha (Say-the-healingprayer, now called Taota).
He set the
stones of the temple, Nu’u-rua
(Double-fieet), at Varari; the mountain
above is Fare-’ea (House-of-refuge), the
assembly grounds below are Ta-tere
(Moving-stroke) and Pa-hoa (Fort-offriends') ; the river is Taia-miti (Dreadof-sea).
Rua-hatu was himself god
corner
there.
e i tô’oa-i-apato’
i Pape-toai, vahi atura i te ava, o
Fa’a-uru po. Fao ihora i te marae, o
Au atura Rua-hatu
erau,
o Mâta’i-re’a, e o Ahuare.
mou’a i ni’a, o Te-ra’i-maoa ; te
tahua i raro, o Tarava; te vai, o Vai-
Te-pua-tea,
Te
ta-ra’a-e-pû,
o
Ue-roa,
o
e o
i reira.
atua
Papapa-reva, o Te-pahu
Tai-moana. O Tane te
proceeded north-northwest,
Pape-toai and opened the passage,
Fa’a-uru-po (Night-piloting).
He set
the corner stones of the temples, Te-puatea
(The - white - flower), Mata’i - re’a
Rua-hatu
to
(Breeze-of-plenty), and Ahuare (Wall'The mountain above is
Te-rai-maoa (The-pierced-sky) ; the as¬
sembly ground below is Tarava (Lieacross) ; the rivers are Vai-ta-raa-e-pu
by-the-waves).
(Water-of-sacredness-and-trumpet), Pa¬
(Consumed-in-depth), Te-pahu
(Closed-in), Ue-roa (Long-struggle).
papa-reva
(Deep-sea).
Tane was
Rua-hatu then swam to
Tahiti and
and Tai-moana
god there.
Rua-hatu i Tahiti, vahi
i
Papara i toa o
Fa’are’are’a.
Fao ihora i te marae o
Maha’i-atea. Ta’aroa te atuta i reira.
Au
atura
atura
te
i
ava
i Tai-arapu,
i te are miti fati
o te pari ; fao ihora i reira i te marae,
’Au maira i tooa i hiti,
tapae atura na roto
Mata-hihae.
Pa ihora te atua,
Tama-ehu, atua no te auahi, i reira.
o
o
Ta’a ’tura te ha’a na te ta’ata, i tu’u
hia e Rua-hatu, i te tau patu ra’a marae,
i mûri a’e i te pau ra’a o te fenua nei i
te miti.
O te aufau teie na Rua-hatu i te ha’amo’a ra’a i taua mau marae i patu
hia ra :
^
The
passage
is
now
opened the passage at Papara in the
South, named Fa’are’are’a (Make-joyful).
He set the corner stones of the temple,
Maha’i-atea (Extensive-mitigation). ’Ta’aroa was the god there.
He swam southeast to Tai-arapu and
landed amid the surging waves of the
bluffs';
and
there
he
set
the corner
(Ëyes-
of the temple, Mata-hihae
flashing-with-rage), which was
stones
given
Tama-ehu (Blonde-child), god of fire.
Thus was set work for the people by
Rua-hatu during the period for erecting
to
temples, after the flood.
Here is the address made to Rua-hatu
in consecrating those temples that were
built:
called Avaraha (Square-passage).
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
454
“Tapu aena, huru ’tu na ! Ora fa’ati’a,
ha’amana, ora fa’aora, ora nui a ma !
ora
la
la
tua
te
va’a taura, e Rua-hatu e !
to fa’a’ai pua’a, to imi ’ura i te
ora
ora
to
motu, to tu’u rahui, to pu’e ta’ata
fenua
pure !”
nei ;
o
tahitia mai i ta matou
“L,et sacredness reign, give praise!
It
is'
deliverance
approved, deliverance
made powerful, deliverance to save, great
purifying deliverance !
Save thy body of priests, O Rua-hatu !
Save thy pig feeders, thy feather seekers
on
the atolls, thy restrictors, thy
people inhabiting the land, harken to our
prayer.”
The site of the Tàhu-’ea marae in Ra’iatea is
forgotten by the people,
but in 1886 the old chieftain, Tataura (mentioned on page 454), spoke
of a grand marae in a good State of préservation having been accidentally
brought to light from an overgrowth of ferns and Convolvulus and great
trees, upon the western slopes of Mount Te-mehani, by cattle grazing.
This probably is the forgotten marae. It was built upon elevated ground
and on the side of the mountain most sheltered from tempests, perhaps
in order to save it from ruin in the event of another deluge, as the site
for such a marae was usually chosen upon a prominent point.
In Huahini-ite is a marae called Tàhu’ea (Magical-deliverance), which was prob¬
ably so named in the remote past after the notable Ra’iatean structure, in
which case a consecrated stone must hâve been taken from it and placed
there for a new marae of that name.
In memory of ’Oâ-hi-vari, the god of quagmire, also called Hae-i-te-’oâ
(Fierceness-of-blackness), as guardian of the marae, Tàhu-’ea, the follow-
ing lines hâve been handed down :
Te varua mana
Thou art the great spirit,
Hae-i-te-’oa, at Tahu-’ea;
oe,
Hae-i-te-’oâ, i Tàhu-’ea,
E taata oe no Vaiuru e I
A
thou art of Vaiuru
man
waters).
This god was said to rise in the form of
a man
(Haunted-
in the stillness of
night and shoot up very high into the air, a phenomenon that could
be seen in ancient times by those who watched for it.
(See p. 376.)
A prince of Raivavae (Sky-pushed-up) of the Austral Islands, named
Maha’i (Mitigator), who was educated in France and lived in Tahiti
until his death in 1905, stated that the god Rua-hatu had a home in the
the
Raivavae,® and that it was from thence that he went on his
When the Tahitians saw him, a merman on the
shore at Papara, they enquired who he was, and he answered, “B atua vau
i te maha’i atea” (I am a god of extensive mitigation), and hence the
name of the spot where he landed and of the marae built upon it.
This
was also the origin of the ancestral name held sacred by the royal family
of Ra’ivavae.
The island of Tubua’i, mentioned in the création chant
reef
of
visits among the islands.
®
people.
The island
of Raivavae is given
as
Vavitu
on
some
maps—a
name
strange to
the native
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
455
having sprung from the head of the great octopus, Tumu-ra’i-fenua, is
miles southeast of Raivavae in the same group.
as
lOO
TANE’S VOYAGE AND STRUGGLE WITH
ma Rua-nu’u, e te vahiné a
’Aruru, e na tahu’a e rua, o
’Oina ma Fafa, a fano i aitu tere.
A
fa’atere i te va’a, o Fa’atere-apu, e Maoae te mata’i a pù à i te fa’atere, e tere
noa ihora na te tua ra’i e tae roa a’era i
te Apu o Atea, tata ’tu te tere, a iri te
va’a, tu paopao ’tura te va’a !
O Tane
Tane,
o
ATEA
Tane and Rua-nu’u and ’Aruru (Col-
lector), Tane’s wife, with the two arti¬
sans, ’Oina (Swiftness) and Fafa (Tofeel), set out on a voyage of deity.
They sailed in the canoë, Fa’atere-apu,
by the northeasterly wind which blew
for
the
sailing,
and they passed
through ail the skies unobstructed until
they reached the dôme of Atea, when
the sailing was retarded, and the canoë
became stranded and stood
fao’tere, a oineine i te
A pe’e tau tara te fa’atere,
A tara oiri te
Atea !
a tutui
tahito ra i te ra’i o Atea !
A
ui i na tahu’a o ’oina ma Fàfà; na ta¬
hu’a ia i tôtôhia i o atu te tari’a atau o
Atea, ia fa’anu’u atu, ’a’ore i nu’ua !
aro
o
A ti’a ra Tane i ni’a i to’na va’a
i tae i te tere aitu nei !
i ’ore
Tao
atura
Tane : “O vau teie, o Tane i te
Vai-ora ! O taua tupu i te aroaro nei ia
atura
purara, o
Atea ia tina’i !”
tau
o
e, o
“E mata’i ta’u, o te hui ta mua; e
mata’i ta’u, o te hui ta raro; e matai
ta’u, o te hui ta mûri !”
“E Tane e, e hia Atea ia ’oe? E
tama’iti Tane, e matuatua ovau, o
Atea, na’u ’oe i fanau e Tane ! O na
tapu nei ra e
hia ’tu ai Atea ia oe?”
"E tapu ta’u
e
hia ’tu ai
oe
Atea !”
Pûa rà e Tane i na hui mata’i ato’a ra
huita marna mai ra i ni’a ia Tane, hiahia i onei atu ra ia Atea !
Na tapu
ato’a o Tane ra, i marna hia onei atu ia
Atea !
a Tane i to’na va’a, a tere
hiti, i tere noa e a tau a hiti !
E rua i te hiti’a-o-te-râ, e rua i te
tô’o’a-’o-te-râ, fenua puautau, fenua ma¬
ta’i ona.
Te va’a a pae i te pae onei
atu o atu a pae i te etu hapai.
Te teni,
i hiti te teni, e ava o roto, i Vavau
te ava, i Vavau i Tahiti nui rua papa !
A fa’atere
a
tau a
Tau tape ia ie, ta’ai na i teni. O Tane
rà i ui na i te vahiné, ia ’Aruru !
“E
direc¬
tion, but were repulsed by the presence
of Atea !
Enchantments were thrown
out to sail by, but derisive fiâmes appeared in the skj’ of Atea ! The arti¬
sans
’Oina and Fafa were consulted;
and
these
artisans
struck
the
outer,
right ear of Atea to make him move
off, but he was unmoved !
Now Tane stood tip in his canoë,
which could not go on the voyage to
deity ! And Tane exclaimed : “This is
I, Tane of the living waters ! Let this
growth of lining be dispersed, let Atea
be
Atea : “E Tane
mata’i e hia ’i Atea ia ’oe?”
Ua ta’o maira
indented!
Then they sailed in a slanting
more.”
no
And Atea answered :
“Oh, Tane,
what wind hast thou to cause Atea to
fall?”
“I hâve wind, ail the head winds ; I.
hâve wind, ail the inner winds ; I hâve
wind, ail the winds from behind !”
“O Tane, can Atea fall by thee? Thou
art but a lad, but I, Atea, am a vigorous
elder ; it was I who begat thee, Tane !
But by what force can Atea fall by
thee?”
“T
hâve
force
that
will
make
thee
So Tane caused ail the
winds to blow at once, and they fell
only lightly sideways upon Tane, but fell
fall, Atea !”
short of Atea !
came short of
Ail the forces of Tane
affecting Atea !
So Tane set sail again in his canoë ;
he sailed on from âge to âge, and continued to sail from âge to âge !
They
came to
an abys's
in the east and an
abyss in the west; they passed land
with rushing tides and land with light
The canoë beat hither and
thither, into contrary currents. Shoals
became visible, and a harbor within ; at
breezes.
Vavau
(Papeno’o)
was
the harbor. Va-
456
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
’Aruru e, e nafea ra ta’u va’a e u ae i
rapae nei?
Nao atu nei o ’Aruru;”
erns!
,
“E nafea ’urà !” A hi’o maitai Aruru, na o attira :
“Na uta, e iia tai, e na
rapae
mai ’oe,
e
to’oto’o a’e i te tahi
I to’oto’o a’e Tane
ha’ati’a o te ra’i na.”
to’oto’o i te tahi
ha’ati’a o te ra’i ; a mauu i te tua i raro
a’e i te ra’i tu matoru !
uta
na
tai,
na
e
e
a
A ta’o atu a ’Aruru: “To’oto’o a’e ’oe
te tera ’tu a uiau o te rai, na o, e
a’ereere, o tai atu, o te ra’o atu, o te va
atu.”
To’oto’ohia i reira e Tane, e
i
a’ereere,
hinuhinu tai !
A tata ra
te va’a, o Tane atura
mauri, ei ahu no te tai ! Ua tae atura
e
Tane i te tai i
mauri taua na atua o te ra’i hamama ra
i to raton tere aitu !
Tei Vavau atura
ratou.
Paupau atura te aho o Tane, a fa’aea
na
i
va’a. Tane a ti’a
hi’o, i hihi’o, i mamapu
i te tua poro o te
ni’a, Tane
a
Tane ! E mânava ta Ro’o te ro’oro’o e
te nu’u atua o te ao nei i taua feia tere
aitu ra.
A
opua
Tane
ma
Hoani i te haere
i raro roa ia Ta’ere ra, fano atura i
reira. E manava ta Taere ia raua, ta’o
atura :
“O
te mau mea
oe
Tane nui, atua o
tena, e
purotu?”
Ua ta’o a’era Tane : “O vau ho’i teie,
Tane nui i te mata a’a ra’i, i te mata
tuiau i to Ro’o te ro’oro’o !”
o
“A tahi tere nui to oe?” E tere nui
to’u ia Ta’ere maopoopo nei!”
“Ahiri !”
“Fa’ahope roa mai na oe i to maopoopo
ia vai atoa mai i roto ia’u nei.”
“Ua ti’a roa ia ia’u e ta’u taeae.”
*
*
îH
a
aitu
o
taua
mau
tu’u fa’ahou te va’a
o te ra’i
Tane i tua.
atua
o
And ’Aruru said again :
“Push on
towards that other point in the sky
over there ;
there is a haven, free from
the océan, free from obstacles, free
from
towering waves.”
So
Tane
pushed on thither, and there was' the
haven, with smooth sea !
Then Tane
bailed out the sea from the canoë, and
thus did Tane become a bailer of the
sea !
So those gods from the open sky
arrived on their journey to deity. They
had reached Vavau (Papeno’oÉ
Tane
out
of breath, and he
little while in the bows of the
canoë.
Tane stood up, Tane whistled,
he whistled and breathed heavily! Ro’o,
the famous, and ail the host of gods of
this World welcomed them that had
was
rested
a
corne
on
a
voyage
of deity.
Ta’ere,
and
Tane and Hoani propos'ed going down
below,
to
ra,
Mairi maira Vavau, mairi maira te
teni.
O Tane a fa’aô i to’na va’a na’o
so
they
flew
there.
Then Ta’ere welcomed them,
and he said :
“Is, that thou, great Tane,
god of ail things beautiful?”
Tane
answered :
“This
is
indeed
I,
the
skies, whose eyes unité with those of
Ro’o, the famous !” “Thou hast a great
great
Tane, whose
eyes
measure
errand ?”
‘T hâve a great errand here, to Ta’ereof-all-skill !”
“Show it.”
“Impart ail the skill that thou hast in
thee to me, that I may possess it also.”
“I ani quite willing, my brother.”
*
Ua fa’aea a’era Tane ia Ta’ere ra, e
tau ê maira,
A mau roa te pa’ari o
Ta’ere maopoopo ia Tane. Ho’i mai nei
Tane i ni’a i te ao nei. Hope atura te
tere
in great Tahiti of the rocky cavThe sails were reefed. in and
tied, out on the shoals. And now Tane
asked his wife, ‘Aruru :
“O ’Aruru,
what shall we do with my canoë in péril
out here?”
Aruru answered :
“What indeed !” Then she looked out
well and said :
“Turn inland, and turn
out and push along ivith the pôle and
make one circuit of the sky.” And Tane
pushed in and out with the pôle, and
he made one circuit of the sky; then
thére was a grating sound in the océan
undèr the lowering sky.
vau
*
*
Tane dwelt with Ta’ere for a period,
and he obtained ail the science of Ta’ere-of-all-skill in himself. Then he returned to this world.
Thus ended the
of deity, of those gods of the
skies, and Tane’s canoë set out to sea
again.
Vavau receded, the shoals were left
behind.
And Tane gulded his canoë
visit
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
a,
na
te fenua
a
tau
e
mata’i ona, nao a, na te
fenua puautau.
A fa’atere a na te rua
i to’o’a e na te rua i te hitia, i tere noa
a
hiti, a tau e a hiti, e tae roa
o te ra’i o Tane !
’tura i te Vai-ora
a to’oia ia Atea !
Ruanu’u a apo’opo’o ! Ua
ta’o atura Tane; “O vau teie! O Tane
tupua i te mata hoa rau, o Tane hoa
nui, Tane hoa ra’i ! E taua e tupu i
Tane i ti’a i ni’a,
O Tane
ma
i
te
teienei
tina’i !”
aroaro,
te
atua o
Atea
e
atura
o
Ruanu’u :
“Ua riri
’oe, e te tamaiti purotu a te
atua, e Tane e !”
Ta’o
maoti
“Na riri au!”
“Eaha tau maha’i e
Tane hi’a ’i Atea
’oe?
E tamaiti e ’oe, e Tane, e
ta’ata metua o Atea, e ta’ata matuatua
o Atea.
Na Atea ’oe i fanau, e Tane !
ia
E Tane e !
Mai raro maoti ’oe i te
fare tahu’a ia Ta’ere, tau maha’i i roa’a
mai i te fare tahu’a o Ta’ere maopoopo?”
“E, mai reira mai au !
i roa’a mai !
Te hui ta
E maha’i ta’u
mua,
te
hui ta
roto, e na hui ta mûri, ia Atea ra, tei
ia Tane ia !
E ru’uru’u vau i te moana
o te ra’i, e meha’a i te tai o te ao, i te
taura, e heheu atu ai.
E to a, e fa’atae
e
au.
O maro e rere ei ara no Tane,
e
tû fa’arere atu e tû fa’arere mai ; e
arere o manu iti
i raro e ti’i ra i te
ha’a fa’aoti o Ta’aroa tuhi mate.”
457
again along the land of light winds, and
way of the land of rushing tides,
They sailed again by the abyss in the
west and the abyss in the east, and continued to sail from âge to âge, and from
âge to âge, until they reached Vai-ora
(Living-water) in the sky of Tane!
Tane stood up and declared war
against Atea !
He held council with
Ruanu’u !
And thus he spoke :
“This
is I ! Tane who grew up in the midst
of many friends, Tane of great friends,
Tane of heavenly friends !
War shall
now rage against the lining;
the god,
Atea, must be annihilated !”
by
Ruanu’u answered :
“Thou
art angry,
doubt, O Tane, handsome son of the
gods !”
“I am angry,”
“What means hast thou, Tane, to
cause Atea to
fall?
Thou art but a
lad, Tane, and Atea is a parent; he is
a
vigorous elder.
It was Atea who
gave thee birth, Tane !
O Tane, thou
no
hast
sans
corne
then from the hous'e of arti¬
where Ta’ere is, what means hast
thou obtained from Ta’ere-of-all-skill ?”
“Yes, I hâve corne from thence !
I
hâve obtained means !
Ail that is fore-
most, ail that is secondary, and ail that
is last, possessed by Atea, shall become
Tane’s !
I shall bind the océan of the
sky, and
ensnare
the seas of the world
with a rope and then let them break
forth.
I shall draw and scatter them,
My loin girdle shall fly to clear the way
for Tane, it shall stand to fly away and
stand to fly back, and the little bird
messenger shall go down to fetch the
finishing stroke of Ta’aroa, whose course
’E’ita o Atea e mate ia ’oe e Tane
e! e tamaiti e ’oe, e ta’ata metua Atea,
na Atea ’oe i fanau !
E Tane, e Tane e !
Eaha tau maha’i e hi’a ’i Atea ia ’oe?”
“
Ruanu’u e, eiaha ’oe e fa’ataià
mai !
E maha’i ta’u !
E hoa ho’e nei
e ha’ari huia ’tura ia te ra’i o Atea !”
“E
“E ’ore Atea e hi’a i tereira, e Tane !
Mai raro ra ho’i ’oe i te fare tahu’a o
Ta’ere, e Tane e, eaha ’tu a tau maha’i
i noa’a
mai?”
a ta’u !
Ta’u ta’o toa
Vero-ra’ai e puta roa ia te apu,
E upu e taora ’tu ai au, e fa’atano ia
Atea ia mate roa,”
“E maha’i atu
nei
o
is death.”
“Atea will not die by thee, O Tane !
Thou art but a child, Atea is a parent ;
it was he who begat thee !
Tane, O
Tane! What means hast thou to cause
Atea to fall?”
“O Ruanu’u, do not dispirit me !
I
hâve means ! A single flash of lightning
will make the sky of Atea become as a
pricked coconut !”
“That will not make Atea fall, O
Tane!
But thou hast corne from the
house of artisans of Ta’ere, O Tane:
what other means hast thou obtained
from there?”
“I hâve other means !
Here is my
Vero-ra’ai (Attacking-dart) ;
pierce through the dôme. Incan¬
tations shall accompany it as I throw it
upon Atea, so that he will surely die,”
toa
spear,
it will
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
458
“Haere maite ’oe i te apu, e Tane e !
E tu’u i te apoarau i e tahi hauou ei
mânava na ’oe io Atea, to Ari’i e !
Ei
taraaiti ’oe,
metua.”
Tane,
e
^
5j«
o
Atea
iho
Tane
ra
a
ti’a
a’e
i ni’a
i ilia
i to’na
ra’i, a upu i te ta’o toa, a haere ri’i
maite, ta’ora fa’atano roa ’tura Tane
i te ta’o na te ra’i tua iva e tae a’era i
ni’a ia Atea; ti’a faufa’a’ore noa a’era
te ta’o i ni’a ia Atea, ho’i marna atura
ia Tane ra.
Na tapu nei ra i hia’ahia ’tu i ni’a ia
Atea, i ho’i
noa
mai i ni’a ia
Tane, ’a’ore i
puta i te ta’o
marna
Tane!
Vai aueue ’ore noa ihora Atea
i to’na vahi e ina’a noa nei.
Ei ite
ana’e te hui atua e ’a’ore Atea i mate i
te
upu
mana
a
o
Tane.
A
hihi’o Tane, a mamapu Tane,
i to’na ra ra’i ! A maha te riri o Tane
i ni’a ia Atea, haere e atura Tane !
Tei hea o 'Tane? Terae te haere mai
taui Tane tu i roto ia Tane
iu i vaho.
Eaha tei te rima? E niu’
na raua o Atea, o fetu-rere ei hei ia
Atea, no te ’opû nui haparapara ia
Atea, “Ta’ai i te ruma ma te tauà, a
nei,
King Atea! Thou art the son, O Tane,
and Atea himself is thy parent.”
îK
O Tane rà i riri a’ena i te apu,
i te apu, i tote i te apu !
O
to
*
“Go gently to the dôme, O Tane!
Présent a peace-offering in the rear to
obtain a welcoine for thee from thy
ua
titiri ê atu i te ra’i !
A ti’a te avae a
ua i te po, a ti’a te ra, a ua i te ao i te
aroaro o Atea, ei purotu,
ei ruperupe
no te fenua, no te ao o Ro’o te Ro’oro’o.”
O te ta’o teie a Tane a na’o atu ai
ia Atea :
“E tama’i a’e i te poipoi ia
hau a’e i te ahiahi ; e tama’i a’e i te
ahiahi ia faite a’e i te poipoi, i te taeae
nei.”
^
îf<
But Tane was vexed for a time with
the dôme ; he was' enraged with the
dôme ; he spoke angrily of the dôme !
Now Tane stood up in his sky, he
ised enchantments upon his toa spear, he
walked gently along,
and lanced his
spear adroitly through nine skies onto
Atea,. but it stood without power upon
him and rebounded lightly towards Tane.
Thus ail the forces stealthily directed
towards Atea returned without effect
to
Tane !
And Atea has stood unmoved in his place to this day. AU the
hosts of gods were witnesses to testify
that Atea did not die by the enchant¬
ments of Tane and that the mighty spear
of Tane did not pierce him.
Tane whistled and breathed heavily
in his sky !
Then his anger was ap-
peased, and he went away!
Where is Tane?
There he is
Corn¬
ing; Tane who stands within is trans-
formed into Tane who stands without.
What is in his hand? A peace-offering
for himself and Atea ; it is a shooting
star for a token of deference to Atea,
for the great encientc full of ripeness
of Atea.
“Bind up ail gloom and war
and cast them away from the skies !
As the moon rises, let it rain at night;
as the sun rises let it rain in the day-
time, from the lining of Atea, to beautify and fertilize the earth, the world
of Ro’o, the prayer chanter.”
to
This is what Tane said as he remarked
Atea :
“When strife arises in the
morning, let it be peace in the evening;°
when contention arises in the evening
let it be réconciliation in the morning
between kinsfolk.”
THE CANOË OF TUMU-NUP
A rara’o te Tumu-nui i to’na va’a i
ni’a roa i te mou’a ra i Orohena o Vaitu-huhua taua va’a o te Tumu ra.
A
tuhura te va’a o te Tumu i te vai o te
mou’a,
roto
^
peace.
a
topa i
taua
The Polynesian Word nnt,
va’a
ra
ia
Te Tumu-nui prepared himself a canoë
the top of Mount Orohenà, and its
name was Vai-tu-huhua
(Water-on-theon
summit-of-the-mountain). As Te Tucanoë s'ported in the waters of the
mu’s
literally meaning “palm,” is generally known
as
the emblem of
This reasoning resembles the Scripture passage:
“Let not the sun go down upon your
wrath.”
Kphesians 4: 26.
^
Received from Pao-raro and Rai-tupu, hîgh priests of Porapora, and by Tamere, a Tahitîan
2
high priest.
Henry'—-Ancient Tahiti
Vai-tuhura-i-te-aro-o-te-Tumu. I to’ia
i te farau, a topa i taua va’a ra, o Vaivai-farau-i-te-aro-o-te-T umu.
459
mountain lake, it was nanied Vai-tuhurai-te-aro-o-te-Tumu
(Water-playing-inthe-presence-of-Tumu). The canoë was
drawn into a shed and then it was
Vai-vai-farau-i-te-aro-o-te-Tumu
(Water--of-the- shed-in-the-presence-ofTumu).
named
te
Fa’aterehia te va’a e te Tumu a topa
i’oa O tatia va’a ra, o Vai-tie-fa’anu’-
ua-i-te-aro-o-te-Tumii.
I vai
a
in-the-presence-of-Tumu).
tau na taua
va’a ia te Tumu
i moeapohia ’tura e Tane i te'po
a topa Tane i te i’oa o taua va’a ra, o
Ahura-moemoe-a-pô. Riro attira ia va’a
ia Tane. I heuea e Tane, i ni’a i to’na
ra ra’i, te ra’i tini hamama, a topa i te
ra,
i’oa i taua va’a ra, o
Te Tumu sailed in his canoë, and
named it Vai-tie-fa’anu’ua-i-te-aro-o-teTumu ( Water-carried-and-moved-away-
Ra’i-heuea-a-Tane,
That canoë remained for a period
with Te Tumu, when it was seized one
night by Tane, and he named it Ahura-
(Fisherman’s - prayer - inThen the canoë was
Tane’s.
And he threw it up into his
s'ky, the tenth open sky, when it was
moenioe - a - po
night-dreams).
named
Rai-heuea-a-Tane
(Sky-thrown-
sailed
in
by-Tane).
A fa’atere Tane i to’na va’a i te ra’i
hamama o Tane, te vai pi ri mai ra te
apu
A topa i te i’oa o taua
Fa’atere-apu-i-te-aro-o-Tane.
Atea.
o
va’a
ra,
o
Ta Tane ana’e ia mau i’oa i topa i te
riro ra’a mai ia Tane taua v’a ra.
Tane
his
canoë
his
clear
sky, but the dôme of Atea was
close up against it. And the canoë was
named
Fa’ate r e apu - i - te - aro - o - Tane
open
-
(Cruiser-of-the-dome-in-the-presence-ofTane). Ail these were the names that
Tane gave the canoë after it became his.
RU AND HIS SISTER HINA
Ru AND Hina Explore 'The EarthI-
(Transplanter), who raised the .sky from the earth, prepared his
Te-apori (The-hull), to circumnavigate the earth with his sister
Hina-faauru-vaa ( Gray-the-canoe-pilot).
Rû
canoë,
prepared his canoë, he looked around and observed the appearmarked the boundaries in rotation as follows :
The east he called Te-hitia-o-te-ra (The-rising-of-the-sun), the west TeAs Rû
of the world, and he
ance
tooa-o-te-ra
(The-setting-of-the-sun), the south he named Apato’a, and
Apatoerau; the southeast he named Hitia-i-toa, and the northeast Hitia-i-toerau ; the Southwest he named Tooa-i-toa, and the northwest
the north
Tooa-i-toerau.
The
Tahitians.
south is
always mentioned before the
north by
for a sail and cords to tie it to a mast in the center of
procured, and Rû and his sister embarked on their canoë
Rû sat astern with his great paddle for steering in sailing and
A strong mat
the
canoë
Te-apori.^®
^2
out
were
Recited in 1824 by
Polynesia.
Pape-au, a Tahitian
scbolar.
Characters mentioned are known through-
The article te applied as a prefix to names takes the place
being required in Tahitian in the third person singular or plural to
of o, either one or the other
complété the sense.
460
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
smaller
a
paddle to use in calms or for plying against the tide in meeting
with head winds; Hina sat in the bows of the
and thus they sailed away.
A paepae
ia
ao
ae
a
Rû i te va’a i te
reva
’tu ai.
po
A fano i
raa,
Hitia,
i Tahiti-iti, o Mo’orea e ae a
mata’i, e i Tahiti-nui ia Hiti-i-teara-piopio. A haati i tereira na fenua.
A fano atu a o Rû ma ; ua oti ana’e te
tae
i
aéra
te
fenua i te tuha hia mai
e
raua ;
na
te
apato’a, na te apato’erau mai, na te hitia,
te to’a mai, ua oti ana’e ia i te tuha
hia e Rû toa iti, Rû toa nui, ia Rû i
taai i te fenua, e ia Hina-fa’auru-va’a,
te tuahine ae, na’na teie pehe:
na
canoë
to
watch for land,
Rû lay to at night and sailed on in
the day time.
They sailed east and
arrived at Little-Tahiti, Mo’orea struck
by the wind, and at Great-Tahiti with
Hiti-i-te-ara-piopio (Taiarapu).
They
sailed around those islands,
Rû and
his companion sailed on; the islands
were ail located by them ;
from south
-north, from east to west, they were
ail located by Rû the dear valiant one,
Rû the great valiant one, Rû who ex-
to
plored the earth, and by Hina-faauruvaa,
his sister, whose song was as
follows :
O depths of the rivers !
O coldness of the rivers !
E honuhonu” o te vai e !
E toetoe o te vai e !
E oura ri’i o te vai,
E ihaa’“ o te vai,
Little shrimps of the rivers,
Great shrimps of the rivers',
O prawns of the rivers,
E onana o te vai.
Te ipua o te vai !
O fullness of the rivers !
The waters inland reflecting flowers
That approach and recede !
Ata-pua i te vai i uta na
E hirinai,“ e aea !”
Let the farsighted who dwell
Te mata roa o tia fenua,
A tia
e
a
on
Arise and see !
hi’o,
land
A nana i uta ia tu-mou’a I,
Temata roa o Tia-fenua,
A tia e a hi’o I
E nana i tai ia Te-fatu-moana !
Look inland to the settled mountains !
Let the farsighted who dwell on land,
Te mata roa o tia-fenua,
Let the farsighted who dwell on land,
Arise and
Look
raro
i te aro ia
la
la
la
la
Arise and
tu
poa,” ia ahu poa„”
la ehu nui'° totoro
now
Ihaa is now aura rarahi.
Hiri nai is now faafatata mai.
Aea is now faaateatea ’tu.
For
For
For
For
23
The
see !
on
land,
nooks,
At the great development extending over
the eight directions.””
shortened into Iiohonu.
To poa is now used vahi ruru’a.
ahu poa is now used vahi ahu.
eku nui is now used tupu rahi.
varu is now used na pae e va’u.
cardinal and chief collateral points.
oro
Te-fatu-moana
At the fountains of the surface,
At the waves of the east,
At the waves of the west,
At the stable nooks, at the burning
i orovaru.”
Honuhonu, old Tahitian, is
of
At the jungles and the rushing streams,
At the fountains of the deep,
puna-tau-aro,
i Hiti,
te are i To’a,
are
sea
Look below in the presence of Te-tumu
Te-tumu,
te
te
the
Arise, and behold Atea above !
Let the farsighted who dwell
Te mata roa o tia fenua
A ti’a e a hi’o !
la te meho i te vavai,
la te puna-tau-tua,
see !
(The-lord-of-the-ocean) !
A ti’a, a nana i nia ia Atea ra I
A nana i
over
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Sacred Canoë Song
Tei
mûri
moana
Te-ao-tea-roa, tei
atea !
mua
te
Tei mûri o Rû, tei mua o Hina !
Pehe ihora o Rû :
“Tutai,"^ tutai au i te fenua,
Te-apori, Te-apori e !
Tutai, tutai au i te fenua,
A, mau maite a’e i Maurua.”
A pii ra te tuahine, o Hina,
I nia i te
“E Rû e !
au
Te-apori, O Te-apori!
drawing, drawing [thee] to land,
Now hold steadily on to Maurua’”'
Then cried his sister, Hina,
Upon the foaming waves ;
“O Rû ! land is looming up,
poueru;
E fenua te fa’atautau nei,
Then
nei,
O vai ia fenua?”
“O Porapora ; tu’u i te tiai i nia iho,
O Porapora nui te fanau tahi,
Porapora i te nu’u ai rua,
O Porapora i te hoe mamu,
Porapora i te rau ura mea,
Porapora te fati a nu’u.”
A pehe a o Ru :
“Tutai, tutai au i te fenua,
Te-apori, 'Pe-apori e!
Tutai, tutai au i te fenua,
A mau maite ae i Taha’a.”
Te pii ra te tuahine, o Hina,
I nia i te
“E Rû !
au
poueru :
E fenua te fa’atautau nei,
O vai fenua?”
It
was
Rû sang again :
am drawing, drawing [thee] to land,
Te-apori, O Te-apori!
I am drawing, drawing [thee] to land,
Now hold steadily on to Porapora.”
“I
au
“E Rû e !
am
What land is' it?”
“It is Maurua ; let its watchword be,
Great Maurua forever.”
“Tutai, tutai au i te fenua,
Te-apori, Te-apori e !
Tutai, tutai au i te fenua,
A mau maite ae i Porapora.”
A pii ra te tuahine, O Hina.
poueru,
E fenua te fa’atautau
Ru-®
Behind was Te-ao-tea-roa, before was
the vast océan !
Rû was astern, Hina was ahead !
And thus Rû sang :
“I am drawing, drawing [thee] to land,
I
O vai ia fenua?”
"O Maurua ; tuu i te tiai i nia iho,
Maurua nui te afera.”
A pehe a o Rû :
I nia i te
of
461
cried his sister, Hina,
Upon the foaming waves,
“O Rû ! land is looming up,
What land is it?”
“It is Porapora ; let its watchword be,
Porapora the great, the firstborn,
Porapora of the fleet that consumes two
ways,
Porapora of the muffled'° paddle,
Porapora of the pinlc leaf,
Porapora the destroyer of fleets.”
Rû sang again:
“I am drawing, drawing [thee] to land,
Te-apori, O Te-apori!
I am drawing, drawing [thee] to land, ■
Now hold steadily on to Taha’a.”
Then cried his sister, Hina,
Upon the foaming waves ;
“O Rû ! lând is looming up,
What land is it?”
This chant tells of the return home from Te-ao-tea-roa, or New Zealand of Rn and Hina.
recited in 1886 by Tu-pa-ia, a schoolmaster, who learned it from his aged grandfather,
Ta-taura,
a
raatira (cliieftain) of Motn-tapu, Ra’iatea. Tataitra, who died a year after this
was
given to me, was one of the last of the typical old natives. His fine frame was
scarcely bent witli old âge, but his eyes were dim, and his teeth were gone. When I was introdnced
to
him
and
his
grandson,
Tiipaia, by Mrs.
Charlotte Platt,
who
was
related
to him, he seemed exceedingly pleased to meet the granddaughter of the old missionaries, Henry
and Orsmond, wliom he knew when a young man, and said he had often seen Mr. Orsmond taking
legends down from old Ra’iatean scholars, some of whom were members of his family.
Upon
being asked the favor of hearing some of his valuable stock of folklore, Tataura replied that as he
had no teeth he could not do so; but after a short private consultation with his grandson, he
consented to allow him to recite, which Tupaia did in a most accompHshed, ancient manner.
Being
also a good writer, Tupaia afterwards furnished the copies of the chants, which are credited to him
and his grandfather in this publication.
It is greatly to be regretted that Tupaia, who was of
much promise and who was greatly esteemed by the French Government, has also died, having
passed on without transmitting to others the old art of chantîng the heraldry and archaeology of
the land for the royal house of Ra’iatea, for which his race held a prestige as chieftain bards.
Tutai (obsolète) meant launching (the canoë) from the artisan’s marae and also traveling
over the
sea.
At first Ru’s song was chanted only by sacred canoë builders, later by navigators
generally.
“
Maurua, or Maupiti (Hold-two), consîsts of a high island and two islets encirded by
chant
one
an
reef.
Poraporans
enemy.
were
noted warriors,
and they muffled their paddles at night
on
approaching
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
462
“O Taha’a ; tuu i te tiai i nia iho,
O Taha’a nui ma rai hau.”
Pehe noa. ’tura o Rü :
“Tutai, tutai au i te fenua,
Te-apori, Te-apori e!
Tutai
A
Taha’a; let its watchword be,
Great 'Paha’a of peaceful sky.”
Rû continued to sing:
am drawing, drawing
[tbee] to land,
Te-apori, O Te-apori!
I am drawing [thee] to land,
Now hold steadily on to IJavai’i (Ra’i¬
“I
i te fenua.
maite ae i Ra’iatea.”
au
mau
“It is
Te pii ra te tuahine, o Hina,
I nia i te au poueru :
“E Rû e ! E fenua te fa’atautau nei,
O vai ia fenua?”
“O Havai’i, tu’u i te tiai i nia iho,
O Havai’i i ae hau te amaama,
O Havai’i nui ia ufa te marai.
atea).”
Then cried his sister, Hina,
Upon the foaming waves :
“O Rû ! land is looming up.
*
What land is it?”
“It is Havai’i ; let its watchword be,
Havai’i that towers exceeding in glory,
Great Havai’i when enraged
in its
beauty."'
Hi’o ra’i i tai te Omamao ;
Horue na i te tai i Arei,
The thrush looks seawards into the sky;
O Putu iti a taa i te tua !
O Ma-uru, te tane, o Ma-uru te vahiné,
The dear albatross will be left behind !
Ma-uru
(Changing-season) the hus-
A hiti hoi, a tau hoi, e Rû !
To ia ia horo, ia horo ta’u va’a
Will
i e!
Riding upon the surf of ’Arei [in Huahine],
band, Ma-uru the wife,
corne indeed forever, O Rû !
Draw it to run, that my sailing canoë
may run !
To ia i uta, to ia i tai,
To ia ia horo, ia horo ta’u va’a i e!
Draw it to the shore, draw it to sea,
Draw it to run, that my sailing canoë
To ia i mûri, to ia i mua,
To ia ia horo,
la horo ta’u va’a i e !”
Draw it behind, draw
Draw it to run,
may
run !
That my sailing canoë
it before,
may run !”
Hina
A peninsula called
Motu-tapu (Sacred Island), in Ra’iatea, from which
Motu-tapu of the mainland^® dérivés its name, was the canoë station of
Rû and Hina; a passage from there is called Te-ava-o-Hina (The-passageof-Hina), by which they went to sea.
N'ot far inland from Motu-tapu is a place called Tuturaa-haa-a-Hina
(Hina’s-place-for-beating-cloth), where she is said to hâve made and spread
out her tapa.
There is the site where once stood her breadfruit tree, the
bark of which she used for making ahu pu’upu’u (white tapa) ; and upon
the ground lies a long stone, called Te-hune-’uru-a-Hina (The-heart-ofHina’s-breadfruit) because of its resemblance to that object in giant form.
After exploring the earth,^® Hina’s love of discovery did not cease.
So one evening when the full moon was shining invitingly, being large
and half visible in the horizon, she set ofï in her canoë to make it a visit.
Tliis and the preceding line were the Ra’iateans’ eulogy of theîr land; the
being now substituted for Hava’i, in modem Tahitian the lines would read:
1886
O Ra’iatea e hau roa i te hanahana,
O Ra’iatea nui ia ufa i to’na purotu.
The home of Tataura and Tupaia.
The following legends about Hina were receîved in
from Tupaia of Motu-tapu.
1824 from Tamera,
a
name
Ra’iatea
priest, and in
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
463
arriving there, she was so pleased with the moon, that she stepped
leaving to the mercy of the sea her canoë, which was never seen
again.
Thus Hina-i-faauru-vaa became Hina-i-aa-i-te-marama
(Hina-whoOn
into it,
stepped-into-the-moon),
as
in the
moon
she
ever
afterwards remained,
though she did not cease to be in sympathy with her brother in his travels
on earth and to do good to man. She watched over travelers at night,
an office that caused her to be called Hina-nui-te-araara ( Great-Hina-thewatchwoman). Hina-i-aa-i-te-marama appears in Polynesian folklore generally.
The shadows in the moon were believed to be an ora (banyan) tree
from the numerous branches of which Hina obtained bark and made cloth
for the gods.
In this capacity she was named Hina-tutu-ha’a (Gray-thecloth-beater), and she presided over sacred cloth beaters on earth, who
emulated her artistic skill in that work.
up in the banyan tree, she broke off
and as she did so with great force,
On one occasion when Hina was
with her foot a branch for its bark;
it fell ont into space and ultimately
arrived at Opoa, Ra’iatea, where it struck root and was the first tree of its
kind ever seen in this world.
It is a magnificent tree with a table-shaped
trunk forming a pavilion beneath and a plateau above, which are so spacious
that from time immémorial people hâve been wont to spread their mats
in those pleasant recesses and assemble to talk and rest.
The clear space in the moon is where the branch once was, and beneath
locality is where Plina had her home. Her companion
u’tipa (green wild pigeon), which dwelt in the tree and lived
upon its little figs.
Some of these it brought to the earth, propagating the
seeds in the following manner :
The ’u’upa had a bunch of the figs in
its mouth as it came, and high up in the air it met a great otaha (Man-ofwar-bird), which strove to seize the figs and daim the crédit of bringing
the seeds down to the earth ; but the ’u’upa, directed by Hina, held on
to its burden and escaped from its pursuer.
It then scattered figs upon
the earth below, and it was from them that the first ora trees in other
lands in Polynesia sprang.
Then people finding the bark good for cloth
propagated the tree everywhere. But the terrestial ora fig does not pro¬
duce seeds ; it is propagated by branches.
the tree in that
there was an
without sacrifices, were offered to Hina under the
relie of the past she is still invoked by Tahitian
firewalkers as Hina-te-araara, as is shown in the ceremony of te-umu-ti
(the-ti-oven). (See p. 214.)
The belief by the native people up to
the présent day that she was really an immortalized woman in the moon
Invocations in song,
above attributes, and as a
is considered well founded for the above
reasons.
464
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Hina had
as
contemporary and bosom friend in this world
a
great
( Great-woman-who-set-fire-to-thesky), also invoked in the umu-ti ceremony. She was of a benevolent
chieftainess named
Vahine-nui-tahu-ra’i
protected ber fellow créatures in times of restriction and
oppression of authoritative men. She had at her command the lightning, which would corne at her bidding—a power from which
and
nature
trouble from the
she derived her name.
TAHITIAN CIRCUIT OF NAVIGATION®
A hope te fenua te tiiha hia e Rû ma
Hina, a fano â Mâ-û-i e ta’na nuTi va’a
After Rû and Hina had located lands,
Mâ-û-i and his fiotilla sailed again over
the océan, for his' king, Ama-tai-atea
i te tai no ta’na ari’i no Ama-tai-atea.
A tae ’oia e ta’na ta’ata i te fenua, oti
vititiviti ihora te marae, a fa’anoho i te
tahua.
I
tae
i
Tua Motu
na
e
(Outrigger-of-the-expansive-ocean).
Hiti.
Tae i Hiti’a, i te
i Ma’areva. I tae na to’a,
They went to the borders. They went
the east, to the Tuamotus and to
Mangareva. They went south, to Tubuai, to Rurutu, to theParoquet Islands,® Rimatara and Mangaia and on
to Rarotonga, to Rimitera, and to Te-
to
Tupuai, na Rurutu, na Fenua-ura,
Rimatara, Manitia, e i tae i Raroto’a, i
na
Rimitera e i Te-ao-tea-roa
Ua tae ana’e na reira.
I
ra
o
te
tae
Maori.
na
to’a,
Tutuira, Uporu, Tavai’i, e na Vavau,
ao-tea-roa
Atiu, Ahuahu, e o Ma’atea. Tae na
to’erau, na Nu’u-hiva roa e na ’Aibi
na
As
he and his people arrived at lands, they
built temples conveniently .and assigned
them to priests.
Maoris
(The-long-white-land) of the
[New
Zealand].
They
went
They
went west,
to Tutuila, Upolu, Savai’i
(Samoa) ; and to Vavau, Atiu, Ahuahu,
and Ma’atea
(or Makatea, formerly
called Papatea).
They went north, to
the distant Marquesas and to burning
’Aihi (Hawaii).
everywhere in these
ahuahu.
directions.
COMPARATIVE FOLKLORE
Ru
In the groups near Tahiti the legend of
Rû resembles the Tahitian; but
exist, and in some instances
farther avray only fragments of it appear to
Rû is confounded with other characters.
Rû was the earthquake god, son of Rangi (Sky) and
He was never born, but remained in his mother in the center
of the earth, and from him came the earthquakes.
Another character
named Rupe is represented as Màui mua (First Màui), brother of Hina and
the other Maui’s, and he was the progenitor of the pigeon, which they call
rupe, the green mountain pigeon in Tahiti, and double or shadow of Rû
(p. 386). These versions evidently spring from one source.
In New Zealand,
Papa (Rock).
Recited in 1854 by Papearu, a Tahitian scholar.
The Austral and neighboring islands were famous for their
parrakeet feathers.
465
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
In confirmation of the statement in the foregoing
legend that Rû was a
great navigator and discoverer of lands is an article^- written by Pakoti of
Aitutaki,®^ in the Cook Islands, claiming that Rû was the first discoverer
and chief of that land. He landed there from Avaiki, Havai’i or Ra’iatea,
probably, on an exploring expédition witli about 200 émigrants, including
and named the island Araura, signifying that the
wind drove them there.
His great double canoë was named G'na-pua-riki
(Tahitian, Na-pua-ru, Those-small-flowers), and the beams, three in
number, which United the vessels, beginning with the foremost one, were
men, women and children,
(Tane-from-the-seaward), Te-pou-o-Tangaroa (Thepost-of-Taaroa), and Rima-àuru (Final-hand).
Finding the island beautiful, with its verdant landscape of hills and
plains and its spacious lagoon of coral reef studded with lovely islets forming a safe haven for the landing of canoës, they settled upon it. Rû built
near the sea a marae, which is called nui in Aitutaki, and named it Pua-riki
(Little-flowers) after his canoë. He also built another inland, which he
named Vaikuriri ( Water-of-angry-Kû®^ god of stability), Kû-riri being the
name of his tutelar god.
He established seven elders {koromatua, Tahitian
orometua) as lords of the realm under him.
These émigrants increased to a large number and are called in the
Aitutaki genealogy Ati-Rû (Tribe of Rû). There the hero is called Rûte-toko-rangi (équivalent to Rû-te-too-rai, Rû-the-raiser-of-the-sky, in the
Tahitian story), and teve plants, as in the Tahitian version, are mentioned
as those that first supported the sky when it was low down.
At a later date
more people came from Avaiki-i-raro (West Havai’i), in the opposite direc¬
tion from the Society Islands.
named Tane-mai-tai
Ma-u-i
Varions versions of the legend of Mâ-û-i who noosed the sun (called
Râ, which also means day) are found throughout Polynesia, attributing his
parentage dififerently but agreeing in many respects with one another.
In New Zealand the name is pronounced Màui, less accentuated than in
Tahiti.
In Maori folklore the hero caught the sun with strong ropes made
of native flax, to which
sun
his brothers held fast while he mounted upon the
and smote and eut it with the enchanted jawbone of his great ancestress
(in some versions, ancestor), Muri-ranga-whenua (Behind-company-onland), which he used as a weapon in his mighty exploits. While striking
the sun it roared out in great agony,
Pakoti, John (trans. by Henry Nicholas), Jour. Polynesian Soc., vol. 4, p.
Aitutaki is about eighteen miles in circumference and was discovered by
ship “Bounty” in 1789, shortly before the mutiny broke out aniong his men.
®^Ku is the équivalent of the Tahitian name Tu.
2-
the
“Why am I thus smitten by you, O
65, 1895.
Captain Bligh of
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
406
know what you are doing? Why should you wish to kill
(Great-son-of-day) ?” And thus man heard for the first
time the second name of the Rà, the sun. Then they let go the ropes, and
the sun being weakened from its wounds has gone slowly ever since.
In the Island of Manihiki (or Monahiki), the story of the ropes with
which 'Mâ-û-i noosed the sun is told the same way as in Tahiti^ ail the
ropes having got burnt by the sun except the one made of his sister Ina’s
(Hina’s) haïr. The far-off North American Indians also record the sunbinding legend, in connection with the all-powerful rope of a sister’s hair.
man!
Do you
Tama-nui-te-Rà
It is also claimed that many
islands of the Pacific were drawn up as
depths by Mâ-û-i. He drew up Ao-tea-roa (Longwhite-land), or New Zealand, with his magical jawbone weapon, which he
used as a fishhook. After succeeding in this undertaking, he left the fish in
the keeping of his brothers, while he went for a priest to corne and perform
the proper religions rites for its consolidation.
The brothers would not
wait for their leader’s return but began to eut up the fish, thus making it
jump and wriggle about. This caused the unevenness of the landscape,
which would otherwise hâve become a great level plain.
fishes from the océan
North New Zealand is called Te-ika-a-Màui
the enchanted fishhook has subsided into Hawke’s
Matau-a-Màui
(The-fish-of-Màui), and
Bay, which is called the
(Fishhook-of-Màui).
drawn up from the deep by Mâ-û-i while he was out
fishing with his two older brothers. In this great achievement, the land
Manihiki
came
was
in contact with the canoë, broke it asunder, and the two brothers were
Mâ-û-i afterwards carried his fishhook up into the
it formed the tail of Scorpio and retains the name of fishhook.
drowned.
sky, where
Zealand, Samoa, Mangaia, Manihiki, and other islands, Mâ-û-i
having discovered fire down in the center of the earth,
whence he brouglit it to the upper world.
According to Tahitian folklore, the demigods did not die like common
mortals but went on from land to land doing wonderful things, and at last,
still living, disappeared in their season from mortal eyes, as the gods hâve
ail gradually done.
But in New Zealand, the legend States that Mâ-û-i
actually died and in the following manner :
In New
is accredited with
His last great enterprise was to secure immortality
for the human race,
tasted death, by annihilating his ancestress, Hine-nuite-pô (Great-daughter-of-night), goddess of death, with attributes just the
contrary to those of the life-giving sun, Tama-nui-te-Rà. In order to cause
her death, he was to pass through her body with the enchanted jawbone
weapon. Màui looked for companions to accompany him on his dangerous
errand, and there came to him the large and small robins, the thrush, the
which had not yet
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
467
yellow-hammer, many little birds, and the pied-wagtail. One evening they
ail set ont with Màui to the abode of Hine-nui-te-pô, away off in the
horizon.
■
Guided by brilliant flashes of light which emanated from the great body
goddess, they at length arrived at lier dwelling and found lier fast
So they kept very quiet, and Màui turned to his bird friends and
cautioned them not for any reason to laugh at what he was going to do and
thus waken Hine-nui-te-pô until they saw him emerging from her mouth.
I^or he said that his life and her death depended upon his safe entrance into
of the
asleep.
To this, with much alarm for the safety of their
they ail willingly agreed. So Màui went into the house and
threw off his garments, revealing his handsomely tattooed skin, ail mottled
and shining like the scales of a mackerel, and fastening his magical weapon
with strings to his wrist he entered into the dreaded goddess, amid dead
and exit from her person.
brave hero,
silence.
His disappearance in this unique manner so amused the birds that they
forgot their great fear, and they screwed up their little cheeks to suppress
their merriment, until at last the pied-wagtail could no longer contain himself but burst out into a loud peal of laughter. This woke Hine-nui-te-po,
and then ail was lost ! The brave Maui was smothered to death in the ter¬
famous career. He was the first man in
in the great arms of Hine-nui-te-po hâve nian’s
descendents been suffocated to death ever since this event.
rible goddess, and thus ended his
this World who died; and
Màui had several children
descendants yet live in Hawaiki
roa
(New Zealand).®®
by his wife nanied Hina, some of
whose
(Havai’i or Ra’iatea), and others in Ao-tea-
In the Hawaiian islands, Mâ-û-i (pronounced by old Hawaiians as in
Tahiti) is known as Mâ-û-i-a-ka-lani (Mâ-û-i-of-the-sky), Mâ-û-i-a-ka
awa
(Mâ-û-i-of-the-fïshhook), and Mâ-û-i-a-ka-la-mo (Mâ-û-i-of-thebroken-sun), instead of Mâ-û-i-ti’iti’i and other variations as in the south.
He is said to hâve fished up the Hawaiian islands with a fishhook made of
kauila wood (Alphitonia excelsa) and baited with a wing of the alae bird
(mud-hen), the pet bird of Hina-hele (Moving-Hina), goddess of fishes.
That hook, now in the Bishop Muséum, is a choice legacy of niythology.
It is nine inches long, four wide, and one inch thick.®““
Référencés to these paragraphs on comparative folklore are:
Grey, George, Polynesian
mythology and Maori legends, London, 1855. White, John, The ancient history of the Maori,
Wellington, 1887; and Tregear, Edward, The Maori comparative dictionary, Wellington, 1891.
From recent investigation by the Polynesian Society in New Zealand, it has been made clear that
Hawaiki means the old Havai’i or Ra’iatea, and not the Hawaii of the Sandwich Islands, as was
formerly supposed. For this reason the names above hâve been placed in parenthèses.
5Ca
Four large fishhooks were received by the Bishop Muséum from the Plawaiian Government
Muséum, one of which was reported to be the Manaiakalana, the famous hook of Ma-u-i. The
identification of the hook is as mythical as the story.—Ed.
Bernice P. Bîshop Muséum—Bulletin 48
468
According to this legend, Mâ-û-i, accompanied by his brothers in a
undertook to draw together with ropes ail the islands of the group
to form one great land.
Cautioning his brothers not to look behind, lest
the enterprise should fail, they set to work and were drawing the ropes with
success, when there appeared a gourd upon the water, which Mâ-û-i at the
helm picked up and placed in the canoë. There emerged from it the beautiful mermaid Hina-hele (Moving-Hina), whose charms were so great that
the men ail looked back, entranced in her presence.
Soon she plunged
beneath the waves and disappeared when the ropes attaching the islands
snapped asunder, and the work could not be resumed. This story would
seem to be partly a blending of theiegend of Tafa’i with that of Mâ-û-i.
canoë,
Mâ-û-i is said to hâve obtained fire
of the mud-hen, whose face was scorched
with the heat in getting it and lias remained red ever since. On the eastern
At Hilo
on
the island of Hawaii,
from within the earth by the aid
side of Oahu is a hill named Ka-hole-o-ka-lâ
(The-noose-of-the-sun), from
which Mâ-û-i threw out his lasso and caught the sun just as it soared above
the great extinct crater of Hale-a-ka-lâ (House-of-the-sun) on the island
of Maui,®® which lies southeast of Oahu. This legend States that the sun
long leg and the other short. As it sprang forward with great
speed with the long leg, Mâ-û-i caught it, broke ofï the extra length of the
offending limb, and in that way made it step evenly and go slowly.
had
one
RATA
Tahitian Version^
This and the Tuamotuan version record
some
of the deeds of the
Pômare family, whose home and cradle were
North Tahiti, extending from Mahina to Pare. With the stoiy of Tafa’i
(pp. 562-5) these accounts form a sériés of family records. Their style and
idioms can be seen in the original Tahitian ; literal translations of certain
noteworthy parts of the story show them to be of very old date.
thrice royal
ancestors of the
Tu-i-hiti and Hau-vanaa
i
Matamata-taua,
Tahiti-To’erau,
Hau-vana’a.
a
e
taua ia Tiimu-nui
ei taniahine a’e o
Taoto a’era te Ari’i Tû-i-hith ia
Hau-vana’a ’a’ore ra i piri. Toina atu
Matamata-taua
(Endless-strife) bethe
bosom friend
(wife) of
Tumu-nui (Great-foundation) of Northcame
Tahiti, and Hau-vana’a (Governinentof-orators) was their daughter.
King Tû-i-hiti (Stability-of-the-border) took as his wife Hau-vana’a, but
This Maui is pronounced without accents.
Written Décember 24, 1825, by Aita (No), a Porapora scholar.
The Tahitians spoke of lands far away as “Hiti” (the Borders) simply, and
•with îts variations, as in New Zealand Maori, Hawaiian, and other Polynesian dialects.
Tahiti was applied by Tahitians only to their own land.
^
2
not Tahiti
The name
469
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
ai te hana i te metua,^
ai i rapae e te metua.
fa’aora hia mai
Ua puta attira te hani'* i roto i te
’a’au O te tamahine, ta’i attira ta’i atura
i te Ari’i Tû-i-hiti.
Ua parau atura te metua ;
“Ua piri to vahiné.”
Haere atura
oia i te vahiné ra.
Ua parau mai ra
te vahiné :
“I hea ’oe, e te Ari’i Tû-i-hiti? i oto
noa na vau
ia ’oe !”
Ua parau atura
tane :
te
“No te aha ’oe i oto mai ai ia’u?
Parahi ra’a roa to’u io ’oe nei, e ’a’ita
’oe i parau maitai mai ia’u, e inaha ua
mauru
Teie
te
ra
pae
o
to’u ’upo’o i to’u oto.
ia ’oe, e ta’u vahiné,
ta’u parau
poroi atu na vau ia ’oe, e haere au
i to’u ra titu’afare i to’u ra fenua.”
Ua parau atura te vahiné,
e
te
“Eiaha ’oe e fa’arue ia’u !”
Ua parau
tane.
“A, tei ia ’oe iho, e ta’u vahiné. Ua
hina’aro ’oe i te haere ’atoa taua io’u
ra
e
parahi ai?”
Oto noa ’tura te
vahiné,
nao
atura ;
“E, e poroi na ra vau i ta’u na metua.”
Haere
oto,
e
manao
mea
e
atura
metua
ra
ma
te
’ino atura te metua tane
taparahi hia oia e tana tane, ua
ui mai ra;
taparahi?
i te
“E Hau-vana’a, na vai ’oe i
E ari’i ’oe io’u nei, ’e’ita ’oe e
hia e te ta’ata.” Na o atura te
tamahine :
’E’ere au i te mea taparahi hia.”
Fa’ai’te roa ’tura i te parau.
Ma te
aa
“
e, e reva raua e te tane i to’na ra
fenua i Hiti-au-rereva.
Ua parau mai
ra Tumu-nui ;
“Te parau atu na vau ia ’oe e ta’u
tamahine, eiaha ’oe e nonoa i to tane,
e ari’i tena no Hiti e e fa’aho’i
’oe i
tereira huru.
E i teienei, e pau to
va’a-mataeina’a i tena; e rave rahi te
toa i te moana.
Oia o Pu’a-tu-tahi, o
Ahifa-tu-moana, o ’Are-mata-roroa, o
nao
Are-mata-popoto, o Pahua-nui-api-taa-ite-ra’i, o Anae-moe-oho, o Tupe-io-ahu,
e
o ’Otu’u-ha’a-mana-a-Ta’aroa !
E i
teienei e ta’u tamahine, eiaha ’oe e
haere ; e fa’aea mai ’oe i onei, i to na
metua nei.”
Nao atura te tamahine:
she
cared
for
not
him.
She
turned
pining for lier parents, and so
the parents withdrew her from him.
Then love pierced the heart of the
daughter, and she fretted for King
away
Tû-i-hiti.
And the parents said to him :
“Your wife has become attached to
you.”
And so he went to his wife.
She enquired :
“Where hâve you been, King Tù-ihiti ?
I hâve been weeping for you !”
The husband replied :
“Why
hâve
you
been
weeping for
me? I remained a long time with you,
and you did not speak kindly to me,
so that you see the hair of my head
has partly fallen out from grief.
Now
this is what I wish to say to you, my
wife, I am taking leave of you, and ara
returning to my home in my country.”
The wife replied ;
“Do not forsake me !” The husband
said ;
“Ah, it rests with yourself, my wife.
Do you wish to go with me to my
home
to
dwell?”
The wife wept
freely, and she said :
“Yes, but I must first bid farewell
to
my
parents.”
So she went to her parents
still in
that
tears, and her father suspecting_
her husband had beaten her, said;
“Hau-vana’a, who has been beating
you? You hâve been a princess with
me, no one daring to assault you.” The
daughter replied :
‘T hâve not been beaten.”
And she
told them everything, stating that she
and her husband were going away to
his land, to Hiti-au-revareva (Border-
of-passing
Tumu-nui
“I told
clouds.
replied:
Pitcairn
Island).
my daughter, not to
husband, that he was a
king from the Border and you might
thus send him back there.
Now, your
countrymen would be lost in this voy¬
age ; many are the foes of the deep.
you,
spurn
your
There
are,
Pu’a-tû-tahi
(Coral-rock-
standing-alone), Ahifa-tu-moana (the
Sea-serpent'), ‘Are-mata-roroa (Long-
In modem Tahitian the reiidering of this sentence would be; "Fariu e atura ma te inoino
’a’au i te metua ra.”
This sentence would now be thus expressed: “Tupu atura te hina’aro i roto i te ’a’au 0
ie tamahine.”
®
This sea serpent is not now known in the Society Islands, but there is a stinging kind of
-coral called ahifa.
®
O
te
^
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
470
“E
’ore
atura
“
te
vau
roa
metua
’E’ita ’oe
e
e
tane :
oto
ia’u
parahi.”
e
Nao
i to metua
vahiné ?”
“E oto ho’i au, e hau ra to’u u oto
I ta’u tane.”
“A haere, E raàrô ari’i to oe; ’e’ita e
fati ia tapea.”
Haere atura te taraahine i te tane ra, e ua paraît mai ra
taua ari’i ra :
“Ua ta’a maitai to manao e Hau-
vana’a,
e
fenua?
e
haere ’atoa ’oe i to’u ra
“E haere ’atoa
te
vau !”
tane :
Nao atura râ
“Teie ra ta’u parau ïa ’oe, e ta’u
vahiné. E parahi i te fenua nei, e hi’o
i te metua e to ’oe va’a-mataeina’a, e
to ’oe mou’a, e to ’oe umere.”
Ua
parau
mai ra te vahiné :
“’E’ita
roa vau
e
parahi.”
Ua parau
“Eiaha ra, e ta’u tuahine, e taoa ta’i te metua e te fenua ia
atura
te
tane:
moina a’e taua i te ahinavaira.* Eiaha,
ta’u tuahine, ’e’ita ia e ’itea fa’ahou
hia mai e te mata te fenua nei !”
“E haere atoa taua !”
Ua fa’ati’a mai ra te tane, ua parau
mai ra :
“A rave mai i to taua a’ahu, e to
taua ma’a moe’a.”
e
_
wave), Are-mata-popoto (Short-wave),
Pahua-nui-api-taa-i-te-ra’i
( Great-T ridacna-that-opens-against-the-sky“), Anaemoe-oho (Shoal-of-monsters), Tupe-ioahu (Beast-of-heated-fles'h‘), and’Otu’uha’a-mana-a-Ta’aroa ( Stork-exalted-byTa’aroa) ! And now, my daughter, do
not go; stay here with us, your par¬
ents.”
The daughter answered :
“1 shall by no means stay.”
The
father said :
“Will you
your
mother?”
weep
more
not
“1 shall weep
for
weep
for
me
and
Eshe said], but I should
my
“Go” [said he].
husband.”
“You hâve
a
royal
will ; you cannot be persauded to stay.”
So the daughter went to her husband,
and the king said [to her] :
“Hâve you properly cons'idered the
Hau-vana’a, to go with me to
country?”
‘T will go with you” [she said].
But
matter,
my
the husband said :
“Here is what I would say to you,
my wife.
Stay here in your country,
and behold your parents, your clan,
your
mountain, and hear
[in the chants].”
your
praises
The wife answered:
“1 shall by no means stay.”
The
husband continued :
“But no, my
sister, parents and
country would cause regret as' soon
as
they became lost to you and me
in the distant haze.
No, my sister,
eyes then would not again see
this land !”
“1 will go with }'ou !” [she said].
And so the husband consented, and he
said [to her] :
“Put together our clothes and our
your
bedding.”
And King Tû-i-hiti 'went to préparé his canoë, which was a great double
and to take in provisions for the voyage, while his wife made prépar¬
one,
ations at home to accompany him, amid the deep regrets of her parents and
ail their kin and people.
The canoë was named Are-mata-roroa (Long-Waves), and when everything was made ready, one morning King Tû-i-hiti and his queen, accompanied by their respective personal attendants, bade farewell to ail in Tahiti
a myth; but deep in the sea at the Tuamotus the very large ones are a
pearl divers, who cannot distinguish them from the coloi of lirnestone. These mollusks lie
open absorbing nourishment from the sea, and if a man’s foot chances to touch one it closes its
strong valves around his leg and he is lost unless a friend is close by to kill it and set him free.
This beast was perhaps some amphibious animal that formerly existed among those islands;
but nothîng of the kind is known there now.
^
”Ia moina iaua i te ahinavai” would now be: “la moe a’e taua i te atea arehurehuj*
®
This Trîdacna îs
terror to
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
471
They sailed to the southeast, bearing up
against a stifï breeze, and were soon ont of sight of Tahiti.®
Queen Hau-vana’a was made comfortable in a cozy little thatched awning
set upon planks that were fastened across the twin canoë near the bows.
and set sail for the far-off land.
In attendance
on
her
two faithful
were
women
of her mother’s retainers,
and they became the more attached to one another as the sea divided them
from their much loved Tahiti. The hardy men found comfortable resting
places in different parts of the canoë, and everything bade fair to make
their voyage a pleasant one.
They were two days ont at sea, when they heard in the distance a roaring Sound, and soon they saw the mid-ocean atoll, called Pu’a-tû-tahi,^“
with the surging sea breaking in ever-varying sprays as it caught the breeze.
And from amid the deafening roar, they heard a voice that came from the
spirit of the coral, and the following conversation ensued:
A tahi va’a ia e tere mai!
O ’Are-mata-roroa
ia.
’Ovai ra ia ’aito e parau mai ra ?
Rock. “ ’Ovau, O Pu’a-tû-tahi.”
Tû-i-hiti. Eaha ’oe e matauruuru ai
i to’u va’a?
Rock. E te Ari’i Tû-i-hiti, tei hea
Rock.
Tû-i-hiti.
to
vahiné,
Hau-vana’a?
o
Tû-i-hiti. Teie i nia i te va’a.
Rock. Teie ta’u parau ia ’oe
ari’i
Tû-i-hiti.
Tiri ia mai i
te
Tû-i-hiti.
E
nanoa
Pu’a-tû-tahi
ta’u
i
Te vai
tai, ei fa’atoa i to’u manava.
te mamae i te ’a’au i te
ia vahiné ia ’oe.
ra
e
raro
ra’a
’e’ita
vau e pa !
E ’aroha vau i ta’u vahiné,
i te mea ia i mauru ai te pae o to’u
’upo’o; o teie nei vahiné! Fa’aro’o mai
na
Tiae
ra.
te
o
rarao
e,
mai
te
ari’i
Tumu-nui, i te va’a, o te
tapea mai i te tamahine, tae mai i
onei ia ’oe nei, a tapea iho.
Rock. A haere, e ta’u ari’i.
a’era,
o
Rock. There is a canoë approaching!
Tû-i-hiti. It is ’Are-mata-roroa. Who
is that foe speaking?
Rock. It is I, Pu’a-tû-tahi.
Tû-i-hiti. Why do you roar at my
canoë ?
Rock. O King Tû-i-hiti, where is
your
wife, Hau-vana’a?
Tû-i-hiti. Here in the canoë.
Rock. This is what I hâve
to you,
into
my
king, Tû-i-hiti.
to
say
Throw her
the sea, to stimulate my vitals.
Pain still remains in your heart from
the slights that this wife has shown
you.
Tû-i-hiti. Pu’a-tû-tahi, I cannot part
[with her] I I love my wife, in prpof
of which she was the cause of my hair
partly falling out I it was' this woman !
But give heed to me.
Should yonder
king, Tumu-nui, préparé his canoë to
corne for his daughter, when he arrives
here where you are, hold him back.
Rock. Go on, my king.
sight he
lying on the waves Ahifa-tu-moana (the great sea serpent), and as it
caused the sea to splash up onto his canoë, he enquired who it was that was
wetting him.
“It is I, Ahifa-tu-moana,” replied the monster. And the same conver¬
sation took place between them as with Pu’a-tû-tahi, and the king was
allowed to pass on unmolested.
Tû-i-hiti sailed on, and when the mid-ocean island was out of
saw
®
other
In
Hiti
former
Now
tîmes
(Borders).
known
as
Tahiti
was
Hereheretue
called
or
Hitî-roa
(Tong-border)
Saint Paul Island.
in
contradistinction
to
many
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
472
(Long-wave and
short-wave), which came dashing against the canoë to break it, and Tû-i-hiti
said: “la haehaa te pae’au ‘are’’ (Let the billowy side corne low.) The wave
spirits enquired after the young queen in the same manner as in the preceding interviews and received the same answer. Then the sea became calm
and the canoë passed safely on.
Then they met ’Are-mata-roroa and ’Are-mata-popoto
They next saw the terrible Tridacna opened ont from east to west to
But Tû-i-hiti exclaimed :
“O Pahua-nui-api-taa-i-te-ra’i!” (This is I, Tû-i-hiti, let me pass!) And
the Tridacna also enquired for the queen, desiring to devour her, but the
king refused to give her up for the.reason before mentioned, and they were
entrap them.
allowed to pass on.
Soon after this appeared the Ana’e-moe-oho, which Tû-i-hiti accosted and
passed in the same way. Early one morning, the canoë approached a long
rocky atoll, called Hiti-tautau-mai
(Border-projecting-forward), of which
’Otu’u ha’amana-a-Ta’aroa was the god.
The great stork approached the
canoë
and commenced to
“O vai teie toa?”
So the king said :
Then they exchanged the same
peck furiously at the bows.
(Who is this foe?)
words, with the same resuit as on former occasions, and the stork left them
in peace and flew away into the shoals of his lagoon in search of fish.
Finally, while the canoë was passing the angular coast of that island,
Tupe-io-ahu, intent on seeking the life of the young
queen; but when her husband gave the beast the password, he was satisfied
and let them go unmolested.
Thus ail the dangers of the voyage were
passed, and the travellers went on their way rejoicing.
They next sighted the hilly islands of Hiti-poto ( Short-border, Mangareva or Gambiers), so called in contradistinction to Hiti-roa (Longborder, or Tahiti), and soon entered the smooth lagoon encircled far out
by a friendly reef. They were cordially received by friends known to them
in Tahiti, with whom they remained several days and from whom they obtained fresh provisions.
Soon they passed an atoll named Hiti-tautau-atu
(Receding-border).
And at length they approached the shores of their destination, the picturesque and then populous little mountainous island of Hiti-au-rereva (Pitcairn
Island), the kingdom of Tû-i-hiti and future home of the daughter of one
of Tahiti’s highest chiefs.
As the royal canoë approached the sea-beaten coast of this land, beyond
the limits oh the coral reef the loving subjects assembled from ail directions
to meet their long-absent king and new queen; and stalwart men went out
from the shoals came
Now called Moruroa.
This is Timoe, siiice
called Crescent Island owing to its shape.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
473
foaming sea to bear the canoë high up on to the shore in a little
from the approach of tide and breakers. The young queen
found that little island of fertile soil well filled with fruit trees, coconuts and
into the
cove
secure
other plants,
the same as in her native land.
feasts and invoca¬
There they lived long and happily together and had numerous issue. But they never returned to Tahiti,
where their history is recorded only in legend.
The happy pair were welcomed home with songs and
tions according to the custom of their time.
VlOYAGES OF TuMU-NUI, HiS BrOTHERS, and
Soon after the above events, the parents
WlFE
of Hau-vana’a regretted that
they had let her leave them, and so the father built a ship and a canoë to go
on a visit to her and if possible persuade her and her husband to return
with him to Tahiti. He set in order the government of his dominions, then
(Made-to-fly) in the highlands,
Papahonu (Turtle-rock) in the lowlands, Hiti-uta (Inner-coast) and Hititai (Outer-coast) of the borders that now form the department of
Teporionu’u, in the north of Tahiti. And he appointed a regent, his brother
next to him in âge, named Tore-roa (Tong-rat), to whose care he also
divided into four districts named: Peeai
entrusted his wife and household.
The ship was named Matie-roa (Long-grass), and the canoë was called
Matie-poto (Short-grass), and the sennit used in their construction and in
the rigging was called lurau-nunu (Inoffensive-company). They were built
with the usual religions rites and ceremonies, properly immersed in the sea
(pp. 489, 551), and anchored in the little harbor of Huihui-ta’aroa (Exceed-
ingly-beautiful), the haven for ail the royal and sacred canoës of Papà’oa.
King Tumu-nui was soon ready for sea, and with chosen men from his
different clans he sailed away. They came to the midocean island, with
which the bows of the ship came in collision, and the pilot {hoa pahi, friend
ship), perceiving that some of the planks were cracked, proposed
returning home. But the king replied, ‘T must go and see my daughter, for
of the
my
heart yearns for her,” and ordered the cracks to be calked with fine
tapa and they continued on their course.
They next encountered the enormous Ahifa-tu-moana (Sea serpent), so
great that it could destroy war canoës, and the people exclaimed :
“E Tumu-nui e, ua pohe tatou!”
“E pohe tatou ia vai?”
“E pohe i te Ahifa-tu-moana.”
“Ua puoroa i te fenua ' tere mai
au
i te
moana
“O
ai
nei, e ’ore au e mata’u.”
Tumu-nui,
we
shall perish !”
“By whom shall we perish?” said he.
“We shall perish by Ahifa-tu-moana.”
“I performed my religious duties at
home before I sailed abroad, so that
I hâve
no
fear.”
Bcrnicc P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
474
Then the
king prayed to the god in the marae of his canoë and the
serpent was struck motionless, so that they escaped that danger.
They next met ’Are-mata-roroa and ’Are-mata-popoto (Long-wave and
Short-wave), towering high close by each other to engulf them. But the
king feared them not. His conscience was clear, and he prayed to his god
to deliver them from those foes',
whereupon the sea became calm, so that
for days they went on safely unmolested.
But one cloudy night, when they could see
nothing ahead, they
approached the great Tridacna, which was waiting open to receive them,
and they unwittingly sailed into it and were swallowed whole, after which
the canoës were broken and scattered pver the sea.
known by the gods to the inhabitants of
The sad news was made
Tahiti, who deeply mourned their
loss, and the regent. Prince lore-roa, reigned instead of the lost King
Tumu-nui.
King Tore-roa resolved to go and avenge the dead and recover their
bodies, and so he had a ship built, which he named Tumu-nui-mate (Great-
foundation-dead), after his brother lately lost. A canoë was also made
(Long-banana), and its outrigger was named Mei’apo-to (Short-banana). The fastenings of the two canoës were of sennit,
called Tane-tu-roro
(Man-dwelling-in-the-brain). They were completed with
religions care and were anchored in the same harbor used by Tumu-nui,
and called Mei’a-roa
Huihui-ta’aroa.
The king's brother-in-law, Vahi-e-roa
band of the king’s
(Place-entirely-strange), the hus-
sister, and other brave men from ail ranks of the land,
came forward to
accompany him on his mission, the king’s younger brothers
holding themselves in readiness for future emergencies.
The time arrived when King Tore-roa took leave of his
people, and they
filled with émotion as he thus bade them farewell :
were
Ei onei
ra ‘outou
e te va’a
mataeiPeeai e Papahonu o te Hitiuta
e
te
Hiti-tai !
Teie matou e e
tere nei i te moana, ’aore ’itea te tae
fa’ahou ra’a mai i te ferma nei. Inaha,
to’u tua’ana, ua mate i te toa o te
moana !
na’a
o
Teie
to ’outou
tamaiti
ari’i
iti,
a
mûri atu, o to
O to’na
vahiné, o Maemae-a-rohi, ta’u
tuahine, te fa’atere-hau ei mono a’e
ia’u ; a hi’ç ’outou e a 'ha’apao maite
’outou ia raua.
E pee mai mai ta’u
na teina ia matou ia pohe a’e.
matou
metua
Te
nei
Rata.
matou
Rata appears to hâve
throne instead of another
**
the
haere
o
e
farerei
been
O clans of Peeai (MadePapahonu (Turtle-Rock)_,
Hiti-uta
(Inner-coast)
and
Hiti-tai
(Outer-coast) !
Here are we about •
to launch on the deep, not knowing
and
whether
we
shall
ever
return
home.
Behold, my brother has been s'iain
by an océan foe!
Here is your future king, our little
boy. Rata (Tame).’’'
His mother,
Maemae-a-rohi
(Courageous-frown), my
sister, will be the regent in my place ;
look to them and give them heed. My
younger brothers will follow.
ia
the adopted
brother.
Abide here,
to-fly)
We
son
of
are
this
going to approach Pu’a-tû-
king and therefore
made
heir
to
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Pu’a-tû-tahi, ia ’Are-mata-roroa, ia
’Are-mata-popoto, ia Ahifa-tu-moana, ia
Pahu’a-nui-api-taa-i-tera’i, ia Anae-moeoho, ia Tupe-io-ahu, e ia ’Otu’uha’amana-ia-Ta’aroa. E riro paha ma¬
tou i te pohe ma te ’ite ’ore fa-ahou,
e
’imi a ra matou i. ta’u tua’ana, ia
Tumu-nui, e i tei pee ’atoa ia na. la
ora
tahi, ’Are-mata-rcroa, Are-mata-popoto,
Ahifa-tu-moana, Pahua-nui-aoi-taa-i-tera’i, Anae-moe-oho, Tupe-io-ahu, and
’Otu’u-ha’amana-ia-Ta’aroa.
We
shall
perhaps perish without seeinp; you
again ; yet we must search for my
brother, Tumu-nui, and those who accompanied him. May you and we live
in the gods!
i te atua !
tatou
475
They soon encountered the great surging island, Pu’a-tû-tahi, and the
sea serpent swimming and coiling itself around the rocks, while
the breakers roared and advanced angrily towards them. The king accosted
monstrous
them :
’O vai ra ia tau toa ?”
’O maua ia, ’o te Pu’a-tû-tahi e te
Ahifa-tu-moana.”
“Eaha ’orua e pau mai ai i to’u
“Who are those foes ?”
“It is we, Pu’a-tû-tahi and Ahifatu-moana.”
“Why do you send out sprays to my
“
“
pahi ?”
“E
ta’ata
“
na
’Eita
maua.”
matou
e
noaa
au
i to’u atua ; ua
ua
pee
matou
ship ?”
ha’apou ia ’outou ei
pau maua e
tei ni’a, ua
i te moana.”
ia ’orua !
“We splash you to make you corne
down and be men'* for us.”
“You cannot overcome us!
I prayed
Ua
ha’apee ta’u pua’a ;
fai tei raro, tere ai
god ; I offered a pig as a sacri¬
fice; propitiation was established above,
to my
and
we
curses
were
banished below
launched into the deep.”
ere
This intimidated the island spirit and the serpent, and they let the canoës
pass
safely by.
Some days
passed without adventure, when Are-mata-roroa and Are-
They exchanged a
conversation like the one above, which silenced them, and the canoës went on
mata-popoto, came dashing violently against the canoës.
their
course
unharmed.
The Anae-moe-oho
next advanced
towards them
and sprang up against the bows of the canoë, but they quickly receded when
defied them in the name of his god. Then overhead came flying
stork from the island called Hiti-tautau-mai (Mururoa), and the
king seeing it aboUt to descend upon him exclaimed ;
the king
the great
“O
Otu’u-ha’amana-a-Ta'aroa!”
(You will not dare to attack me!)
When he mentioned the reasons for what he said, they sufïiced, and the stork
flew away and was soon out of
sight.
At length, the great Tridacna loomed in the distance,
and the ship was
it by suction. So the king defied it also in the
name of his god, as before described ; but he was too near.
It opened wide
its great valves, one upwards and the other downwards, and drew in the
ship and swallowed it with ail on board.
fàst being drawn towards
”This expression implied contempt and was
man-eating monsters.
applied to -victims for the gods
or prey
for
476
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
The
canoë
that
accompanied them escaped, and returned home to tell
the taie, so that it was soon known that Tore-roa and his brother-in-law,
Vahi-e-roa, the husband of the
and father of Rata,
queen regent
engulfed with their canoë and ail their crew by the Tridacna.
were
The yoiing heir to the throne. Rata, was then proclaimed king, and his
mother retained the regency dufing his minority.
esteemed by the people
She was much loved and
for her wisdom and clemency.
The brother of Tore-roa, named Tore-poto
(Short-rat), built a ship and
hewed a canoë and with chosen men from the four clans set out to avenge
the deaths of his predecessors, and he met with the same adventures and the
Then the surviving brothers of the late king and prince,
(Chattering-rat) and Tore-vàvà (Dumb-rat), around
whom the people rallied, also in their turns went unflinchingly to avenge
and recover the lost ones but were also swallowed by the Tridacna and
great was the sorrow of the royal family and people of North Tahiti for
same
fate as they.
named Tore-mumu
their dead.
The princess regent issued a proclamation that as so many lives had
been sacrificed in the attempt to hâve revenge on the Tridacna the people
should take rest and cultivate the soil and let the new génération grow up
to
fill the places of
those who were lost.
And
to pass
so
it
came
that during the minority of the young king,
Rata, there was tranquility and prosperity in the land.
Everywhere were
mulberry waving in the
sugar-cane, and the paper
breeze; and pigs and fowls increased. Numerous children were born so
that it became hard to number them, and they were well fed and strongly
developed. As they matured, the young men were taught to be skilled in
navigation and the use of the spear, and many of them became hardy
seen
banana trees,
warriors.
Under these circumstances, Rata grew to giant stature, and his strength
developed in proportion with his body, so that his famé went out through
ail Tahiti as the giant king of North Tahiti, unrivalled in strength.
At length the time arrived when the regent should hand over the reins
of government to her son and renewed efforts should be made to go and
attack the
Tridacna and
recover
the bones of those it had slain.
The
princess proposed going on the new expédition herself, accompanied by her
sister-in-law, the widow of King Tumu-nui.
After holding a consultation with the counselors and chiefs, a
general
meeting -of the people was called, and the great assembly ground could
scarcely contain ail who responded. The different ranks of chiefs and
people took their respective places in the presence of the regent and the
young king, and the princess announced her intention of resigning her office
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Then a day was fixed for the feast to be held in honor of the
of conferring the regai power upon her son, after which she
following address :
regent.
as
ceremony
made the
E
va’a mataeina’a nei,
na
e
Hiti-tai,
Hiti-uta,
Papahonu,
Pe’eai
e
e paravt
iti ta’u ia ’outou ! Te hi’o atu nei
au ia ’outou, inaha ua hefahefa te mata
i te hi’o ra’a tu i te rahi o te ta’ata.
Ua fa’aro’o ’outou i ta’u parau ’imutaa
a’enei e :
“A ta’ahi i te fenua. e fa’a’apu i te
ma’a, e ha’apori i te ta’ata e rave maitai i te hua’ai,” ia noa’a te monoi te
feia i moe atu i te ara o te moana, a
haere fa’ahou atu ai i te matataua ia
noa’a mai te pera, o Tumu-nui e tei
ia ’na.
pee atu
teienei, te opua nei au i te fa’atupu i te tere, maua e te Ari’i Matamata-taua te haere e ’imi i tei polie
ra, e haere roa ’tu ai e hi’o i to maua
I
tamahine ia Hauvana’a i Hiti-au-rereva.
E rave rahi te ’aito i te moana; ’oia
hoi o Pu’a-tû-tahi, o Ahifa-tu-moana,
o ’Are-mata-popoto,
Pahua-nui-api-taa-i-te-ra’i, o Anaemoeoho, o Tupe-io-ahu, e o ’Otu’uo
’Are-mata-roroa,
o
ha’amana ia Ta’aroa.
i teie nei pue
Teie
mea
ra
ua
aito.
taua
parau
E noa’a
te
na’u nei :
pohe
no
te
ta’ata hia ’tura to tatou fenua,
fa’atupu na tatou i te ho’e harura’a
pua’a, e vae i te va’a-mataeina’a, o
e
Hiti-uta
Pe’eai e
o
e
o
Hiti-tai
o
tahi
pae ;
o
Papa-honu tahi pae. A haru
ai_ ’outou i te pua’a, ei fa’a’ite’itera’a e
tei hea te mataeina’a ta’ata itoito maitai ia maiti no te tere na tera inau
fenua, na te Pu’a-tû-tahi, na Hiti-tau-
tau-mai,
Hiti-poto,
na
na
Hiti-tautau-
atu, na Hiti-au-rereva mara’a i ra’i. E
noa’a roa ia i tereira feia te toa o te
moana e tae noa ’tû i na taehae o te
fenua ra o Hiti-marama. ’A’ita e puai
o te
ta’ata ra, e noho ia ii te fenua,
eiaha e haere.
Eaha
to
’outou
manao,
e
na
va’a
mataeina’a nei, i teie parau?
Ua ti’a ia ia matou.
Parau maitai
roa tena, e te Ari’i vahiné Fa’aterehau.
E fa’a’ite
hia
te
fenua,
ui api, ia ’itea maitai
ta’ahi matou i te
fa’a’apu i te ma’a, e ua rahi
na
huru.
ua
477
te
Ua
O
clans
here
présent,
Papa¬
ail in one glance, because
numerous.
You hâve
heeded what I once said [to you] :
“Tread the earth,*® cultivate food, let
the people grow fat, and take care of
the offspring,
that they may replace
include you
you
are
so
are
lost on the trackless
and résumé our efforts to re¬
cover the remains of Tumu-nui and his
followers.”
Now I purpose carrying out my
plans to go, accompanied by Queen
who
those
océan,
Matamata-taua
(Endless-strife)
and
s'eek our lost ones and go o»’ to see
our
[and niece]
daughter
There are
Hau-vana’a
many foes
the deep ; they are Pu’a-tû’-tahi.
Ahifa-tu-moana. ’Are-mata-roroa, ’Are-
at
Hiti-au-rereva.
upon
Pahua-nui, Api-taa-i-teAnae-moeoho, Tupe-io-ahu, and
mata-popoto,
ra’i,
’Otu’u-haamana-ia-Ta’aroa.
We
may
death by any of these foes.
Now this is what I hâve to say:
because our land is replenished with
meet
people, let us hâve a boar chase, dividing the clans, having Hiti-uta and
Hiti-tai
on
one
side
and
Pe’eai
and
other.
Then you
will chase the boars, and we shall thus
test the courage of the men of the
different clans', so as to choose those
who will be capable of action in going
to the islands
of Pu’a-tù-tahi, Hititautau-mai, Hiti-poto, Hiti-tautau-atu,
and Hiti-au-revareva that rises to the
sky.’" Such men can la'' hold of the
foes in the océan, and even on the
Papa-honu
on
the
démons of the island of Hiti-marama.”
But if there be no capable men, we
shall remain in this land and abandon
the Project of going.
What do you think, O clans here
présent, of my proposai?
We agréé to it.
What you say
is
good, O Princess Regent.
Let
the new génération show what they
are capable of doing [said the people].
We hâve trodden the earth, we hâve
very
This expression means “dwell on the land.”
It “rises to the sky” froni the horizon, intimating a hîgh island.
This island was somewhere noi th of Pitcairn and Elizabeth Islands,
disappeared.
Peeai,
honu, Hiti-uta, and Hiti-ta’i, I hâve
something to say to you. I am surveying you, and behold my eyes' cannot
but has long since
478
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
cultivated
food, and much offspring
given us ; now let us take
courage and be strong so as to succeed in this enterprise.
mai ta hua’ai; e rohi ra ia tupu te '
itoito e ia manuia manuia tena tere.
lias'
been
giant king, Rata, entered. enthusiastically into his mother’s plans,
wishing also to accompany lier on her voyage. Wild boars with long tusks
were caught and kept in readiness, and the day was fixed for the sport,
after which a prolonged feast was to be held in honor of the king’s coming
into power. The regent decided to go herself as umpire, and she told her
son that as king he should not take part in the chase but that he should
présidé over it with her, and this hè^agreed to do. But she was careful in
cautioning him to exercise self control, as she feared he would become
excited and side with one party against the other. This might end tragically, for, she said, he would thus be drawn to interfère with the hunters,
and as he was so strong, one blow, of his hand would fell a man to the
ground and disable him, and he would thus lose caste as king in the land.
But Rata assured his mother that he loved his people impartially and would
control his feelings as umpire with her. So her mind was set at rest.
The
day arrived, and in the cool of the morning the young men of
ranged themselves along on one side of the
assembly ground and those of Pe’eai and Papahonu on the other side. The
king and his mother, as umpires, took their seats in the rear, and one of
the boars was let loose in the center of the assembly ground. At first the
boar stood bewildered in his strange position, but soon endeavored to make
its escape by running inland.
The
Hiti-uta and Hiti-tai coasts
The rival parties kept their respective sides as
they chased the pig and
taking. The Hiti-uta and Hiti-tai side almost
caught him, but he slipped out of their hands and was escaping into the
woods, when the king, growing interested in the chase and forgetting his
place as umpire, shouted:
closed in the road he
was
""A rohi, e Hiti-uta e Hiti-tai!”
fired them with new zeal.
(Be sharp, Hiti-uta and Hiti-tai).
This
The king’s mother reminded him that he should
keep calm and be silent; yet he could not contain himself.
Soon the hunters, each party keeping
its own side, had overtaken the
pig inland and turned his course out of the woods into the scrub upon
the sands of the coast, and just as the people of Pe’eai and Papahonu were
about to catch him, he disappeared in
their hands^®
as
he
emerged and
The manner in which natives seize
ît down and secure it with ropes.
a
the sea; but he was again nearly in
swimming away.
was
pig is to catch it by the hind legs and l'hen throw
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Now Rata lost ail control of
479
himself, and shouted to the other side to
push into the rival ranks and outdo them, saying:
“Na onei mai, na onei mai!”
mother in vain
exclaiming:
(Corne this way, corne this way!).
The
“B Rata, eiaha ’oe e parau atu i ta vera haru ra’a pua’a! B ari’i ’oe,
parahi noa oe i to parahira’a mataeina’a e a vai iho noa ’tu ia vera!”
(Rata, do not interfère with their pig catching! You are the king, sit still
in your official place, and leave them alone ! )
But ail System and order were now forgotten by the king in his excite,
He heeded not his mother’s words and joined the party, felling to
ment.
ground those he sided against, as they laid their hands upon the pig,
slippery from being wet and endeavoring to run out through the crowd.
Some of those Rata struck with his heavy fist died instantaneously ; others
were stunned and carried away.
Thus tragically was the people’s sport
ended, while the persecuted pig slipped away unobserved to its home in the
the
now
woods.
Ail attention was then directed to the injured and dead. The king stood
aghast, overwhelmed with shame and remorse, as the people of Pe’eai and
Papahonu turned to his mother and said with bitter sarcasm :
E
tara
te
honu,
iho
Ari’i Maemae-a-rohi vahiné e.
te ta’ata o Peeai e o Papa¬
i ha’apori hia ei ta’ata
tere, ei fa’a’ite ra’a ni i te tere
Ari-i-vahine o Maemae-a-rohi !
no
o
te
te
O Princess Maemae-a-rohi, these are
the people of Pe’eai and Papahonu, fattened for their journey, as an illustra¬
tion to générations of the travels of
the Princess Maemae-a-rohi !
Stung with poignant sorrow, her tears mingled freely with those of the
people, who bewailed the day’s adventures, and she retired to her home
much mortified with her son’s conduct.
For two days and two nights she
upbraided him in the following scathing manner:
Eaha ’oe i taparahi ai i te ta’ata?
Ta
rave
E
ia i na o mai e, ’e’ita ’oe e
noa a’e i ta vera harura’a pua’a?
’oe
ari’i
metua
te
o
mau
maitai ’oe ?
Inaha, to pue
tei pohe i te toa o te moana,
ari’i ia i ha’apao hia ei ari’i
te
fenua, ’a’ita i taparahi i te
ta’ata; e tae mai nei ia ’oe, o’oe atura
te taparahi i te ta’ata i fa’aea noa i
no
ni’a i te fenua nei !
Eaha ’oe i rave
nunui ai i te ta’ata?
E ho’ona ho’i te
taua ia ’oe, e tena ta’ata ino ?
Ahiri
ho’i ’oe e ta’ata maitai, e ’ai ’oe i te
pua’a o to ’oe na’u metua, ta’ata ino
pai ’oe. Haere pai ’oe e’ai i te huehue
Why did
you
murder
the
people ?
Was that keeping your promise not to
interfère vifith their boar seizing? Are
you a
good king?
Behold, your father
and uncles, who were slain by their
foes' of the océan, were worthy princes
of the land ; they did not slay men ;
and now you hâve arisen, you hâve
killed inoffensive people of the land !
Why did
you
lay
a
heavy hand
upon
them?
Can you recover friendship, O
man of evil?
Were you a worthy per-
might eat pork as did your
but you are unworthy.
Go'
then and eat globe-fish,“ that you may
son,
you
fathers,
This fish is a small variety of Teleostei, common in
marlced, yellow, blackj and white, and is very poisonous.
the Society
Islands,
is prettily
480
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
ia pohe vave atu i tena na mahana.
’Aore ’oe a pohe i reira, a haere a amu
i te tutae.
Eiaha ’oe e amu i te ma’a
maumau, te ma’a o te fenua nei a pau
i te manumanu ia ’oe, tena na ta’ata
’ino !
today. And if you do not die of
go and eat dung.“
Eat not the
food of the brave, lest the aliments of
the land become blighted by you, unworthy man !
die
that,
already heavy, was sorely pricked with his mother’s reproaches, his head was bowed down with trtie contrition, and his loud wailing was heard far away, so that ail the people pitied hira. At length he
Rata’s heart,
said ;
E ta’u metua vahiné, e te Ari’i Maemae-a-rohi vahiné e, mea ra te toetoe
o to’u ’a’au ê !
Ahiri ’oe i tu mai e
taparahi
ia’u,
mahana-hana
ai
to’u
’a’au. Eiaha e atu ia, ahiri ’oe. i fa’aue
i te ta’ata o te va’arftataeina’a e tu mai
e tata ia’u i te ra’au, ’e’ita roa vau
e
mamae
i tereira !
’A’ita ’tu e ra’au
raamae
mai
atura
rahi, maori
nei,
te
e
te reo i avau
toetoe maite
Na vai teie, mai te
ra o
amuamu ;
to’u ’a’au !
po’ipo’i mai a e a pô maite, e ao a’era
e
a pô ho’i
teie ra, te avau noa mai
nei a ’oe!
Ta ’oe e paraît mai nei e
ta’u metua vahiné, e Maemae-a-rohi,
taria-pu tena parau no’u.
Teie
ra
ta’u
atu
ia
ia’u.
E roa’a ia’u
mau
Ahiri
e
mai
te
fenua tuati ra e tae noa ia haere,
teienei ia mahana e pau ai ia mau toa
ia’u. Napehea rà, inaha e tai tua. E’ita
atura e noa’a i teienei I
A
ia
tarai i ta’u pahi,
e
oti, taua ’toa te haere i to tere
taua.
Fa’aho’i ra i to va’a a’era i roto
i te farau, e hoe a’e o taua tere, ’e’ita
ia ’oe e pohe.
rave
ra
vau
of the clans to corne and smite me
with rods, I should not feel pain from
them !
There is no rod that hurts
e
badly as the voice of reproach and
so
dérision
that
reaches
me ;
it has
chilled my heart !
What manner of
doing is this, from morning till night
from day until now it is night again,
you
are still upbraiding me I
What
5mu say to me, O my mother, Maemae-a-rohi, your words my ears retain.
And
e
taua
te mata
toa
ta’u metua
i to ’oe tere.
taua; pohe ana’e
parau,
vahiné, E hoe
O my mother, Princess Maemae-arohi, how chilled now is my heart !
Oh, that you would corne and beat
me so as to ivarm my heart.
And if
not this, were you to order the people
say,
here
now
O
m3r
is
mother.
what
Eet
I
me
wish
go
to
with
on your voyage.
I am capable
waging war ; ail those foesT I can
slay. Were it land joining this, upon
which I could go, this day would I
you
of
consume
can
be
ail
done
those foes.
But what
when there is the open
They cannot now be reached I
Then let me make my ship, and
when it is finished allow me to accom-
sea ?
pany you on vour long journey.
your can'oe now replaced in its
and
let
3'ou
mav
us
both
not
die.
go
Hâve
shed,
together, so that
But the mother was so sorely displeased that she refused to wait for her
ship and made préparations to go on her long journey with-'
In vain Rata entreated her to let him accompany her; his way-
son
to build his
out
him.
wardness, which had brought death and sorrow to his people, had broken
She refused to accept his services but chose rather
her confidence in him.
to entrust
herself to the care of her older tried friends and retainers.
Ail
these endeavored to persuade her not to risk her life in the dangerous effort
the dead, but to leave that to her Herculean son, who had his
doing so and had charged them to guard her and his aunt
from the dangers of their voyage and to bring his mother home again safely.
to avenge
mind set upon
^
“Go and eat dung*’ was
a
form of speech used in degrading a king.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
His aunt,
her
Matamata-taua,
daughter.
was
481
planning to remain at Hiti-au-rereva with
Amid mourning for the recent dead, instead of
festivities, Rata received
Then speedy préparations were made for the
voyagera to départ, and when the new moon began to shine brightly in
twilight over the waters the great royal double canoë, named Tahiri-avarovaro-i-te-ra’i (Fan-vibrating-in-the-sky), was launched with the usual
religions ceremonies, which, however, were accompanied with some omens
that caused the priest a little uneasiness, and he invoked ail the gods to
the reins of government.
corne
to
their aid and
overcome
the evil.
So the ex-regent and queen dowager, accompanied by a family priest,
retainers, and efficient navigators, set out on their voyage, amid affection-
steady trade wind soon wafted them out of sight of
They took an easterly course through the Tuamotu group, touching
here and there for fresh coconuts and other provisions. Their first landing
place was Anâ.^i They gradually descended southeast, touching at Marorau,22 and passed the great atoll Hao.^^
ate leave taking ; and the
Tahiti.
Finally they arrived at Hiti-au-rereva, their destination, and received a
cordial welcome from their kinsfolk and ail the inhabitants ; mother and
child were made happy in each other’s company, not again to separate
in this World.
Life in this little land,
peopled from Tahiti and the Tuaand
motus, was very similar to that in Tahiti, the language and manners
customs of the people being almost the same in both lands.
VoYACË-S
OF
Rata
In the meantime, the hearts of the people of the clans, whose champions
Rata had slain in the boar chase, were softened towards their king when
they saw him
stricken and contrite for his fault, and after his
disgrâce ail his subjects rallied round him.
sorrow
mother left him in
préparations to go on his mission for the dead, and
regard to building a proper ship .for warfare at
sea.
They told him that as his uncles and father had felled ail the finest
trees of the lowland forests for their ships, he should go to the highlands
to choose suitable timber.
But they said that he should first procure choice
food to give them strength in their work, such as fish, fatted pigs, ripe
bananas, mountain plantains, sweet potatoes, and ail the best fruits of the
land—a manner of feeding ship builders called a fana.
Moreover, they
required as wages choice mats, rolls of cloth, and ’ura feathers to add to
He
soon
made
consulted his artisans in
A circle of islets linked t’ogether with a coral reef and recently also called I^a Chaîne.
One of a double circle of chain islands now named Les-deux-groupes.
Modernized La Harpe by Bougainville, and Bow Island by Cook owing to its shape.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
482
their treasures at home, that they
when
might hâve gifts suitable for the gods
required at religions ceremonies.
do and summoned ail his
chiefs and people together to tell them his plans and ask for their co-opera¬
tion. They listened to him with enthusiasm, and the farmers and fishermen
and makers of cloth and ornaments and the feather seekers agreed to make
their respective contributions, which they did liberally, ere the new moon
appeared. The provisions in adéquate supplies were to be brought and
prepared daily, as the work was being carried on.
In ail due form the king and people made their présentation, headed by
the king’s orator, who minutely enumerated every offering to the artisans in
the name of the king and the clans, finally exhorting them to work without
delay, so that Rata might go speedily to avenge their long-lost ones and meet
Rata said that that would be very easy to
his mother to escort lier home.
The orator’s words were éloquent and moved ail présent to enthusiasm,
and the
artisans, in accepting the
offerings, replied that never before had
they received such bounty in their profession. They had built ships for the
king’s late predecessors and for other people and had been liberally rewarded
by them ; but this présentation surpassed ail theirs. They promised to work
untiringly in building the king’s ship, that he might realize ail his hopes.
It was decided that on the day following the last night of
the moon the
work was to commence and that the king and chosen men from the different
clans were to accompany the artisans in their search for
suitable wood and
for the ship. Then they made the usual prépara¬
tions for canoë building. At the earliest dawn of day, the artisans
religiously “awakened” their tools in the marae, then supposed to be
filled with the virtue of the' patron gods to facilitate the work. Each
man then placing his tools in a basket hanging from his shoulder supported
with his arm, under which it hung, proceeded to the king’s habitation according to appointment; and at their first call, “Rata,” the king answered and
arose and equipped himself for work.
He girded on a fine maro of purau
put on a par eu fara or waistcloth (also called a pau), and completed
his dress with a tatiia, or belt of purau bark, leaving the rest of his body
bare—his garb differing from that of his companions only in quality. Ail
wore turbans of ti leaves.
Rata then took his enchanted ancestral axe in his
basket, and ere the sun had risen the party arrived far up in the back woods,
followed a little in the rear by attendants carrying food freshly prepared for
the day. They found a fine aha-tea tree standing among smaller ones and
decided to eut it. But before doing so, they greeted the tree thus ;
aid them in preparing it
483
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Manava no te ra’au i te hi’ora’a !
Manava no te tupura’a ra’au i te
fenua !
Manava no te tutonu ra’a o te ra’au !
Manava no te hi’ara’a o te ra’au !
Manava no te tapura’a o te ra’au !
Manava no te tutai ra’a o te ra’au !
Welcome to the tree we behold !
Welcome to the tree growing in the
ground !
Welcome to the tree overlookiag us !
Welcome to the tree to fall !
Welcome to the tree to be chopped!
Welcome to the tree to be drawn
away !
Rata was the first to lay the hatchet upon the great trunk,
and when lie
the artisans joined him in the work. Soon when the
tree fell, ail became busily employed in chopping ofï the branches and barking the trunk, and when tins was finished, they sat down to eat and plan
where they should go in search of another tree, as they could find no more
suitable timber where they were. They decided to go up into the cloudy
régions of the mountain sides, which were thickly wooded with ancient trees,
where the god, Ihu-ata (Flitting-in-clouds), reigned, and where the foot
had chopped awhile
of man had never trodden.
They came to an immense tree called mao-mea {Gonimersoma echinata),
and Rata, delighted with it, was about to chop when the artisans begged him
to
hait, saying that it was a mo'i'^* or king tree, sàcred to the god, Ihu-ata,
and that
recesses,
they were surrounded by the gods of the clifïs, the gods of the
and the gods of the air, who would wreak vengeance upon them if
they were to dare to touch it. But Rata argued that the tree was just what
they required and lie did not believe in being intimidated about the numerous
gods. And while the artisans were in dread of sonie terrible visitation. Rata
hailed the tree as on the former occasion and set to work chopping, his conipanions standing aghast and spellbound, looking to see what would happen.
He toiled 011 until late in the afternoon, when at last the tree fell with a great
crash, bringing down with it the boughs of neighboring trees and breaking
down small ones.
And the écho of that crash resounded throughout the
forest and ravines in a nianner never before heard in that région.
“Now,” said Rata, “you see the gods hâve not hindered me from this
So lielp me to chop the branches and strip the bark off this tree, in
order that we may drag it hence before dark.” So ail set 'to work and soon
had the great trunk of the tree bare, and then they tied it with ropes and
placed rollers along the decliidty of the mountain, and aided by the retainers
work.
accompanied them they soon had the log down upon the slopes.
When they arrived at a convenient spot, they left it for the night, planning
that had
to return on the niorrow to
drag it home.
They had no sooner disappeared when the artisan elves of the god, IhuTuoi-papa-papa (Passer-over-loose-rocks), came
ata, headed by their chief
^
As the Word mo’i, formerly applied to giant trees in Tahitian, implies
Hawaiian dialect, it may hâve beeii takeii originally from the Tahitian.
“sovereign” in the
484
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
and looked at the bared trunk of their great sacred tree, and Tuoi-iDapa-papa
exclaimed :
“Na Rata teie ohipa, tera ari’i e ’ore e
taia i te nu’u atua e i te ta ata; e
fa’ati’a fa’ahou!” (This is the work of Rata, that king who
fears not the hosts of gods or man; we must rectify this!)
Then he called
rave
tatou
e
to his god and the hosts
of elves :,
E Ihu-ata e, e te mano o te atua I
Te atua i te aivi e, a pou!
Te atua i te fa’a e, a pou!
Te atua tapotu e, a pou !
A pou, e fa’ati’a tatou i te ra’au
mo’i nei, na polie, ua tua hia e Rata !
O Ihu-ata, O, thousands of gods !
Gods of the cliffs, corne down !
Gods of the valleys, corne down !
Gods
flying over each other [of
the air], corne down!
Corne down,
and let us raise this king tree, which
is stricken, chopped down by Rata !
They soon
made the log move up to its proper spof; the chips ail fiew on to the trunk
and became solid wood with it as before ; the bark flew up and soon enveloped
In a moment ail the gods invoked came and filled the place !
it, while the sap, which was still flowing, returned to its proper channel; and
finally the branches with leaves yet fresh ascended to their places, and the
gum United them to the trunk.
So the tree stood clothed and grand as
before, enshrouded by the fleecy clouds.
Rata slept uneasily that night, and early in the morning he and his party
arose and returned to résumé their work.
They arrived at the place where
they had left the log ; but, lo ! it was not there, and there were no signs of
its having been there. The artisans thought that thieves had carried it away,
but Rata said nobody but gods could hâve performed such a deed without
leaving traces, and so they went to the spot whence they had taken the tree,
and there they stood amazed to see it erect in ail .its beauty.
Nothing daunted. Rata préparée! again to fell it, and when his companions entreated him to abandon the idea and go elsewhere to find timber for
his ship, he replied that that was the tree he needed. He invoked the gods
Fatu-nuTi (Lord-of-hosts) and Ta’ere-maopoopo (Keel-of-all-skill) to possess his axe and aid him in securing the prize.
Noue of the artisans dared
chop ; while Rata valiantly labored, they looked on, feeling more awestricken
than on the previous day. Rata was enraged with the hosts of elves and
because angry worked barder with his enchanted axe, suspending work only
for a little while when the day was advancing, to take his morning meal with
his men.
The
tree
fell with the same ominous crash as before, and Rata again strip-
ped the bark and eut off the branches, no one daring to aid him; and when
log was ready he told his compaions to help him drag it to the place
where they had left it the evening before, and with terrible dread they did
so.
The night birds were announcing the approach of evening, and it was
the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
485
time to return home; but Rata decided to remain and
keep watch over his
In vain his faithful subjects entreated him to go
home with them and afterwards proposed
camping out with him. But he
told them that he wished to conceal himself
by the log and see the gods corne
to restore the tree, which
they might not do were they to see people.
So Rata was left alonej in the woods, his men having
promised to return
again on the morrow, a token of dévotion which greatly cheered him and
tree
throughout the night.
made him
feel more courageous in his solitude.
He excavated a place
beneath the log and with dry leaves made it comfortable to lie in. When the
night
was
branches.
advancing, he laid himself in his hiding place, covered with
Soon he heard a terrible disturbance within himself and wondered
what such an omen signified.
Mai
te
tai
tua
ra
te
hotu ra’a !
Then he soliloquized :
Ua
pohe paha vau auanei.
E au tuputupua anei, e au ta’ata anei?
E ’ore
au e pohe
i te tupapa’u, e e ta’ata ra,
hoe a ia huru mai ia’u ’atoa nei E au
e
teie ; e au atua, fa’aoromai noa na !
air!
It sounds like the roaring océan !
Perhaps I shall soon be slain. Is this
the working of spirits or of men?
I
shall not die by ghosts, and if they
be men they will be like myself.
This
is extraordinary working; it is of the
gods, just wait!
Soon ail was quiet, and he heard gentle voices, and the elves filled the
He heard them record the history of his father and
uncles, and what
he was doing to get a ship for the purpose of
not
avenging them; but they were
willing that he should take their sacred tree. Just then the guiding
artisan, Tuoi-papa-papa exclaimed:
“Hau’a ta’ata mai nei!”
(There cornes a smell of man!)
He and another artisan, named Refera
(Examiner), approached Rata’s
hiding place in search of the intruder, and Rata caught them by their heads,
which were very small in his great hands. He held them
firmly, and they
cried to him to let them go. But he told them he would not release
them,
as they were just the individuals he needed to aid him in
building his canoë,
and moreover he would not allow them to raise the tree
again
it to its former State as they had
already once doue.
and restore
This sudden attack on the part of Rata so startled ail the other elves
that they rushed away, tumbling over one another in the air and
upon the
ground, and they kept at a respectful distance much alarmed on seeing the
captives in the hands of the giant king. Rata held them firmly by their
heads, until they became entirely subdued and promised to build him a fine
two
ship properly fitted for the voyage he wished to make ; and they said that if
he would leave them to their work and go home he would hâve it
very soon.
On these conditions, he released them.
The two artisans then moved ofif and
boulders to recover their breath, and looking thence at Rata they
began to weep, and the following conversation took place:
sat upon
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
486
Tuoi. E hoa, to taua ho’i te pohera’a
I pâhi ’ho nei taua i te rima
Ahiri ho’i e rima atua ra, e
pohe ra’a maitai ia; e atua e e atua ta
’ino e !
ta’ata !
tama’i,
raua
tama’i
e
au
e
ai.
ta’ata e e ta’ata ta raua
Tuoi. Friend, how ignominiousiy are
overcome! We hâve been held by
the hand of man !
Had it been by the
hand of a god, our capture would hâve
been well ; it becomes a god to fight
with a god, but man should fight with
we
man.
Pefera. E! mea faufau teie pohe i te
rima ta’ata ! ’A’ita roa taua i pohe i tè
atua i te po ra.
Rata. Tuoi-papa-papa
ma,
eaha ta
’orua e mihi na?
Tiioi. I mihi noa na maua i to maua
pohe !
Rata. Eaha te mea ’orua e oto ai i
tereira?
Tuoi. E atua maua no te po, ’e’ita e
noa’a i te rima, e tae mai nei ia ’oe nei
inaha, ua pohe iho nei maua ! Ua mau
to maua ’upo’o i te rima ta’ata, e mea
faufau
We
hâve
never
before been thus
humbled by the gods' in darkness.
Rata. Tuoi-papa-papa and company,
what are you lamenting?
Tuoi. We hâve just been lamenting
our defeat !
Rata. Why do you weep on account
of that ?
Tuoi. We are gods from darkness
and hâve been unapproachable to man
until now, and behold we bave fallen
into your hands ! Our heads hâve been
grasped by man’s hands and thus
atura.
secrated.^
Rata. ’E’ita ’orua e ora ia’u, e ’au’au
vau ia ’orua e tae roa ’tu i te po
ia taiva.
Tuoi. E tupura’a ta’ata ’oe no te
fenua nei; e atua ta ’oe e ra’a, e ’ore
roa e au ia rave ’oe i te atua.
roa
Rata. Ua riri au ia ’orua i te mea
’orua i fa’ati’a maro i ta’u ra’au i tapu
maite hia e au, e i tarai hia e au no
ta’u pahi.
Tuoi. la tapea hia maua ra, ’e’ita ia
e noa’a te taua ia te Tumu-nui ra;
ia
ora maua,
e haona ia te matataua, e
oti ’atoa ai ta ’oe pâhi. E ra’au mo’a
tena ta ’oe i tapu na te atua, na Ihuata ;
Refera. Yes!
This subjugation is
disgraceful, being by the hand of man !
teie
a
’itea teie nei
vao
te
ta’ahi
ra’a hia e te avae ta’ata, e ua riri ana’e
te nu’u a te atua ia ’oe i tereira mea.
Rata. You cannot escape me.
I shall
follow you to Hades if you estrange
yourselves.
Tuoi. You hâve sprung from man in
this World ; the gods are what you hold
sacred, and it is not lawful that you
should lay your hands upon theni.
Rata. I am vexed with you, because
you
obstinately persist in restoring to
my
ship.
its place my tree, which I chopped
down and which I eut into shape for
Tiioi. If you keep us, you cannot
obtain from Tumu-nui the power to
wage war; if you liberate us, you will
become intrepid and also obtain your
ship. This is a sacred tree that you
tuputupua ra, i Hiti-marama.
Tuoi. A, ua ti’a. E vai iho mai ra
’oe i ta ’oe pâhi na matou e hamani e
hamani e maitai ai.
Rata. Afea e oti ai ta’u pâhi?
felled, it belongs to the god, Ihuthis is the first time that this
recess
has been trodden by the foot
of man, for which reason the gods' are
displeased with you.
Rata.
Then you may both go, but
do not take my tree and stand it up
again ; leave it for my ship, so that
I may be enabled to go to the great
Tridacna and to the land of goblins,
hâve
ata ;
Rata. la ora maoti ’orua, eiaha ra
’orua e rave e fa’ati’a fa’ahou i ta’u
ra’au ; e vai iho mai ra no ta’u pâhi,
ia tae au i te pahua nui e i te fenua o
te
de-
Hiti-marama.
Tuoi.
Ah, we are willing.
Now
leave your ship with us to niake, in
order that you may succeed.
Rata.
When will my ship be finished ?
to
They answered that it was not with them alone to say when it could he
done, but that Rata mtist first bring offerings to the gods so as to gain their
^
Tahîtians consîder the head of a person the
belief that the gods held their heads the most sacred.
most sacred part,
which
cornes
(See legend of Ta’aroa, p. 339.)
from their
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
487
favor and succeed in vanquishing his loved ones’ consumer.
He agreed to
they proposed, and promising to return with the desired offerings the
following day and also to bring them the other log he had eut, he took leave
of them and returned home while the night birds far and near were
calling
and chirping and singing their nocturnal notes.
ail
He found his people congregated in groups about their homes in the
Papaoa, unable to retire to rest from anxiety for the fate of
their king. As he approached them they exclaimed :
settlement of
“There is the
king ! King Rata is afraid of ghosts and has returned.”
Then they joyously greeted him and soon flocked around him at his résidence
to hear how he
had escaped alive and what had happened.
And when he
keeping
told them everything they were astonished and agreed to aid him in
his promise with the elves.
The people soon dispersed, but not to rest that night.
in ail the district cooking food and preparing gifts
They were active
worthy of a king to pré¬
sent to the spirit world.
By first cockerow ail the ovens of food were steaming, and when the third cockerow announced the dawn of day ail was ready.
Then the able-bodied men of the realm formed in procession and carried
their respective offerings in proper order, headed by the
king’s artisans who
were to hâve built his
ship and who now brought their baskets of consecrated tools and other gifts for the gods. Stiimilated with the beat of the
drum, the throng marched and took their stand in the royal courtyard, where
they were cordially received by Rata, before whom two divisions of the gifts
were made.
The people’s orator presented him with a goodly share,
express¬
ing the joy his subjects felt in his safe return among them after his hazardous
adventures on enchanted ground, and the other division was presented for
the cause they had espoused.
The king replied in person to the
speech,
expressing his appréciation of the people’s loyalty and cordial response to
his desires. He accepted the offerings on behalf of the gods and himself,
respectively, turning over his share also to the gods.
The great party then took up their burdens and proceeded to the spacious
lake, Vai-puooro (Gurgling-waters) of Papaoa, which was in olden times
clear and deep. Along its banks lay canoës of the district, double and
single,
for which its waters served as a haven from sea and tempest, there
being
a wide unobstructed outlet into the sea close
by.^® There they were joined
by the high priest of the district, who had been praying ail night at the
royal marae appropriately for the occasion, and aided by another priest he
brought a long banana shoot as a human sacrifice in effigy, called te tafata
ra O Meia-roa
(the man long-banana), to take as a propitiatory offering
to the god Ta’aroa.
Today
across
the outlet stands
a
stone
bridge.
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
488
Then the party was complété, and they crossed the lake in canoës to the
hilly side and went to the valley where lay the first log that had been eut
and which they soon attached to ropes and drew inland to the région of the
elves, who were looking down upon them from among the clouds.
When
they arrived at their destination, where they found their second log lying,
it was still early.
They were received by their two friends, Tuoi-papa-papa and Fefera,
who were seated upon the log awaiting them, and the former said:
“Manava ’outou! Tena to tere
Hâve you corne on your
"Ë, teie matou!”
e
te ari'i Rata?”
errand, King.Rata?)
(Welcome to you ail!
And the king answered:
(Yes, here we are!)
The host of mortals there felt that they had corne into the presence
of
and in silent
reverence they placed their présents in order upon the ground, laying out
the feast for the gods temptingly upon large banana leaves, which they had
brought with them, and making attractive heaps of the other gifts, reserving
some of each kind and the sacred tools for the artisan elves.
Drops of ava
upon sacred miro leaves, indispensable for such a festivity, completed the
arrangements of the food, and ail was ready for présentation.
a
great host of gods of ail classes, though invisible to them,
Then the king, headed by the two priests carrying the Mei’a-roa, approached the two elves still sitting upon the sacred log, and the high priest
requested them to accept that offering for Ta’aroa, whose curse was death,
that the trespass of his king might be remembered no more. In rotation, the
food and other things were enumerated and presented for Ta’aroa, themselves, and ail the hosts of other gods, for the purpose of rejoicing their
hearts, in the name of the king and his clans.
The two elves cordially accepted the présents on behalf of Ta’aroa and
and themselves, and they promised that on the following
day the ship would be finished with nothing wanting. The ship artisan
Tuoi-papa-papa said to Rata:
ail the other gods
“A hi’o a’e ’oe ananahi i te ata ma te anuanua e nareira te pâhi te tapae
i tahatai”
(Look out tomorrow for clouds containing a rainbow, and by it
shore).
will the ship arrive at your
Rata was much pleased at these words, although he did not think it
possible that they could be meant literally, and soon he and his party took
leave of the two little elves and returned home.
As soon as the human beings had disappeared, Tuoi and Fefera shouted
through the for est in trumpet-like voices :
i
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Te
atua
i te aivi e, e te atua
i
te
fa’a, te atua i te tapotu, e te tini atua,
e te mano atua, a
pou mai i te ao nei,
a
tu fa
ma’a !
i ta tatou tao’a
ea
ai i ta tatou
489
O gods of the cliffs, gods of the
valleys, gods' of the lowering clouds,
O tens of gods, O thousands of gods,
descend down to this earth, to distribute
food.
our
goods
and
to
eat
our
In a
moment, responding to the call, the hosts of the gods appeared, and
they filled the woods and walked upon the soil like human beings. Ihu-ata,
as lord of that
région, presided, and in a twinkling of an eye they were ail
seated with strict décorum according to their ranks.
Soon those immortal
beings were as mortals, enjoying ail the good things prepared for them by
human hands, the ’ava especially making their hearts
glad, and they were
loud in their praises of the mighty king, Rata, and his
subjects, who had so
promptly fulfilled their part for the work in view.
Thus, no flaw in the proceedings occurred to cause misfortune or ill luck
to the enterprise of Rata, and when the
festivity was over and the awestriking guests of the feast had gone away with their property, the elves set
systematically to work. The two chief artisans marked out the width of the
planks of each log for the others to eut. There were the ship’s masts, two
in number, and the outrigger, the canoë house and
deck, the sails, ropes,
canoë bailers of wood, and
many other little items to provide and complété
before the return of another day.
Feeling strong with the food they had eaten, the little artisans set to their
tasks as close as ants in ail departments of work.
By sunset they had
finished the ship with ail its appendages. Then
they placed in the masts
and rigging and set the sails, which were
strong mats, eight on one side and
■eight on the other ; and by midnight ail the work was done and inspected and
.approved of by Ihu-ata. After this the artisans rested.
At daybreak they invoked the presence of
Ta’aroa of the river in dark-
ness, presenting him with some sennit as a peace offering, and his
made manifest
acceptance
by his sending them a heavy shower of rain to
immerse the ship, which was their way of
performing the ceremony of
fa’ainu (making it drink). They named the ship Va’a-i-ama (Canoe-thatburned), in anticipation of future events. Then with the little elves clinging
to the ship the mountain breeze
caught it and wafted it high up on to the
■shining clouds, which bore eleves and ship far beyond the land and out over
the open sea, where they descended by the rainbow, as
already announced,
and set the canoë as lightly as a bird
upon the waters.
While ail this was happening, King Rata saw in a dream the
ship completed and coming into the harbor, and he thought he went out to receive it
and was just taking hold of its bows to draw it on shore when he awoke
in an eestasy of joy.
Remembering what the chief artisan had told him, he
was
soon
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
490
arose
and went ont to the seashore, and there before him in the clouds facing
in realization of bis dream, was the great rainbow. As he
stood on the shore to receive it the ship soon sailed gently into the harbor.
the rising sun,
But he saw no one guiding it, as the elves made themselves invisible.
Soon
it was anchored, and the sails were moved down from the masts mysteriously.
beautiiully finished, fine ship that lay in the
spread ont like a fara thicket
and when standing still appeared to regulate themselves. He viewed it from
before and behind and sideways, and then he went up on to it to examine it
doser. As soon as he had walked from the figurehead to the stern, both
beautifully carved into figures of elves-,^ he heard a voice call him by name ;
but seeing no one, he said:
Rata
was
amazed at the
Before the wind, its sails
before him.
sea
O vai ’oe e parau mai ra? Answer.
O maua, o Tuoi-papa-papa ma Feufeu.
Who are you there speaking?
Answer.
We two,
Tuoi-papa-papa
and Feufeu.
[They then appeared be¬
fore him.]
Rata. Welcome to 3fOU both !
May
Rata. Manava
’orua !
la
ora
na
’orua i te tae ra’a mai i to’u nei hau.
Na vai teie pahi?
you
uta
you
Tuoi. Te pahi pa’i ta ’oe i hara
ra, i te peho ’o te nu’u atua.
i
Rata. E ’o ta’u pahi teie?
Tuoi. E, ’o taua pahi ra tena.
Rata. I na hea ra hia te oti vave !
E ’oa’oa iti rahi roa to’u ; e tae ra ia
vau i to’u tere.
Tuoi. Ei onei ra, e te Ari’i Rata,
e haere matou i uta.
Ua topa hia to
,
pahi,
o
Va’a-i-ama.
live in coming to my
Whose is this ship?
Tuoi. It is, of course, the
kingdom.
ship that
trespassed for inland, in the recess
of the gods.
Rata. And this is my ship?
Tuoi. Yes, that is the ship.
Rata. How was it so quickly fin¬
ished!
I am greatly rejoiced; now I
shall be able to go on my errand.
Tuoi. Adieu, King Rata, we are going inland. Your ship is’ named Va’a-
i-ama.
elves made themselves visible, and
Rata, amazed, saw them winking and twittering at one another and at him
With these words, the scores of
and
as
soon as
he could speak he invited them to stay
and breakfast with
him, which they declined; but he prevailed upon them to accept another
would hâve been unworthy of a king
Much pleased with their royal host, the
elves then took leave of him, and in an instant he saw them in the clouds
returning to their mountain habitation.
As soon as Rata could realize ail that had happened in so short a time,
he went for some of his retainers to corne and aid him in drawing his ship
up on to the land for safety. The people were incredulous concerning what
he told them and said it was not possible for any artisans to complété a
ship in only one day and night, laughing at the absurdity of such a thing;
but they deferentially followed their king and were soon filled with admir¬
ation and surprise at what they saw.
Meanwhile the people whose houses
présent of mats and feathers, as it
to
send them away empty handed.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti ■
were
491
by the sea beyoïid Rata’s long point had seen the wonderful ship arrive
from the clouds and were flocking to the spot to examine it also.
Able and
ready hands drew it high up, beneath the large spreading toa trees
of the point, and before the
day had closed it was spread abroad over ail
North Tahiti that Rata was highly favored by the gods, and that
they had
given him an invincible ship, in which he was going to avenge his dead.
Ail the people were eager to see the
ship sail, and Rata promised them that
on the
foliowing day it would be ready for them to hâve that pleasure.
Not knowing that the ship had
already been dedicated in baptism to
Ta’aroa, Rata went to his shipbuilders to make arrangements for that purpose.
Going with him to the marae, they placed for the night beneath a
stone a piece of sacred sennit, a
ceremony called “pntting the sennit to
sleep,” and they invoked the blessing of the gods upon his enterprise, as
was the custom before
performing the ceremony. The next morning, the
king went to consult the oracle, and the chief artisan, turning up the stone
under which the sennit had been placed, took particular notice of its
posi¬
tion before he raised it in his hands.
“Ua pi’o te tu’ura’a aha,”
at
once
was
in serions tones,
(The sennit line is crooked), said they both
for this was to them a sure sign that something
wrong in the religions performances.
They next made a fire upon the sacred grounds and offered a pig with
long tusks upon it to the gods, invoking their blessing for rest above and
curses below the surface of the earth.
The elves inland
the fire rising from the artisans’ marae, and
saw
the smoke of
they exclaimed regretfully that
they had forgotten to tell Rata that the ship had already been dedicated to
Ta’aroa and immersed in rain.
But some of them consoled the others
by
saying that although because of this blunder Rata would encounter great
dangers and difficulties, yet he would corne out victorious ; and they watched
the proceeding from afar with great interest.
The ship was launched with its bows pu§hed down into
deep water, so
as to cause it to “drink”
properly, and then it rose, bows first, as the stern
went under for a few seconds.
It recovered its equilibrium well filled with
water, which several canoe-bailers discharged, and thus ended the second
baptism of the ship Va’a-i-ama, also known in legend as Va’a-i-à, Va’a-i-’
ura, and lastly Va’a-ura, simply, each appellation
signifying the same,
Canoe-that-burned, a name adopted by the royal family, as shown in genealogy.
The king then invited men, women, and children to enter his
ship, and
they set sail to try its capabilities. It darted out to sea, and soon the land
was
never
behind. When the women and children
wept from fear of
again seeing home. Rata ordered his pilot (the hoa-pahi), to return
left
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
492
embarked, and they coasted the
Te-pori-o-nuu most satisfactorily. Ail were loud in their praises
of the ship, which was well balanced and yielded nicely to the steersman’s
guiding paddle, and the elves saw and rejoiced over it also from their home.
Before nightfall it was laden with provisions and eqtiipped for Rata’s
and let them land.
After this
more
men
shores of
voyage.
well lighted with tutui nut
tapers, and he sat surrounded by his counselors and the most valiant men
In the evening the king’s dwelling place was
of the
land, Consulting with them in regard to the best course to take in
order to overcome the foes at sea.
It was decided that some of the bravest
and most experienced warriors
who would of their own accord volunteer to
should accompany the young king and his young sailor warriors. Soon
Matua-fa’auu (Dauhtless-strong-man), Matua-a-aro (Strong-fighting-man),
and Te-’iri-poto (Short-skin), Te-’iri-roa (Long-skin), ail renowned men,
stood forth and said they would accompany their king, even into the very
jaws of death.
go
They also reminded Rata that the foes they had to encounter were ter¬
approach and had hitherto annihilated the strongest men; that by
the great Tridacna no warrior had seemed a warrior and no king had been
respected as such, but ail human beings alike had been swallowed whole by
it and never seen again. To this. Rata, undaunted, replied that there was
no enemy he feared to attack, that he would even follow the
gods themrible to
selves down to Hades and overcome them in battle with his ancestral spear,
Toea-i-niho
ture
te
forth.
(Remainder-of-teeth) ; and he asked them if they would venThe faithful men replied :
“Tei ia ’oe, e te Ari’i; e rohi, to matou Ari’i! Maona taiapuu, e hopu
mehaP’’ ia maitai te rave” (It is with thee, O King; take courage, O our
King ! In fighting to annihilate, commence with invocations in order to suceed). This answer pleased Rata, and he repliqd :
'‘Mahana-hana mai nei to’ u ’a’au; itoito atura taua tere nei”
(My heart is
cheered; this enterprise will be carried out with energy). For the voyage,
a chaplain, a pilot, and an
astrologer also enlisted.
Early on the morrow, ofïerings of fish and coral rock were carried to
his chaplain for the land gods; and long strips of
tapa were committed to the approaching and receding billows of the seaside for the océan gods, in approbation of which large sharks made their
appearance.
This was the last religions observance needed to insure success before Rata set out to sea,
accompanied with signs favorable and
the marae by Rata and
Maona
na
mua.
taiapuu,
e
hopu te mehai in modem Tahitian would be:
B
aro
ha’apohe,
e
pure
Henry—Ancient Tafnti
493
unfavorable, which were carefully observed and remembered by the priest
and warriors, who witliout wavering went forth to conquer.
While Rata was thus
energetically making his préparations, his mother,
Maemae-a-rohi, was feeling anxious to know what her wayward son was
doing, and she had yearnings in her heart to see him again; so about the
same time that Rata left his native shores, she and her attendants said farewell to her sister-in-law and niece and ail the good people of Hiti-au-rereva
aird embarked in their ship, Tahiri-a-varovaro-i-te-ra’i, to return home,' supposing that Rata could not yet be ready for his cherished scheme.
The wind, coming from the south, was moderate and favorable for both
pàities, and guided by the unclouded sun in the day time and the moon and
stars by night they unwittingly took a direct course towards one another.
Rata and his company encountered no monster of the deep until they
found themselves irresistibly drawn by some great force, which turned out
to be Pahua-nui-api-taa-i-te-ra’i, and as it stood open in the horizon,
waylaying its prey, the pilot exclaimed :
“There is the Tridacna!”
“Where?” asked Rata, looking, as he thought, into the sky.
“Over yonder,
facing you,” was the reply.
And then he perceived the
great semicircle of one valve delineated against the sky, while the other lay
extended down in the water, which rippled
the mollusk inside.
and played upon the surface of
The warriors were prepared with their spears and steadily approached
the enemy endwise.
As they entered it, each man darted his spear along
the sides of the moving mass and severed it from the valves, which soon lay
and powerless in the water. Then they eut open the monster and
one heap the skeletons of ail the lost ones
they had corne to
recover ; and upon them were new victims, who
proved to be Rata’s mother
and her attendants, only just swallowed and not yet quite dead. They bore
them ail tenderly on to the ship, and Rata wept over his mother’s almost
lifeless form as he kept it warm in his embrace.
The other bodies were
cared for in the same way by the ship’s company.
With incantations the priests utterly annihilated the Tridacna, the war¬
riors broke apart its valves from the mid-ocean rock upon which it stood,
and it soon disappeared down into the depths of the sea.
The priest then prayed over the still supple bodies, and the god Ta’aroa
was compassionate and resuscitated them ail.
So there was great joy in
Rata’s ship, and mother and son were reconciled, never again to be
estranged from each other. But soon a sorrowful wail arose over what
remained of those who could not be recalled to life, but whose spirits, it
was believed, enabled their
respective bones to be identified.
open
found in
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
494
The ship then returned to Tahiti, and after depositing the precious bones
Rata and his brave rnen set ont again to seek and to slay
other scourges of humanity lurking in the sea of which they had heard.
Soon they encountered the great Ahifa-tu-moana of Pu’a-tû-tahi and after
in sacred ground,
a
deadly conflict killed him and consigned his spirit to Hades. They were
next
attacked by the great
Tupe-’i’o-ahu, and then by Anae-moe-oho, pos-
both of which scourges they also annihilated, body
and soûl.
Then from a long atoll that they were passing came the great
Otuu-haamana-a-Ta’aroa, which no man ever dared molest and which apsessed with démons,
proached them on friendly terms, exchanging kindly greetings with them,
as it always did with good people; arid then it flew away into the peaceful shoal of the lagoon and was seen hy them no more.
One day the sun became darkend as with a great cloud, and there came
with large outspread wings an immense black bird-fiend with fierce glance
and wild screech, and the men ail exclaimed, ‘-Ua pohe tatou!” (We are
lost!), as they arose with their spears ready for a deadly struggle. But
the priest exclaimed in reassuring tones :
“This is the démon Matutu-taotao of the ogre king, Puna of Hitimarama.
He will surely die at the hands of the warriors of Tahiti.”
This gave them new courage.
Just then the bird soared high, and with
its large hooked beak open and its talons outstretched prepared to descend
again to attack Rata, who stood aft of the canoë with his spear grasped
tightly at his side, and just as it was sweeping down upon him he darted
the spear suddenly into the bird’s throat. The spears of the other men soon
broke the bird’s wings and pierced it through the heart, so that it fell
lifeless before them.
Out of its mouth
came a
audible voice revealed itself to be that of
human slcull, which in
a near
an
relative, called a metua^^
(parent), of Rata, who with his wife had been carried away by the bird
some years before.
The voice urged Rata to go and rescue his wife, who
was still living in the house of the ogre king—the circumstances of which
were like those fully described in the Tuamotuan version of the story but
experienced by Rata’s mother. (See p. 495.) So he wrapped the skull
in soft tapa and placed it in a basket, which he put in the god’s house
for safe keeping to take home.
The men hewed the monster bird to
pièces, and the priest committed it, soûl and body, to the sea, invoking the
mighty ’Oro-paa (Dauntless-warrior), god of the océan, to keep it forever
from the face of the earth.
Then Rata said they must go on to the land of the ogre king,
avenge his
Puna, to
kinsfolk, and soon they arrived at that wonderful island.
The Word metua is applied to real and adoptive parents, to ttncles and aunts, to first
cousins in relation to their cousins first removed, to bosom friends of parents, and even to
children’s nurses.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
495
high embankment covered with dense foliage and in the dis¬
background a single cone-shaped mountain which constantly caught
the passing clouds, and from whose base gushed forth
perennial springs
of cool clear water,
irrigating the plains around. At noontide the Tahitians
entered a spacious calm lagoon, which served as a mirror to the sun and
moon as
they rose and set, and soon inhabitants from ail parts of the
island thronged the shore in amazement at
seeing so strange a sight as a
great canoë sailing in like a bird with outjtretched wings upon the smooth
water.
Small fishing canoës with paddles they had; but
they knew not
It had
a
tant
the
use
of sails.
The two parties greeted each other in the usual courteous
the Tahitians
allowed
manner,
and
land and draw up their canoë beneath a
spreading tree, near which stood a house that was placed at their disposai.
Soon they were presented with food, and
every hospitality was shown
them till late in the night, when ail were
supposed to retire to rest. While
were
to
the Tahitians
were
sleeping soundly, Rata was warned in a dream by the
spirits to be up and on his guard; and on awakening he saw coming
stealthily men from the king with torches, who set fire to the house on
ail sides and then fled. Rata at once
gave the alarm, and soon he and his
men carried ail
they owned in the house into their canoë, one end of which
was cloarred
by the heat of the fire, so that they had to draw it away to
save
it from destruction.
sion of the canoë,
At dawn the incendiaries
went to
take posses¬
expecting to find the Tahitians burned to death, and
they were much abashed on meeting them alive and safe, occupying the
much coveted canoë.
They told the king, and he held counsel with his
chiefs as to the best way to dispose of the newcomers.
They decided to
fall upon them shortly unawares, for
they feared to meet in open battle
the giant Rata and his strong men with their fine
spears.
The sequel of this story is almost the same as in the Tuamotuan ver¬
sion, which differs from the Tahitian only in stating that the nietua of Rata
were
his
own
parents instead of certain relatives—so called
custom—and in stating that Rata was aided
by human beings.
according to
by the spirits in his exploits, not
Tuamotuan Version’There
lived in Pare, Tahiti To’ei'au (North
Tahiti), a prince
named Vahi-ê-roa (Place-entirely-strange).
His wife was named Mata-
mata-taua
once
(Endless-strife), who also inherited as her rightful title as high
chiefess of the realm, the name of the land, Tahiti To’erau.
^
Obtained in 1893 by Mrs. Walker from the scholar, Taroi.
496
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
To these
two
royal persons was born a son, whose arrivai gave them
great joy, and they named him Rata (Tame).
On the night of his birth, the parents left him in charge of bis paternal
grandmother, whose name was ’Ui-’ura ( Red-whetter ), to join a fishing
party by torchlight, as they could not resist the temptation to do so on
hearing the following strains of the torchlighters as they joyously sang
on
the seashore close by:
Ru’uru’u
râ
i
ta’u
rama
Now let my torches be tied!
Their length is for the long night.
Torches are there,
Torches to light.
e!
Te roroa, e roa tei pô.
E ramarama io na,
E ramarama tuitui.
Tuitui i ta’u rama,
Te tarotaro te tui i te rama ;
I tarotaro o Pî-’a-rire” atua.
Vahi-ê-roa held
a
Light
torch,
my
With a short invocation light the torch ;
Invoked briefly is the god Pî-’a-rire
( Splash-andvapplaud ).
torch in the bows of
a
canoë,
behind him watching with delight the success
and his wife sat just
of the party and of others in
But the happy couple had not been out long when they
overshadowed by a great démon bird, named Matutu-ta’ota’o
neighboring canoës.
were
(Searcher-in-thick-darkness),
black
as
as
the région whence he
came.
démon birds {manu-varua-’ino) of Puna
(Water-spring), king of a land called Hiti-marama (Border-of-the-moon),
which stood northward from Pitcairn and Elizabeth isands, but has long
since disappeared beneath the sea.
He
was
chief of the army of
Before the
people, engrossed in fishing, noticed the bird, it descended
and with one swèep caught up the prince and his wife with its great talons,
and ascending high out of the reach of man it flew away swiftly to the land
of the rising moon.
There the démon bird made
a
division of the unfortunate
couple; the
wife he gave to the spouse of King Puna, whose name was Te-vahinehua-rei (The-woman-of-inflated-neck), and who had her placed head downwards in the ground, with her shoulders and arms
propping her body, and
her feet up in the air to serve as a stand from which to hang baskets o,f
food for her majesty. In this painful position the gods kept Tahiti Toerau
husband came to an untimely and
His head was bitten ofif and swallowed whole by the
démon bird, and his body was cast out to be devoured by the king’s fish
gods of the sea, the chief of which was a great bivalve named Pahua-tûtahi (Unique-Tridacna), which stood open in mid-ocean to entrap its prey;
and the others were a shoal of monsters, a great billfish, a cavalla fish
possessed, and an aiea (consuming ghost) of the mid-ocean rocks.
alive without
food.
But the poor
ignominious death.
-
Pî-’a-rire
was
a
god of fishermen.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
497
These sad facts were revealed to the priests of Pare by their gods, who
consulted in the trouble; but the
were
good old woman ’Ui-’ura took care
under her tender care
them from her grandson as he grew up
and with the belief that she was his own niother.
lo conceal
a
The young life of Rata was a happy and uneventful one until he became
lad and sought the company of children of his own âge, when the sad
story above recorded was revealed to him in the following painful manner :
One day he joined a party of boys who were making toy canoës out of
wood to let go in a race on the sea, and he modelled one out of clay
hoping that it would beat the others. He let his canoë dry in the sun and
purau
set
rudder to it, but it had no masts while those of his
companions were
fully rigged. When the race took place, the wooden canoës soon sailed
away, leaving far behind the earthen one, which beat sidewise against the
wind. When Rata eagerly called out to his canoë to hasten forward and
beat the others, his companions
tauntingly said :
“Is it likely that your canoë can go forward when your father’s head is
swallowed by a démon and your mother serves as a stand for the food of
a ferocious
queen?”
These words, unmistakably caught by the lad, weighed upon his mind,
and he went home to his grandmother and enquired of her who his
parents
were.
To this the old woman replied:
"O vau nei, to ’oe metua” (I here am your parent). But this answer
was not
satisfactory to his expanding mind, and he said :
“But where is my father?”
“In that post there,” the grandmother answered,
pointing to the central
pillar of their home.
So the boy dug around the post to find his father, until the old woman
said that he would cause the house to fall down. Then the lad
desperately
a
exclaimed :
“Ahiri, ia ’ite ’au ta ’oe te pi’i ra’a i to’ii metua tane!”
(Let me see you
father!).
She answered evasively that she was his father and mother, both in
one, which however did not satisfy him, and he wept bitterly from disappointment.
The following day. Rata went again to play wifh his companions, and
while they made more purau canoës, he made his of bamboo. As
they
were launching them into the sea, he said to his canoë ;
call forth my
“Totoie! a herno tua vai e, tua tini, tua mano tupu a ra!”^ (Oh! plaything, beat ail before you; the tens and the thousands that may follow
*
’ahurn
This
e
te
sentence
tauatini
would
o
te
now
be
rendered thus:
pe’e ata na!”
‘'E
maimoa
c,
ia hemo te rahi ’atoa
na,
te
498
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
[you] !) Then his canoë went forward and left ail the others far behind,
which enraged the other boys, and
they said:
“Your canoë has outrun ours; but is the
resting place of your father’s
spirit sacred when his head is swallowed by Matutu-ta’ota’o (Searcher-inthick-darkness), and your mother serves as a food-stand for the queen
Vahine-hue-rei ?”
Then Rata, just before so elated at his success, returned home crestfallen and besought his grandmother to tell him who his
parents were and
ail their
history.
So she did so, and he manfully enquired:
“And how can I go to that land of the rising moon?”
“You would lose your life
the grandmother.
were you
to go there, my child,” replied
“Your parents are lost there and let that suffice; remain
here with me in my old âge?”
But the lad said resolutely:
“How can I go to that land?”
“Make a canoë, and you can sail there,” was the
reply.
So it came to pass that Rata received from ’Ui’s hands an ancestral
which his father had carefully laid
away, and
directed him to
axe,
finding it dull the old woman
sharpen it by rubbing its edge upon her back while she
oro hia ho’i te tua
tapu no ’Ui-’ura e!”
(The
sacred back of ’Ui-’ura must indeed be
rubbed!)
Then the axe was sharpened and filled with
magic to aid the stripling
in accomplishing his arduous work.
He asked his grandmother where he should
go to flnd a tree suitable
for his canoë, and she replied; "Ei te vao mo’a o To’a-hitP mata ’oa. E
unu, e unu te ’aroha i te metua; ’e’ita e maha vave te ’oto!”
(In the sacred
recess of god To’a-hiti
[Bordering-rock] of jovial face, of the valley.
Long, long rests the love for one’s parents ; sorrow for them cannot easily
subside !”)
"Ua ti’a ia ia’u” (I agréé to that), said Rata.
So early in the morning he took a hearty meal and equipped himself in working attire, which
consisted of a strong maro, and a wreath of
shady leaves (which took
the place of a hat in olden times).
Rata went far up the deep valley, the recess of which was sacred to the
inland god, To’a-hiti, and his numerous elves of ail
sizes, and he chose a
fine tree, which he chopped down with wonderful skill.
He had trimmed
off the trunk and made it ready to hew out when
nightfall came. He
chanted these words
then returned home to hâve supper and rest until the morrow.
Rata’s grandmother welcomed him home, and while he sat
supper
enjoying his
she enquired whether his errand had been propitious, and he
The domain of To’a-hiti was the recess of every deep valley.
folklore the god Tane and not To’a-hiti was the
(See p. 163.)
sylvan god and king.
In New Zealand
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
answered
enthusiastically that it hacl.
ambiguously :
She, being
499
a
clairvoyant, replied
“Te ’uru o to ra’au ua ti’a mai i ni’a” (The foliage of your tree is stand¬
ing up), a remark that he did not regard as ominous, as he thought she
had reference to the fresh branches
had left them.
lying scattered on the ground as he
But when Rata returned to his work
his tree bewildered, as it was
on
the niorrow, he searched for
standing erect among the other trees with ail
places, and he could not
see upon the ground
any traces of his recent work.
At length he realized
that ail his previous day’s labor had been undone and that the elves of the
valley had restored the tree to its former condition. So he again set to
its branches and leaves restored to their former
work and felled the tree, and this time he did not eut off the branches but
concealed himself among the thickest of them and sat
watching for the
return of the mysterious beings.
At
length Rata heard strange voices up in the air, and before long
approaching the tree a host of odd little beings, some stout and
others slender. He saw good jovial To’a-hiti with his little muscular canoë
artisan, named Tà-va’a (Canoe-hewer), heading the train of merry elves
in attendance on him!
While they lighted upon the branches Rata
kept
still, and soon they sang gently and harmoniously :
he
saw
Rere
mai,
rere
mai,
Fly hither, fly hither.
Te ’ama’a ta’u ra’au !
Homai heti, homai heta,
Branches of my tree !
Corne gently, corne enraged,
Rere mai, rere mai !
Te vai toto o ta’u ra’au
Fly hither, fly hither !
W-atery
sap of my tree,
Adhesive gum, stand—
Stand the tree erect !
Piripiri tapau, tû—
Tû te ra’au tû
the
e !
But Rata held it down, so that it could not go up.
Not seeing him,
gods wondered what prevented the tree from rising, and then their
artisan, Tà-va’a, said :
“Tutu ê aena i te riri o te ’Ui”
and
ran
(Let us drive away the anger of ’Ui),
Then they sang gently again :
from end to end of the trei î.
Rere mai, rere mai !
Te vai toto o ta’u ra’au,
Flomai heti, homai heta !
Piripiri tapau, tû—
Tû te
ra’au
tû !
And up went the tree with ail the
remained still hidden in the foliage.
Fly hither, fly hither !
Watery sap of mr^ tree.
Corne gently, corne enraged !
Adhesive gum stand—
Stand the tree erect !
gods upon the branches, while Rata
They then adjusted the leaves and
were ready to take their
departure when Rata gave a shout and shook
the branches, which so startled them that they rushed out
confusedly.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
500
tumbling head first over one another and away sideways in the air, not
heeding what they were doing, from their surprise in seeing a man intrude
upon their sacred ground.
Never before had mortal dared to eut a tree
from their beautiful forest so high inland!
As
soon
the tree,
as
order
was
reestablished and ail
were
Tà-va’a said to Rata:
“What is your
again perched up in
desire here in this reeess of the valley sacred to us?”
faltering words :
Rata answered in brief
“I want
a
canoë!”
“Your person is sacred,” replied the artisan, “because of
our
friendship
for your parents, whom we adopted.
Yes, Rata, you shall hâve a ship!
Our dear grandsoii, long, long lasts the love for one’s
parents, and sorrow
for them cannot subside ! You furnish us with the tools and the sennit and
leave the
building of your ship to us.”
delighted at this promise and readily agreed to furnish ail
that the artisan desired.
So he went quickly home and told his grandmother ail that had happened, and she soon aided him in
obtaining the
things that were required for the making of the ship. Most of the tools
they already had. Moreover, Rata was provided with a présent of red
feathers and fine girdles and mats for those gods.
When everything was ready, Rata took them inland,
placed them beside
the trunk of the tree that he had chosen, and returned home with a
light
heart. His grandmother said :
Rata
was
“Now your
to
bed.
ship will soon be done 1” and they had
supper
and went
Towards midnight, as Rata slept, he dreamed about his ship, and as he
dreamed he chanted :
Piri ihora ta’u mata e !
Ta’u moe tû, ta’u moe e oho;
Oh, mine eyes did close !
My dream is to stand, to be a
champion ;
My dream is to demolish,
Demolish by the master in ’ura fea¬
thers, Tane,
Ta’u moe pè hia,
Pè hia te fatu ’ura, Tane,
E ahiahi Tane.
Ta’u moe ’a û ’iri,
hia
a
u
’a
ra,
taitai
This is Tane’s evening.
My sleep is amid boards, amid awak-
ening by the
song
E te oma’oma’ô i te ru’i,
Ta i te ao, ta i te mata’ota’o,
Of the nightly thrush,
That records in the day, records at
Periri e ràrà;
a hi na vai, e moemoea
po ;
Chirps, and spreads out [its wings] ;
E
Te atua, te atua ia e,
Ahu ra moe I
night,
And the fountains flow in the dreams
of night.
It is’ the gods, O it is the gods,
That excite one in sleep !
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
501
“I hâve been
dreaming,” said Rata, “about my ship, and believe it is
right side of our bouse !” So saying, he fell asleep again, and
just before daybreak he had the same dream and chanted in the same strain
here
on
the
before, after which he awoke and said to bis grandmother:
“Oh, my dream!
I bave had it again, and I feel certain that my ship
is here, near our door.” The old woman
replied;
as
“Take
some fara seeds and throw them out to where
you think the
ship is, and you cannot mistake the Sound that they will make against the
side of the ship if it be there.”
So, groping in the dark, he went and got
handful of edible fara seeds
into the dense shade on the
a
from
a
basket, threw them with force
right, just outside of their door; and they heard
the desired noise of the seeds
falling against boards. Highly delighted, the
lad went out and felt his ship to make
quite sure it was there, and returning to the house he impatiently awaited the dawn to see it.
At length the desired time
arrived, and Rata and his grandmother went
joyously to inspect the ship. It was beautiful and complété! The seams of
the planks were well sewed
toge tirer with sennit and made waterproof with
breadfruit gum.
There was a long magical spear for Rata, named “Tevao-roa-ia-Rata”
(The-distant-recess-of-Rata), placed at the stern of the
vessel, and the masts and rigging were of the strongest and best
quality.
There were also strong mats for sails.
To’a-hiti and his band, keeping themselves
invisible, were
to
help Rata launch the ship.
without assistance to draw the
as
or
présent, ready
Unconsciously impelled by them, he went
ship into the sea, not far off, and it moved
deep water. But it had yet to be baptized,
(See p. 489.) Not knowing this. Rata was surprised to
if by magic, and was soon in
made to drink.
it sink below the surface of the sea, and rise
again
he exclaimed to his grandmother :
see
full of water.
Thetr
“This is a had ship, it sinks from no cause !” The
grandmother replied :
“Tow the ship in and dedicate it to To’a-hiti.”
“How shall I dedicate it?”
“In these
rejoined the boy.
words,” said the old woman :
Ha, ha û ! Ha ha mau
E To’a-hiti mata ’oa,
E a ti’a i nia !
E a i ni’a te ’ofao
O Tua-a-Rata !
Go, go and encounter ! Go, go upheld
By To’a-hiti of jovial face.
And rise !
And rise up bows
Of Tua-a-Rata°
(Company-of-Rata) !
So Rata did as she had bidden him, after which he desired to
know
what should next be done, and his grandmother directed him to
make
a
cooking place of sand upon the deck, and take plenty of food and water
and store them in the ship for the
voyage, while she braided him a round
®
This
was
the
name
given to the ship by the grandmother.
Bcrnicc P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
502
basket
of
fara
leaves
lined
with
soft
father’s head.
tapa,
in which to receive his
prepared the food and took it into the ship, put the basket carefully away in the marae that he had made in the canoë, and said to his
grandmother :
Rata
“I shall now see if you are right in ail you hâve instructed me to do, my
dear grandmother.”
thus chanted
I
as
He again launched the vessel with invisible help, and
his eyes looking steadfastly ahead :
he did so, with
To Motu-tapu (Tabued-island) !
I shall smite, smite, smite,
With warrior’s blows, from depth of
Motu-tapu !“
E rotu, rotu, rotu au,
E rotu ’aito, na te manava !
feeling !
When Rata looked up at his ship as it lay well balanced upon the water,
perceived the elves there also, and Tà-va’a was sitting in the bows as a
guide for the voyage. To’a-hiti had returned home to the mountains, to
reappear in the canoë when needed.
he
They set sail, and were soon caught by a good breeze. Then Rata
looked back upon the shore and bade farewell to his grandmother, and they
wept for each other.
As the land grew distant, he took leave of it in the foliowing strain :
Ta’u fenua
e tû nei e !
A huna to mata,
la ’aro, ’aro i te tere.
la ’aro, ’aro au i to hia ma te
fenua.
Oh my land standing forth !
Hide thy face,
Be lost, lost [to view] in the voyage.
Let me be lost in launching away from
land,
With the marae ;
Let my land standing out be lost !
Hide thy face as I bid farewell ;
And bid me conceal,
Ma te marae ;
la ’aro ta’u fenua e tû nei e !
A huna to mata io’u e poro’i atu ;
E poro’i mai e huna,
E huna te manava e ’aroha,
E ’aroha te ’uru o ta’u fenua
feelings as' I say adieu,
Say adieu to the woods of my land
Till by and by.
Hide my
E araua’e ho’i.
Then Rata loked out to sea, and soon the land was out of sight. For
days and nights he smoothly sailed on the broad océan, and early one clear
morning he saw in the horizon, a thick shoal of anae (monsters), and
thought it was land, but Tà-va’a said it was not land but that foes were
approaching him. ' So Rata went to the bows of the ship and stood with
his spear to meet them.
Soon they came rushing forward, intending to
load down the ship and make it sink; but the lad dexterously striking ail
those that sprang up killed them and scattered the greater part of the shoal,
which was soon out of sight. Then Rata presented to the gods that were
®
Tapïi
means
“restricted”
as
well
as
“sacred.”
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
50.^
guiding him the fish that he had caught, to annihilate, after which ail partook of the flesh.
They were sailing on their course vvhen the great a’u (billfish), came in
sight, which Rata thought must be land; but Tà-va’a said it was not land
but a foe. So Rata stood prepared
again for battle, and when the monster
approached the side of the ship, intending to pierce it, he killed it with his
spear and presented the body to the elves as before. Thus that démon was
exterminated, and they ate his flesh.
They sailed on, and they met the great urua (cavalla fish), which looked
like land, but Tà-va’a told Rata it wa.s the cavalla fish sent
by
to kill him.
They very soon met, and the fish was
King Puna
preparing to dart forward to carry away Rata, when he stood
ready and as soon as it ap¬
proached him, thrust his spear into its throat and killed it, and it met with
the same fate as the others.
They
the great Pahua-tû-tahi (Unique-Tridaena), which
appeared like a mountain looming up from the sea. But Tà-va’a said:
next
met
“It is not land; it is the Tridacna” and Rata
prepared for the inévitable
being drawn up into it.
The clam had opened its great valves and was
sucking in the waves
upon which the ship, Tua-i-Rata, was sailing. The lad stood in the bows
with his spear, and as soon as
they reached the center of the clam he
pierced it through its vital part, severing its flesh from the shell, so that
it could not close upon him.
He presented it also to his spirit company
to annihilate, and as soon as the canoë was
safely ofif, the dead Tridacna,
sailed into the deep sea.
Soon afterwards, the sun was obscured and the
sky was darkened by
the great, black, spreading wings of Matutu-ta’ota’o, the terrible démon
bird that had carried away Rata’s parents and swallowed his father’s head !
Rata, standing at the helm, said rain was coming; but Tà-va’a replied:
“No ! It is not rain, it is the bird, Matutu-ta’ota’o,
coming to devour
you and sink your canoë in this deep océan.
Be strong!”
“1 am ready”, said the lad, and he ran to the bows
; not finding his
position good there, he went to the middle of the ship; but seeing that the
masts and rigging were in his
way, he ran to the helm and stood upon the
outer side.
Not finding that suitable, he went on to the
guiding paddle,
which was attached to the ship, and there stood so that the water came
up
encounter, as his vessel
to
his middle.
“This is
was
Then he said :
good place, O Tà-va’a, hold firm the helm and guide our
The god artisan took good hold of the paddle Rata stood on and
steered steadily as the ship went sailing on. He also held the round basket
a
ship.”
in readiness for Rata, who chanted :
Bernice P. Btsliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
504
Te pou no mua, te pou no mua,
Te pou no mûri, te pou no mûri,
Te pou no roto, te pou no roto.
Âhani e huri e!
A huri mai i te pô ra
la tû iho ai o Rata
I mûri i tena hoe, i tena hoe.
E û ra tei ia ’na.
E û ra tei ia ’na,
E manu rere hau, e itoito,
Itoito,
A
E
manu
oeoe,
oeoe
manu
rere
rere
pô,
hau
hau,
rere
hau
The front pillar,’ the front pillar,
The inner pillar, the inner pillar,
The back pillar, the back pillar.
Would that they were overturned !
Let darkness descend,
Whilst Rata stands
Behind, upon that helm, upon that helm.
in contact.
in contact,
Far-soaring bird, with energy, energy,
But he will
But he will
,e,
e !
corne
corne
Bird far-soaring, far-soaring,
Of musical, musical darkness,
A bird, far-soaring !
Rata was exulting in his good position, and soon the great bird approached the ship and with a ,trumpet-like voice cried ont :
"Haere mai, e ta’u hoa” (Coine hither my friend).
After poising itself overhead’'it was descending to snatch up Rata,
when he said to Tà-va’a :
“Submerge me in the water.” Immediately the great paddle was lowered
the bird extended his broad wings watching
for Rata to rise again, the lad darted his spear up out of the sea and broke
off the bird’s right wing, which fell into the water beside him. Rata picked
it up and presented it to To’a-hiti of jovial face, who stood it up as a great
sail for the ship.
The bird screeched fiercely and hovered onesidedly over Rata, who was
plunged again by Tà-va’a beneath the waves. It could not guide itself
flying, and in trying to descend upon its antagonist it spun around on its
axis and fell.
Rata quickly broke ofï the other wing with his spear and
guided the body into the ship. So the terrible monster was disabled and
captured by the young son of those it had cruelly snatched away from him
at his birth.
Rata leaped up on to the ship, took the basket from the
hands of Tà-va’a, and placed it over the beak of the bird, which rendered
up the head of his father still sound. As he was receiving it he wept and
said sobbing :
beneath the waves; and while
Ta’a mai e, ta’a mai e,
Teie te aruru rohi e,
Teie te aruru rohi e !
Then he
Fall away, fall away, oh !
Here is the safe receiver, oh !
Flere is the s'afe receiver, oh !
reverently placed the basket and its sacred contents in the
presented it to the presiding gods, so that
Matutu-ta’ota’o was no more in this world; his wicked spirit was banished
marae.
to
He slew the bird and
Pô to dwell forever with evil spirits there.
Rata and the gods set up the second wing as a sail
ofï ail the
^
The
also. They plucked
immense, and
shining black feathers of the bird, which were
pillars referred to mean masts.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
fastened them
over
the masts, sails, and ropes of
505
the ship, so that none
rigging could be seen. Tà-va’a still guided the ship.
Night came as they sailed steadily on with gentle breezes and calm sea,
and early in the morning they perceived land ahead.
It was the desired
goal, the dreaded island of Hiti-marama ! So Rata hid himself away, and
the gods made themselves invisil^le as they entered the haven.
They sailed into a smooth and spacious lagoon, the mirror of the rising moon, surrounded with shores of white sand and gently rising ground
covered with verdure, above which waved the graceful leaves of the coconut tree.
In the center of the land was one solitary, cone-shaped mountain,
which was white with the blossoms of the waving ’a’eho cane, from which
it derived its name, Mou’a-puà-’a’eho (Mountain-of-the-’a’eho-blossom).
At its base was an abyss, dark and fathomless, extending down to the
nether lands, the home of Matutu-ta’ota’o and his innumerable army of
démons, which was visited occasionally only by Puna, the giant half-demon
king of the island. In different directions gushed forth from the mountain
bright, clear springs of pure water, spreading out into mirror-like pools,
which the inhabitants frequented.
Soon ail the people of the varions villages gathered around their king
to enquire of him what that strange monstrous thing swimming in their sea
could be. No canoë of that dimension, called a ship, had ever entered that
port before. Such a thing was only known to the people in their songs and
legends. But the great wings with the sails and the general effect of the
black feathers covering ail, with no visible person moving on board, baffled
ail alike, and the king answered:
“E atua no te moana mai, itea hia mai nei e tatou no te mania rahi nei”
(It is a god from the deep become visible to us because of the calm clearness of the atmosphère).
The ship was guided towards the shore where ail the throng had gath¬
ered. When they were near speaking distance, Tà-va’a told Rata to corne
out of his hiding place and take the helm, while he still invisible took his
post at‘his side to instruct him what to do in the coming encounter, ail the
elves also remaining invisible.
As soon as the people saw the lad at the helm and the wooden hull
and paddles they exlcaimed :
pahi! E palii!” (It is a ship! It is a ship!).
King Puna said to two of his attendant chiefs Tupa-uta and Tupa-tai
of the
(Land-crab-inland and Land-crab-of-the-shore) :
“Something wrong has happened; our great bird Matutu-ta’ota’o is.
killed, and those are his feathers that we see decorating that ship ! Go and
cause it to get stranded out on the rocks, so that the waves may dash it to
5o6
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
pièces when the wind rises.”
slain the bird.
Ail were astonished to see tliat a boy had
So the chiefs went to the shore,
feigning to aid Rata in steeriiig among
that he was guided by another
agency.
When they said, “Steer to the right,” the spirit friend said, “To
the left” ; when they said “To the left,” the other said, “To the right.”
So Rata arrived safely in the haven, and ail the spectators were amazed
at his skill in navigation.
But they wondered still more when they saw
Rata descend from his ship with his axe, and âfter obtaining permission, go
to chop rollers, which he carried manfully and laid upon the sand in proper
order for drawing his ship up on to the shore. They said to one another :
“Surely that lad will not tindertake to drag up his ship alone!”
the rocks to the landing place, not knowing
But very soon they saw hini-.^o down into the sea and draw the ship
with ease, swim into shallow water, and then push it from behind over the
rollers high on to the shore.
He stopped when he arrived at a shady place,
ship and rested. Some of the people befriended
him, brought him food, and wished to take him to their homes to stay; but
he preferred living in his ship, and so there he remained.
No one dared question Rata about himself, his family, or his land, for
they had never seen a boy so strong, and they began to fear him as a god.
But King Puna, planning anew to put an end to him, ordered a great house
to be built not far from his boat and placed it at Rata’s disposai.
So ail the warriors of the land quickly built a royal house for Rata,
and when it was finished the king sent his daughter, Tie-maofe (Handsome-stem), who was a beautiful young girl, to invite him to take posses¬
sion of it. Rata, being told by the spirits what to do, accepted, and taking
his spear with him was conducted by the princess into the spacious house,
which was nicely furnished with beds and inats and everything for his
comfort, and there he found a feast prepared for him. The princess, Tiemaofe, and other young people were told to entertain and amuse the young
Etranger until late in the night, when they were ail to prétend to go to rest
upon the beds around, and then when they saw he had f allen into a' Sound
sleep, to leave him alone.
So the young people kept up their amusements until very late, and at
last, when ail were resting and Rata appeared fast asleep, the other s
approached him and tried to rouse him. But as they found that he did
not stir, they concluded that he was exhausted from his late labors and
could not be awakened and that it was the right moment to leave him alone.
The princess admired the brave lad and felt herself growing attached to
him, and casting a lingering look upon his handsome face and form in
repose, in the light of candle-nut tapers, she exclaimed :
and then
■
went
into the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
507
(Oh, what a comely
youth you are to die ! ) Reluctantly she then went her way with her companions to her home, as an obedient daughter.
But Rata was not asleep, and he quietly awaited his assailants, who
were not long in coming.
He soon heard men corne, saw them tie up the
doors with strong cords, and set lire to the thatch, completely encircling the
house.
Now was the moment for Rata to act.
He took his long spear,
Te-va’o-roa-ia-Rata, planted it in the ground against' a middle post,
climbed to the upper thatch, and made an opening through which he went,
drawing his spear with him. So while King Puna and ail his people were
exulting over the rising fiâmes that were to consume Rata, he quietly
slipped on to a spreading branch of the great tree that shaded his vessel
and part of the house, and by it he descended into the ship unhurt.
The tree was badly burned, and the canoë was scorched with beat, and
Rata was kept busy extinguishing sparks of fire that kept falling in around
him. The house gradually became a great, burning mass ; and Puna and
his people, listening in vain for the cries of the lad, concluded that he was
sleeping too soundly to be awakened by the crackling of the conflagration.
At length the structure fell in and was soon leveled to the ground, but
still no cry! On seeing the beams in blazing piles where Rata had last been
seen sleeping, they exclaimed :
“Ah, it is well, our evil genius is dead !”
The king said the ship must be his property.
So when it was daylight the people went to take possession of the
ship in the king’s name; but to their great surpise they saw the lad, Rata,
quietly sitting there, and they stood abashed and soon went away one by
one to their own houses.
Then the king said to his daughter :
“You must hâve been sleeping yourself, for Rata is awake and safe in
his ship.”
No one on the island knew that he had climbed up out of the burning
“B tamaiti rà ho’i ’oe i te maitai, ’e ’a polie e!”
house.
Now it
was
Rata’s turn to
land, Hiti-marama.
employ artifices
upon
the people of the
evening he saw the two chiefs, Tupa-uta and Tupa-tai, who had
ship the day he arrived in their port, preparing torches
to go land-crab hunting, and so he also provided himself a torch and got
a basket; and when they went, he followed them a little in the rear, so
that they might not know who he was as they crossed the belt of land to
the outer shore of the island.
Soon the men began to pick up crabs and
pluck off their legs, leaving one on each as they placed them in their
One
tried to wreck his
baskets.
Rata called out :
Bernice P. Bislwp Muséum—Bulletin 48
5o8
“How many
legs
are
you
leaving
on
your
crabs ?” and when they
answered, “One,” he broke little sticks to imitate the Sound of their break-
ing and said :
leaving one also on mine.” Sometimes when he enquired, they
replied that they were leaving two legs on, and then he said that he was
also leaving two, as he went on breaking little sticks. At last, the men’s
baskets were filled, and they turned to go homeward. Rata following as
“I
am
before.
But
as
the torches had
run
ont and
it
was
late, the
men
decided to
out for the night in a fishing hut on the beach in a bay leading into
king’s village ; and Rata said :
camp
the
sleep here with you.” They ail hung their baskets up on
by and settled down for the night.
When the men fell asleep. Rata went out, tore holes in the bottom of
their baskets, and let ail their crabs fall into his, which was empty; and
without being perceived, he returned to the hut and slept till morning.
“I shall also
a
fara tree close
At dawn of day they awoke and went out to take their respective crabs.
surprise of the men to find their crabs gone, and great
Rata pretended to be as much surprised as
they, and looking into his basket of crabs said :
“That is strange ; here are mine, ail safe !”
But what was the
holes torn in their baskets.
And the others answered ;
“Oh yes, yours are
ail your own,” without detecting the fraud; and
they returned empty handed to King Puna’s house, where they lived. Rata
carried away ail the crabs for himself to eat in his ship.
Another day, the same men were preparing to go out fishing, and when
Rata asked to go with them they gave him permission. He made himself
a fishhook out of a shell and obtained a very long line, which he put into
his basket, and they ail set out on their errand.
They paddled their canoë out into the open sea until the land was so
they could no longer discern the reeds upon the cone-shaped
mountain ; and they at last arrived at an extensive shoal, which was covered
with rocks and seaweed and teeming with fishes. Here and there tow6red
great black crags, high above the sea—the haunts of aquatic birds. There
was also a yawning cavern, the home of King Puna’s sea gods.
Then they
dropped anchor, and when Tupa-uta was preparing his hook for fish. Rata
distant that
looked at it and said :
“You will hook
And to
a
shark; but it will bite your line and get away.”
Tupatai he said:
“You will hook a cavalla fish; but it will break your hook and
escape.”
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
509
The shark and the cavalla fish soon bit the bait of the respective fishernien,
and Rata’s prédictions were fulfilled.
Then he threw ont bis hook, and the
friendly gods that ail the time
possession of it. For some seemingly unaccountable reason, the hook went ont along the surface of the sea,
extending the
line with it and travelled thus for miles, until it arrived somewhere on the
had been with him took
mainland, and there it held fast.
Rata
sat
in the middle of the canoë,
letting out his line, and as it went against the man in the bows, he
exchanged places with him; and at last, when the hook caught, he drew
the line, which was held fast, and instead of his prize coming to him the
canoë was
being drawn in forcibly by it. So the anchor was pulled up,
and the canoë rushed through the water towards the land at
amazing speed,
while Rata drew in his line at it was proportionately contracted.
They soon saw the sea breaking upon the barrier reef along the shore
and the reeds upon the mountain waving to and fro, and then they neared
the passage and went on into the lagoon, the hook still drawing them, until
they reached a shady nook that was a favorite resort of fowls and birds.
There they saw the line being drawn by a large fat white rooster! It was
King Puna’s sacred rooster that had swallowed the hook, impelled by Rata’s
Tahiti spirits.
They caused him to be caught with the hook so that he
might die and no longer crow at night to announce the approach of day to
the king or serve him as an augur. When Rata saw this, he took the fowl
as his lawful pro^Derty to his canoë and cooked it for his
supper.
So time
went on,
and Rata, who had his father’s head carefully put
away with his god in the marae in his canoë, had not yet gained access to
the king’s house, where his mother was being so cruelly used as a food-
stand for the queen, whose daughter he had begun to love.
Revenge he
hâve for the cruel treatment of his parents, and so he devised a plan
must
that would be
sure
of
success.
Stealing up to the mountain cavern one day, he broke open the small
and let in the rays of the sun, which disorganized the great army
of the bird Matutu-ta’ota’o. While he was opening their stronghold, some
entrance
hideous bats and other
soon
never
killed them.
winged monsters ofïered Rata résistance. But he
Others descended beyond the reach of man, whence they
again dared return to face the sun.
Before this deed
known. Rata sailed out of the lagoon, ostensibly
leaving the island for good. Two days he remained out of sight, when the
Tahitian gods caused a strong wind to blow, which made the sea high.
Then Rata sailed at midnight into the bay of the outer shore, where he
once went crab hunting, and thence
accompanied by Tà-va’a he crossed over
was
Bernice P. Bishop Museurn—Bulletin 48
510
to
King Puna’s house. They found the king shivering with cold under a
covering of tapa and saying:
thick
Now Rata will die at sea.”
god stood on either side of Puna, who after a little
while, on seeing them, observed that it was very cold, thinking they were
some of his retainers, and never suspecting that the wind was sent for
Rata’s henefit.
King Puna grew colder and colder, and said to Rata and
Tà-va’a, who were still standing by him:
‘'B na ta’ata nei e! B na ta’ata nei e, ua polie an i te mariri” (O, people
here ! O, people here, I am suffering from ague).
“This is good !
The lad and the
deep stupor, unable to descry anything about him,
asleep, likewise stupefied by the gods
Rata and Tà-va’a'took a rope and noosed the king, bound
Then he fell into
a
and ail his household were sound
from Tahiti.
together with a rope rendered strong by enchantment, and tied
long stone column. This stone tapered from the ends towards
the middle, from frequent use in attaching to it men destined to be slain
for the king’s table, which lay upon the grass-covei’ed floor not far from
the great ogre’s bed. Owing to its shape the stone was named Papa-’ari’ari
( Stone-tapering-towards-the-center ).
Soon after this, day began to dawn, and the king became restless in
his slumbers. Perceiving that he was a prisoner, as in a dream, he snapped
the noose from around his neck with his hands and with a tremendous
his
feet
them to
a
jerk he drew in his feet and broke the tapering stone in two. Bewildered
from his feverish sleep, with rage he roused himself and endeavored to
stand up to detach his feet from the entanglement, when immediately Rata
speared him through the body and Tà-va’a struck him in the neck, so that
he fell down dead, unperceived by the still slumbering wife and daughter
and other inmates of the house.
Rata then went to his mother,
whose inverted body he now discerned
twilight, and dug around her head with his spear to release her.
and was removing the dirt from her face,
when she, quite blind, supposing that her hour had corne to be killed and
cooked for the king, accommodatingly said in a low, soft voice :
“You will hâve to wash off the dirt from me before you eat me!” Rata
in the
Soon he held her in his arms
answered :
“This is I, your son Rata,” and he was freely weeping.
could not realize that this was true.
But the mother
She answered that it was not possible
for anyone to approach the dreaded land
of Hiti-marama, and she enumer-
guarded its shores, not having heard that they
had been slain by her valiant son. Still more afïected. Rata wept aloud and
ated ail the démons that
chanted :
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
’Aroha ’ore ô mau à !
Nu’u nu’u mai, iie’e ne’e mai,
la piri a tàtà,
E Tahiti-to’erau e !
E ’aroha ’ore ô mau à;
Nu’u nu’u mai,
Teie ’au to tamaiti nei !
511
There
was no pity shown indeed !
Moving, moving hither, creeping, creeping hither.
[As I] Came in contact [I] struck,
O, Tahiti-to’erau !
There was no pity shown indeed ;
Moving, moving hither,
I
thy
son
hâve
corne !
Then the poor mother knew indeed that this was her son, and they fell
eacli other’s necks and embraced while
they wept.
Soon Rata took his mother to bathe in the royal bathing-pool close by
and arrayed her in royal tapa froni the slain king’s wardrobe.
Still unon
observed
by the populace whom Rata’s gods caused to sleep heavily, he
carried her in his arnis, and Tà-va’a, assisted by other elves, bore away the
dazed widow queen and daughter of Puna to the ship, which was in waiting
by the shore.
They went out of the harbor long before any of the in¬
habitants of the land had time to molest them.
Then the wind and sea rose fiercely over the island, which soon became
submerged and sank forever, even the mountain peak, into unknown
depths.®
Out to the fishing shoal (before mentioned), the Tahitians went. They
found the great cavern under shelving rocks within which were King Punà’s
démon monsters of the sea, to whom he had been accustonied to ofïer invo¬
cations and sacrifices.
The cavern they closed in with rocks, while numer-
fiendish fish guardians assaulted them.
These they annihilated, and the
priest committed their soûls to the région below, to rejoin the king and his
people of the sunken Island of Hiti-marama.
ous
lad.
So Rata returned triumphantly home as a great hero, though yet a mere
He never forgot the kindness of the elves of the mountains, tried
friends, whom he occasionally visited and who manifested niuch intèrest in
ail that concerned him.
Rata’s granclmother,
’Ui-’ura, was rejoiced to meet
joy and yet sorrow over his
recovered mother, who was hopelessly blind.
Ail his former companions,
who once heaped contempt upon him, then came forward respectfully to
greet him who had redeemed the honor of his household and saved their
land from ever again being visited by the great ogre black bird and its
rapacious army of démons.
him
once
more,
and ail at home wept with
The widowed queen and her beautiful
into the home of Rata.
daughter were kindly received
They soon adapted themselves to the ways of his
charts of the Tuamotu Islands, a group of five islets encircled by a reef,
and lying northeast of the Gambiers, has entirely disappeared and so quietly
only missed in 1880 by the Frencli ship-of-war “Alert,” which sought for it carefully
in its course among the islands.
That little group was the farthest east of ail the islands, and
the land Hiti-marania of former days could not hâve stood far from it.
*
On the old
“Minerva”
marked
that it
was
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
512
people, though they ever mourned for King Puiia and their beautiful land
and race, now known only in folklore. The two mothers and grandmother
became attached to
another and lived
happily together. The head of
possessed with his spirit, was dried carefully,
wrapped in sweet-scented tapa, and kept in the house as a family oracle,
according to the custom of ancient times. Rata became the happy husband
of Princess Tie-maofe, who was beloved of ail the people of North Tahiti
for her amiable qiialities.
By this marriage ail past grievances of the two
familles were wiped away, and the yoimg people commenced life with an
one
Rata’s father, which was
unclouded future.
So Rata’s canoë had fulfilled the destiny for which it was named by the
elves of the forest, Va’a-i-ama
(Canoe-that-burned), though it still retained
The names A"a’a-i-ama, Va’ai-à, and Va’a-i’ura—ail meaning the same—are found in the genealogy of
the Pômare family held in commémoration of the famous canoë or ship.
After these exploits, which rendered Rata famous in Tahiti, it is stated
in one story that he went away to explore unknown régions and never
returned to Tahiti, and that for âges afterwards navigator-s saw in the bright
hazy distance, when far out at sea, the giant Rata with his spirit ancestors
sailing in his ship, which they could never overtake. According to another
story, once Hiro saw Rata in his canoë with some other navigators being
whirled around towards the center of a vortex, generally known to ancient
Polynesian voyagers, which may hâve been caused by shoals since sunken.
From this predicament Hiro extricated them, and in gratitude for his deliver
ance. Rata presented him with the canoë, which was named by its new possessor Va’a-i-hutia-mai
(Canoe-that-was-drawn-back).
In other lands are records of the hero Rata. Edward Tregear and S.
Percy Smith found that the name Rata appears in New Zealand history
the name ’Ui-’ura had given it, Tua-o-Rata.
among the names of
the chief builders of the famous canoës of the Arawa
expédition, by which the first Polynesian émigrants went and settled in North
New Zealand. One Vahi-ê-roa is also mentioned, and though he could not
hâve been the father of Rata he must hâve been near of kin to him to hâve
borne the name.
According to Gill,® the Aitutake version of the legend of
was a renowned chief who lived in a fairy land ‘called
Kupolu, which at first was supposed to be the Island of Upolu, Samoa,
but which newer light on the subject shows to be Uporu in North
Tahiti, his native land. This chief, the story says, went out one day
in search of suitable trees for a great double canoë that he wished to
build.
His difficulties to secure them arose from refusing at first to
rescue a white ruru
(albatross), king of birds, from an unequal combat
Rata States that he
®
Gill, W. W., Myths and
songs
of the South Pacific, I^ondon, 1876.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
513
with a great sea serpent, which it had ofïended in an encounter at sea, on
the plea that he could not spare the time to do so.
The bird exclaimed :
“Ah, yonr canoë will not be finished without my aid!”
So it happened after two-day’s futile work in the woods, as described in
foregoing legend. Rata became conscience-smitten and returned to the
pdor bird, which was almost exhausted, just in time to rescue it from its
fierce enemy, which was about to make a final and décisive attack. Immediately Rata chopped the serpent in pièces with his axe. In gratitude for this
service the bird kept guard over Rata from the top of a high tree in the
forest, so that he was enabled in a short time without further trouble, to
fell his trees and préparé them for his canoë.
Then nightfall came, and
the
Rata went home, intending to return and continue his work on the morrow.
No sooner had Rata left the forest than there was a great gathering of
responded joyously to their
sovereign’s call to corne and make the canoë. With their sharp beaks they
pecked at the large logs, which they soon hollowed out and properly finished
off. The sea birds, with their long beaks, bored holes in the sides for attaching beams to unité the twin canoë, and the land birds, with their limber
claws, laced the sennit and attached the canoës side by side before dawn.
High into the air they soared with the canoë well balanced upon their
spread-out wings, and while Rata still slept they flew to his abode, as they
did so singing in their varions notes the following song:
the feathered tribe from land and sea, who
’E ara rakau e !
’E ara rakau e !
’E ara ’inano e !
’E kopukopu te tini o Kupolu
’E matakitaki, ka re koe! O’o !
A pathway for the wood !
A pathway for the wood !
A pathway of fara flowers !’°
The entire family of birds of Kupolu
honor thee [Rata] above the
mortals !
O’o !
Then they alighted upon the sandy beach in front of Rata’s house, where
they deposited their burden and quietly dispersed into the depths of the
forest.
by the wonderful song. Rata arose and quickly prepared to
and résumé his work, but with great joy he soon discovered that his
canoë was already finished and realized that it had been beautifully molded
by the friendly birds in récognition of his kind service to their King Ruru.
So he named the canoë Tarai-pô (Built-in-the-night).ii
Rata soon rigged and manned his canoë, stored it with provisions, and
went on a long voyage.
In their course they encountered a great clam—■
described in the same way as the Tahitian Tridacna—which they destroyed.
Awakened
go
They met an enormous octopus (instead of a sea serpent), which spread its
Fara flowers
are
Tarai-po lias the
very
same
scented.
meaniiig in the Tahitian dialect.
sweet
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
514
great arms around the canoë, purposing to destroy them, but was adroitly
Then
killed.
a
whale came,
in lieu of the beast-with-heated-flesh, with
Finally tliey landed at
(Moonlight-border) the same as Hiti-marama
in the Tahitian account—where they remained for some tinie, living on
fruits and fish and ornamenting themselves with fragrant flowers. At length
growing homesick, they repaired the canoë, which was somewhat the worse
for wear, and returned safely to their own land.
Gill further States that “The Song of the Birds” above cited is very
old and has always been in use at Aitutaki and Rarotonga as a chant in
hauling heavy timber. He also States that although the story of Rata is
iost to the Mangaians, a référencé is made to him by them in a canoe-making
which
an
they fought and from which they escaped.
island call^d ’lti-te-marama
song, as follows;
Tapaia
E toki
e
Uiia e!
purepure o
Slash away, O Una,
With the wonderful axe from another
land,
ta’i ’enua,
A tua te vao ia Rata
Kua ina’a te rakau !
E’en with that which enabled Rata
To fell the forest.
The name Rata is also crystallized in Hawaiian and New Zealand folk¬
Comparative Dictionary, by Edward Tregear, are the
following royal genealogical names; the Tahitian hâve been added:
lore.
In the Maori
Tahitian and Tuamotuan
Hawaiian
Maori
Men
Men
W omen
Ai-kanaka
Kai-tangata
Nona or Vahine-ai-ta’ata,
Hema
Hema
Hina
Men
Hema
Kaha’i
Tawhaki
Tafa’i
Wahi-e-loa
Wahie-roa
Vahi-ê-roa
Laka
Rata
Rata
Luanu’u
Ruanuku
Ruanu’u
Occurring in records of lands far apart, these names closely unité the
royal familles of the north and south and central Pacific. Eurther proof
of their identity may be adduced by analyzing the names of some of the
women found in the Hawaiian
genealogy. Fornander recounts that,’^^ the
wife of Wahi-e-loa (Place-far-away), almost like Vahi-è-roa (Place-entirelystrange), is called Ko’olau-kahili (North-fanned), which may hâve been
derived from the Tahitian, To’erau-Tahiti (North-Tahiti).
The name of
4,
no.
Fornander, Abraham,
1, P..24, 1916-17.
Hawaiian antiquities and folk-lore: B.
P.
Bishop Mus.,
Mem., vol.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
515
(Stagger-while-drawing), which would hâve
for the daughter of King Puna to hâve
assumed in memory of the circumstances of her father’s death.
Laka’s wife is Hika-wae-lena
been a most appropriate appellation
(Rubbed-in-water), which could
by King P.ltna’s daughter on account of the bath
which her mother-in-law took in the bathing-pool of her home.
Rata’s vrife’s
naine
was
Kani-o-wai
also hâve been assumed
George G'rey’s book on Polynesian mythology, and in Maori
legends by John White are variations of the above legends with the équival¬
ent names well preserved, though in some cases difïerently applied.
According to White, Rata’s axe instead of the stone column in the ogre king’s
house was named Papa-’ari’ari, unchanged from the Tahitian in orthography,
but meaning “admired block of stone” in the Maori. The land-of-the-risingmoon of the Tahitian story is changed into the land-of-the-rising-sun in
Maori, which is an easy déviation from the first.
In Sir
According to another authority, S. Percy Smith,the Samoans
a knowledge of Rata and his magical tree but not of the pona-turi
(the elves or birds) mentioned by their fellow islanders. They daim that
Rata once lived in the district of Fale-o-Lupo (House-of-Lupo) on the west
end of Savai’i, and on the island of Upolu, inland from Apia, is a place
called Le-vao-o-Lata (The-forest-of-Rata), where lie built a canoë named
Pua-lele (in Tahitian, Pua-rere or Flying-flower).
On the summit of a
mountain near Faga-loa of the saine island are two little lakes called Leva’a-o-Lata (The-canoe-of-Rata). It was Rata, they say, who taught the
Samoans to build big canoës, so that to this day they call a large boat
hâve
Le-va’a-o-Lata.
Gill also States that in a shoal near the shore of Faga-loa is a rock about
twenty-seven feet long, that resembles a canoë and is also called Le-va’a-oLata
(The-canoe-of-Rata).
Rev. Dr. Turner of Samoa States that Lata first came to Savai’i from
Fiji, was wrecked on the south side of the island, where two hills stand that
said to be the petrified double canoë of Lata, and lived at a place still
bearing his name near the settlement of Salai-lua. To him is given the
crédit of the introduction there of the ancient large double canoës United
with a deck, and the name Seu-i-le-va’a-o-Lata (Steersman-in-the-canoe-ofLata) is still extant in Samoa. His last act was to build two large canoës
at Faga-loa, Upolu, where he died before he could complété the deck to
are
unité them.
Gudgeon, Lieut.-Col., (Smith, S. Percy, trans.), The whence of the Maori, Polynesian
Jour., vol. XI, 1902.
Soc.,
5i6
Bernice P. Bishop Muscuin—Bulletin 48
HONOURA
Tuamotuan Vêrsion^
The famé of the beauty of
the Adonis Ra’a-mau-riid (Sacredness-holding-anger), whose home is not mentioned, was spread everywhere abroad
until it reached Porapora,. and here the two princesses, Ru-marei-hau (Removed-snare-for-peace) and Ru-marei-tapii (Removed-snare-for-sacrifices),
who were near relations and whose curiosity was much aroused to see so
wonderful a man, decided to go in search of him, hoping also to captivate
and obtain him as their hpsband, as they were very beautiful.
So prép¬
arations befitting their station were made.
The ship “Aere” (Endlessspace) was built for their purpose and equipped^ and under the protection of
faithful retainers and their priest, Arue-i-te-fatu-nui (Extol-the-great-lord),
they sailed first to Taha’a, then to Ra’iatea, to Hnahine, to Mo’orea, and on
to Tahiti, vainly searching for the famous object of their pursuit
throughout
the forests of each land till at last they reached the northern side of Taiarapu, near the Isthmus of Taravao, where they searched and finally abandoned ail hopes of finding him.
they reembarked and coasted the land eastward until they arrived
point Tatatua, the assembly ground of the district of Tautira, which
was much frequented by the arioi in old times.
Admiring the scenery of
that place, they landed again, and the two princesses, with one or two at¬
tendants, decided to walk on a little distance, keeping sight of their canoë
as it slowly sailed on.
In their course they came to the rivulet Vai-mahanahana.
They took a bath, changed their apparel, and adorned themselves
with wreaths, so that they looked exceedingly handsome and fresh after
their day’s journey. ■ And soon after continuing their walk, a little in
advance of their attendants, they saw approaching them a noble looking
man, named Teena (The-speedy), king of Ta’aroa, a district far inland,
and friend of King Ta’ihia-ari’i® (King-wept-for), of Tautira.
When
Teena perceived the two maids, he said to himself in gallant court language :
Here
at the
he’e'^ i te araf” (AVho can those beauties
gliding along the road?) And on meeting them he cordially
accosted them with: la oral
Bi manava toa’e, ei manava fa’a’aroha, ia
“0 vai ra ia nau purotu e
be that
are
^
Given in 1896 by Taroi-nui, a Tuamotnan scholar, to !Mrs. Walker.
The date of the legend
îs about 1100.
Though similar to the Ra’iatean, this version throws light upon several points.
It also has a few variations rendering it characteristic of the Tuamotuan people, and some of
the names are different.
The Ra’iatean version was published by W. W. Gill in Polynesia Soc.
Jour., vol. 4, pp. 257-294, 1895, having been obtained in 1846 from the natives by John Williams.
^
Equipped as described in the Ra’iatean version.
®
On the following pages called King Ta’ihia or simply Ta’ihia.
*
People of high degree in olden times were said to glide (he’e) and not to walk (haere),
and they were also said to fly {fano) in travelling.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
517
Let welcome précédé you, let welcome
live ! ), to which they gracefully replied :
“la ora tû fenua, ia ora tu ta’ata, ia ora ’oe!”^ (May prosperity rest
on [this] land, may life rest upon the people, may you live!)
And they
shook hands according to their ancient custom and went on their way
together towards Tautira, exchanging polite questions and thus forming one
another’s acquaintance.
The visitors were escorted to the résidence of
King Ta’ihia, where they were cordially ' welcomed and invited to remain
while messengers were sent to the seaside to beckon to the other voyagers
to land also, which they soon did, and ail the guests were at once made to
ora
(May [you] live !
’orua!”^
greet you, may you
feel at home.
The two kings exchanged confidences in regard to the young princesses.
Ru-marei-tapu was stout and majestic, and Ru-marei-hau was slender and
King Ta’ihia of Tautira admired Ru-marei-tapu, which pleased
for the other. So in a few days’
time, with due formalities, proposais of marriage were made, and the
Porapora princesses decided to accept the hands of these lovers in tangible
form to dreaming of meeting the mythical one named Ra’a-mau-riri, a
name which ever held human beings in awe.
graceful.
Teena of Ta’aroa, as his preference was
They were married with ail the forms and ceremonies of their rank
and the two princesses settled in their respective new homes,
Tautira by the sea, and Ta’aroa inland.
In due time, Aua-toa-i-Tahiti (Rock-enclosure-of-Tahiti) was born to
the King of Taaroa and his wife Ru-marei-hau, and he grew up to man’s
estate within the confines of his inland home and Tautira.
One day he
and time,
said to his father :
“O te
ao
taatoa
teie?”
swered ;
iVnd his father an-
(Is this ail the world?)
tei 0
and beyond
“’Aore, e fenua roa teie, ua Iiaati hia rà i te miti, e e fenua ativ a
atu.” (No, this land extends far off, but it is surrounded
sea,
The son replied:
land).
it is more
“Ua hina’aro
by
vau
i te mataitai i teie fenua; a tu’u iau ia Iiaati a’ena.”
(I want to explore this island; let me travel round it).
consented to let their son do as he wished, and suitable
apparel and other préparations were made for his journey, as became his
station.
Carrying his staff or spear, called Rua-i-paoa (Riven-cleft) he
took leave of his fond parents and set out on his journey with a numerous
retinue of faithful family retainers.
So the parents
®
This
ha’apoupou
*
no
The verb
prosper,
in modem Tahitiaii would
te 'aroha, ia ora na ’orua!”
sentence
may
tu
in this
sentence
the people live/' etc.
would
now
be: “la
ora
ixa!
E
iia
mua
te ha'apoupou, e
be substituted by the article te—“May the
land
5i8
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
They went south and westward and found the land good and the people
They stopped at Pu-na-au-ia^ (the district of the famous trumpet
shell), where the royal family of Pohue-tea welcomed him with this greeting:
kind.
“Manava te tae!
aitu.
la
Fano mai ’oe i onei roa. la re’a ma te haha ia Tane
’oe i te haerea mai i teie nei mahana.”
(Welcome goes [to
ora
you] !
You hâve flown away here. May you hâve joy in the pride of God
May you live in coming here this day). To which Aua-toa replied :
“Manava mai ’oe, i te nohora’a mai, a’u tere i te piha o te
fa’a nu’u;
ia ora ’orua.
(You welcome me, as you dwell here, on my arrivai at this
Seat of armies; may you live).
So then he sat down, and the beautiful young princess, Te-more-ari’ivahine (Warrior-princess), showed spécial regard for him
by rubbing noses
Tane.
with him.®
This honor thrilled the young man’s heart, and
from that
strong tacit attachment sprang up between them. But being too
bashful to déclaré himself, Aua-toa décidée! to return home and tell his
parents his first love expérience.
The parents were astonished to see the travellers return home so soon,
moment
a
and the son told them that he had given
up his intention to go quite round
the island and that he had decided to return to Pu-na-au-ia and
marry the
beautiful
princess with whom he
answered that
suitable wife had
was
so
much charmed.
The parents
already been chosen for him and that
he would better not thus thwart their cherished
hopes and plans, adding
that such a breach of promise of marriage
might involve war with the
disappointed district and cause his parents to lose their possessions. But
the young man showed a fixed détermination to espouse the
girl he loved,
a
for he said. that their kiss had sealed their
engagement.
At length the parents agreed to let their son do as he
pleased, and he
returned to Pu-na-au-ia with his attendants
carrying gifts to présent
to the royal house of Pohue-tea, in a manner
becoming his station under
soon
such circumstances.
He
cordially received as before by the king and
though their daughter was
away bathing with other young girls of the household, and they greeted him
in the following manner:
“Manava, Aua-toa i Tahiti. A tahi tere nui ’oe i fano vave fa’ahou mai
ai i Pu-na-au-ia nei? A haere mai!” (Welcome, Aua-toa of Tahiti. It is
a great errand that has
brought you so soon again to Pu-na-au-ia? Corne
hither ! )
was
queen of that district, whom he found at home,
Pu-na-au-ia means “the trumpet is mine,” and formerly was called na-ta’o-e-ha
(The-four-in
command) because four petty districts were allied and formed one under the chief, Pohue-tea
XWhite-Convolvulus).
It was a confédération of armies in olden times.
®
This was the old Polynesian manner of kissing called ho’i in Tahitian
meaning “to
smell,” literally.
The same word with slight variations is still used in many dialects to imply
’
“kiss.”
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
Thus he was set at ease, and he
519
bashfully explained his errand, which
he said was approved of by his parents.
The king and queen had seen the
spring up between the two young people, and so they were
not surprised at this déclaration.
They answered that as the relations
between their two families had always been good and they knew of no
reason why such a union between them should not be, tbey cordially gave
their consent to his paying his addresses to their daughter. So a messenger
was sent to tell her that the young man she so much admired had returned
to see her, and when she joyously went home to meet him, they did not
require many words to make known their attachment to each other. They
were married,® and afterwards the bridai party set out on their journey to
attachment
the bridegroom’s home in Ta’aroa.
They had not gone far when they met two warrior princes from the
Taravaô, named Fara-roa and Fara-uta (Long-fara and Inlandfara), who greeted them as friends, and on learning that the beautiful
woman was Aua-toa’s bride, as a matter of courtesy, according to those
times, they said:
“Entrust our dear little lady to our care for a little while, since you
and we alike are renowned champions.
It is because of us tbat it is said,
'Temu papoi roa Taravao’ (E^napproachable is Taravao).’^®
And so the young husband consented to let them take his wife to the
further side of Punaruu river, where they were to leave her to be rejoined by his party. But when they had crossed the river they were taking the princess on, not intending to part with her, and Aua-toa enfuriated exclaimed: “They must perish!” So he went forward with his spear
Rua-i-pa’o’a, to overtake them. He first met Fara-roa, who said to him :
“O vau teîe; tatara etaeta vau i te fara roa ia auta!” (This is I; I am
the strong thorn of the long fara of groans!) Aua-toa replied:
“O vau teie, 0 Aua-toa-i-Tahiti; tei iat u te ha’apee a nu’u; tau mae
hae O Riia-i-paoa!” (This is I, Aua-toa-i-Tahiti ; in me is the power to
move armies, my fierce strength is
[in the spear] Rua-i-paoa!)
And so they approached each other with deadly intentions, and with
dexterity they both raised their spears; but as Aua-toa evaded that of his
antagonist, he struck him in the head so that he instantly fell dead at his
feet, severed in two from his head downwards.
isthmus of
The
chivalry of those times did not allow two warriors at once to
attack one, nor a warrior’s followers to assist him against one, but when
Fara-uta saw his companion slain he advanced to meet Aua-toa in his turn,
saying :
®
The description of the marriage is similar to that given in the Ra’iatean version.
modem Tahitian this would be, “E ’ore roa e nae’a (or noa’a') Taravao.’’
In
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
520
”’O vau teie, te fara etaeta o tita i Taravao tema
papal!” (This is
I, the strong inland fara of Taravao the inapproachable !” And x\ua-toa
replied :
“
’O
vau
teie, o Aua-toa ia turu ma nu u!”
supporter of armies!)
When they bravely
with the
attacked each other the second champion met
first, and the two were buried side by side on
Owing to this circumstance Aua-toa received the naine
fate
same
the river bank.
of
(This is I, Ana-toa, the
the
as
Aua-toa-i-Tahiti-ia-turu-ma-nu’u
(Rock-enclosure-of-Tahiti-the-supporter-of-armies). After this tragic event, the bridai party went on unmolested and arrived at Ta’aroad^ where the
young pair lived happily
together.
At length their eldest son, Honohira
(Red-thatch-section), was born,
concealed in
a
great
dormant’^clod, called pu-maruea, which when the
father saw, he exclaimed:
“This is a shapeless mass; it is not human.
when he
was
about to
spirit Vero-huti-i-te-ra’i
remove
it to be
We must bury it!” But
buried, he was directed by the
(Storm-produced-in-the-sky) to take the clod to
the great cave of Po-fatu-ra’a
side of mount Tahu’a-reva
(Darkness-ruled-by-sacredness ^-), in the
(Floor-in-space), and leave it. Then ont of the
clod sprang up Hono’ura, a giant of
telescopic powers who could
or shorten himself.
He lived on stones, which abounded in the
lengthen
cave,
became
wonderfully strong, muscular man, and had no other companion to befriend him but his guiding spirit, Vero-huti-i-te-ra’i.
Having no clothes
he remained always in the cave. Meanwhile, Hono’ura’s
parents had three
more sons, named Tai-ea
(Saving-sea), Tai-ranu (Rising-sea), and Tuma
a
(Excellence)—ail handsome youths, who dwelt with their parents.
When Flono’ura
became matured, he was discovered
by Tautu (Domesticated), friend of King Ta’ihia, who went to the cave to invoke sacredness for a
religions ceremony at Tautira from the god Ra’a (Sacredness),
who dwelt in the cave.
There Tautu saw Hono’ura sitting between two
heaps of stones, which he had been swallowing from one side and reproducing on the other alternately ail his life. In that position, Hono’ura
welcomed Tautu, without moving because he was ashamed of his
nudity,
and on being asked who he was he
replied :
“B tamaiti au na Aua-toa-i-Tahiti ’o mani au o te aru
nei, ’o Hono’ura o
te pu maruea”
(I am the son of Aua-toa-i-Tahiti, I am backwoodsman of
this forest, Hono’ura of the dormant
clod).
So they parted, and Tautu very
quickly returned home to tell King
Ta’ihia whom he had seen. Then a messenger was sent to
King Aua-toa
The description of their réception is similar to that
given in the Ra’iatean version.
The god Sacredness-holding-anger
(Ra’a-mait-riri).
Henry—‘Ancient Tahiti
521
tell him of the existence of his son in the cave of the god Ra’a. The
family was greatly affected by the story, and very soon the mother prepared
for her great son an immense loin-girdle, which she named Puhiri-nu’u
(Brown-cloth-of-the-woods). Not daring to approach Hono’ura themselves, the parents sent his three young brothers, accompanied by two guides
from King Ta’ihia, with à présent of food and the girdle. They were also
to invite Hono’ura to go home with them.
Still sitting and directed by the
spirit Hono’ura thus greeted them;
to
“Manava ’outou i te taera’a mai i
ta’u mou’a, i Tahuareva nei.
la ora
teina i tu mai ta’ata maitai i
Ari’i Aua-toa-i-Tahiti.
E ia
ora ’toa ’orua, na vea o te Ari’i Ta’ihia
i Tautira.”
e
te
au
nau
aro
o
“Ae, ia
ora
’oe,
Tahuareva nei !
e
la
Hono’ura, mani o
ora
’oe i te atua
o
te vao nei i to ’oe taae ra’a ia
matou, to teina ri’i mai tai mai.
Teie
te ma’a na ’oe, e teie to maro, o Pu¬
hiri-nu’u, na to tatou metua i hapono
mai, e poroi mai nei ia ’oe e haere
ana’e tatou i te fare.”
“la ora ’oe i te atua, e Hono’ura
nui ia Aua-toa i Tahiti !
E ’aroha iti
teie na to tupuna, na te Ari’i Ta’ihia i
Tautira.”
in coming hither
mountain, Tahuareva. May you
live, my hrothers, who stand forth
handsome men in the presence of King
Aua-toa-i-Tahiti.
And may you live
also, messengers from King Ta’ihia of
“Welcome to you ali
to my
Tautira.”
The brothers cordialb' answered him,
“Aye,
may you
live, Hono’ura, back-
woodsman of Tahuareva !
May you
live in the gods of this recess, in your
isolation from us, your humble“ younger
brothers of the outer borders.
Here
is food for you, here is your loin-girdle,
Puhiri-nu’u, which our parents hâve
sent you, and they wish you to accompany us home.”
The two guides
“May
you
said,
live in the gods, great
Hono’ura of Aua-toa of Tahiti!
Here
greetings [for youl from your
ancestors,” from King Ta’ihia of Tau¬
are
tira.”
cordially accepted the présents, and after he had dedicated
portion of the food, so new to him, to the god of the cave, Ra’a,
and his guardian spirit, Vero-huti-i-te-ra’i, he partook heartily of the repast
with his visitors. But Hono’ura declined accompanying his brothers home,
because the spirit told him to remain where he was and stand up as the
sun appeared on the morrow.
So he said that they should thus see him as
the sun rose in the morning. They went away spreading the news everywhere that Hono’ura would show himself at sunrise.
Hono’ura
a
small
Before the dawn of
day on the morrow, Hono’ura girded himself
in
his brown cloth for the first time, and at the right moment, while thousands
watching from the low lands, he gradually rose and
as the spirit dictated to him, until his head and
shoulders towered above the clouds that densely capped the mountain,
Tahuareva. Shouts of applause reached his ears, and King Ta’ihia sent
of spectators were
lengthened his stature,
same
before an older or superior person.
also o£ a child; and their mpt’her was of the
The Word rii in this sense_ implies self-depreciation
A parent’s friend is regarded as a relative
house as the wife of Ta’ihia.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
522
him to corne ont of the mountain recess and
to
iningle with the people. But
stationary, viewing the mountain slopes and land far beyond,
and chantedd® Late in the
day he contracted and disappeared from view,
when the people retired to their homes loud in their
acclamations of surprise
at what they had seen.
Shortly afterwards, King Ta'ihia and his people prepared a feast for
Hono’ura, but while the messengers went to fetch him some Tuamotuan
warriors arrived from Hiva (Clan), in
Papa-tea
(White-rock), headed by
he remained
a
famous warrior chief, named A’u-roa
sea
monster of that
name
(Long-Bill-fish)—so called after a
tbat swam in the Tuamotuan seas—and
they atslaughter the Tautira people, who were not prepared for
tacked with great
They slew the young warrior chief, Tui-ha’a (Prayer-in-working)
body to the island of Ta-kume (The-pulling) of the
Tuamotuan group, where they placed it
upon the altar in the royal marae
as a
trophy for their gods.
war.
and carried away his
While ail the
vengeance upon
tirement.
community deeply mourned their loss, Hono’ura declared
the Tuamotuan warriors and decided to go out of his re-
But before venturing
capabilities.
fartber he would first try his strength and
Accordingly he set out to travel a little around Tahiti and took
the same course that his father had
taken^when he first went forth to
explore the land. On arriving at Pu-na-au-ia, his mother’s district, he
distinguished himself in the following manner :
Here he
saw
two
aged women, who lived in a hut upon the sloping
cutting ’ape, and he said to them:
border of the river bank,
“E na ruahine moe ’u’uru i te vai
Punaru’u e, tai tahi a’e ti’ara’a o to
’orua fare i ni’a i te tuaivi !
E vaiiho
i tena ei haerea no te pape rahi i
Punaru’u.”
a
“I onei ho’i te ’aito ra o Manu-tei onei ho’i Manu-te-tape-ari’i, i
a’a,
onei ho’i o Hiti-mai-te-ra’i,
parau huahua mai nei ; e ’a’ita ho’i maua i fa’aro’o, ’a’ita ho’i to maua fare i iriti hia
i ni’a i te tuaivi nei.
Ta ratou ho’i
tena parau, o vai ho’i to ’oe ’ioa?”
“Old
women,
snorers
in
the
river
Punaru’u, your house is on a level with
the river bank!
Leave that [site] for
the great waters of Punaru’u to flow
over.”
The old woman answered,
“We hâve had here the
champion
Manu-te-a’a
had
(Bird-of-roots),
we
hâve
Manu-te-tape-ari’i
(Bird-of-theroyal-measure), we hâve had Hiti-mai-
te-ra’i
(Exit-from-the-sky),
who
threatened destruction to us’; and we
did not heed them, and our home
.lias
not
been removed from this slope.
They spoke
your
name ?”
as
you
do, and what is
Hono’ura replied.
The chant is sîmilar to that in the Ra’iatean account.
Now called Maka-tea (White-sling).
Ta’ihia had a brother
named Tu-tapu (Sacred-standîng), who was high chief of Vai’anae, Mo’orea, with whom he was united
in strong affection.
He also had a relative of
many degrees of kinship named Tu-tapu, who was
king of Papa-tea
and who in conséquence strove to
subjugate
Tautira.
Tu-tapu was formerly the régal name of
the high chiefs of
Vai’anae, Mo’orea, and Papa-tea, a tîtle inherited from their Tahitian
ancestry
and Ta’ihia and Mano were the titles
borne by the high chiefs of Tautira, one of the latter
name
having died only of late
years.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
“’O vau, ’o
Hono’ura.”
“Hiae ! Hono’ura i to Hono’ura ra’a,
’e’ita to maua fare e iriti ia ’oe !’
523
“It is I, Hono’ura.”
They scornfully reiterated,
“Blast you !
Hono’ura thpugh you
be, we will not remove our bouse for
you.”
Silence followed, and Hono’ura took some bird’s-nest fern and made
it into
a
bundle, then threw it witli force into the water, which caused a
great splash so that the sprays reached the hut.
old
woman
Hono’ura overheard the
say :
“That is ail he can do ! The three great warriors that came here could
do no more, and what hâve we to fear of this prétentions giant, Hono’ura?”
And
they laughed derisively, thinking he was going away.
This enraged Hono’ura, and so he leaped into the water.
As he did so,
the land upon which the hut stood gave way and formed an islet in the
midst of the stream. Then splashing with his hands, he caused the water to
rise, so that the little newly formed island was carried out with the hut
into the sea, while the poor old women looked on bewildered and terrified,
and ejaculated:
pohe taua! iia pohe taua!” (We are lost! we are lost!). The
ape that they held in their hands was dashed against a cliff, where it
became petrified and lias reniained to this day, thus perpetuating the story.
This exploit created a great sensation among many spectators along the
seaside, after which Hono’ura returned home to his cave at Ta’aroa, where
he formed many plans for future work. Soon after his return, his parents,
feeling anxious to win his love, again sent his three brothers to him with
food. There they remained for some days and were followed later by their
mother, who also took présents to Hono’ura and remained over night. They
could not persuade Hono’ura to accompany them home.
As soon as the time of mourning for Tautira’s warrior chief and his
band was over, the people of Tautira and ail the neighboring districts prepared a feast for Hono’ura, as the Tautira district had done, and when it
was ready Tautu, the friend of King Ta’ihia, and Hono’ura’s brothers were
sent to escort him out.
So Hono’ura went, was cordially received by ail
the people, and attended the great feast of Vai-te-piha-rahi and Vai-pihaiti.i^
After the feast, he stood up and shook the food down and then
“C/a
chanted before the audience thus :
E
pau
ai Vai-te-piha-iti,
E to’na ’atoa ra ’uru ’ofa’i,
E pau ho’i Vai-te-piha-rahi,
E pau hiva !
The description of the feast is
As
Vai-te-piha-iti
room) is
gone
room)
gone,
(Water-of-small-
With ail its heaps of stone.
And Vai-te-piha-rahi (Water-of-great-
is
So Hiva will be beaten !
similar to that in the Ra’iatean version.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
524
Tau
Te
e
taua
I te
i te tini
mano
taooraa
o
o
o
Hiva,
Hiva,
Mou’a,
ta’u
areva.
o
There will be
Hiva,
Tahu-
war
with
the
tens
of
With the thousands of Hiva,
From the chasm'® of my mountain
Tahuareva.
Finally after many tests to prove his strength and also his skill in
wielding the spear when HonoTira was satisfied that he was capable of
waging war with the Tuamotuan foes, he proposed to his brothers and
other warriors to go
with him on that errand, to which they ail agreed.
King Ta’ihia gave his consent, saying they could get parroquet feathers if
nothing else. When they were réady, Hono’ura said to his brothers :
“Corne and launch the
ship Aere of our grandmothers
to go and
So the three younger brothers went to launch the ship,
while Hono’ura sat looking on ; but
they could not move it. Then Hono’¬
ura went alone to launch
it, and chanting,^® he easily drew the ship into
avenge our
the
sea.
dead.”
Hono’ura
he made into a tao,
chose
for
himself
a
tall slender toa tree, which
the biggest kind of a spear, which warriors carried on
the shoulder, as the name signifies, and he named his ta’o
Rua-i-paoo (Consuming-cleft) after his father’s spear or staff.
So the warriors émbarked with Ta’ihia, and went first to
Ra’iatea, where
they encountered the Tuamotuan chief A’u-roa and sbme of his warriors
who had gained the late victory in Tahiti. There
they met in a bloody conflict, allied clans of Ra’iatea uniting with Hono’ura’s side, which completely
routed the enemy, many of whom lay slain in the hands of the
Tahitians,
while a remnant of them escaped with their
chief, A’u-roa, to their canoës
and returned to Hiva in Papa-tea, whence
they had corne. Tû-tapu was
king of Hiva and his wife was named Te-puna (The-fountain). The
Tahitians pursued them, and as they landed at Hiva
they beat the drum,
Tara-te-fei-ari’i (Prayers-offered-by-kings).
Soon they were met by the
king, who said to them:
“What is your errand here ?”
Hono’ura replied :
“We hâve corne in search of A’u-roa, the warrior who killed our brave
Tuiha’a.
Where does he live?”
The king replied:
“He is not here, and you cannot get him ; you will be slain
by the démon
beast, Tu-ma-tahi (Stand-alone), that inhabits the sea of Papa-tea before
you can reach him.”
Hono’ura enquired :
“Where is this beast called Tu-ma-tahi?”
“Away at sea,” was the reply. “He is eating purupuru (sea-cucumbers)
among the seaweed (rimu), sodden in brine.”
“Which way does he corne home?”
Hono’ura referred to himself, being from the chasm of his
mountain,
In Tahitian, grandmothers and grandaunts are called
txipuna vahiné.
The chant is similar to that in the Ra’iatean version.
^
Tahuareva.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
“By
maids).”
the
passage
of
525
(The-great-side-of-waiting-
Taha-nui-te-pairu
Hono’ura and his three brothers took their spears and went to the reef
to
await the
sea
monstei', and soon they saw
him coming in through the
opened his great mouth and tried to
did not succeed. Then he
sought to bite Hono’ura in half, and in turning himself on one side to do
Hono’ura thrust a great spear down his throat and pierced him through
at full length, so that formidable sea monster was killed.
The priest propassage.
When he saw Hono’ura he
reach Hono’ura’s head with his upper jaw, but
so
When Hono’ura drew
of the beast, he saw it was tarnished
from contact with the intestines, so he named it Rua-i-havahava (Besmeared-pit) and chanted thus :
nounced a curse to banish the evil
spirit to Hades.
out the end of his spear from the body
E ’ite ra Aua-toa-Tahiti
E iti to’na to’oto’o, o Rua-i-paoa;
E nui Hono’ura, e nui to’na to’oto’o,
’O Rua-i-havahava !
Now will Aua-toa-Tahiti s’ee
His staff, Rua-i-paoa, is smaller ;
Hono’ura is greater, his staff is greater,
It is Rua-i-havahava !
king of Hiva and his people were enraged to see the great
god that guarded their shores from enemies without thus slain, and
they at once sought to hâve revenge on their foes. They arrayed themselves for hattle and went forth to meet the Tahitians on the seaside. But
Now the
océan
soon
they
were
routed.
They fled to their fortifications, which were a
rocksHafiaped upon trees that had been hewn down
and which they were soon forced to surrender to their invincible invaders.
King Tû-tapu was slain, and his spear, Te-amio-fenua (The-varying-land),
was seized as a trophy by Hono’ura.
Contrary to the custom of those
limes, Hono’ura respectfully gave the body to the people of the land to
bury, instead of carrying it away in triumph to the royal marae in Tautira
as the enemy had taken the body of Tuiha’a to theirs.
barricade of sand and
themselves conquerors, Hono'ura and his warriors
(Hina's-pledge), and carried away
the image of their suprême god, Tû, known in the Tuamotuan group as
Tû-nui (Great-stability), and the image of his attendant god Ro’o (Tanie).
They bore away the widowed Oueen Te-puna, intending to take her to
Tahiti as a wife for Ta’ihia, so as to end the strife between the two peoples.
In order to prove
broke down the royal marae Tapu-Hina
The poor woman, accompanied by a few faithful
her lost
attendants, sorely bewailed
husband, whose memory was dearly cherished.
They then set sail, and the to’erau (north wind) soon wafted them to
of Fakaau (or Fa’aau, Agreement), where the people were
friendly to the Tahitians. They landed at the district of Fare-marama
(House-of-the-moon), where they lived in a great cave on the seaside,
the island
526
Bernice P. BisJiop Muséum—Bulletin 48
known
still
in
a
as
fissure
the
of
cave
the
of
Hono’ura.
rocks,
is
a
Not
natural
far
well
from
of
the
fresh
cave,
water,
dowiT
and
Hono’ura, feigning to be thirsty, took his water gourd, slyly pierced it, and
then as a practical joke sent his brother Tuma to fill it with water for him
to
drink.
Tuma
readily went for the water, but finding that the gourd
leaked he examined it and found the hole that had just been made.
While thus employed, there came to the water three island belles, named
Te-’ura-tau-ia-po^i (The-i-edness-of-twilight), Tu-tapu-hoa-tua (Sacredstanding-of-the-ocean-friend), and Ra’i-e-ho-o-ata-nua (Sky-of-shoutingand-laughter-above), who stood close by, looking on and laughing at the
joke. When Tuma arose from his stooping position he felt much abashed
at
seeing he was the object of their mirth.
He felt still more mortified
when he heard them improvise a song about the man who stooped low down
water in a pierced gourd. So he went to the ship with the gourd
in his hand and gave vent to his anger by breaking it to pièces upon his
brother Hono’ura.
to dip up
Then Hono’ura became enraged, took the mats and rigging of the ship,
and was going away inland to pitch his tent; but his brothers begged him
to remain with them in the cave.
He answered that they could not make
his purpose unless they could intercept him on the road as he
As he was walking with tremendous strides, the offending brother, Tuma, ran as fast as he could and succeeded at last in
getting before him and standing in his way. Hono’ura sat down, softened,
and wept. His anger was appeased, and he returned to the cave with Tuma
him change
walked rapidly away.
and made himself at home with his brothers there.
The three beautiful young women
who saw Tuma at the spring lived
neighboring district, called Tupuna (Ancestor), and the young men
formed their acquaintance and admired them much; but ail preferred Te’ura-tau-ia-po, who was the acknowledged belle of the island. It happened
one day that this beautiful woman wâs
passing by Hono’ura’s cave in com¬
pany with people of her clan, and looking in she happened to see Hono’ura
in dishabille crouching down in the cave, and she exclaimed to her friends:
“’B’ita vau e ati i ter a ’u’iihiva ’ino!” (I shall not fall in love with that
ugly barnacle!) which Hono’ura unfortunately heard, and he did not forgive her those words thus carelessly spoken.
Not long after this the Tahitian warriors indulged in merrymaking. They
arrayed themselves in their best apparel, decked themselves with wreaths
and garlands, and danced nimbly to the music of the vivo and, beat of their
great drum, which was the finest ever seen on the island. The best dancers
among them ail were the four young princes, Hono’ura and his brothers.
in
a
This name is
Ra’iatean version.
almost
the
same
as
Te’ura-tau-e-pa
(Redness-abiding-and-parted-with)
of the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
527
People from everywhere came to heai' the famous drum and see the Tahitians
dance and with theni were the three belles, who with
chaperones of leading chiefesses of the land were chosen to be the judges of the performance.
They looked their best in festive attire. Hono’ura, so grand in stature, was
most limber, and his dancing received the most
applause from every side.
When the entertainment was over, it became the
duty of those women to
go forward and greet the champion of the day and then his brothers and
companions. The stately matronly chiefesses approached first and exchanged
cordial greetings and shook hands with them. Then
Te-’ura-tau-ia-po and
her companions approached, and as the former extended her hand to
Hono’ura, he, remembering his old grudge, struck it ofï with one blow of
his powerful hand! Thus lightly touching upon so serions an
injury, the
story goes on to State that the young damsel turned away bitterly inortified
in being thus publicly humiliated and went
away chanting pathetically ; but
her words are not recorded.
She would not return home after this mutila¬
tion, but remained in the district of Fare-marama and soon sank a prey to
mortification and grief and died.
The news of this sad death soon spread
a
everywhere, and Tuma, having
great regard for her, which she had reciprocated, resolved to go in search
of the departed spirit and bring it back to her
body. So he went south,
hoping to meet it there. But Hono’ura knowing this, went north to waylay
and prevent it
from meeting his brother, if it passed that way. It was not
long before Hono’ura met the departing spirit, and as it made an effort to
pass him he suddenly smote it with his great spear, Rua-i-paoo. Thus it
lost ail its vital power and sank forever out of
sight of this world.
Meanwhile Tuma, not meeting the spirit of his beloved, went to see if it
had returned to the. body, which was not
yet buried. But finding it lifeless,
he continued his search round the island until he arrived north and met
Hono’ura. When Tuma asked him if he had met the
object of their search
and he answered evasively, “’a’ita”
(No). Tuma knew at once what had
happened and exclaimed:
“B ta ata hamand-’ino ’oe!” (You are a cruel man!) They returned to
triumphant in what he had succeeded in doing and
the cave, Hono’ura
Tuma to mourn over his lost love.
Hono’ura wedded Ra’i-e-ho-ata-nua,
’Aitu -ta’ata-matata’i-te ’aro-’aua
-
ming).
by whom he had
a
son
named
(God-of-goodly-people-the-fight-in-swim-
Soon after this, the Tahitian warriors resumed their search for
A’u-roa,
they kept with them Te-puna, the widow of the king of Hiva lately
slain, and her attendants. But they had not gone far at sea when they met
and
with
conflicting tides, called opape (conflux), which tossed their ship so
528
Bernice P. Bishop Muscuin—Bulletin 48
miich that the poor queen,
who had been pining away at the loss of her
husband, collapsed from seasickness and died. They wrapped her body in
tapa and a mat and dropped it into the sea, and it is afbrmed that the
opape has remained there ever since, for which reason it is called Opape-
te-piina-’ai-ari’i ( Conflux-of-the-royal-consuming-fountain ).
On they went to Ta-kume, land of the warrior chief, Te-a’u-roa, and in
cold weather the haunt of the great sea god, Te-a’u-roa.
a wild
unfrequented place and drew their ship up into a
They landed at
thicket for concealinent.
Then they stealthily went into the great marae which they saw
at a little distance, and there they found the
body of the warrior Tuiha’a
laid out straight and dry upon an altar before the gods ! Their hearts were
filled with sorrow, and they wept over the remains, determined more than
ever to avenge his death ; and' thence
they went noiselessly to the house
of King Te-a’u-roa.
There they found only the queen, Maru-i’a (Fish-shadow), and her
retainers, and she told them that her husband was away on another island.
They enquired where their guardian seà god, Te-a’u-roa, dwelt, and she
felt safe
in answering that he was far out in the océan, where he resided
in summer time, only approaching land when the cold south winds set in.
But Hono’ura had brought with him from Ta’aroa, his mountain home, in
his magical ancestral gourd Te-pori (The fatness), a supply of cold mist,
called Hupe-no-Ta’aroa (Dew-of-Ta’aroa), and directed by his spirit guide
he let it escape over the sea to the région where the great fish swam.
(That
cold mist has remained there to this day, no such fog being seen around any
other of the Tuamotuan Islands).
Te-a’ u-roa thought
the cqld season had arrived and swam towards the
Ta-kume, while Hono’ura with his brothers in
the rear stood upon the beach awaiting him. After a while, they saw him
approach. He came quickly over the rippling sea until he saw them, and
then with a dart forward he ran his great bill into a sand bank so that his
head was entirely hidden.
But the spreading tail and immense body re¬
mained exposed.
Hono'ura’s brothers wished at once to eut off the tail ;
but he told them to beware of doing so lest they lose ail and endanger their
lives, as the great evil spirit dwelt in the head of the fish, which they must
destroy first. Hono'ura chanted boastfully, took off his feather helmet
{pii, meaning “cling”), and threw it clown upon the spot where the head
was concealed.
Immediately the sand gave way, and the head lay exposed
with the upper jaw, while the lower jaw remained hidden in the sand.
The fish became greatly enraged and exchanged words with Hono’ura thus :
shore within the reef of
The people of the Tuamotuan group relied much upon their sea gods for protection
outward aggression, having no mountains to fiee to in times of danger. •
against
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tc-a’u-roa.
Eaha to ’oe tere?
Tii mai nei au ia ’oe.
Te-a’u-roa. Tera mai au!
Hono’ura. Ahiri !
529
Pish. What is your errand?
Hono’ura. I hâve corne for you.
Pish. Thither I corne!
Plono’ura. Let us see !
Hono’ura.
Then the fish drew himself
into the sea, and
aiming his bill high
firmly in
flap of his strong tail the monster shot throiigh
the air like an arrow,
intending to pierce Hono’ura through the hody. But
anticipating this, Hono’ura steadily aimed his spear at the fîsh’s head and
as he approached
pierced him through the mouth so that he did not touch
Hono’ura hut soon lay dead at his feet.
In order to keep the démon
spirit away from its incarnation, Hono’ura
hewed the fish to pièces with his
magical axe, named Te-marua (The-fall).
The other men wrapped the
pièces of fish in coconut leaves and baked them
for their supper, while the
priest consigned the evil spirit to the dark
up at Hono’ura’s giant form
the rocks, with a powerful
abode of démons.
out
as
he stood with his feet planted
When the fish
was
cooked, Hono’ura apportioned it
properly for ail présent, reserving a share for the god, Ta’i-iti-te-araara
(Low-cry-that-awakens), of the ship, and for the spirit, Vera-huti-i-te-ra’i.
Hono’ura’s portion was the boues and fins as it was
his usual custom to
take for himself the bones of fish and
pork and the shells of mollusks and
turtles, ail of which he swallowed whole. These gave him
great strength,
and their reappearance after he rendered them
whole served as auguries of
what was to happen in ail his
pursuits.
The Tahitian warriors spent the
night at Ta-kume, and early in the
morning took possession of the mummified body of their lamented warrior,
Tuiha’a, and placed it, carefully wrapped in tapa, in
charge of their god.
They also took, as choice prisoners of war, Queen Ata-i’a with some chosen
retainers and sailed to the island of
Na-puka (The-pricks), which at that
time was uninhabited, to rest and be
ready soon again for action. For they
knew
that the
sea
gods of the Tuamotuan group were enraged and that
they wotild direct the foes to corne and meet them before long.
They supped on great pink and white pahua (Tridacna), which abound
in the Tuamotus, Hono’ura
swallowing the shells as usual. After placing
their prisoners of war
comfortably under guard in the interior of the island,
they went to sleep under the dense shade of fara trees on the seashore,
where they had a view of the océan without
being seen. Hono’ura dreamed
ominous dreams, and after the first reverie he awoke and in a
chant said
to his
brothers, who lay by his side:
Te moe o te toa !
Tua te honia e te potipoti.
E moe, e hiti, e panoo.
A tahi ahiahi
’ino, e a’u teina!
The sleep of the warrior !
Bitten is his back by the beetles.
He sleeps, he starts, he is anxious.
This
is
a
troublée!
evening, my
brothers' !
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
530
restless sleep, and towards morning he sat up and
He fell again into a
addressed his brothers, chanting thus :
E ama ra e !
E oira’a motumotu.
hâve been closed,
Oh, the ships !
They are [as] long sharks that eat
the clouds.
Oh, the outriggers !
Cutting [the waves] in their sweeping
E tahi umi i te tata
An
Piri iho nei
ra
to’u
E pahi ra e !
Te ma’o roa ’ai ata.
My
mata,
eyes
course.
array
of ten fathoms will wreak
vengeance
’O to faia mai ai i teie tau ta’ata.
’O Toa-rere, ’o Toa-umaa,
Against each
’O Mu-nee-’uta, ’o Mu-nee-i-tai,
( Snapper-creeping-shorewards),
Mu-nee-i-tai
(Snapper-creeping-seawards ),
Pa’aihere-nui (Great-cavalla-fish) of the
rocky beds,
Te-uhu-nui
(Great-parrot-fish)
that
goes in the sea of the meteor,
Eager in the grayness of night ;
Persistent Ta’aroa of the speckled edge,
Pa’aihere nui i te
fa’atoatoa,
Te-uhu-nui i
i te tai
tere
o
paora,
Onoono te hina po ;
O Ta’aroa maro i te purepure hiti ;
E tena ia Te-a’u-roa
E reia, reia ai i Vavau (Porapora)
Ei ’ofa’i te manava, e a’u tau taeae
la ta hia mai tatou.
man
There are Toa-rere
umaa
Mu-nee-’uta
of us.
(Flying-rock), Toa-
(Dividing-roclj),
And there is Te-a’u-roa (Èong-billfish)
Who seized, seized Vavau.
Our hearts must be of stone, my
brothers,
When
we
are
struck.
Then they
their
fell asleep again iintil daylight, when they looked ont from
hiding place and saw, approaching them the war canoës of which
Hono’ura had dreamed.
A’u-roa and ail the other warrior chiefs mentioned in HonoTira’s chant,
and their
clans, had corne to avenge the deaths of the great sea god (Te-
a’u-roa), and King Tû-tapu and the injured widowed Queen Te-Puna,
calling to them from the deep. Ail the western islanders
of the group were in battle array and intent on killing Hono’ura and his
followers.
Steadily they came in over the swelling sea and anchored in
a quiet bay, and as they were doing so their invaders were preparing to
meet them.
The ship “Aere” stood anchored in a sheltered cove qf the
same haven, and the great spear, Rua-i-hava, lay as a log upon the sand,
but no Tahitian was to be seen anywhere.
whose spirit was
their posts in ambush, while he went to
reproduce the shells, which were to be auguries to them, and his brothers
accompanied him. As he cast them forth, he held on to a great nono
tree
(Morinda citrifolia), and his brothers eagerly observing them as
they fell exclaimed joyously, “B niea ’urauraB (They are red ones!) for
that was .the sign they desired to show that the victory would be theirs.
Hono’ura’s warriors took up
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
531
White shells
appearing would hâve been an omen that they would grow
pale from fear of overwhelming numbers and be lost.
Hono’ura’s brothers joined the ranks of their
hiding warriors while he
arriving hosts. As he stood on the seaside, he
called to the Tuamotuan fleet :
went alone to meet the
“’O vai teie toa i tai neif” (Who are these warriors ont
came the answer from the head of each clan :
there
’O vau, ’o Toa-rere!
’O vau, ’o Tpa-umaa!
’O vau, ’o Mu-nee-iuta !
’O vau, ’o Mu-nee-i-tai !
’O vau, ’o Pa’aihere-nui i te fa’atoatoa !
’O vau, ’o Te-uhu-nui i tare i te tai
paora!
’O
vau,
hiti!
’o Ta’aroa
maro
o
i te purepure
’O vau, ’o A’u-roa i reia, i reia,
I pau ai Vavau !
E reia,
e
reia,
Hono’ura
e
ia
pau !
is I, Toa-rere!
is I, Toa-umaa !
is I, Mu-nee-iuta!
is I, Mu-nee-i-tai !
is I, Pa’aihere-nui of the rocky
chasms !
It is I, Te-uhu-nui that goes in the
sea of the meteor !
It is I, persistent Ta’aroa [fish] of the
It
It
It
It
It
speckled edge!
It is I, A’u-roa who beat, beat,
Who vanquished Vavau!
We shall beat, beat, until we conquer !
undaunted, replied:
E hiva e !
A tau mai i uta nei e inu
’ava ra, e vinivini, e a hi’o i te
vahiné paro’o ra. ia Te-’ura-tau-ia-po.
i
here?) and
te
Oh
clans ! corne on shore and drink
’ava that will make the lips smack
and see the renowned woman, Te-
’ura-tau-ia-po (Redness-of-twilight).
They said to each other, “This is good, he does not know what he is
doing !
He wishes us to go and drink ’ava with his clan and see a beautiful
Let us go, and when they are ail well drunk we’ll
slay them ail
together.”
woman.
So the Tuamotuan warriors told Hono'ura that
they would accept his
invitation and land
But Hono’ura, feigning kindness, said that
in small numbers at a time and follow the track
at once.
they would better corne
inland in single file, so that they might be better served to the ’ava. To this
they readily agreed. Placing their canoës in safety they commenced to
land, and on seeing Hono’ura’s great spear they enquired of him what it
was, to which he replied, “B hoe, e hoe i ta’ u pahi a’era”
(It is a paddle,
a
paddle for my ship there).
The road inland led through jungles interspersed with
open spaces of
bare sand, so that the greater number of
Tuamotuan men were very much
they went in, in bodies detached from each other at wide intervals. They planned to disperse in the thickets after
drinking a little ’ava
and return in a body to fall upon their hosts.
Cleverly abiding their time,
the Tahitians awaited them in ambush, slew them as
they strayed along.
weakened as
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
532
and hid their bodies in the thickets
so
that they would not be seen on
the
When the last party went forward Hono’ura, anticipating that some
road.
of them would be roused to
suspicion, drew up his spear and closed in the
making himself very tall watched for them. Soon his expecta¬
tions were realized, and as the fugitives attempted to évadé him to go to
their canoës he immediately caught and slew them.
But the warrior Toa-rere made his escape with a few of his clan, dodging Hono’ura as he was engaged in pursuing another band. They swam
to their canoë and paddled off with ail speed towards their island
Te-poto
(The-short), not many miles away. Seeing them just outside of the reef,
Hono’ura took up a great stone, named Amiomio-o-te-ra’i ( Changeablenessof-the-sky), and hurled it after them; but they were beyond its reach, and
the stone fell upon the coral rëef, making a great gap that is still to be seen
there. When ail the other people were despatched, Hono’ura plunged into
the sea and swam, spear in hand, for the fugitives, whom he soon overtook, and he broke their canoë and speared them as they were swimming
rear
and
away.
So the brave warrior chief, Tui-ha’a,
was
avenged, and his body was
returned to Tahiti and interred with reverence by his people in his ancestral
The famé of Hono’ura as a great hero was spread abroad among all
the islands, while he lived a retired life among his people, accepting neither
marae.
sovereignty of all Tahiti, which was offered him by all the people of
Tahiti, nor the sovereignty of Tautira, which was offered him by Ta’ihia,
then wishing to retire into quiet life. The bereaved captive queen, Ata-i’a,
was taken to Tautira with her attendants, and her
dignified personality
saved her and hers from becoming slaves to their Tahitian foes.
They
were adopted by the people of the land and became one with them.
The print on a rock of Hono’ura’s foot, made when he struck the fish at
the island of Ta-kume, is said to be visible still, enormous and perfect in
shape. A spear-shaped log of hard time-seasoned wood, the two ends
blunted with âge, lies on the sandy shore of Ta-kume, and it is said to be
the véritable spear, Rua-i-hava, of Hono’ura. But how a hostile tribe could
obtain possession of so sacred and valued a relie of a Tahitian hero has
not been explained.
Pdssibly they carried it away as a trophy in subsé¬
quent wars with the Tahitians.
the
Mangaian Version
In myths and songs from the South Pacific, by W. W. Gill, is a Manga¬
legend of the same hero, who is named Ono-kura (for Hono’ura),
a blending of the Ra’iatean and Tuamotuan versions and of tbe
legend of Rata in this publication.
ian
which is
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
A very long time ago, according to this legend,
taken to Mangaia by the Tongans and planted in the
533
a
toa tree
was
deep sequestered
valley of Angaruaau at Tamarua. It was supposed to be possessed of a
very powerful evil spirit, named Vao-tere (Moving-recess), which prevented many brave Mangaian warriors from using its much coveted
boughs
for war weapons, a use they had heard was made of toa in other
lands. But at length a famous chieftain, named Oa-rangi
(Heavenly-friend),
and four of bis friends decided to venture to appropriate the tree for this
purpose.
So
one
night by torchlight they cautiously went into the dense shade
'of the valley with their stone hatchets, and soon
finding the tree, so dif¬
ferent from ail others around it with its
drooping hair-like foliage, they set
to
Work in earnest to eut it down.
watch for the evil
Oa-rangi sat a little distance off to
spirit, while the others did the work. They toiled ail
night, felled the great tree, and trimmed off its branches, when daylight
appeared and they retired, intending to go home to rest and avoid meeting
curions
cutters
people.
were
But they had not gone many paces when the four woodseized with terrible pains in the chest and threw up blood of a
deep-red color, resembling the sap of the tree they had been chopping.
Hoping to find relief they wended their way as best they could to the cool
flowing stream close by, but to no avail. Two of them died there, and their
bodies were placed among the luxuriant ferns to await burial. 'With sorrowful hearts Oa-rangi and the two surviving men went on their
way. W^hen
they reached the summit of the hill that they had to pass in entering the val¬
ley, to their great surprise they saw the tree standing erect and waving in the
breeze in its habituai place, but of a bright-red color from the sap that
it had shed. They retraced their steps to be sure they had made no mistake
and saw the tree to be red to the very bark with crimson
sap oozing out of
every pore, which they felt was ominous of resentment of the spirit for
what they had done during the night. With still greater faintheartedness
they turned again to go home, but did not go far when the other two woodmen died also, and
Oa-rangi greatly dismayed returned home alone.
After
few
days, Oa-rangi, still bent upon succeeding in his work,
by daylight with a number of his friends to résumé the difhcult
task. But just as they espied the tree from the hill top, they became
totally
blind. Still intent on their purpose, they groped their way down and went
around feeling every tree but the right one until evening, when still
blind they made their way home as best they could.
Thus signally foiled, Oa-rangi failed in health and soon also died.
a
went
But the matter did not rest there,
of
great famé, who had
corne
for a man named ’Ono-kura (Hono’ura),
from a land of toa trees and moreover
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
534
in possession of a wonderful magical weapon named Rua-i-para (The
hole where it fell; Tahitian name Rua-i-paoa, meaning Riven-cleft), which
had been given him by bis father, Rua-tea (Lighthole; Tahitian, Aua-toa,
was
meaning Rock-Enclosure), as a safeguard in emergencies and answering
triple purpose of spade, club, and axe.
’Ono-kura volunteered to attack the great incarnation of the much
dreaded démon Vao-tere ( Moving-recess ) and set out to do so by daylight. After examining the tree carefully, he commenced by digging away
the ground from the trunk and tracing out the radiations of the numerous,
tangled roots, which extended over hill and dale. Four enormous roots,
gnarled and twisted fantastically, he l'ecognized as the limbs of the'
démon, and when he reached their extreme ends, small and tapering, he
fearlessly chopped them. It was easy to sever ail the surrounding tributary roots, till at last he came to the great tap root, and the tree began
to totter.
’Ono-kura then dug deep down and with one blow eut that
root also, and as the tree fell creaking and groaning to the ground the
head and enraged face of the dreaded Vao-tere became visible.
His great
jaws, armed with terrible, sharp teeth, were open to devour ’Ono-kura,
who undaunted proved himself equal to the emergency and with a steady
aim of his, infallible weapon, gave a décisive bloyv that split open the
skull of the démon.
Thus Mangaia was freed forever of the malicious
forest god.
Then with his weapon of versatile qualities, ’Ono-kura eut off the four
gnarled roots and divided the great bleeding trunk of the formerly
possessed tree into three equal parts—one for the manufacture of long
spears, another for skull cleaves, and a third for daggers—thus appropriating the much coveted wood. By this daring deed, the spread of the toa
tree over Mangaia became unlimited.
The small roots that remained
in the ground, and the chips scattered everywhere by ’Ono-kura’s heavy
blows, grew and soon produced the toa forests now seen ail over Mangaia.
Dr. Gill adds that a sériés of songs on the exploits of ’Ono, as the
name
is frequently shortened in Mangaia, once existed and bore every
evidence of having been several hundred years old.
They Were classified
among the compositions called pee manuiri, or songs relating to visitors,
the
and
were
The
known
as
the oldest of their kind.
following Mangaian fragment relates to the legend of ’Ono :
’Ono Feuw
TU MU
Kotia rai te toa i Vaotere
Kiia aka-inga.
Tu e tauri te rakau e !
a
Famous Trëi;
PRËLUDe
The toa tree of Vaotere is felled;
It lies prostrated !
Oh, the tree stood erect and is fallen !
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
535
PAPA
FOUND.VriON
Uriuri ana rai ;
Kua kotia ia rakau ;
Uriuri o te vao ;
Tu e tau ri te rakau e!
Turn the log over and over;
That tree is hewn down ;
’Tvvas the giory of the valley;
Oh, the tree stood erect and is fallen !
Wanderings OE ’Ono^^
TUMU
Rupitia
ra
’Ono
PRELUDE
e te matangi,
motu.
Tau akera i tai
O te roromgo i kauvare
a
Iva
Wafted is ’Ono by the wind,
e !
And he
Oh,
alights in the sea of atolls.
news
surprises the Ivans
(Hivans) !
the
PAPA
FOUNDATION
Kau nui ua rai ;
Kua tokarekare rire.
Ka ara ’Ono iaku nei
Kauvare a Iva e !
UNUUNU
Ka
E
ra koe ra iaku nei
Iaku nei e!
tauria
e
Covered [is the sea] with foam !
Treacherous is ’Ono to me.
Oh, surpris'ed
e !
That redden
Surprised
RUA
matangi tere ariki
Nai ariki no ’Ono e
Ka araara i Iva nui ;
E taia e Mu-rake
Ka eva ra ’Ono-kura
I te puka maru.
Kauvare a Iva e !
the Ivans !
OFFSHOOT
Oh, treacherous hast thou been to
To me, oh!
In a land alighted on by birds
’Ono is eating
The fruit of the pitai (berries)
te manu
UNUUNU
te
are
FIRST
Kua kai ana i ’Ono e,
O te ua O te pitai
Kura ra i motu e!
Kauvare a Iva e !
Tei
rough and stormy;
TAI
ara
enua
It is
are
over
the
me !
isles !
the Ivans !
second
OFFSHOOT
By the breeze that bears royalty
’Ono’s princely band
Came’and surprised great Iva (Hiva) ;
e
And s'Iain is Mu-rake”* [for whom]
’Ono-kura is mourning
At the entrance of the shades.
Oh, surprised
are
the Ivans 1
According to S. Percy Smith the Rarotongans hâve a lengthy legend
’Ono-kura (Hono’ura) interspersed with obsolète
words—many of
which are not understood by the people of this day, as is also the case
with the Ra’iatean version
and showing the intercourse between the
distant groups at that time and the extent of their warlike
exploits and
love of navigation.
of
—
This
legend shows Hono’ura to hâve been a famous poet, warrior,
navigator, and his name stands in the royal genealogy of Rarotonga.
It States that he dwelt in his mountain home in Tahiti, living on mamaku
{mama’u), an edible fern, on feki {fe’i or mountain plantains), and
kokopu {’o’opu, a black fresh-water fish the size of a trout), and koura
{'aura, shrimps), until he was brought into prominence in the way before
and
According to Dr. Gill this song is complété in itself.
The translation is literal, and it is
évident how well it chimes in with the Tahitian and Tuamotuan versions of the legend.
^
Mu-rake was evidently a Tuamotuan warrior for whom Hono’ura had had some
affection,
perhaps Mu-nee-i-uta or Mu-nee-i-tai of the two legends.
536
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
With remarkable resemblance, the story i-ecords the events related
in Tahitian history, mentioning
King ’Ta’ihia of Tautira, and
stated.
King Tama(Child-warrior) in connection with Poa (Opoa) and Ra’iatea, a royal
toa
name
which has been the regai title of the kings of sacred
from time immémorial.
Opoa in Ra’iatea
This
legend further States that the island of Aka’au (Faka’au) was
by a chief named Ika-moe-ava (Fish-dormant-in-the-passage), and
that he had a daughter named Ata-nua
(Laughter-above), part of the
ruled
Tuamotuan name Ra’i-e-po-o-ata-nua
who became Hono’iira’s wife and
(Sky-of-shouting-and-laughter-above),
b}" whom he had a son named Ngaupoko-tû-rua (Two-abiding-heads). As this is also shown in the royal
genealogy of Rarotonga, the name was consequently given to Aitu-ta’atamaitata’i after he left Tahiti.
But they say that Hono’ura lost his king,
Tangi-hia (Ta’ihia), in a battle at Faka’au, a story which is probably
derived from the Ra’iatean account of the wound he received and which
sucked and healed by Hono’ura at Ra’iatea.
was
Some years later, the
legend States, Flono’ura carried on wars with
Marquesans at Uahuka Island and Uapou Island, at Uapou taking
to wife Ina (Hina,
Gray), daughter of a man named Parau-Nikau (Pearlshell-of-Ni’au). Finally he went to the low island of Tu-pai (Roughstanding, also called Tubai)», north of Porapora, where he died of old
But as people hâve not Ijeen in the habit of settling permanently
âge.
at Tubai it is more
probable that he simply visited that island and that
he died at Ra’iatea, as stated by Ra’iateans and Tahitians.
the
Rarotonga, Hono’ura’s canoë was named Te-ivi-o-Kaua (The-boneof-war), somewhat resembling the appellation Te-ivi-o-te-au-moa (BoneIn
of-the-sacred-chips), which is found in Hono’ura’s chant in launching
King Ta’ihia’s canoë Aere (Endless-space), given in the Ra’iatean version.
Though it is not recorded that Hono’ura ever went to Hawaii, it is
Rarotonga that a prince named Naea, who was a contemporary
of Hono’ura, having had trouble with his
family ending in bloodshed
about his inheritance as king in Avaiki-raro (either of the Samoan or
Fijian group), fled from home and went to Vaii (Tahitian Vai-hi, and
Maori Wai-hi—Gushing-water), meaning Hawaii.
He finally settled
on the island of Va’u
(in Hawaiian and Tahitian, Ahu; in the Maori dialect,
Wahu) in conséquence of which the name Avaiki-nui-o-Naea (GreatHawai’i-of-Naea), is retained by the Rarotongans. According to Smith,
this happened just at the time when communication was
again opened
between the Hawaiian and Southern groups, after the Hawaiians had been
stated in
secluded five hundred years.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
537
HIRO'
Son or' Raamauriri
At Hiva, Ra’iatea, lived a chief named Ra’a-mau-riri
( Sacredness-holding-anger), whose wife was Taetae-fenua (Land-peak), by whom he had
four sons, named
Mea-e-hi’o-i-mua
(Thing-to-look-before), Mea-e-hi’o-i(Thing-to-look-behind), Mea-e-hui-te-tae (Thing-to-reach-sidestroke),
and Ti’a-pae-rairai
(Stand-on-thin-side). Then bis wife died, and Ra’a-
muri
mauriri took to himself
second wife, named Fai-mano-ari’i
(A thousandroyal-revelations), who bore him a giant son, named Hiro (Trickster), so
named after Hiro, god of thieves, who became his
guiding spirit.
While yet a young lad, Hiro went to Tahiti and lived at
’Uporu
(Ha’apape) with his maternai grandfather, named Ana (Cave), the senior
teacher in the school called Tapu-ata-i-te-ra’i
( Sacred-cloud-in-the-sky ). There
Hiro’s four brothers had been placed as
students, and while he was still
too young to join them, he
acquired a greater knowledge than they of the
chants that he heard by listening from outside.
Hiro gi'ew so fast that
he was soon the biggest youth in ail
’Uporu, and one night he stole up on
to the ridgepole of
the^ schoolhouse where his grandfather, who was blind,
was teaching, and this he continued to do
during six consecutive nights, at
the end of which he had absorbed into his
person ail that was taught in
the school.
When he
a
was
well that the teachers
so
nothing more
was
admitted
as
a
student he recited ail the chants
amazed, and his grandfather said that there
in the school for him to learn. It is said that Hiro’s
were
pastime at ’Uporu was to play with sand, which he easily heaped up into
hillocks which
are
still
When he became
the
a
standing along the shore.
man, he inquired of his grandfather what
requirements of man. His grandfather replied;
“Provide yourself with a home, and
marry a wife.”
“If I do so,” said Hiro, “what must I do with the wife?”
“Cherish and feed and clothe her,”
“That would be unprofitable,” said
were
was the reply.
Hiro, and so he went on disapprov-
ing of everything that Ana told him a man should do. Then he inquired
what tricks man was capable of
doing, and when Ana enumerated : lying,
deceiving, and thieving, Hiro exclaimed :
“Yes, stealing is good; that is a profitable thing; it will be
satisfying
to
man.”
a
So Hiro decided
become a thief under the protection of
Hiro, god
thieves; and he commenced by stealing young breadfruit and coconut
trees, taking the précaution not to do so from lands close
by, and plantto
of
^
By the Ra’iatean scholars, Ara-mou’a (Mountain-road) and Vara
(Wide-apart), in 1818.
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
538
ing them upon his own grounds. He also acquired a great passion for
navigation and visiting lands far away. He became skilled in hewing
canoës ont of solid logs and was the first builder of large
canoës with
planks sewn together, which he called pahi (ship). He was a great pig
hunter.
Early one morning Hiro told his grandfather that he was going
far up inland to a sacred place called Ou-tupuna (Ancestor’s-stronghold)
for a branch of an ava tree named ’Ava-tupu-tahi (Solitary-ava), famed
for its âge and immense size, and his grandfather cautioned him to he
careful not to desecrate the sacred grounds.
So Hiro went, and on arriving there was greeted by two men who were keepers of the promises,
(Exceeding-darkness) and Te-rima-’aere (The-hand-inThey inquired of him his errand, for, said they, “No man dares
enter here,” and when Hiro fold them what he wanted, they refused to
allow him to break a branch or to approach the sacred ava.
They yielded
not to his entreaties and finally threatened to take his life if he would
named Taru’i-hau
space).
not
départ.
Much vexed,
Hiro struck off some branches from the ava tree with his
spear but by enchantment the two keepers caused them to
reunite and grow
again in their places. Hiro also used enchantment, made the tree grow
very high, again broke off its branches, which remained upon the ground
unaffected by the further invocations of the keepers, and pulled the tree
up by the roots. The keepers then called to their aid a boar named Mo’iri
man-devouring
Soon
it came and was rushing towards Hiro, when he met it with his spear,
which he thrust through its open mouth, and killed it, consigning the evil
spirit to the pô (darkness). Then the two men stepped forwards with
their spears to fall upon Hiro, but warding off the spears he caught his
assailants by the hair, beat their heads together, and killed them.
Finding himself master of the situation, Hiro tied the two men together
by the hair of their heads and placée! them thus across his spear with
the great ava tree at one end and the pig, Mo’iri, tied by its four legs,
at the other.
Then he raised his spear upon his shoulders and carried
home his burden as though it were nothing. On arriving home late in the
(Swallow-whole), of prodigious size and possessed by
a
démon, so that it terrorized men who chanced to pass near the place.
afternoon, Hiro foimd his grandfather sitting beneath a spreading breadfruit tree, and before him he threw down his load upon the ground with
three tremendous thuds and
a
crash.
Hiro?” asked the old man.
Mo’iri,” was the answer.
“What hâve you there,
“The pig,
“What is it that crashed?” he asked.
“The famous solitary ava,” said Hiro.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
“And
what
539
produced the other two heavy sounds?” asked the old
man.
“The two men,
Tauri-hau and Te-rima-’aere, whom I hâve slain.”
“Aue, aiie! (Alas, alas!)” said Ana, sorely mortified. “You hâve coma great crime!”
But when Hiro explained everything to him his
anger ceased.
niitted
Hiro buried the two
in his marae,
after which he purified himHe made an oven in which
he baked the great pig and some taro, and then he
prepared the ava
drink by chewing up the roots, according to custom, and in a few moments
his Work was doue; he had filled forty ’umete
(wooden trough) with pulp
and poured on water and strained out the ava
juice ready to drink. The
men
self for domestic woi'k by Ijathing
old man
in the sea.
astonished
when, on inquiring, he was told that forty ’ unie te
prepared so quickly and he asked to feel his grandson
that he might form an idea of his size. So Hiro sat down while his
grandfather stood up, and although Ana was a man of fine stature he found
that his hands could reach up only below Hiro’s shoulder blades, which
of
ava
was
had been
causée! him to exclaim:
“You
deal
are
more
indeed
an
than that of
immense man, and your
an
ordinary
person.
that you hâve masticated ail the ava so soon.”
mouth must hold a great
It is not surprising then
They feasted on the famous pig and drank freely of the ava, which
they found very good. Hiro ate three-fourths of the pig and drank thirty
’umete of the ava and was only moderately filled ; his grandfather was
amply satisfied with a hind leg of the pig and two ’umete of ava. From
this event arose the saying, formerly common in Tahiti and the Tuamotus;
“Te pua’a o Mo’iri, e te ’Ava-tupu-tahi” (The pig Mo’iri and the Avatupu-tahi).
A
day came when Hiro conceived a strong desire to go and visit his
grandfather agreed to let him go. He built
himself a big canoë with a keel and planks sewn together, which was the
first of the kind ever made in the Society group, and he named it Pahi,
as ships of ail sizes hâve since been called.
He loaded it with many nice
things to take as présents to his parents and also a feather cloak and
girdle for himself to wear befitting his rank. Astern upon the deck he
erected an altar, at which to olïer prayers and upon which he placed choice
food for the gods. He invited his four half-brothers to accompany him,
to which they willingly agreed, and after ail the usual ceremonies
they
launched the canoë and one fine morning in beautiful weather set sail for
parents in Ra’iatea, and his
Ra’iatea.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
540
well out to sea Hiro desired to take a nap, and before
doing so he told his brotliers that they would probably meet with flocks of
birds, which would alight upon their canoë, in which case if they saw
a flock of large white birds accompanied by a beautiful red bird they must
by no means kill them, as it would be Tane-manu (Bird-Tane), and his
train and great trouble would ensue were they to commit so grave an
offense against the god Tane.
Hiro went to sleep, and soon many birds
came soaring overhead.
Finally a flock of beautiful white birds with the
great élégant red Tane-manu conspicuous among them alighted upon the
water, sometimes flying on to the rigging of the canoë and eating food off
the altar, démonstrative of the goodwill of the god Tane.
When they were
preparing breakfast upon a floor
and with pôles and paddles
they beat down and killed some of the birds for méat and also struck
and stunned Tane-manu, forgetting Hiro’s caution in their excitement,
and apparently dead he lay unnoticed upon the altar.
Hiro slept on
soundly, and when the food was cooked his brothers ate heartily of it,
much enjoying the fat flesh of the sacred birds.
They set aside a share
for Hiro, and when he awoke and sat to eat he found the pièces of bird
much more délicate than ail other sea birds, and seeing the red bird on the
altar he at once knew what had happened and upbraided his brothers, saying that they were thus bringing sure destruction upon them ail. Hiro
then took Tane-manu, and after handling him tenderly and invoking the
god Tane to renew his life, he soon saw him revived, whereupon the bird
flew away, his head drooping with sorrow at the unkind treatment he had
received; and Hiro heard Tane sing from above, compassionating his
beloved bird in the foliowing manner;
Meanwhile, the four brothers
of sand fixed
across
were
the stern of the
Mànava te pô tua tini tini,
Mànava te pô tua mano, mano,
Mànava ’oe !
Tuhia e vai i te pô?
Tuhia e vai i nua i te ao?
A motu te pô,
A motu te ao,
Taura’a mua, taura’a i mûri,
Manu tu’utu’u.
A tu’u i te ra’i e hau,
A rere mai ra ’oe.
Te apiapi.
Te fa iti, te ra Tane,
Te manu tu’u. tu’u. tu’u.
A tu’u i te manu,
Hirere a Tane.
Te û a
O ta’u manu pi’o i raro.
Te û a
O ta’u manu e tû i ni’a.
canoë,
Welcome to the many, many, nights,
Welcome to the thousands of nights,
Welcome to you !
Cursed by whom in darkness?
Cursed by whom in light above?
Severed the night,
Severed the day,
Alighting before, alighting behind,
Was' my bird, set free.
Set free from the peaceful sky,
Thou didst fly down
To close places
Appearing small, in the day of Tane,
A bird set free, set free, set free.
Set free was the bird,
That flew down from Tane.
The collision
Of my
drooping bird,
Of my
bird standing erect,
The collision
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
541
Te û a O ta’u manu e !
Te naia ra ’oe i hea,
E ta’u manu e?
Te naia ra ’oe i hea,
E ta’u manu?
Te naia ra ’oe
Wliitlier art thou flitting,
O my bird?
Whither art thou flitting,
Thou
art
E rere a’ena ho’i ’oe i reira,
E apa na ho’i ’oe i reira ;
Ta’ata’ahi tapa tai,
Ward
thou
Oh, the collision of my bird !
My bird ?
flitting
Above, tired, to the Mu (Murmuring).'
When thou knowest, fatigued
Before him, O my bird,
Fly thou thither,
I nua, hiu, i Mu.
Na ’ite ’oe ra, mea hiu
Mua ia ’na e ta’u manu,
A’ena ho’i ’oe i
Tread
reira.
off
it
there ;
fearlessly the
When thou art there.
sea,
Then Tane repeated deliberately the names of Hiro’s brothers, according to their âges; the bird nodded assent, then held up its head as soon as
Tane mentioned the
of the
name
one
who had stunned
made clear that the evil had happened to
him, and thus it
the bird while on the canoë.
Again Hiro went to sleep, and then came a strong current in the sea,
followed by a tempest, in the midst of which the brothers saw proudly
sitting upon the billows the bird Tane-manu sent by the god Tane to
présidé over the éléments. They roused Hiro, who at once ordered the
sails to be put down, and shortly afterwards the storm subsided, when
they set sail again. So it happened that the saine disturbance took place
whenever Hiro fell asleep and ended after he awoke. Finally as lie again
prepared to sleep he said one more storm worse than ail the others would
corne, and he charged them to awaken him as soon as the sea began to
show indications of its approach.
While Hiro slept the wind changed
for the worse and came from ail four quarters of the globe at once.
The
sea became
rough and the canoë was swamped before Hiro awoke, when
was
he exclaimed :
“Now we are lost. Why did you not wake me as I told you?” Soon
Tane-ma’o (Shark-Tane) came and demanded Hiro’s elder brother, and
Hiro answered :
“Hast thou
my goods are
pity?
ail wet—’’
no
My ship is swamped, my altar is washed away,
“Give me my prey or you
shall die also,’’ was the reply, and he seized
Mea-e-hi’o-i-mua, and swallowed him whole. Thus he swallowed three of
the brothers, Hiro endeavoring to save them as they were taken, until it
the last one, when the shark seized him also,
just allowing him
brother, and carried him away in his jaws as he saluted Hiro
and landed him safely at Hiva, his destination.
came
to
to
kiss his
Hiro then sank down to the bottom of the sea in his canoë lying on
side, and there he slept.
saying :
^
‘‘Mu,” here spoken of
as
its
During the night he heard two voices by him
an
indiviclual,
means
tlie
sound
of
a
tempest.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
542
penu^ mai Hiro; a ara!” (Give! give it to us, Hiro; awake!)
Looking around he inquired who these were, asking for his canoë.
“0 maua teie, o Fa’atiraJia” (These are we, Adjusters), they replied,
and so Hiro welcomed them and let them turn up his canoë.
He fell
asleep again and was awakened by two more persons, saying :
“Penu e, penu!” (Give, O give!), and when he inquired who they
were, they answered, “O maua teie, o Tata-riu-ma” (These are we, Canoebailers), and so with Hiro in it they sent the canoë like a shot up to the
surface of the sea and there bailed out the water and disappeared.
It was just daylight when Hiro set sail once more for Ra’iatea, his
native isle.
In the forenoon he landed at a lonely place to dry his clothes
and présents, which he had just spread out in the sun when two forest
nymphs of great charms (na S!iri mana) appeared before him singing
and dancing; soon oné of them asked for his feather cloak, the other for
the feather girdle.
But he replied that he could not spare them, because
they were what he must wear himself. Then they snatched up what they
had asked for and ran awa}', singing;
“Na 'i’iri mana, te ’a’ara mana, tara, tara mana nei” (Nymphs of
power, sweet odors of power, possessing with power), and Hiro cried in
vain for them to return with his treasures.
But one wore the cape and
the other the girdle, as they tantalized him in the distance, dancing and
singing until they were out of sight.
Hiro formed plans to catch the nymphs and regain his property.
In
about two days he made a pool of sait water and placed in it ail kinds of
fine fishes of the deep.
Then he laid himself down in the midst of the
fish and awaited the arrivai of the nymphs.
Soon they flew down, and
before Hiro could move they snatched up a great tirua (cavalla fish), one
at the tail and the other at the head, and bore it high in the air as they
"Penu!
carried
it away.
His device failing,
Hiro waylaid the nymphs in a thicket close by their
bathing pool, in a sequestered part of a river near at hand. Being thirsty
after their meal of fish, they soon descended from the woods with their
’a’ano (coconut water bottles) for a supply of water, and while they were
intent filling them, Hiro stole behind and caught them by the hair.
They
then struggled and begged for liberty and at last used threats but Hiro
held them firmly, saying that he had corne through dangers and péril over
the sea, and now that he was safe on land they were robbing and giving
him more trouble.
When they became tired of their predicament, the
nymphs begged again to be set free, and then Hiro promised to let them
go if they would return his goods, to which they agreed. So still holding to
2
The Word penu for “give” was used by the gods or in
in addressing mortal beîngs.
been used
addressing them; homai lias aiways
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
543
nymph to ensure the promise Hiro released the other, who went for
his cloak ; and when she came with the cloak, he held her while the second
one
went and hrought him the girdle, after which hoth
nymphs were glad
départ and leave Hiro in peace.
one
to
As
evening set in, Hiro swore vengeance upon Tane-nianu, whom he
hy invocations to the god Tane. He found that the home
where he roosted was near hy, and as the hird was ont at sea still, Hiro
dug himself a hole beneath the roost, there made his bed, and laid himself down to rest while waiting for him. While yet asleep, Hiro heard a
spirit’s voice, saying, “Take him, Hiro, Take him!” and as he awoke, he
reached up his long arms and secured Tane-manu tightly in his grasp. The
hird was very strong and struggled hard in Hiro’s hands until he
escaped,
then taking his flight up to the first sky, to the second, and to the third
sky, whither Hiro undaunted followed. Then they descended to earth and
alighted on the island of Rurutu, whence the hird swam to Ra’iatea, Hiro
following him, swimming also. In conséquence of this swim Hiro ever
afterwards had a rank sodden odor, which was compared to that of
coconut husk steeped in water (mai te
paepae ra’a nape ra).
On arriving
in Ra’iatea, Hiro found Tane-manu perched upon a nono tree, his head
drooping, tired panting for breath and unable to go farther. When he saw
had resuscitated
Hiro, he exclaimed :
“la ora vau, e Hiro e, ia ora vau!”
Hiro said that
(Let me live, O Hiro, let me live!)
Tane-manu had been the
cause of ail his troubles he
deserved to die, but he merely banished him.
Thus ended the earthly
career of the beautiful red
hird, Tane-manu, who returned to Tane in his
tenth sky, where he ever afterwards remained.
as
At last Hiro went to his
Hitherto he had lived
Ra’iatea he at
woman
parents’ abode and there dwelt a long time.
bachelor life, indiffèrent to the fait sex-; but in
last conceived a strong attachment for a most beautiful
a
named Vai-tû-marie
(Clear-still-water), who was the wife of a
(Dung), and he determined to possess her
So he made advances to the man, sometimes feigning friendship
noted warrior named Tutae
himself.
and
again aggravating him to hostility, until one day the warrior raised
his spear to strike him, when Hiro caught him hy the head and broke his
neck.
Thus freed of the husband, Hiro took possession of the wife, of
whom he became very fond, and hy her he had two children, a son, named
Marama (Moon), and a daughter, named Pi-ho (Splash-and-shout), and
everything went
on
harmoniously between them until the children had
grown up.
It
happened one day as Hiro and two artisans, named Topa (Fall) and
(Thy-herald), were building a canoë and the wife, Vai-tù-marie,
To-vana’a
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
544
companions were talking in a house close by, that the two artisans
them discussing the qualities of their husbands, and in an
unguarded moment, Vai-tû-marie laughed concerning Hiro’s strong odor
while the other two women were boasting that it was not so with their
husbands. This little épisode the men repeated to Hiro, who had not heard
it, and he became very angry and bided his time for revenge upon his
wife.
One day while he was alone, sewing on the planks of his canoë,
his wife was passing by, and calling her to him he bade her aid him by
getting into the canoë and drawing the sennit in while he drew it out.
This the wife willingly did, but as she was not accustomed to such work
Hiro contrived by jerking the sennit to make it hard for her to guide it,
and two
overheard
and in a little while she cried :
“O Hiro, my
finger is pinched !”
“Which
finger?” said he.
“My little finger,” she replied. So he released her, and in a little
while another finger got pinched and was freed, then another, and another
in the same way, until at last her whole hand was caught.
Then Hiro
tightened the cord around her wrist and would not release his wife in spite
of ail her cries and entreaties, but taunted her by repeating what she had
said and asking her if it was customary for women to depreciate their
husbands in the eyes of others.
*■
“O Hiro,” exclaimed the poor woman writhing in agony, ‘T hâve not
depreciated you, I hâve praised you to ail my friends ; regard not this
passing remark as evil speaking, and let me go.”
“No,” said Hiro, “I will not let you go; you are tied with sennit, and
will be inclosed in a wall of shifting sand.” Knowing then that he
meant to kill her, she said :
you
“O Hiro, reniember how you
hâve loved me, witness my agony in this
painful position, and consider yourself avenged for ail my thoughtlessness.
If I die, I shall belong to the gods, but spare my life now, O Hiro, and
let me go.”
But Hiro got into the canoë and brutally kicked his poor
victim to death.
Then he dug a shallow grave in the sand beneath the
chips of his canoë and there buried her, thinking that no one had witnessed
the scene ; but a man who was passing by heard her cries and, compassionating her, saw ail by peeping into the shed from the outside, at the risk
of losing his own life and quite powerless to save hers.
While this
tragedy was taking place, their son Marama was out surf
riding, which was his favorite diversion. When he returned home, not
finding his mother and seeing a mat that she had been making lying with
the strands scattered around as if left for a short time, he went to the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
canoë
son,
shed and inquired of his father where she was.
repHed:
"A’ita
545
But Hiro, fearing his
i ’ite”
(I do not know).
feeling impelled by an invisible power, Marama went towards
the spot where his mother lay, and
moving the sand away he found her
calm and beautiful in death.
He bore her body away and buried it in
sacred ground in her marae, and then he went to a distant
point and sat
alone on the seaside, mourning deeply for her and
l'efusing to take nourishment or reçoive comfort from anybody.
His father did not dare
approach him. As days thus passed, and Marama neither ate nor drank,
feeling anxious for him Hiro sent his daughter Pî-ho, to try to console
her brother and bring him home, which after
great difficulty she at last
succeeded in doing. Hiro felt himself condemned in the eyes of his son
and avoided falling into his hands by taking frequent
long voyages, fear¬
ing that he might avenge the death of his mother upon him. But, not
being of the fierce nature of his father, Marama sought not his life. They
built a ship together, which they named Hotu-tai-hî
(Fruitful-fishingground).
Hiro prided himself on doing things that other men could not do. At
the request of his son, he made fire by friction,
using toa for the
upper attrition and a stone for the under attrition, instead of pliant wood
for both. Then Hiro told his son to wield on a hillside, without
missing,
an immense
heap of stones of ail shapes and sizes, instead of pebbles, in
a game of timo, which Hiro was accustomed to
doing with his great hands
without difficulty. His son complied with the request and succeeded well
until he came to the last stone, which as he was about to take it
up Hiro
kicked away and caused Marama to stumble.
This enraged Marama; he
vau
Then
struck the hill with his fist and caused
a landslide, which left
steép, bare
ever-standing epithet relating to the hill, “Te mou’a ta
Marama i po’ara” (The mountain which Marama boxed).
rocks.
Hence the
In Taha’a
number of rocks called Te-urî-a-Hiro
(The-dogs-ofHiro). In a valley in Maupiti is a long rock called Te-pahi-o-Hiro (Theship-of-Hiro), one end of which got broken off in a fall from the moun¬
tain where it once lay; and on the seaside is a cliff on which are two
indentations called Tuturira’a-o-Hiro (Kneeling - prints - of - Hiro).
At
Porapora is a heap of stones called Te-timora’a-o-Hiro (The-timo-game-ofHiro) ; and upon a hill not far from it is a stone that has a metallic ring,
called Te-oe-o-Hiro (The-bell-of-Hiro).
In Huahine is mentioned a stone
said.to be a petrified man, who became so for
neglecting to signal the
arrivai of Hiro’s ship; and upon a précipice in the strait is a rock called
Te-hoe-o-Hiro
are
a
(The-paddle-of-Hiro).
)
540
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Hiro’s Grëat Canoë, Hohoio
Hiro became
a
great navigator and explorer, and he resolved to build
himself a greater ship
for bis voyages than any that had been seen before.
by two experts, named Memeru (Fish) and Mata’i-e-ha’a
(Wind-for-work), he went in Ra’iatea to look for suitable timber for his
work.
Preferring hard mountain wood, they explored the ravines and
highlands, but did not find suitable trees until they arrived at a beautiful
valley named Tû-mata-ri’i (Stand-by-Pleiades), the dominion of King
Puna (Source), whose home, named Vae-a-ra’i (Divider-of-the-sky), was
high up, nestling in the woods in the recess of the valley. After slyly
marking the trees they wanted they returned home. The next thing Hiro
had to do was to find access’do King Puna’s dominion, in order to chop
down and take possession of the trees that he coveted.
So he and his
artisans went upon his own land and felled a great patea (breadfruit
tree), which they made into a fi.sherman’s canoë, naming it Fa’atahuri-ra’i
So accompanied
(Sky-upsetter).
Then Hiro
for his two
fishermen, named Mau-mai-uta
(Hold-shoreward) and Mau-mai-tai (Hold-seaward), to catch fishes, big
and small. They put on fishy scaly maro (loin girdles), made caps of
banana leaves for their heads, and came to the launching of the canoë,
which as it went down into the sea made a great commotion against towering waves sent to greet it by the god Tane. After this propitious launch¬
ing, the men went out to sea and met with. great success fishing, till at
last they caught an immense mahimahi (dolphin), as red as the sun sometimes appears.
Then they returned to the shore, and placing the varions
kinds of fish upon a pôle they bore them to Hiro. Hiro was much pleased
when he
saw
sent
the
men
famous
with the fish and said :
“Welcome Mau-mai-uta and Mau-mai-tai.
success
in
fishing.”
“We hâve met with great
You hâve met with great
success,” they replied. Then Hiro chose the
dolphin and other fine fishes and said :
“Place these upon a pôle and take them up to the royal house, Vae-ara’i, in the royal valley of Tû-mata-ri’i to King Puna and tell him they are
a présent from me.”
So the fishermen took the présent to the sky house,
and when King Puna saw them he said ;
“Welcome, Mau-uta and Mau-tai, what hâve you there?”
“We hâve freshly caught fish from Hiro for thee, O King,” was the
reply. But Puna, knowing Hiro’s tricks, answered:
“Take them back! Hiro intends them as payment for something, I do
not want them.”
The men took the fish to a valley below, to King Puna’s
red
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
547
retainers,
Mau-raverave (Hold-to-handle) and Mau-ata-mai (Hold-tolaugh), and they welcomed the men and were both deceived by their insistence.
Mau-raverave laughingly accepted them and passed them to Mauata-mai, who also laughingly accepted the présent, and they made a feast
with the fish that day.
Puna remained at home until evening, when he went down the
valley
to the house of the two retainers and
inquired :
“What meant the running of the pigs, the barking of the
dogs, and
the gathering of the people here to-day?” and
they answered :
“We hâve eaten Hiro’s fish.” Puna waxed
angry, and he vehemently
exclaimed :
“O, why did you eat the fish.
timber for
a
canoë !”
It was
a
bait to oblige us to give him
Again Hiro sent out fishermen, with nets of varions kinds, and within
they caught small fry and mullet. Then they went far out to sea,
and caught a long whale and a short whale,
dolphins and cavalla fish, and
returned with them to Hiro. He welcomed the fishermen and was
delighted
with their success. Then he told them to take ail the fish
up to King Puna
at his house, Vae-a-ra’i, in the
royal valley of Tû-niata-ri-’i. When the
mert arrived up in the
valley with the fish they found King Puna watching paste that he had set upon the trees to catch parrakeets for the sake of
their feathers.
King Puna welcomed them and said;
“What hâve you, there?”
“The}^ are fish for thee, O King, a présent from Hiro,” said the men.
But Puna refused to accept them, saying :
“They are a bribe to obtain timber for his canoë.”
The fishermen again descended to the abode of the two retainers, Maurave-rave and Mau-ata-mai, who after a little
flattery were easily persuaded
and accepted the présent in the same manner as before.
It caused a
greater sensation in the neighborhood than the previous, smaller présent
the reef
had done.
Puna remained upon the mountain side
catching parrakeets until even¬
ing, when he repaired to the house of the two retaiirers and enquired :
“What meant the running and squealing of the pigs, the barking of the
dogs, and the commotion of the people here to-day?”
“We accepted Hiro’s fine présent and hâve eaten the fish,” was the
reply.
“What did you pay for your fish?” he asked.
“Nothing,” they replied. Then was Puna sorely vexed and grieved, for
“Now” he said, “we shall be at the mercy of Hiro !
He will strip ail
our
mountain sides of their fine trees for his canoë!”
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
548
taking note of ail that transpired regarding his présents of
fish, and when he found that his plans had succeeded he prepared his axe,
put it to sleep in the evening, and took it to the sea to awaken in the
early dawn of day. Then Hiro equipped himself as a workman and went
Hiro
was
up to King
he said :
Puna in his home Vae-a-ra’i, and when the king
saw
him,
“Welcome, Hiro! O Hiro of the light wind, of the strong wind, of the
baffling wind, of the steady wind, Hiro of the spacious world, the harmonious world, harmonious to the sky; Hiro who twistest sennit for the god
Tane and his host; sunburnt Hiro, who travelest with the rising sun of
day, and onwards with the' rising moon of night. O Hiro, who wardest
off the spear holder, welcome jto thee! An errand has brought thee hither
to my house of the sky, O Hiro?”
Hiro.
Yes, I hâve a great errand. I hâve corne to ask permission of
thee to eut timber ofï thy land for my canoë.
Puna.
I hâve no tree that will be suitable for thy work, O Hiro.
Hiro.
Here is a fine avQi
god Oa (Mud-hen).
Puna.
(apape, Panax) in the dale, the tree of the
O, what a tree, my prince!
the trunk would be of no use to you.
Hiro.
The royal artisan Memeru and also
seen the tree ; they cleared
hâve been here and
the wood and
Puna.
It has no more leaves from âge;
found it
good.
the expert Mata’i-e-ha’a
around it and examined
O, it is a gnarled old tree, full of notches, and indented on one
formed. It stands crooked in an inac¬
place for you to draw it, O Hiro. The tree would simply be
left and wasted were 3^011 to chop it down.
Hiro. Yonder is a fine mara-uri (dark Nauclea) tree of the gods’ red
parrakeets. The experts, Memeru and Mata’i-e-ha’a, hâve been to see and
examine it, and they say it is solid wood.
Puna.
O my prince, it is full of holes and notches that would break
the lashing.
It is crooked and rough with water cracks ; it stands in a
rocky ravine, and you could not draw it out were you to eut it dowh.
So Hiro went on, pointing out the different trees that they could see
from the house, and Puna feigned to depreciate them as before, until
Hiro turned to a great spreading aha-tea (mara-tea, light Nauclea) tree,
side by a water course the rain has
cessible
which stood in the north and sheltered Puna’s house from the sun and wind,
proposed to take that, when Puna said :
“O Hiro, my prince, what a tree! It is old and jagged, the abode of
rats and shelter of pet dogs.
Go and choose a tree somewhere farther off,
and
O Hiro, my
prince, a suitable one for thy canoë.”
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
549
But with this permission to go and choose one tree, Hiro took full
liberty to do as he chose. Out of spite and mischief to King Puna he
felled the great sheltering tree, eut off its bough, stripped its bark, and left
it to decay.
Then he went on with a masterly stroke, and within a few
days he had eut down ail the fine trees that Puna had tried to save by
dépréciation. He cleared the trunks of their branches and bark, hewed
them into shape, and with strong fau ropes he and his men drew them
down the valley over clififs and ravines, seeming to feel it merely light
work. Thus King Puna was robbed of his fine aha-tea tree, his mara-uri
tree, a toi (Alphitonia) tree, and a hauou (pua, Fagraea) tree; and Hiro
spared not the trees sacred to the gods around the marae. He eut down a
g-reat tamanu (Callophyllum), stripped the trunk of its branches and bark,
split it up for planks for the bows of his canoë, and trimmed the branches
for outriggers and crossbeams.
He eut down a most sacred miro {Thespesia) tree for planks for the after part of his canoë, and he took two
tall straight breadfruit trees for planks for the deck houses. Then he wçnt
into the woods and eut down straight fau trees {Hibiscus tiliaceits) for
paddles and for floor planks, and three slim hutu {Bar vingtonia) trees for
masts. After ail this déprédation, Hiro and his men helped themselves to
wood and thatch and reeds and ail other material needed for
a
shed in
which to build the canoë and for rollers to place under it, King Puna not
daring to oppose them, as Hiro was too powerful and dangerous to vex.
Following are the famous artisans who built Hiro’s canoë : Hotu
(Fruitful), Hiro’s own chief artisan, and his assistant Tau-mariari (Restupon-waves) ; and the royal artisan Memeru of Opoa and his friend
Ma’i-hae (Fierce-disease)—men unrivalled in skill and energy. Hiro superintended the work, which was according to his modeling.
Amid ail the required ceremonies and prayers and good omens, they
:set to work.
On rising ground they erected a great shed thirty fathoms
long, six wide, and five fathoms high, facing the sea endwise. The builders had their baskets of axes and adzes of stone, gimlets of coconut and
•sea
shells, and sennit of fine tight strands, prepared and consecrated to
god Tane for this spécial purpose. Hiro marked out the keel, the
knees, the beams, and the planks, and the men eut them into shape. Ail
the
the material for the work
was
carefully sorted and handily placed in the
shed, Pliro passing it to the men as they required it.
They set the keel of aval, toi, and mara wood, polished and firmly
spliced together with hard spikes of *wood secured with sennit, upon
rollers in the shed and painted it with red clay mixed with charcoal so as
to préservé it from wood borers.
Then they fastened the knees onto the
keel with spikes and sennit.
Holes were bored into the keel and planks
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum-—Bulletin 48
550
distances apart,
and the men set to work in the foliowing order :
Hutu, the chief of Hiro’s artisans, worked on the outer side to the right
at even
of the canoë, and
Tan-mariari, his assistant, worked on the inner side;
Memeru, the royal artisan of Opoa, worked on the outer side to the left
of the canoë, and his assistant, Ma’i-hae, worked on the inner side.
Each
couple faced each other, fixing the planks in their places and drawing the
sennit in and out in lacing the wood together; and the canoë soon
assume
form, the bows facing the
Tk PkHî; O Hiro
Eaha ta’u, e Tane e,
Tane, atua no te purotu e?
E ’aha !
E ’aha O te hui o te ra’i,
E ’aha na’u, e Tane e!
E tui i roto, e puputa i vaho,
E tui i vaho, e puputa i roto.
Nati hua, nati mau.
Te mata teie o ta’u ’aha,
E Tane e,
Ei ha’amau i tau va’a,
la
na ni’a i te mata-’are
roroa,
E i te mata-’are popoto;
I hiti tautau mai,
E tae roa i hiti tautau atu.
Tau ’aha nei, e Tane e,
la mau, ia mau !
sea.
hegan to
To make work light, they sang.
(Thë Song or Hiro)
What hâve I, O Tane,
O Tane, god of beauty?
’Tis sennit!
’Tis sennit of the host of heaven,
’Tis sennit for thee, O Tane!
Thread it from inside, it cornes outside,
Thread it from outside, it goes inside.
Tie it fully, tie it fast.
This is the fashion of thy sennit,
O Tane,
To hold thy canoë,
That she may go over long waves.
And over short waves ;
To the near horizon,
Even to the far-off horizon.
This sennit of thine, O Tane,
Let it hold, let it hold !
Every seam and ail the little holes in the wood from the keel and upwere well calked with fine coconut-husk fiher and
pitched carefully
wards
with gum, which
Hiro drew from sacred breadfruit trees of the marae, and
when ail the streaks were on the canoë was washed out clean and dried well
and
painted inside and outside with red clay and charcoal.
As the hull
of the canoë reached almost to the roof, the huilders could work no
longer
within the shed, and so they hroke it away. Then the boards of the deck
the beams and fixed in their place with spikes and sennit,
outrigger of tamanu wood, which had been well steeped
in water to preserve it from borers, was
polished with limestone and firmly
lashed with sennit on to the left side of the canoë, the
upper attachment
of wood forming across each end of the canoë a beam, called the
’iato, and
lashed on to the right side in the same manner as on the left side.
This
was the
song of the outrigger:
«
were
set upon
and the
ama
or
Te ’aha fero ’iato teie,
Te ’aha mo’a a Tane e;
A fero rà, a nati mau roa.
A
fero, a taviriviri
This' is sennit for lacing on the ’iato.
The sacred sennit of Tane;
Now lace it on, tighten it to hold.
Lace it and wind
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
I te ’aha
na ni’a iho.
Eaha e paruparu ai,
Eaha e ta’ata’a ai,
Tei niau i te ’aha mo’a,
I tau
aha mo’a
Next
e
551
The sennit around it.
What will weaken it,
What will sever it.
When it holds with the sacred sennit,
With thy sacred sennit,‘ O Tane?
Tane e?
the
finely carved towering ornaments for a reimua (neckin-front, the figurehead) and a rei mûri (neck-behind, stern ornament),
which
came
fastened
their
respective places, and they were named
(Necks-filling-up-the-house), because the shed was
broken away to allow placing them and
finishing the canoë. The two
deck houses, called oa mua and oa mûri (fore hotise and aft
house), were
then set in their places and thatched with fara leaves, after which
Hutu, the chief artisan, eut out the holes in the deck and down in the
keel, in which he stood the three masts, before mentioned, which had been
steeped in water, well seasoned, dried, and polished.
Then the canoë was completed. Hiro dedicated it to Tane,
naming
it Hohoio (Interloper), in commémoration of the manner in which the
material for building it was obtained from King Puna’s land.
Finally the
day arrived for launching the canoë, and a great multitude assembled to
see the wonderful sight.
The props were removed from the sides of the
canoë, and the men held it ready to launch over the rollers.
Hotu invoked
the gods Ta’aroa, Tane, ’Oro, Ra’a, Ro’o, and Moe, to their aid, and soon
their presence was felt impelling the canoë.
The rollers began to move,
and then the canoë went forwards, slowly at first as the men’s hands
steadied it and then swiftly and well poised as it
gracefully descended
alone and sat upon the sea, which rose in great rolling waves caused
by a
wind sent to nieet it by the aster Ana-mua (Antares in
Scorpio), the
parent pillar of the sky.
The spectators greatly admired Hiro’s ship
and raised deafening shouts.
Then the canoë was made to drink sait
water; it was dipped forwards and backwards in the waves of the great
moving altar of the gods and thus consecrated to Tane. A marae was
made for him in the little house aft of the deck, and the three masts were
rigged with ropes and strong mats for sails and long tapa pennants stream¬
ing from them.
Within a few days the canoë was loaded with provisions.
Great fish
baskets were made of bamboo, filled with many kinds of fish, and attached
were
on
to
Rei-fa’aapiapi-fare
to
the outside of the canoë so as to be in the water.
filled with water and stowed away on
Bamboos and gourds
board, and there were fe’i,
bananas, taro, and mahi (fermented breadfruit) in abundance. A bed of
sand and stones was made upon the deck, upon which to make a fire for
cooking the food, and soon Hiro was ready to go to sea. Hiro was the
were
®
Sennit, closely braided in
many
strands,
was
especially for Tane.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
552
captain and pilot, and he had other competent seamen, who like him were
acquainted with the heavenly bodies and their rising and setting. Women
and children also accompanied their husbands and fathers on board, and on
one fine day, with a strong favorable wind,
they set sail, applauded by
many spectators, among whom were prisoners of war (called tîtî), whose
shouts were heard above ail others. They saw Hiro’s great pahi sail ont
to sea and disappear beyond the horizon, never again to return to Tahitian
shores.
Thus ended Hiro’s. work in his native islands.
Hiro Throughout PopynSsia
The
legend of Hiro is recorded to suit varying circumstances through¬
Polynesia. His deeds border on the miraculous, and he is commonly
mistaken for the same being as his patron, Hiro, the god of thieves.
His
great canoë is known as a pahi, and its name and that of the figurehead
are unchanged even as far as New Zealand.
out
THE LEGEND
OF TAFAI i
Not long after Tahiti was moved away from Ra’iatea, there lived in the
(Clear-Gray) in Tahiti-To’erau (North-Tahiti) a fine
elegantly formed woman of high rank, whose name was No-na (Of-hushed).
She had long carnivorous teeth, and as she had acquired the terrible propensity for cannibalism, which obtained for her the sobriquet of Vahine’ai-ta’ata (Man-eating-woman), her husband, who was high chief of the
hpuse named Tahiti-To’erau, forsook her, and she lived alone in her home
shaded with coconut trees on her own hereditary land near the sea. There
she gavé birth to a beautiful little girl, whom she named Hina (Gray)
and whom she brought up tenderly, as befitted her rank, concealing from
the child the human prey which she procured for herself.
At the foot of the great projecting clifï of Tahara’a (Barrenness), conspicuous for its red day, is a great cave bordering on the sea, forming a
tunnel open at each end, through which pedestrians can pass at low tide
so as to save going round the hill, and it is famed to this day as No-na’s
hiding place, where she waylaid passers-by and slew them to eat, sometimes cooking and sometimes devouring them still warm and sanglant.
In the days of No-na, people gradually became very scarce in that
région, and homes lay mysteriously desolate. But a handsome young man,
district of Mahina
(Favorite-perfumed-oil), had escaped the wily woman,
daughter Hina, whose affections
he won as she verged to beautiful womanhood. They clandestinely met at
named Mono’i-here
and he had become much attached to her
'Obtained in 1855 from Tamera, a priest, and added to
Walker, by Pe’ue of Fautau’a and by Te’iva Vahiné of Ti’arei.
in
1890
with
the
aid
of Mrs.
Henrv—Ancient Tahiti
553
cool sequestered spot, called Oro-fara
(Fara-fern), where there is a
spring, called Rati (Splash), which watered Hina’s bathing pool—still
called Te-hopura’a-vai-o-Hina (The
bathing pool of Hina)—and close by a
cave, which in their time it is said, was not known to exist, as at their
bidding it opened and closed in the solid rock.
a
Protecting the Bay of Matavai (Face-of-water) is a broken line of
reefs, called the Chain-of-to’a-tea’ (Light-rocks), and thither No-na, who
was an
expert fisherwoman, frequently went to obtain fish for herself and
her child.
While she was thus employed the two young
people, Mono’iHina, met, feeling safe and free. Hina had the habit of carrying a basket of food to her lover when lie was concealed in the cave, and
in approaching hiin they would
exchange the foliowing passwords ;
here and
Hina. Mono’i-here te tane, Hina te
vahiné !
Mono’i-here. Teihea to metua va¬
hiné niho roroa, o No-na?
Hina. Tei te a’au roroa, tei te a’au
potopoto, te ravaa’i ra i te i’a na taua,
ta’ii hoa tane.
Te tiimu o te papa e
vahia !
is
Hina.
the
Mono’i-here is the man, Hina
woman !
Mono’i-here.
Where
is
No-na, with long teeth?
thy mother,
Hina. She is on the long reef, on
the short reef, catching fish for us, my
lover.
Oh foundation of rock, break
open !
Then the rock would burst open and ont would
corne
the lover, and
they would pleasantly while the hours away until the time approached for
No-na to return home, when Mono’i-here would either return to the cave
or
go to
his home in the distance,
as
tiously avoiding an encounter with her.
But there came
circumstances guided, always cau-
time when the mother began to miss the food and so
daughter could consume so much in her absence, and
she determined to solve the mystery.
So one day, after cooking their
usual supply of food, she feigned indisposition and went to
bed, then she
snored deeply and appeared to be in the soundest
sleep. Fihally No-na
saw her daughter
stealthily approach the food, take out choice morsels,
place them in a basket, and go noiselessly out. When No-na saw the course
the girl was taking she took a short eut, halting here and there to
keep
sight of her, until she turned up into the shady nook; then No-na, arriving
a
wondered how her
before her, ascended into a pua tree, where she could see and hear unobserved. As No-na had never known of the existence of the closed-in-cave,
she
soon astonished at what she
witnessed, and she repeated to her¬
passwords, so as to remember them, as she kept motionless until
the lovers had held their interview and parted, when she
quickly descended
from the tree and returned to her bed at home, while her
unsuspecting
daughter leisurely followed and found things there just as she had left
was
self the
them.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
554
following day, after partaking of food and putting some by, No-na
saying she was going to préparé torches for night
fishiiig. But she quickly went to the lovers’ haunt, and standing by the
cave she spoke, imitating Hina’s tone as nearly as she could.
But Mono’ihere, detecting the fraud, replied:
The
took leave of her child,
“E’ere oe
o
Hina, o te vahiné nihoniho roroa ra ’oe, o No-na!”
Hina, but you are No-na the woman with long
not
are
had learned the magical words, and fiendishly said :
“Te
tumu
o
te
papa e, vahia!”
teeth!)
(You
But she
(Oh foundation of rock, break open!)
opened. She entered quickly, seized the hapless young
and killed and feasted oir him. She looked for his heart but could
not find it, and leaving his bones and vitals thrown together she left the
cave, which closed after her, and returned to préparé her torches as she
Then the cave
man,
planned.
had
Meanwhile, Hina went with her basket to the cave and was surprised
when no response came to her from within, and as the rock opened at
her bidding she encountered the ghastly spectacle in the cave. What remained of Mono’i-here was still warm, and Hina at once sought for and
This she placed next to her
In the absence of her mother
she got the trunk of a banana tree and laid it in her bed to counterfeit her
body, and to simulate a head upon her pillow at one end of it she placed an
"a’ano (coconut-water-bottle). Then she covered ail up in her tapa sheet
and fled in fear from the home of her childhood, until she arrived at the
adjoining district of ’Uporu (Ha’apape or Point Venus). Still guided by
the pulsating heart of her lost lover she stopped at the house of a fine young
chief, named No’a (Sweet-ordor), who was famed for his hairy though
handsome person and who with ail his household received her cordially, and
found the heart,
own
which was still pulsating.
heart and guided by it went home to act.
she was at rest.
When No-na returned home with her torches she prepared supper, and
thinking Hina was having a nap in her bed she called her; but no voice
came.
After calling several times, No-na became enraged and threatened
to eat her daughter.
But as there was still no response she furiously ex-
claimed :
(There I corne, O Hina; you
by me!) So saying, she rushed to the bed, laid hold of
the banana effigy of her daughter, and bit into it through the sheet, when,
to her great surprise, she found that the girl had outwitted her, and she
“Tera mai au, e Hina, ua pau oe ia ’u!”
will be devoured
exclaimed :
“A
ua ora
’oe!”
(Ah, you hâve escaped!)
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
555
Early on the following day, No-na set ont to recover her daughter, and
ascertaining the course she had taken she went on and on enquiring for
Hina until she also arrived at the house of the hairy chief, No’a. When
she saw Hina, she made a rush to seize her, but the chief seeing how
terror stricken the girl was, and hearing her say that No-na was a savage
woman and would kill her he
intercepted her grasp. Then with muscular
strength, No-na grappled to strangle him; but he overpowered and strangled
her
and
so
ended the life of the famous No-na of the
cave
of Tahara’a.
time, Hina -who married her protector and deliverer, gave
birth to a son, who was named Pû-a’a-ri’i-tahi (Cluster-of-first-small-roots).
Another son, named Hema (Deceived), followed and she had no more
In
course
children.
surfriding.
of
The two
boys became fine young men, and they were adepts in
One day as they were preparing to go out for their sport,
the mother asked the elder son, Pu-a’a-ri’i tahi, to dress her hair.
did not comply, and she said,
But he
“Ah, your wife will not be a woman of distinction.” Then, as Hema
by, she asked him to dress her hair, which he readily did. As he
came
combed out her long
glossy locks and braided them, he discovered a louse
She said :
and taking it out he showed it to her.
“Your wife will be
a
notable woman.”
As time went on, Pu-a’a-ri’i-tahi took to himself
a
wife named Te-’ura
(Redness), and she bore him five sons, named, Arihi-nui-apua (Greatenchanted-cord), Ta-oe-a-pua (With-deviation-of-dolphin-head), Orooro-ipua
(Rub-dolphin-head), Te-mata-tui’au-ia-ro’o (The-changing-eye-offame), and Te-mata-a’a-ra’i (The-eye-that-measured-the sky).
The son Hema obtained a goddess for a wife in the following manner:
One day his mother told him to go in the early morning and dig a
hole in the eastern bank of Vai-po’opo’o (Hollow-river) at Point Venus, in
which he must conceal himself, and then he would see a beautiful woman
from the netherlands who would corne to a pool close by to bathe.
He
would find her very strong,
and so he must catch her from behind unaby her hair and before putting her down carry her past four houses
in bringing her home.
So at daybreak Hema went and did as directed, and just as the first
rays of the sun appeared he completed his hiding place and concealed him¬
self within it.
In a little while he saw approaching from an opening in
the earth the goddess described.
She quietly entered her bathing place,
wares
dived and swam in the water, and when she had bathed herself and wrung
long flowing hair, which covered her graceful form, she stood upon
adjusting it close by Hema with her back turned towards him.
Then he approached her, quickly twisted some hair around his wrist and
out her
the bank
556
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
thus secured her
as
she strongly endeavored to escape
him.
He at last
bore her up in his arms and was carrying her homewards when, after pass-
ing two houses, she begged to be released. So he let her go, thinking she
would walk by his side. But in a moment she sped away and disappeared
through the opening in the ground which closed after her.
dejected, and when he told his mother what had
Hema returned home
happened she told him to go again the following morning for the goddess,
taking heed not to release her until they had passed four houses in coming
home. He could not eat that day from overanxiety to obtain the beautiful
wife, and before daybreak he was again in his hiding place by the river
awaiting her return. She came earlier than on the previous day intending
to avoid the intruder, and hastily she bathed herself and stood again upon
the bank near Hema, who then caught her as before and carried her, struggling to be released, ail the wây home.
Finding that the people of the upper world had seen her in company
with Hema and that they
regarded her as his wife and becoming attached
consented to remain with them, and she, a goddéss
married Hema a mortal man, according to the religions rites of their time.
The name she received in this upper world was Hina-tahutahu (Gray-theto
him and ail his, she
magician), because of her supernatural origin and her power to do many
wonderful things, such as healing the sick, reading people’s thoughts, and
foretelling things to happen. She bore Hema two children, Arihi-nui-apua
(Great-enchanted-net-cord) - and a giant blond (’ehu) child, who was hairy
grandfather and whose names were Ta-fa’i-’iri-’ura (By-revelation-the-red-skinned), Vai-ta-fa’i (Fixed-by-revelation), and Ta-fa’i-uri-i-telike his
tua-i-Havai’i
(By-revelation-piloting-in-the-sea-of-Havai’i), évolutions of
appellations that were caused by the development of circumstances, but ail
of which hâve resolved themselves in Tahiti and other groups into the
name Tafa’i simply.
At an early âge Tafa’i showed that he
inherited from his mother super-
riatural powers and that he was in touch with the gods;
the elder son was
simply an earthly chief and was obscured by his illustrions brother. The
early childhood of the two boys was pleasantly spent with their cousins and
other children, their chief amusement being top spinning, sailing little
canoës in shallow water, light bail playing, and bathing and swimming.
Tafa’i’s cousins made
and the first one whose bail
cracked in revolving became the loser in the play. So Tafa’i asked his mother
how to make solid balls, and she directed him to get fine-grained sand from
But
a
time came when they wanted new games.
balls of clay, which they rolled along the ground,
2
the
The arihi { ni’a and the
fishing net.
arihi i raro are the upper and lower
cords that are used to adjust
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
557
l:he sea to mix with the clay and then to dry the balls well before using them.
This he did, and when he went to play with them, his cousins cried :
“A, e Tafa’i iti, a haere mai a tu'u i fa ’oe” (Ah, dear Tafa’i, corne and
But he answered:
“Biaha, to mna\ ra, e na mua ia, to mûri ra e jia mûri ia.” (No, the first
must be first, and the last must corne in last).
So they rolled their balls in
regular turns until ail were cracked but Tafa'i’s and he became the winner.
So it happened that to the great vexation of the others he always won the
let go yours).
game.
Then they took a fancy to the game called totoie
was
(toy canoë), in which
used a stick sharpened at one end, and steadied at the other with a rud-
der made from the rib of a coconut leaf.
The toy was on the surface of the
little way out in the sea, whence it floated to the shore, and the
winner in this amusement was the one whose totoie arrived on shore first.
waves
a
Tafa’i’s mother directed him to make his toy of a piece of convolvulus stem,
being very light proved a great success, and again he came out vicThen his cousins were so vexed and jealous that they fell upon
him and stunned him so that they thought he was dead, and they buried him
in the sand.
But his mother, knowing at once what had happpened, went
to the spot where he lay apparently lifeless and resuscitated him.
But when
questioned about the matter, he tried to screen his cousins.
So it happened that as Tafa’i grew up he excelled in everything he did
and that out of spite and jealousy his cousins often used violence upon his
person and left him as dead just as often his mother rescued him and restored
him to life, and he never complained. At last his father, Hema, becoming
aggrieved at the unkind treatment of his son by his nephews, took leave of
this World and went down to the Pô (Darkness), to live.
When Tafa’i was still a youth, his mother imparted to him ail her magical
powers, which he received by opening his mouth over the crown of her head,
and then he felt prompted to do great deeds and to travel, which his mother
which
torious.
let him do with suitable men.
At length Tafa’i reached man’s estate. A great red man was he, modeled
by the gods. He had bright curly auburn hair, his head and shoulders towered above ail other tall men in Tahiti, he had penetrating brown eyes, his
hands were large and strong, and his fingernails were long and pointed.
Whenever he walked his majestic tread left footprints upon the most
hardened ground. He became famous throughout the land for his wisdom
and skill in ail he did. Without tuition he excelled in every art of his time,
and his bravery and generosity won for him the respect and love of ail in
Tahiti, so that he was unanimously elected toa-upo’o-hi (chief-warrior) by
ail the warrior chiefs contemporaiy with him.
558
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Tafa’i’s first great deed for the good of his country was the cutting of
the sinews of the fish, Tahiti, to render it stable (p. 439), and after
accomplishing this he said they must eut the sinews of ail the islands around
Tahiti, which were detached parts of the fish, and that they must also go
on and draw
up new land from the sea. So a great double canoë was built,
which he named the Anuanua (Rainbow), and valiant navigator s and a priest
were chosen to
accompany him. He himself was the pilot and astrologer.
He took his tao ^ (shoulder spear), which no other man in Tahiti could lift,
and his paddle, which no one else could wield ; and he prepared a great long
line of ro’â, attached to an immense wooden fishhook, which was filled with
magic at his touch. His men prepared their fishhooks and lines, which he also
enchanted, and after the usual religions ceremonies they set out to sea.
They went northwest to little Tahiti (Mo’orea-the-offshoot), and they
into its quivering sinews and made it stable; they went
Southwest to Maia’o-iti (Little-claw), which had fallen away from Mo’orea,
and soon made it stable.
They went north of Tahiti and found the islets
of Te-tia’roa ( Standing-afar-ofï) struggling to rise above the foaming sea.
So they threw down their hooks and drew theni up one by one. Then with
their spears they eut the sinews and fixed the islets in their présent positions.
They went on eastward and found that Me-tû ( Standing-thing ; in modem
Tahitian, Me ti’a) was already fixed in its place. Then Tafa’i said they must
go to other régions and fish up land, and they came to the Tai-o-va’ua
(Shaven-sea) and there beneath the mighty breakers, found the extensive
Tuamotuan group, which they fished up and which ever since has remained as
beautiful atolls and islets fringed with beds of coral of ail hues and with
pearl oysters. To these he added the high Mangarevan group and other hilly
islands eastward that were also struggling to rise.
thrust their spears
They went on exploring the trackless océan northward and drawing up
islands, which they discoverd by observing the sea dancing over them, until
at last they perceived a mighty commotion apart from ail others, and on
approaching it they found the Hawaiian group ail huddled close together
beneath the sea level.
Tafa’i first drew up ’Ai-hi ( Bit-in-fishing, now called
Hawaii), whose high twin mountains rose from their watery bed and .went
on rising until they reached an amazing height and were lost
among the
clouds, and whose shores extended beyond the horizon. Owing to the great
volcano perpetually burning,^ this island was afterwards named Havai’i-à
(Burning-Havai’i) by the Tahitians in contradistinction to their Havai’i in
the South. Tafa’i next drew up Maui, which he named Mâ-û-i after the hero,
Mâ-û-i of eight heads, who detached the sky from the earth. This island also
®
The ta’o was made of coconut or ironwood, twelve or more feet long and about three inches
in diameter.
It was pointed at each end and was carried on the shoulder by the warrior.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
rose
to
a
wonderful
height.
559
So they went on until ail the islands were
drawn up, and then those intrepid navigators went south and returned with
people to dwell on the beautifiil new land, bringing with thera their gods,
plants.
At length the émigrants of the north and their kindred in the soutU regretted that they were so widely separated from each other, and Tafa’i, who
had returned home, conceived a plan to remove the Hawaiian islands to the
south. He and his seamen prepared strong ropes, and invoking the gods to
their aid they attached each island to the canoë. When ail was made
ready,
Tafa’i warned his people to be guarded against breaking the sacredness of
the spell that was to pervade their great undertaking. No one must speak or
look back when in motion, on pain of displeasing and losing the aid of the
gods. The great canoë moved off drawing the ropes, United in one, each man
plying his paddle and looking steadily ahead, when soon a magical spell
caused the islands to yield and follow in a most orderly manner, and onward
they went. Shouts of applause which the navigators were rejoiced to hear,
arose from the land but
they swerved not from their purpose and still kept
silence. Ail nature chimed in rejoicing, and above the Sound of the steady
breeze and rippling sea arose the chorus of people and birds singing, cocks
crowing, hens cackling, dogs barking, and occasionally pigs grunting, while
overhead the sea gulls screeched their contentment.
Still the mariners did
not look back, nor did they speak, and the islands still moved on.
their chiefs and breadfruit and other
But finally the sound of the hnra (Hawaiian hula)
drum and flûte arose,
accompanied with songs of rejoicing from the people, and this so stirred
the hearts of the seamen that ail except Tafa’i could no longer contain themselves, and wifh one common impulse they stood upon their seats and look¬
ing back began to dance and sing also, when suddenly the charm was broken,
the ropes' snapped, and they were forsaken by the gods ! As a resuit of the
impetus, before the islands became stationary, Havai’i-à went forwards and
Kaua’i and Ni’ihau backwards, the fniddle islands remained close together,
and detachments from the island coasts formed islets.
men
In vain did the sea¬
and people offer invocations and oblations to the gods to return, nor did
Tafa’i, who was blameless, prevail. So they were obliged to
Hawaiian islands hâve remained forever an
isolated group, standing grandly away in the north.
The next great thing Tafa’i determined to do was to explore the interior
of the earth and recover his father from the région called Pô. His mother
agreed to show him the road down, and his brother, Arihi-nui-apua, begged
to be allowed to accompany him, and no fear of hardship on their way could
dissuade him from his purpose, as he had smitings of conscience for having
the prayers of
abandon the enterprise, and the
been
one
who had caused his father to leave this world.
Hina-tahutahu
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
560
causée! the earth to open for the travellers, wlio after passing through long
tunnels at last came to an open place where they saw a house, which was
inhabitée! by an old blind woman called Uhi (Yam).
By this time Arihi-
nui-apua, who unike Tafa’i was merely mortal, became very tired and hungry.
So they went quietly into the house, where they found Uhi setting out her
iood to eat, talking to herself as she did so. She laid together two pièces
of breadfruit, two pièces of taro, two packages of pota (taro-top-spinach),
two cups of coconut sauce, and two cups of water.
Then as she was eating,
Arihi-nui-apua took one portion of each thing before her and ate also, so that
wheir she felt for more she found nothing and at last exclaimed :
’Ovai teie airoiro iti e haere mai i te Pô nei?” (Who is this little maggot
that has corne here to Pô?) Tafa’i-answered:
’O vau ’o Tafa’i ” (It is I, Tafa’i), and the old lady said:
“A, a noho maitai” (Ah, be seated properly), and she took a beautiful
thing that was covered with ’ima (red) feathers, which Tafa’i motioned to
“
“
his brother not to touch.
This was her fishhook, which was attached to a
magical cord, and as she threw it out Tafa’i evaded it ; but Arihi, fascinated
with its beauty, picked it up, and as she pulled it in caught him under the arm.
might, running in
centrifugal motion... Peeling grieved for his brother, Tafa’i exclaimed :
“B Uhi e, a pae to i’a ro’ohia e te ma’ohuiape ! Te vai atu ra i te tai to’ na
iae’ae”
(Oh Uhi, set aside your fish lest the great shark approach you!
Plis friend [shark] is in the sea). There were sharks and whales in the
subterranean sea and a great Octopus in a grotto ornamented with trumpet
shells. But Uhi replied exultingly:
“’B’ita ia e ha’uti! Te matau ra ia e, Puru-i-te-mau-mau, anave ra e
Mao ia i te rai, ’e’ere a ia a Hina-hina-to-to-io”
(He shall not move!
This is the fishhook Puru-i-te-maumau [Sodden-by-holding-fast], and the
line, Shark in the Sky,® not that of Plina [Gray-whose-every-hair-drewdrew] ).® Then Tafa’i seized the line and rescued the prisoner, and the old
woman finding her hook loose exclaimed:
“A! B ta’ata teie io’u nei, e ora anei ia ’oe to’ii mata?” (Ah! There is a
She drew him to lier, and he drew back with ail his
Tafa’i replied:
So saying, he took a coconut and
cast it on her eyes, and immediately her sight was restored.
The old woman beholding the young men, expressed herself pleased to
see them, and when she inquired what service she could render them for this
great cure Tafa’i asked her to tell them where his father dwelt and what she
knew about him. Uhi replied that Hema dwelt farther on in a forest, where
personage here by me, can you restore my sight?)
‘’B ora ho’i ia ia’u” (I can restore it).
®
®
PP.
The Shark in the Milky Way.
This Hina was the girl Mi, whose
430-31.)
hair her brother IMa-n-i used in catching the sun.
(See
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
tlie gods heaped
561
their garbage, that they had taken out bis eyes and given
them as toys to the girls who braided mats for the orators ; and that
filled his eye sockets with excrements of birds.
they had
Then she charged two little
attendants to accompany them, and they went to rescue the poor man.
Finally
they arrived at the woody région where Hema was. and qnickly snatching him
up Tafa’i bore him away in his arms with ail the speed that his wide strides
could give, and before any of the gods were aware of it the three
fugitives
from the lower régions arrived safely up in this world of
light. Tafa’i
bathed and clothed and fed the unfortunate Hema, and though blind he was
made happy with his wife and children, with whom he then found his
lorother’s family on most friendly tenus.
Some years had elapsed after the travels of Tafa’i when the famé reached
Tahiti of Te-’ura-i-te-ra’i (Redness-of-the-sky), a beautiful princess in South
Havai’i-à, who was to be obtained as a wife only by some valiant hero, and
Tafa’i’s cousins, the five
sons of Pu-a’a-ri’i-tahi, decided to go as aspirants
So they prepared a double canoë for that puropse. Tafa’i
for her hand.
told his mother that he wished to go also, and so she took a coconut blossom
sheath and laid it upon the sea, and it developed into a beautiful single canoë,
which they named Niu (Coconut) and which was soon made ready for the
His mother told him that his ancestral shark, Tere-mahia-ma-hiva
(Speedy-travelling-with-fleet), would accompany him, and that he should
address it as his guardian ancestor, which he agreed to do.
voyage.
The two canoës set out together.
The double one was well manned with
and an astrologer; the single one had Tafa’i alone, escorted
by the faithful shark, and it soon went far ahead of the other. Finally when
the five brothers approached the shores of Havai’i-à, they saw awaiting them
their cousin Tafa’i, who was the first to greet them on landing. The royal
family of South Havai’i-à was soon apprised of the arrivai of the young
chiefs who had corne to offer themselves to the princess, and they were well
received by them. In the course of a few days the prowess of the young
Tahitians was put to the test, and the beautiful young Hawaiian princess was
lierself chosen to be umpire for them. They were ail well girded and armed
with spears for the encounter. First they were told to pull up by the roots an
ava tree which was possessed by a démon, and which had caused the death
of ail who had attempted to disturb it. Each man was to corne forward acseamen, a pilot,
Beginning with the eldest, Te-’ura-i-te-ra’i said :
“E AriJfi-mii-apua 0 Tahiti e, a tïi mai ’oe a iriti i te ’ava nei, e niamaT
cording to his âge.
’
Mania in this
and put out from the mout’h,” and is so accepted in
primitive way of expressing juice from the aya root for
persons with good teeth (young girls especially) were chosen for
this purpose.
Now another process is generally preferred—pounding the root into a puîp, kneading the pulp well in a trough, mixing it with water, and pouring off the liquid, which is the
beverage.
many
Polynesian
sense
dialects.
means
It
drinking purposes, and healthy
is
“to
the
chew
502
c
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
inu fa’ata’ero i Havai’i nei”
(O Arihi-nui-apua of Tahiti, corne and pull up
this ’ava, and chew it to drink and intoxicate Havai’i).
He went forward and thrust his spear in the stump of
the tree, which
forth its roots and pierced and killed
him. Then came forward the second brother, Ta-oe-a-pua, who met with the
same fate, and so it was with the three older brothers, Orooro-i-pua, Temata-tauia-ia-ro’o, and Te-mata-a’a-ra’i. Seeing that they were ail dead,
the princess said to her parents :
“A tira palia” (That will do perhaps). But they replied that the last
man must try.
Then it was Tafa’i’s turn, and the princess said :
"B Tafai e, tari! Tafa’i-’iri-’ura, te tiirunu i Hawai’i, fanau H enta, ta’u
’aroha! A tû mai ’oe a iriti i te ’ava nei, e marna, e inu e fa’ata ero i Hawai'i
nei” (O Tafa’i, pause! Tafàd with red skin, who raised up Hawai’i, born
of Hema, my sympathies ! Corne and pull up this ava, and chew it to drink
like a living thing immédiately darted
and intoxicate Hawai’i).
The noble red giant advanced undaunted and thrust his spear at arm’s
length into the stump of the ava. As the roots moved forwards to pierce him
held tight the end of the spear, and they twisted around it like the arms of a
devilfish, while he pushed the spear farther and farther into the taproot until
the whole plant yielded. He drew it out, raised it still attached to the spear,
beat and bruised the roots until they became powerless, and laid it down.
Then he turned to his cousins lying lifeless upon the ground, and to the
amazement of ail the spectators he restored them to life.
Soon the Tahitians were ready to make the drink from the ava roots,
and as it was customary to hâve a feast on such an occasion they asked for
a pig and necessary accompaniments.
To this the royal family willingly
agreed, and the pig they were to hâve was the renowned Moiri ® (Wholeswallower), a monster that swallowed live things whole and whose famé had
long ago reached Tahiti. The slaying of this scourge to humanity was to be
the last test of dexterity to which the young men were to be put ; and they
were to advance again according to their âges.
So the young men, girded for
the encounter, stood with their spears and with sennit in their hands to tie
the pig. The princess called out:
“B Moiri pua’a e, e fera mai!” (O Moiri, be sennit bound!) Then fushing
out of the woods, amid a cloud of dust which flew up under its heavy tread,
came the terrible snorting and grunting monster.
As the first champion dashed forward to catch the feet and throw the
pig down he was swallowed whole, and one after the other of his brothers
shared the same fate, their spears making no impression upon the thick hide
The pig, Moiri, may hâve been the fabulons monster, Kama-pua’a (Child-pig), of the Hawaiian's, which could change himself into a man or pig at pleasure. He was the husband of the fire
goddess, Pele.
®
563
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
of the animal.
But as Tafa’i advanced, he thrust his spear down into the
throat of the pig as it opened its great jaws to swallow him.
In the struggle
that followed, Tafa’i came out victorious. The pig was
slain, and immediately Tafa’i caused it to render up his five cousins, whom
he once more restored to life. A great shout of applause rent the air, and
Tafa’i was unanimously acknowledged to be the greatest hero that Havai’i-à
had ever seen.
The pig was the principal feature of the great feast that
followed, and ail ate of it. The ava that the Tahitians made was pronounced
excellent and it rejoiced the hearts of the drinkers.
Finally the time came for the hero of the day to daim his bride. The
king and queen looked expectantly at Tafa’i and the princess, who had conceived great admiration for him and was willing to give him her hand. But
for the mastery
what was their surprise when in the name of himself and his cousins he bade
them ail farewell,
“la
ora na ra
saying:
’outou, Te Jio'i nei matou i to matou fenua’ (Now fare
you well. We are returning to our own land).
Then the Hawaiians perceived that they had offended the Tahitians by their rigid treatment, and they
could not
prevail upon their visitors to change their purpose.
Tahitians departed in the same way that they had corne.
Soon the
When they returned home after their fruitless errand the Tahitians no
longer aspired to seeking famed beauties of other lands but took suitable
wives from among their own countrywomen. Tafa’i married a fine young
chiefess of North Tahiti, named Hina (Gray), famed for her beautiful raven
hair, which when let loose flowed down in waves to her feet and covered her
graceful, majestic form; and their attachment for each other was strong and
lasting.
Tafa’i was prompt to go wherever duty called him in his own land and
also in other lands and, as old records everywhere show, was beloved for his
goodness and kind, générons deeds. On one occasion when he returned home
from a long voyage he found to his great grief, that his wife was dead. She
had just suddenly died, and her body, .still warm, was lying in State upon an
altar in the ancestral marae, guarded by the priest and elders of the family.
Soon, in his sorrow, he determined to contend for her even with the gods !
So he inquired of the priest whither her spirit had fled, and he told Tafa’i
that it had left their sacred precincts and was now with the spirits of other
departed ones at Tataa about twenty miles west of Uporu, which was their
place of rendezvous in Tahiti before taking flight for Paradise or Hades in
Ra’iatea. '
(See p. 200.)
Tafa’i lost no time in seizing his great paddle and launching out into the
sea his single canoë (Niu) ; and then he swiftly darted over the smooth water
within the friendly reef and arrived at Pa’ea just at dusk, the right time to
564
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum-—Bulletin 48
There lie founcl that his wife’s spirit had left some
(Soul-despatching) on Mo’orea, whither the
spirits went to take their final departure for Te-mehani (The-heat) in
Ra’iatea, which was the last place whence they could return to this world.
Onwards lie sped across the channel to Mount Rotui, towering steep and
high up into the clouds, and soon he was upon its summit. But there too he
found that his lost Hina had gone on some time before ! With unshaken
purpose, Tafa’i descended the mountain and again took to his canoë, and in
the dim light of the waning moon, aided by a favorable breeze, he made his
canoë almost fly across the wide channel that séparâtes the windward islands
from the leeward group. Then he took the shortest route up to Te-mehani,
and he did not stop until he arrived at the spot on the mountain plateau
where the roads radiated, orie to the clifif on the right, called the “Stone of
Life,” from which spirits ascended to Rohutu-no’ano’a ( Paradise-of-sweetodor), soniewhere up in cloudland above the highest mountains of Ra’iatea,
and the other to the cône on the left, from which they descended dowii into
the yawning crater of Te-mehani, which led to the Pô.
The moon was almost setting and the morning star was heralding the
day when Tafa’i arrived at that place and was met by the god Tû-ta-horoa
(Stand-to-permit), who guarded the roads. Tafa’i inquired if Plina, his wife,
had passed by, and to his great relief the god replied that she had not yet
corne.
But he told Tafa’i to be quick and conceal himself in the bushes in a
précipitons nook close by and that he must rest to gain strength for his
undertaking to capture lier in lier flight, as that was the last place whence
spirits could be recalled to this world. Breathlessly Tafa’i seated himself in
his hiding place, and just as he recovered breath from his late exertions he
heard leaves rustling a little way ofif, and the god told him to be ready, as
Hina had just arrived.
Soon Tafa’i perceived the tall, familiar forni of his wife with lier hair
streaming down lier back, and as she arrived upon the ridge of the rock by
which he stood she drew back as she scented a hunian being. Just as she
was about to ascend into the air to fly to the Stone of Life, where she would
hâve escaped him, he made a desperate leap up onto the ledge and into the
air and caught lier by lier flowing hair with his long fingernails.
Hina
struggled to be released, as she was intent 011 going to the happy spirit world,
but lier husband held lier fast, and when Tû-ta-horoa told lier that lier time
had not yet corne to leave this world she was prevailed upon to reniain longer
with her husband.
So they returned to ’Uporu, and as soon as Hina reentered her body, which was still well preserved, and opened her mortal eyes,
there was great rejoicing in their home and in ail the district over the safe
return of Tafa’i and his wife from the borders of the spirit world.
meet the soûls cleparting.
time before for Mount Rotui
•
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
It is not recorded in Tahiti that Tafa’i
565
again went away from his
long and happy
together and that of them was boni a son whom they named Vahi-ê-roa®
(Place-entirely-strange), probably in commémoration of the long voyages
of Tafa’i to strange lands.
ever
native land, but it is stated that he and his wife lived
In the
manuscript dictionary by Mr. Orsmond, under the heading of
the name Tafa’i, are found these words : “B atua Tafai-’iri-’ura, te turunu
i Havai’i. B mea navenave te ’a’ai 0 Tafa’i (A god was Tafa’i of red skin,
who raised up Havaii.
Charming is the legend of Tafa’i).”
In Tahiti his
memory is perpetuated in the form of the beautiful club moss {Licopodiunt clavatum), named rimarima Tafa’i (fingers of Tafa’i), which is said
from his fingers after he left his earthly body and which
grows prolifically among the ferns over ail the islands ; the spores of the
plant are called Mai’u’u Tafa’i (fingernails of Tafai), which they are said
to
hâve sprung
to
resemble.
Comparative Folklore
According to Hawaiian folklore, Mâ-ù-i is accredited with having had
magical cord that due to the irregularity of his brothers’ actions,
snapped in attempting to draw ail the islands of the group together, also
Kaha’i was boni at a place called Ka-halulu-kahi (The-first-noise), Teharuru-tahi in the Tahitian and Maori dialects) in the district of Wailuku,
Maui; he died at Ka-ili-ki’i (Reniovel-of-iniages) in Kau, Hawaii, and his
the
bones rest in lao, Maui.
Recorded in
liâmes
that agréé
Fornander’s work
very old legends with diversified
well with the Tahitian story.
are
place’^“ he States that the first discoverer of the Hawaiian group
of the purest descent, named Hawai’i-loa- (DistantHawai’i), and also called Ke-kowa-o-Hawai’i (Who-severed-Hawai’i),
who came from a land called Kahiki-kû [meaning, in Hawaiian, Upper
or East Kahiki, which may mean also Tahiti of Tû, the god who piloted
the fish as it left Havai’i (or Ra’iatea) for its présent position (p. 439)].
The chief was a great navigator and fishernian, and on one occasion, during
a long cruise, sailing in the direction of the stars, Jupiter and the Pléiades,
he arrived at the eastermost end of the Hawaiian group.
Finding only
Hawai’i and Maui standing above the océan he named the former after
himself, Hawai’i-loa (Distant-Hawai’i)—a name Tafa’i may hâve assumed
in memory of the Havai’i of his own Southern grouji—and Maui he
named after one of his sons.
When the other islands emerged from the
In
was
^
a
one
great chief
the legend of “Rata, grandson of Tafa’i. (See p. 468.)
Fornander, Abraham, The Polynesian race, vol. 1, pp. 23-34, 132, 1878.
Vahi-e-roa figures in
566
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
he named them after the rest of his children.
Delighted with his
discovery, he went back to his native land and returned with his family
and other émigrants to the Hawaiian group, of which they became the
sea,
first inhabitants.
To the
of
Kahiki-kû
(Upper-Kahiki), says the legend, stands
(Lower or West-Kahiki), which could
mean Mo’orea (Little-Tahiti west of
Big-Tahiti) ; or the two appellations,
Kahiki-kû and Kahiki-moe, may hâve been the Hawaiian rendering of
the Tahitian, Hiti-i-m’a and Hiti-i-raro (Upper-border and Lower-border),
which, it will be remembered, signified the windward and leeward islands
of the Society group.
More definite still,ii Kahiki-kû is also named
Kahiki-honua-kele
(Tahiti-the-land-that-moved-off), the epithet being
applicable to Tahiti alone or to ail the windward group as having corne
away from the leeward.
another
West
land
called
Kahiki-moe
In another place,the name
Kaha’i, which is the Hawaiian for Tafa’i,
royal Ulu genealogy, which, as Fornander States, bears
the impress of much Southern mixture. Beginning with the twenty-eighth
génération, is the famous No-na or Vahine-’ai-ta’ata (Man-eating-woman),
of the legend, represented as a man named ’Ai-kanaka (Man-eater),
whose identity is made clear by the names, Hema, Kaha’i (Tafa’i),
Wahi-e-loa (Vahi-e-roa), and Taka (Rata), which follow.’^®
Fornander
gives with slight variations, another version,^^ evidently, of the story city
is found in the
In it, the fisherman chief is named Kapu-he’e-ua-nu’u (Pledge-toimpel-has-moved), of Ka-pa-ahu in Kahiki (Tapahi hills of North Tahiti,
probably). While fishing in the Hawaiian sea he caught up a piece of coral,
and his priest directed him to perform certain religions rites over it and
then to cast it back into the water, where it would develop into a great
island, which he should name Hawai’i-loa (Distant Hawai’i).
He did
a^ directed, and the promised resuit followed.
The fisherman caught up
a second piece of coral, which was also sanctified and placed in the sea,
and another island sprang up, which he named Maui-loa (Long-Maui).
So at last ail the islands of the Hawaiian group wère brought into existence
by Kapu-he’e-ua-nu’u.
above.
(Heaped-up-shore), Fornander says, “Staiiips the
legend as of Southern origin,” and after that land the name Kapa’ahu has
been given to several places in the Hawaiian group.
This being a fact,
Kapa’ahu is evidently identical with the hilly coast called Ta-pahi (Withspray) in the district of Mahina, the home of Tafa’i, which would tend
The name Ka-pa-ahu
Op. cit. p. 77.
Op. cit. p. 191.
’^.For the comparison of this genealogy, see at the end of the Tuamotuan
Op. cit., vol. 2, pp. i8, 19.
legend of Rata.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
prove still further, that Kaha’i
nu’u are naines of circumstances
to
567
(Tafa’i), Hawai’i-loa, and Kapu-he’e-ua-
applied to one and the sàme person.
Fornander States that there were two
princes who were brothers, Olopana (Riib-to-snap) and Mo’ikeha (Haughty-king), who lived on the island of Hawaii at a place called
Wai-pi’o (Crooked-river), which was ruled by Olopana, Mo’i-keha being
his coadjutant and most trusted friend. Olopana married a young woman
named Lu’ukia (Overflowed), granddaughter of a high chief of the same
island, and a person of great influence wherever she went. She invented a
skirt of five thicknesses.
A tiine came wheii heavy storms and freshets
devastated the land of Wai-pi’o, and the people were driven out of their
homes to seek refuge.
The two chiefs and their families went to Tahiti,
where their grandfather, Maweke, had voyaged before them, and they
settled at a place called Moa-’ula-nui-akea (Great-red-expansive-fowl) —
probably Mou’a-’ura-nui-atea (Great-red-expansive-mountain), a former
name of Tahara’a (Barrenness).
There Olopana obtained the sovereignty,
and his brother, still his right-hand man, settled with him, making himself
a sumptuous résidence and marae, which were named Lani-keha (Haughtychief, in Hawaiian; if transposed into Tahitian, Ra’i-te-ha, Healing-chief
or
Healing-sky). Mo’ikeha had with him an adopted son named La’a
(Sacredness), of high destiny (p. 569), who at that time was a child.
In the
saine
volume of his work,
Hawaiian
was a mountain named Kapa-ahu—very likely
Ta-pahi (To-spray)—along the shores of which are stones
and rocks, where spray from the sea is always playing. These landmarks
seem
to identify the land of North Tahiti, described in the legend of
Tafa’i and elsewhere in this book, the seat and cradle of the great Tahitian
chiefs named ’Oro-pa’a (Strong-warrior)—the équivalent of Olopana
(Rub-to-snap)—after whom was named the Tahitian district of ’Oropa’a.
From this it may be inferred that Olopana was a name originally taken
from North Tahiti by its ancient émigrants, as it frequently appears far
back in the royal genealogy of the Pômare dynasty.
(See Oropa’a, p. 266.)
Their tutelar god was Tipa (The-healing-god), so that Ra’i-te-ha
(Healing-chief) was an appropriate name to hâve been given to the home
Within their dominions
the hills of
and
marae
of Mo’ikeha.
as before in Hawaii, until
named Mua (Foremost) maliciously
sister-in-law, Lu’ukia, and caused a
serions rupture in their domestic relations.
Unable to clear himself of
the charges brought against him, Mo’ikeha returned to his own land,
leaving his adopted son, La’a, behind with his brother Olopana, who had
adopted him as his heir to the chieftaincy.
The
two
families agreed
well in Tahiti,
after several years a Tahitian chief
slandered the good Mo’ikeha to his
568
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Mo’ikeha’s
equipped in royal style, and he was followed
by a numerous retinue. As they approached the shores of Hawaii (see
page H), Mo’ikeha’s astrologer and seer, Kama-hua-lele (Tama-hua-rere,
child-of-flying-spray), chanted in the following manner :
canoës
were
Eia Hawaii, he moku, he kanaka,
He kanaka Hawaii—E!
He kanaka Hawaii,
He kama na Kahiki,
He pua Alii mai Kapaahu,-
Here is Hawaii, the island, the man,
A man is Hawaii—O !
A man is Hawaii,
A child of Tahiti,
A royal flower from Kapaahu
(Tapa-
Mai Moaulanuiakea Kanaloa.
From Moaulanuiakea Kanaloa.'®
hi),
Following in this chant is a description of the Southern groups as seen
by the bard d®
Na pulapula aina i
I nonoho like i ka
paekahi,
Hikina, Komohana,
Pae like ka moku i lalani
I hui aku, hui mai me Holani.
Puni ka moku
Nana
Kaialea ke kilo,
o
Nuuhiwa, lele i Polapola.
O kahiko ke kumu aina,
Naha i mahele kaawale na moku.
Mopu ka aholawaia a ICahai
I okia
Spread evenly is the land in a row,
United there, United here, with the sky
mountainous.
Kai-alea (Agreeable-sea), the seer, went
round the islands,
Saw Nu’uhiva [Marquesas], landed on
Porapora.
O, ancien! is the root of the land,
He divided and separated the islands.
Broken
is
(Tafa’i)
Kûkanaloa.
e
The scattered islands are in a row,
Placed evenly from east to west,
That
was
eut
Ta’aroa).
In a chant^"
of
Kaha’i
by Kûkanaloa
(Tû-of-
the
fishline
by the famotts ancient navigator named Ka-ulu-a-ka-lama
are the following corroborating lines :
(Erichantment-of-the-torch)
E Kaulu-e-Auwaa ia.
O lele aku keia
O
o
Wawau,
Upolu, o Pukaliaiki,
At
O Pukalia
nui, o Alala.
O pelua,
Palana,
o
o
O Kaulu (Enchantment) ! A fleet is he
[A host within himself] !
This [man] landed at Vavau (Pora-
Holani,
O ke Kuina, o Ulunui, o Uliuli.
pora),
’Uporu (Taha’a) with small radi-
ating view,
With great radiating view, then he
traced them out.
Broken in two, sunny fragments towards the sky,
From the isthmus, great growth and
verdure.
The last four lines are fully descriptive of
Taha’a, which has a greater
peninsula, deeply indented with gulfs and
joined by an isthmus, clad everywhere with verdure. Then in the same
chant the poet refers to Tahiti, saying:
and
a
smaller
mountainous
Mou’a-ura-nui-atea of Ta’aroa.
By the permission of Mrs. Brown, daughter of Judge Fornander, I take the liberty of
dering more literally some of the translations in her father’s work agreeing with the
Op. cit.
pp.
13, 14.
subject.
ren-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
569
Spanned the farthest ends of Tahiti ;
Apo Kukuluo Kahiki ;
Pau Kahiki ia Kaulu
Pau Kahiki ia Kaulu,
I Koa O halulu koakoa.
Mai ke au paha ia Kû,
Finished [explored] is Tahiti by Kaulu,
Finished is Tahiti by Kaulu,
To the roaring coral reefs,
From the time perhaps of Tû (Stab-
Mai ke
From the time perhaps of Ro’o (Famé).
,
au
ility),
paha ia Lono.
Eventually, Mo’ikeha inherited the sovereignty of the islands of Kauaî,
long and peacefully, and from him descended high chiefs
whose scions were spread ail over the Hawaiian group.
At length he
longed to see once more his adopted son, La’a, and so he sent for him by
one of his own
sons, named Kila (Strong)—rightly so called, for his
name
is prominent in Hawaiian history.
Great double canoës were
equipped and guided by the faithful Tahitian, Kama-hua-lele, who was
appointed chief navigator and counsellor of the expédition ; they set sail
and arrived safely in, Tahiti.
La’a, who had grown to manhood, was then living at Kapa’ahu (probably in the shady nooks of Tapahi Hills) and accompanied Kila to Kaua’i
in grand style, taking with him a numerous retinue in his own canoës and
accompanied by his priest, his astrologer, his master of ceremonies, his
drummer, his prophet, and forty other attendants.
His drum was an
where he lived
immense
which
one
hewn out of
Hawaiians
a
coconut
call the kaeke
trunk and covered with shark’s skin,
(to drum).
He highly impressed the
people with his greatness, and they named him La’amai Ka¬
hiki, Ke ’li’i no Kapa’ahu (Sacredness from Tahiti, Chief of Kapa’ahu).
He had three wives from the island of Oahu, and by them on the selfsame day he had three sons.
Finally, after Mo’ikeha’s death, he returned
to Tahiti and there remained till the end of his days.
Hawaiian
Lu’ukia (Ru’utia), as a woman, does not appear in the
genealogy of the Oropa’as in Tahiti, as only men’s succession is there
recorded, but a prince is so named who probably was a descendant of
hers.
In New Zealand, the Maoris daim Olopana and Lu’ukia also in
their royal genealogy, as Tû-te-Koropanga and Rukutia.
The famous
pa"û (skirt) of Lu’ukia takes the form of a mat, of which in song they
say, “Gird thee with the mat of Rukutia.”
From her also their women
took pattern in tattooing, as a song for that ceremony implies; “Be ye
The
name
tattooed after the
manner
of Rukutia.”^®
by a priest
(Parent-endowed-with-power), who accompanied
a Tahitian high priest and prince named Pa’ao (Enclosure-of-hérons), an
ancestor of the Hawaiian queen, Liliuokalani, on an errand to Tahiti to
In connection with the above history is the following chant
named Makua-kau-mana
authority for these quotations is S. Percy Smith.
Op. cit., vol. 2, p. 18.
The
Bernice P. Bishop Mtiscuin—Bulletin 48
570
invite
prince there to take the throne after some political disturbances
a
in the north :
E Lono, E Lono—E !
Lonokulani,
Alii
o
Lono (Famé), O Lono—O! O Lonoka-eho (Fame-of-the-stone-god) !
Lonokulani
(Fame-abiding-in-heaven),
Chief of Ka-ulu-onana
(Peace-in-
E Lonokaeho !
Kauliionana !
spirers) !
Eia na waa ; kau mai ai,
E hoi, e noho ia Hawaii-kua-iili,
Here are the canoës ; corne on board.
Corne along, and dwell in Hawai’i-kua-
He aina loaa i ka moana,
I hoea mai loko o ka ale,
uli ( Hawai’i-of-the-green-back)
A land that was found in the océan,
That was thrown up from amid the
I ka halehale
From
poi pu
a
billows,
Kanaloa.
the
very
(Ta’aroa).
depths
of
Kanaloa
He koa kea i halelo i ka wai,
I lou i ka makau a ka lawaia,
The white coral of the watery caves,
That was cauglit on the hook of the
A ka lawaia nui o Kapaahti,
A ka lawai nui o Kapu-hee-ua-nuu-la.
Of the great fisherman of Kapa’ahu,
Of the great fisherman, Kapu-he’e-uanu’u.
The canoës touch the shore, corne on
fisherman,
A pae na waa, kau mai,
E holo,
He
e
land.
ai ia Hawaii he moku.
moku Hawaii,
He moku Hawaii noa
noho.
Lono-ka-eho
e
Go and pos'sess Hawai’i, the island.
An island is Hawai’i,
An island is Hawai’i for Lono-ka-eho
to dwell on.
To this
cloquent appeal the prince addressed replied by declining but
appointing one named Pili (Piri, meaning pinched), surnamed Ka-’ai-ea
(Breath-eater), to go in bis stead. The following mele 21 forms another
link to connect the folklore of the two island
groups, identifying the hero
Kaha’i with Tafa’i, and consequently the lands Kahiki-kû and Kahiki-moe
Society Islands. The mele was composed for the célébration of
Ka-umu-ali’i(The-royal-oven), last king of Kauai, who traced
bis ancestors to Papa (Rock).
with the
the birth of
Aloha
oe
nei, Kane-hea-lani,
Oi hele mai, a Kane-hoa-lani !
O ka holi-nui a Kane-hoa-lani,
O ka ua i nana a Kane-hoa-lani.
O lakou ia o Kane-hoa-lani ;
Mai loko mai o Kane-hoa-lani
Na ipu wai a Hoa-lani-ka-lani.
O kahi
olua, olua kanaka
mea !
Greetings to thee, Kane-hoa-lani, (Kaneheavenly-friend, Tane the man-god).
On thy arrivai,
Kane-hoa-lani !
The great warrior thou, Kane-hoa-lani,
With the accompanying rain of Kanehoa-lani.
Of them is Kane-hoa-lani ;
Kane-hoa-lani sprang from
The same source as' Hoa-lani-ka-lani
( F riends-of-heaven ).
You
are
source !
one,
you
are
of the
same
rising dome-Hke from the sea.
from the royal chants of Hawaii by the royal bard, Aimoku, translated by
Queen Liliiiokalani from a book of songs dedicated to King Kalakaua, her brother. The trans¬
lation, apparently, lias been revised by Miss Henry.—Ed.
Hawai’i,
An
extract
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
A Wakea
a
Kahiko-Iua-mea, a-e!
Papahanaumoku ka wahine—
O Papa, O
Hanau
,Kahiki-kù, Kahiki-moe ;
Hanau
Ke-apapa-nu’u,
(Upper-Tahiti), and Kahiki(Lower-Tahiti) were boni;
Ke-apapa-nu’u (The-rising-wind) was
moe
Papa i ka moku,
he uilani,
Lono, no Kû,
No Kane ma laua me Kanaloa,
Hanau kapu he kuakoko.
ia
no
Ha’alele Papa
Hoi a Kahiki.
Hoi a Kahiki.
ia
Hanau
hoi i Kahiki,
fringy
strip [sic] for rushing heavenly
sounds, for Lono, for Kû,
For Tane and Ta’aroa, ’tis true.
Prayers were created for the time of
A
Rock called to Ta’aroa,
“The islands!
Should they be born in the shape
fish,
young
a
porpoise?”
of a
Lanai Ka-ula,
Lana’i
o
woman) ;
born,
Wakea.
O Moloka’i a Hina, ke keiki moku.
Haina e ke kolea, a L,au-ka-’ula,
o
Wakea i ka wahine, Enaka-
Kûkekahaulili o Papa ;
Moi mai Papa mai loko
mai o Kahikiku
(Hump-back)"* of Ka-ula
was
That maiden’s first-born child.
Atea turned to Hina
(Gray), Atea
wooed and won Hina,
He won Hina as his wife.
Hina became prégnant with Moloka’i
(Led-to-unravel),
an
island
Moloka’i of Hina, an island babe.
The taie was spread by a plover,
of
Lau-ka-’ula (Leaf-the-red),
That Atea had wooed a wife by the
sky.
Fierce jealousy arose in Papa;
raved,
kû,
She
According to the Création Chant Atea (Wakea) was at
féminine.
Maui is composed of two peninsulas joined by a narrow
^
The name lyana’i means hump, and is derived from a
le island.
2=
of
Ka-’ula-wahine ;
Hapai Hina ia Moloka’i he moku,
moe
garinents
Returned to Tahiti.
Returned to Tahiti.
Rain disguised, Atea espoused,
He espoused Ka-ula-wahine (The-red-
Loa’a Hina, he wahine moe na
lani,
leaves ;
were
the children to whom
Papa would give birth.
Papa then left and returned to Tahiti,
He keiki makahiapo na ia wahine,
Hoi Wakea loa’a Hina,
Ua
handsome,
noble, with
These
Papa i hanau.
Kapakapakaua, moe o Wakea,
Moe
was
Pa’a-o-wali-nu’u
(Firmness-of-enshrined-dust), the woman,
When Papa became prégnant with an
island.
And was so with Maui (Broken)
Long-Maui was born an island.
He was born amid rushing heavenly
sounds, an imposing chief great and
There
his birth.
Kahea Papa ia Kanaloa, “He moku !
I hanau ia he punua he naia?”
He heiki
Hawai’i was boni, the first-born island,
Their first-born child, yes’ theirs,
Of Atea and Kane.
A
kapa lau maewa ;
He nui Alololani, no
(sexes),"’’ yes !
’Tis Papa (Rock), ’tis Papa, who gave
birth to islands, the wife—
boni.
Hoiloli ia Maui ;
Hanau Mauiloa ka moku,
I hanau ia he olo’olo-lani,
uilani.
He i
(Vast-Expanse) of ancient two
natures
Kahiki-kû
Hanau Hawai’i, ka moku makahiapo,
Ka keiki makahiapo, a lauaua.
O Wakea, laua o Kane.
O Papa o-wali-nu’u, ka wahine,
Ho’okauhua
Atea
571
this
Papa,
from Kahiki-
first masculine and then became
isthmus.
rising resembling a hump back on
572
Beniice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Kû inaina üli i ka
punalua,
Hae manawaino i ke kane, o
Moe ia Lua, he
Wakea ;
kane hou ia.
’Oahu a Lua,
’Oahu-a-Lua ke keiki moku.
He keiki makanalau na Luaua.
Hanau
o
Hoi hou aku no noho
Na ku Papa i ka iloli,
me
Hanau Papa i ka nioku o
Hanau
ka
He ewewe
Niihau, he palena Lehua,
o
ka moku
papapa.
Kaha’i Kama.
Na Ke-kama-luahaku Ka poni ana
Ka I kapu io Kaponialamea
born
an
(Twin-cleft-in-heaven)
island,
(Sailing-in-to-mist), the afterbirtli, was bound by Lehua (Clusterof-flowers),
Ka’ula (The-red) came last, with a
train of low islands.
Begotten of Papa is the Chief, Kahulakea (White-fin) of Lono,
the Master Lono of the trumpet
with rushing heavenly winds,
Of the trumpet sending slanting rain,
Of the trumpet of the octopus“ of the
great
cavern
of
Child
Kaha’i
O ka Haku Lono, o Kapumaeolani,
O ka pu he’e ua o Holani,
o
was
Ni’iliau
Of
Papa Kahakuakea o Lono,
O ka pu he’e lua nui
Papa returned and lived with Atea ;
By living with Papa came the island of
Kaua’i (siesta).
Mawae-lua-lani
Kaua’i,
Mawae-lua-lani, he moku,
He panina Ka’ula
Na
Wakea ;
And stormed with jealous anger against
lier rival,
And vowed vengeance on lier husband
Atea ;
So slie turned to Lua (Two-fold), an
island man, a new husband.
Oaliu (Collection) was born to Lua,
Oahu of Lua w'as born an island.
The child was born with many gifts
of Lua.
I;
It
(Tafa’i).
was
Ke-kama-lua
(The-two-children) who destroyed the favorite of
clans :
The truly sacred clans
Kaponii hiwa, ka poni uliponiele,
are the anointed,
Sprinkled beloved one, the anointed of
the chiefs, the chiefs anointed,
The anointed, the anointed, the anointed
Ka poni ka poni ka poni
Of
A
ponükaua
Papa, o Papa o Ho’ohoku kalani.
In
book
in the rain
Papa,
lands.
of
Papa, the producer of
by Malo
the old Hawaiian views bear ont the theory of
follows :
“It is thought that this people came
from lands near Tahiti and from Tahiti itself, because the ancient Hawaiians
at an early date mention the name of Tahiti in their meles
(songs), prayers,
and legends.” He then gives the names of places, some of which can still
he identified in the Society group, beginning with Kahiki-honua-kele
(Tahiti-fenua-tere). The sufïixed qualification of Tahiti means in Ha¬
waiian “muddy land,” in Tahitian “the land that travelled,” as Tahiti was
supposed to hâve donc. Malo also cites Havai’i (Ra’iatea) and Porapora,
a
intercourse with Tahiti
as
after which he remarks :
The octopus of the subterranean sea where Tafa’i and Arihi found the old woman Uhi.
Malo David, Hawaiian antiquities, B. P. Bishop Mus., Sp. Publication 2, 1903.
Malo was
learned native scholar and a contemporary of Rev. Mr. Orsmond.
^
2"^
a
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
573
belong to lands in Tahiti. . . Perhaps because of their
they applied the name Kahiki-nui to a district of
Maui and named this group Hawaii^®
The Hawaiians are thought to be
of one race with the people of Tahiti and the islands adjacent to it.
The reason
for this' belief is that the people closely resenible each other in their physical features,
language, généalogies, traditions, and legends, as well as in the names of their
deities.
It is thought that very likely they came to Hawaii in small detachinents.
It seems probable that this was tlie case from the fact that in Tahiti they hâve
large canoës called pahi-^ and it seems likely that the possession of theni enabled
them to make their long voyages to Hawai’i.”
“Perhaps these
liâmes
affection for Tahiti and
Havaii
....
David Malo adds that the ancient Hawaiians did not call their canoës
on
record pain, but va a which is the common
hewn out of
logs, single and double, and
Polynesian name for canoës
applied also to the pahi
was
Ihroughout the islands of the south.
Tregear's Comparative Dictionary are the following
équivalents to the Tahitian name Tafaü ; Hawaian, Kaha’i ; Maori,
Tawhaki; and Mangarevan, Tahaki. But in the Samoan dialect, the name
is still Tafa’i.
Tafa’i’s wife is called Hina everywhere except in Samoa,
where the équivalent is Sina; but lier attributes are varied. The different
versions of the legend of Tafa’i under these équivalent names are fragmentary and cQiifounded with other Tahitian stories, yet remarkably like
them in many respects. In the Hawaiian legend, the ’a’aia bird is said to
hâve carried away Hema, the father of Tafa’i, instead of Vahi-ê-roa, the
son of the latter and his wife Matamata-taua, as is stated of the
bird
Matutu-ta’ota’o (Search-in-thick-darkeness) in the Tuamotuan version of
the legend of Rata.
This is shown in lines cited from a chant in Fornander’s work
In
Edward
Holo Hema i Kahiki, kii i ke
apo-ula,
Loaa Hema, lilo i ka ’a’aia,
Haule i Kahiki, i kapakapakaua
Waiho ai i
Hema went to Kahiki to fetch the red
fillet (circlet or ring),“
Hema was caught by the ’a’aia,
Which fell upon him in Kahiki, stig-
matizing him
a
captive,
Then left him in Ulu-paupau
Ulu-paupau.
woods).''^
(Panting-
According to the legend, his son, Kahai (Tafa’i), started in search of
death, and the chant describes his expédition :
his father or to avenge his
O ke Anuenue ke ala
o
Kahai ;
Pii Kahai, koi Kahai,
The rainbow” is' the path of Kahai
(Tafai),
Kahai
arose,
Kahai bestirred himself.
The w stands for v in Hawaiian, as before shown.
The boat lias now superceded the old pahi of the Society group.
Fornander, Abraham, Polynesian race, vol. 2, pp. 16, 17, London, 1878.
The red fillet or ring niay hâve référencé to the ornamented fishhook that belonged to
old woman, Uhi, in the lower régions.
Evidently relating to Hema’s captivity in the forest in the lower région.
Here we find that Kahai is said to hâve travelled upon the real rainbow, instead of
canoë
of that
name
as
in the Tahitian version.
the
the
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
574
Kahai passed on, on the
of Kane ;
Hee Kahai i'ke koi ula a Kane;
Hihia i na maka o Alibi;
Ae Kahai i ke anaha
He anaha ke kanaka, a waa ;
I luna O Hinaiakamalama,
ke ala ia i imi ai i ka makua
Kahai.
O hele a i ka moana wehivvehi,
O
A haliilu i
o
océan,
(Foundations-of-
Kahiki
heaven) thundered.
The host of gods enquired,
Kane (Man-god) and Kanaloa (Uniqueone) asked:
“For what purpose is’ your large travel¬
ling party,
O Kahai, that lias corne hither?”
‘T am seeking for Hema,
There in Kahiki, there in Ulupaupau,
There is the ’a’aia'‘° constantly fondled
by Kane)
Reaching to the farthest ends of
the Maori version
the characters of the t-wo legends are much
Ui mai kini o ke akua,
Ninau o Kane o Kanaloa :
Heaha kau huakai nui,
E Kahai, i hiki mai ai?”
I imi mai au i a Hema,
Aia i Kahiki aia i Uluna’uoa’u,
(Aia i ka Aaia, haha mau ia a Kane)
Loaa aku i kukulu
In
Perplexed were the eyes of Alihi
Kahai passed on, on the flashing light
That flashed on men and canoës ;
Above
was
Hinaiakamalama
(Hinawho-went-into-the-moon ) “
That is the road by which was sought
Kahai’s father.
When he went over the deep-blue
The Hale-kumu-kalani
Hale-kumu-kalani.
floating cloud
o
Kahiki.”
together. Tafai’s cousins are called his brothers, which is not
surprising, as the Polynesians cîassify such relationship as one. His
brothers-in-law killed him and his wife restored him to life, and the gods
blended
the deluge to avenge him of this outrage. The a’a’ia bird is said to
hâve carried away Hema the father of Tawhaki, as in the Hawaiian. The
sent
Tahitian Uhi (Yam), of the netherlands, is
Matakerepo (Darkened-eyes) because of her blindness, and she is
said to hâve been the mother of Tawhaki’s father, Hema.
Tawhaki and
his brother Kariki (Arihi) found her counting taro, ten in number, of
which he took one ; then she counted nine, and he took another, and so on
until he took ail but the last one, which she kept.
He restored her sight
with a mixture of clay and spittle.
old blind woman, called in
named
ascending a mountain as stated in the Tahitian version, the
By some it is said
that he went thither on the string of his kite, by others on the line of a
spider. He was deified by the Maoris as a healing god with Rehua, and
the offerings to them consisted of ten baskets of food, in presenting which
Instead of
Maori folklore States that Tafa’i ascended to heaven.
^
Alihi, like Arihi, literally signifies the long cord that is strung tlirough a fishing net; his
“eyes perplexed” may hâve référencé to the line and fislihook by which he was caught by Uhi of
the netherlands.
This line in the chant is precious, as it is the only référencé in the legend to
Arihi, the brother of Tafai, who accompanied him down into the center of the earth for their
father,
According to this legend, lîina-who-went-into-the-moon was the mother of Kahai.
This bird is evidently confouncled with Tane’s bird named Tane-manu (Bird-Tane^), as
great sea bird called in Hawaiian the a or ’a’aia-uithea Kane (’a’aia-that-cooed-on-Kane)
white plumage instead of red as in the Tahitian legend.
See Hawaiian dictionary.
was
a
it
of
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
575
the people counted them after the manner of the old woman. After counting ten, one was set aside, then counting nine, one was placed by the first,
and so on till ail were counted and the ten were again United as one gift.
Mangareva the memory of Tawhaki is kept up by the name being
applied to persons of red hair and red skin and to persons of rank.
Tafa’i of Samoa was boni of Pua and Singano, and they had a sister
who was changed into a tree, called ‘Ifii’ifi.
The two brothers were very
handsome, and Tafa’i was a giant, so tall and strong that he used a spear
made of a whole coconut tree, and he was so heavy that his feet left im¬
pressions on the hardest rock as if it were the softest sand. His name is
held in such esteem by Sanioans that persons privileged to sit on the right
In
and left hand of
a
chief
are
called Tafa’i.
Tafa’i’s wife was Sina-tae-o-i-
lagi (Hina-of-the-sky, lagi being pronounced langi), daughter of Tagaloalagi (Ta’aroa-of-the-sky), and she is called the moon goddess. According
to S. Percy Smith, Tafa’i’s home in Samoa was at Le-itu-o-Tane, on the
north coast of Savai’i, and the Samoans had a separate god named Tafa’i,
whose wife was named Lagi (Sky, Tahitian Ra’i).
The Rarotongan ver¬
sion of the above legend, according to Smith, is as follows:
Hema is named ’Ema, his wife, Ua-uri-ra-ka-moana (The-ocean-hasbecome-dark), instead of the Tahitian, Hina-tahutahu (Gray-the-mtigician),
and the names of their two sons, Ari-hinu-i-apua (Cavity-of-oil-lappedup) and Tafa’i (By-revelation), are transposed into the équivalents Kari’i
and Ta’aki, resembling the Maori forms, Karihi and Tawhaki.
The in¬
cident of the mother requesting lier sons, respectively, to dress lier hair is
attributed to them instead of their grandmother and father and uncle as in
the Tahitian version.
In this legend, Kari’i refused to comply with his
mother’s wish, and she said :
“My son, thou shalt not remain a prince, thou shalt serve.” Then she
asked Ta’aki to do her the service, and he at once did so, an act of filial
obedience that brought him great power
(mana).
Not long after he sud-
denly felt great workings within himself, and lightning flashed from his
body, illuminating ail the land, a circumstance that is also recorded in
Maori folklore.
Soon his brother—instead of cousins, as is recorded in the
Tahitian
him and enraged, seeing that his father, ’Ema,
as well as ail the people turned to him.
Strife and much fighting ensued,
version—became jealous of
(Tafa’i) was invited to bathe in a river and was
’lnauo-mata-kopi-kopi (Tahitian, Hinanomata-’opi’opi, fara-blossoms commencing with plaits) and Puapuama-’inano
(Tahitian, Puapua-ma-hinano, Flowers-with-fara-blossoms), who by incan¬
tations restored him to life, instead of the mother as in the Tahitian version.
and on one occasion Ta’aki
slain.
But he had two sisters,
Beniice P. Bisliop Miiscitm—Bulletin 48
576
’Ema disappeared somewhere, and Ta’aki,
directed by his mother, went
serions encounters with witches and gods,
he found his father just in time to save him from being roasted by the
gods ! Then he hastily made his retreat and carried his father triumphantly home, taking with him some new treasures, the nature of which is not
in search of him.
After many
mentioned.
According to Maori heraldry, Tawhaki (Ta’aki, Tafa'i) stands as the
more important brother and ancestor of some of the highest
Maori chiefs; in Rarotonga, it is the reverse, and Kari’i (Karihi, ’Ari) is
enshrined as the elder brother and consequently highest in rank in the
royal genealogy, as there are high chiefs there who trace descent from him.
elder and
PELE—COMPARATIVE FOLKLORE
Besides the connections between the two
sister groups noted in the
foregoing, the goddess Pele (Pere) and lier train were of Tahitian origin,
as is shown in the genealogy of the gods
(p. 359), in archaic Hawaiian
names
and in Tuamotuan folklore.
According to Ellis,®’' who wrote when priests and priestesses were still
the volcano deities, over which Pele reigned
devoted to the service of
suprême,
the Hawaiians daim that the volcanic family came from Tahiti
The names of the principal individuals were : Ka-moho-alii
Hawaii.
to
Ta-poha-i-tahi-ora (The-explosion-in-the-place-of-life),
(The-rain-of-night), Tane-hetiri (Thundering-man), and
Te-o-ahi-tama-taua (The-fiery-dart-of-the-child-of-war)—ail brothers of
Pele; and the goddesses were Pele (Earth consuming-fire), Makole-wawahiwa’a
(Fiery-eyed-canoe-breaker), Hiata-wawahi-lani ( Heaven-rendingcloud-holder), Hiata-noho-lani (Heaven-dwelling-cloud-holder), Hiatakaalawamaka (Flashing-eyed-cloud-holder), Hiata-i-te-pori-o-Pere (Cloudholder-kissing-the-bosoni-of-Pele), Pliata-tapu-enaena (Cloud-holder-offurnace-red-hot), Hiata-i-reia (Cloud-holder-garland-decked), and Hiataopio (Youthful-cloud-holder)—ail sisters. Many other deities followed
them, but their names are not mentioned. Queen Liliuokalani lias corrobor( The-king-bud),
Te-ua-a-te-pô
ated this statement and from her was received the Hawaiian name of Kama-
’ehu
Pele.
(Blond-child), which is ’Ehu-a-kama (Blondness-of-child), bro'ther of
agreeing with the Tahitians, believed that Pele with a
and fro through the center of the earth from
one group to another, north and south, that down in her domains was everything heart could wish, luxuriant land and delicious food that surpassed ail
above ground in quality and taste, and that the volcano fires were kindled
The Hawaiians,
numerous
”
retinue passed to
Ellis, William,
Polynesian researches, lyondon, 1878.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
577
only high overhead and threw light upon them below. There tbe departed
spirits of the royal familles of this world held orgies with Pele, and it was
afifirmed by the priests and priestesses that the renowned kings, Pômare I
and Kamehameha I, thus met and knew one another. This belief has not yet
quite died ont, for to this day some Hawaiians and Tahitians
say that
the région thus described still exists under the sway of Pele and that there
spirits of ail their great ali’i {ari’i, kings and queens) hâve communion
the
with
another.
one
The Tahitians believed that the world
was
hollow and inhabited within.
Tahitian, phosphorous fungi and sulphur are called tutaepere, which
is the équivalent of kukaepele in Hawaiian for “sulphur.” In the Tuamotus
also are traces of an ancient knowledge of Hawaii and of the volcano goddess.
In the Journal of the Polynesian Society, J. L. Young states that a
chief of the island of Fakareva (or Havai'iki) claimed as a family name
Pere, after the goddess, and stated that formerly an ancestor of his named
Havai’iki and also Pere visitée! Hawaii and took from there sulphur stones,
In
which
were
called tutaepere as
in Tahitian.
The atoll of Fakareva, he
said, had a mountain the top of which was blown ofï long ago by the anger
of Pere, its high scraggy coast bearing évidence of volcanic explosion. The
Tuamotuans generally confirm the latter statement.
Varions other stories of Pere are told in the south.
High on the sands
of the island of Anâ, Tuamotus, are great coral rocks, which she is
hâve thrown up one time in anger from the bed of the océan.
On the islands of
said to
Tufai, east of Taha’a of the Society group, ai'e great
tiare trees, from which two mysterious women are said to pick flowers and
deck themselves in the evening, when they appear young and beautiful ; in
early morning as they disappear inland, they assume the form of old
the
wizened women, to reappear young
and blooming again in the evening,
Hi’iata-i-te-pori-o-Pere
(ravarava).
(Cloud-holder-on-the-bosom-of-Pere),
especially when the moon is full. They are said to be Pere under the name
of Te-’ura-iti-a-hotu (The-little-redness-of-fruitfulness), who is a blond
i’ehu), and her attendant sister Hihi-rau-onini (Festooned-with-vines),
also
called
who is
a
brunette
It is not recorded that sacrifices
the
were
offered to the goddess Pere
in
South, but in the eighteenth century, after intercourse between the
groups was renewed by foreign sbips, it was a natural resuit, from tradi¬
tions well preserved in the minds of Tahitians and Tuamotuans, for them
to
visit the volcano
in Hawaii and to take suitable
offerings for P'ere,
This is afhrmed by Queen Liliuokalani and by Keolo, a clever aged Hawaiian woman who
lived long in Tahiti, and also by many well-informed Tahitians of the présent time. They State
that these
sayings hâve been
comnion
household words with them from their earliest days.
578
Bcrnice P. Bishop Muséum—Biilletin 48
priests and priestesses cordially received in welconiing them in
On such occasions, they carefully observed the appearance of
the smoke, tire, and lava, interpreting in them tokens of the degree of
Pere’s appréciation of the parties concerned and her récognition of them,
for they also had records of people of Tahiti kept fresh in their chants.
The Tahitian and Hawaiian dialects at that time were more alike than they
are now, as they had old words in common, and the Hawaiian had not
yet
adopted k and l in their alphabet instead of t and r. Keolo, above mentioned, was one of a party from Tahiti, who early in the fifties of the last
century visited the régions of the tire goddess as here described. Many
such gatherings of the kind hâve taken place at a later date, even since the
old priests and priestesses of the volcano hâve taken their departure to the
spirit World and the new génération lias deviated from the old faith.
which the
her
name.
Food for the goddess Pele and her train was cooked with tire from the
them, as the use of other lire would hâve been deemed
desecration, to be followed with swift rétribution from the dreaded goddess.
volcano sacred to
The lauoho o Pele (Pele’s hair, called rouni o Pere in Tahitian), which
is lava blown out by the wind when thrown up into air, forming fine glossy
threads like spun glass, mostly of a rich auburn color, the shade of the
’ehu or native blond hair, was held as a sacred relie of Pele by the devotees
of those times, and they carefully buried it when they no longer wished to
keep it, thus seeking to avoid incurring her displeasure.
The name of Pere, divested of its significance, is heard occasionally like
an
écho
Polynesia.
in
islands
farther
ofif, until it dies entirely
away
in broad
LEGEND OF PAI
A long time ago, when King Ta’ihia (Wept-for)
reigned in Tautira, there
Ata’aroa, adjoining his realm in the west, a chief named Rehia
(Prize-won) and his wife named Huauri (Dark-fruit). They had goodly
lived at
possessions and were distantly connected with the reigning family.
Their
house, named Fare-ti’a-tahi (House-standing-apart), stood on a point qf land.
It happened one day that the wife,
Pluauri, heard the Sound of a conch
trumpet blast over the sea, and upon going out to see what it meant she saw
a
great canoë close by laden with food of ail kinds going towards the settleSo she told her husband, who according to the laws of Tahitian hos-
ment.
pitality invited the people of the canoë to land and rest themselves, which
they did.
“Whither are you bound with that
food?” Rehia enquired.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
“We are taking it for King Ta’ihia and for his father Tad-te-arid
579
(Wept-
for-the-king) and for Tû-tapu (Sacred-standing), the king’s friend,” was
the reply.
Hitauri saw fish and pigs, ripe bananas, and many things that tempted lier
appetite, and seeing that she was longing for them lier fond liusband proposed to buy ail the food of the iiien.
“What goods hâve you to buy with ?’ said they.
“We hâve feather cloaks and ornaments, mats, and rolls of cloth,” was the
reply.
The bargain was struck, the food was placed in a great heap on shore and
sold to Rehia, and the canoë returned whence it came to collect more
food for the royal family. Then Rehia set to work with his people and niade
But this
Soon the story was spread
by them that Rehia had uiilawfully appropriated to himself food which
should hâve beeii taken to the royal house, and some warriors of an iiiland
themselves a feast, of which they gave liberally to friends arouiid.
created great jealousy among the king’s retainers.
clan bided their time of revenge upon liini for this act.
Not long after this event Huauri gave hirth to a beautiful little daughter,
and when the hostile warriors heard of it one of their nuniber, nanied
Fa’auta-nioe-roa
(Placed-high-for-long-sleep) said to the orator, Pu-mata-
hevaheva (Trumpet-with-flashing-shades) :
(Grayqueen), and tell them we wish to adopt lier as our chiefess, as we are only
plebeians here.”
So the nian went and was welconied by Rehia and his wife, who were
much pleased with the message brought to them, and they agreed to let the
inland clan thus adopt their little daughter, who would be given iiito their
hands when old enough to he separated from lier mother. Accordiiïgly, after
a year had elapsed the orator returned with nurses to daim the child, and she
was given over in a regai nianner, with clothes and feather ornaments befitting a child of high rank,the parents feeling the parting much and comforting
themselves that it was for the benefit of their daughter, wlioni they could
visit frequently. With affectionate leave-taking they parted. But when the
party with the child arrived niidway between sea and mountain régions the
orator dashed out her brains against the trunk of a fei tree, which became
blood stained—ever since then the sap of the fei plant has remained purple—
and then they went and buried her body in their niarae.
“Go and ask for the little babe, and give lier the naine Hina-ari’i
Ten days and nights had passed after the niurder, when some inland women
went to
the seaside for sait water, and they informed the unsuspecting
parents of what had happened.
Heartstricken, Rehia and his wife eut them-
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
580
selves with sharks teeth, and for many days they sorely wept apart from each
other, refusing to take nourishment
people.
or
comfort from their sympathizing
Seasons came and went, and Huauri again expected to become a mother.
She longed for yams, which were ont of season, and lier husband went into
the mountains in search of wild yams. Guided by their dry stems, he had
found a few, which he placed in a basket, when he met two ruahine tahutahu
(old witches), who were possessed with evil spirits.
They directed him to a
stony région where he would find a fine yam growing ; but they did mot tell
him that it was the marae ground where his little daughter was, buried. So
unwittingly Rehia found the yam, which was immense, and as he dug far
down into the ground for the end of the root, he excavated a pit beneath
the great stones, and whilè out of sight there the two witches rolled loose
boulders upon him and huried him alive. Finding himself entrapped and
about to die he pathetically cried :
“Ah, I shall not see my dear wife again, and she will not hâve the yams
she longs for!” Thus two of the family were sacrificed at the marae,
which, according tO' the customs of old times, laid the survivors open to the
same
fate.
Dark and lonely was the widowhood of poor
Huauri. For to intensify
her sorrow, she found that the murderers of lier child and husband were
also seeking her life, which she only saved with hairbreadth escapes by hid-
At length her child was horn preniaturely in a clod, which she
fear of being surprised in doing so by an enemy. Placing it in a basket she bore it to the family marae and there suspended it
upon a ti tree and exclaimed :
“O Ta’aroa, where art thou ,and where is the host of gods?”
“Here we are!” a host of elves exclaimed, appearing before her, and she
ing away.
dared not open for
said :
“Receive my child! If it be a maau (nondescript) let it die in darkness;
if it be a person, cherish it in your world below until it arrives at maturity,
light.”
willing to do as you wish,” they replied, and then the poor
womaii fainted from exhaustion and lay exposed in the night air upon the
marae ground until morning, when she went home feeling much relieved.
Meanwhile the gods searched for the child—on the stones of the marae
and under, in Rehia’s house, upon the roof and in the thatch ; they went to
the sea and looked for it in the mouths of the sharks and other great fishes ;
then they went to the river and searched ; and at last one of the gods perceived the basket in among the leaves of the ti tree, and quickly took it to
and then send it into the world of
“We
are
Ta’aroa down in Hades.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
581
“What it it?” said Ta’aroa.
“‘It is a clod,” was the answer.
So Ta’aroa sent his messengers for a large green gourd from a vine in
garden, and opening the stalk end he excavated a space within, and
placed the clod there. Then he closed the gourd tightly and put it in a
basket, which was suspended upon the ridgepole of his canoë shed, facing an
ever calm sea; and there the child lived upon the pulp in the gourd
safe
from the hands of foes. When the food in the gourd was consumed the
child cried out lustily, and the gods knew that it was time to take him out.
So they broke open the great gourd, and there appeared a fine young lad,
his
who exclaimed :
see! It was thick darkness in that gourd in which I hâve
And he fell fast asleep, without clothes. Then the messengers
went and told Ta’aroa that the child was a boy, and had gone to sleep.
“Now I
can
been living.”
“Go and see how he sleeps,” said Ta’aroa, “and if he is lying with his
face up, he will be of no use; smite him and chop him up and then cast
him into the river for food for the eels. If he is lying with his face down,
strike him, and if he awakes with a start, he will be of no use; put a rope
round his neck and hang him on a coconut tree [But after you strike him]
if he is still
awaken him],
asleep, let ten of you stamp upon him, which if failing [to
let each one of the ten strike him with a whip of the rough
atae, and after the tenth stroke he will awaken and
as our
adopted child.”
we
shall
own
him
As directed by Ta’aroa, the messengers went and put the poor child
through the terrible ordeal, which he stood well, and when he had received
the tenth stroke of the whips upon his bare, bleeding body, he calmly roused
himself out of his sleep and said :
“Who
are
you
thus awakening me?”
“Wé are your fathers,” the gods replied, and finding his eyes very red
they feared he was enraged. with them for what they had done and were
just on the point of running away when he called them back, saying he was
not
angry.
Finding himself nude and without a naine, while the gods ail wore maro
and each had a name, he wept aloud, inconsolably. When the gods understood the cause of his sorrow, two of them, named P'ape-rurua (Shelteredwater) and Pape-hau (Cool-water), went and told Ta’aroa, who put on a
pareu (waist-cloth) of fine fara matting, girded on a hatua (girdle) of
tapa, put a turban on his head, took up his stafif, and preceding an attendant
to whom he entrusted a fine roll of cloth, he strode forth.
They passed one
landmark, then another, until they came to the shed, where he found the
582
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
handsome boy, who then immediately stopped weeping.
they said to each other:
Following is what
“Manava, manava, e tau metua tane, e Ta’aroa e!” (Welcome, welcome,
O my father, Ta’aroa!)
“Teic au! Eaha ra?”
(Here am I! What is tlie matter?)
“Homai e, tahi maa tihere^ iti nou”
(Give me a little loin-girdle).
So Ta’aroa took the cloth from the bearer and unrolled it,
fathoms, then twenty fathoms, when it ended.
measuring
Then the boy stood up,
and Ta’aroa, pronouncing him a worthy son of the gods, girded and wrapped
him in the cloth after the manner of a prince; and feeling
overjoyed at
being clothed for the first time in his life, the lad looked up gratefully to
ten
his benefactor and said :
“B Ta’aroa
e, e
tahi i’àa nou” (O Ta'aroa, a name for me).
Ta’aroa named him Pai-toa-nu’u, te Pai-a-ra’i,
(Wrap-warrior-of-hosts,
Wrap-the-prince), enumerating ail the tests he had been put through to
merit his titles, and the boy expressed his great appréciation of them.
In taking leave of Pai, Ta’aroa gave him in charge of the gods to take
him down in the netherland to a beautiful well-cultivated
valley, directing
them to build him a house with beams of coconut wood, fara thatch,
and enclosed with strong sticks of toa and torea. The boy was to be
shut in and forbidden to pick the fruit ail temptingly ripe upon the trees or
to take any other food, as he being a mortal should not eat what was sacred
to the gods, and as he had not yet tasted any he could live on air.
Soon the
house was made, and Pai was placed in it as directed. The gods told him
that if he were to go outside some monster would kill him and that he must
not touch the fruit of
the trees lest he die.^
It took several
felt
a
days for Pai to realize his position, and as he gradually
desire for food he became sorely tempted to pick and eat some ripe
bananas that he saw on a bunch hanging
from a tree growiirg close by his
house, and which he was told were teeth that would bite him. At last he
put forth his left hand (according to the custom of the gods) through the
sticks of his house and just reached one banana, which he plucked and drew
in. He examined the fruit, feeling that it might hâve life and kill him, and
when he saw the eye at the tip he thought it could see and was looking at
him. But gradually he became bolder and peeled the banana; then he cautiously bit off a piece and tasted it, and finding that it was good to the taste
and that it had a pleasant odor he ate more until the fruit was gone. Then
he waited, expecting to sufïer from after effects, but feeling nothing, he said
to
himself :
^
2
The tihere is a ^inall loîn-girclle vvorn in working undress by nien.
This resembles the injunction to Adam and Eve in Paradise.
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
583
“This is food, the gods hâve told me a lie, and I shall not die from eat-
ing it.”
During the day, the bananas being very ripe began to fall ofï the tree,
and again Pai put out his left hand and drew them ail in. Then he feasted
on the delicious fruit, which he also did the
following day, as they continued to fall from the tree until they were ail gone. Finding no ill effects.
he saw that the gods had deceived him, which made him very
angry.
Pai
growing fast, and once having tasted food his cravings for it became
painful, till at last, determined to get some, he broke open his house and
went out among the trees, eating their various fruits and still
sufïering no
harm from doing so. Pie ate sugar-cane till there was no more.
He saw
pigs, dogs, and fowls, which he at first feared might he ferocious maneaters; but finding them tame and docile, his fears were dispersed. Pie saw
taro and yams growing, and finally
concluding that they were also food he
got some fire and made an oven and cooked some—without peeling them—
with a pig, which he smothered and baked whole without cleaning. Find¬
ing them good food, he also cooked dogs and fowls; and he gradually be¬
came refined in preparing his victuals.
It was not long before Pai became a man of magnificient appearance and
of great size. He went out exploring, found plantations of ’ava, and soon
learned to chew the root and make it into a beverage, the effects of which
he found fit for the gods. After consuming ail the food in Ta’aroa’s garden
and drinking ail the ava, he wondered why the gods did not corne to help
him in his solitude. He called to them, and soon a host of gods came.
On arriving on the hills overlooking Ta’aroa’s valley, they saw how
stripped the grounds were of fruit trees, which Pai had eut down and used
for firewood ; the banana and fei trees had ail been destroyed, old and young.
the trunks having been used in his oven for rmai (modifying the beat oi
the stones) ; the taro was gone, the ava roots had ail been taken, and the
plants were dry. Only coconut trees were standing, and they were stripped
of their nuts. As the gods looked around they said:
“What has happened? Has the wind or a freshet swept away everything? But no, there stand ail the forest trees on the river banks and on
the hillsides. Besides, Ta’aroa holds the source of winds and of the water,
and he would not let them hurt his plants.”
Then they descended and met Pai, who went to welcome them, and they
asked him the cause of ail the déprédation, which he frankly explained,
stating that he had felt vexed at being deceived by them, and as no food
had been set apart for him he had felt free to help himself to ail that was
there, and he wished to see Ta’aroa. So two messengers went to Ta’aroa,
who was sleeping, and they woke and told him of everything that Pai had
was
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
584
Feeling very angry, lie arose, equipped himself,
towards the valley.
He halted on arriving on the hills,
donc.
the
scene
below he grew
still more angry.
and hastened out
and as he viewed
Then he descended to Pai’s
abode, and the young man greeted him, saying:
“Welcome, O my father, Ta’aroa, welcome in coming here.”
Ta’aroa looked sternly at
But
him, not responding to his greeting, and said :
“Who is your father, you growth from a gourd, your fosterparent? You,
hrought up to our abodé, who are you?”
“Are you not my
father, Ta’aroa?” enquired Pai.
“No, I am not !” was the reply. “You are a poor mortal from the outer
World, a remuant of sacrifices, saved by your mother from the hands of evil
brought to me for protection.” Then Ta’aroa told him ail his
history and added ; “And was. it for you to consume ail my food ? Had you
only left the trees and shoots growing I should not hâve minded; but you
bave destroyed ail!”
doers and
Pai answered pathetically,
as
apologizing for ail he had donc and pleading
his excuse that it was through ignorance of his origin that he had made
the mistake, when Ta’aroa became pacified and was moved to compassion for
him, saying:
“It is enough ! You are my son, Pai-a-ra’i.”
But Pai’s feelings were deeply wounded, and his heart yearned after
his good mother, who might even then hâve been slain also and buried in the
marae,
and he replied :
“No, you cannot deceive me. Send me out to the world, to my own land !
O gods, my nursing fathers, where are you?” They at once appeared and
were
at his
disposai.
After he bade farewell to Ta’aroa, who returned home, Pai was swiftly
through winding passages, until he and the gods
the crater of Te-mehani. They halted, and the
setting sun dazzled the young man’s eyes. Hearing the sea roar, Pai inquired what it was, and the gods explained it and many other things
borne
from below up
arrived at the opening of
of this World that he
saw
for the first time.
Then in almost
an
instant
gods bore him to his home in Tautira. There they stood upon a hill,
and looking down Pai saw his parents’ fine dwelling, Fare-tu-tahi, upon the
the
point, and towards the sea was the grand stone marae of his ancestors,
which the gods explained was for mortals to pray in.
Upon the fertile
grounds above, he saw the beautiful trees, the same as those he had already
seen in the spirit world, and he exclaimed:
“O, what might I hâve lost ! I might hâve died in the Pô without seeing
this world, and my mother might hâve been slain here away from her son !”
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
585
They first descended to the marae, and in the shades of night the gods
aided Pai in offering ail the prayers required of man to Ta’aroa and his host
They killed and baked a pig for the opening sacrifice, which they
placed upon an altar, and soon the sacred birds of land and sea alighted upon
the marae and ate the pig to show the good will of the gods. Finally, in
concluding their dévotions, they killed another pig, which they besmeared
with blood and singed with lire and placed upon an altar, to remain there.
After this they beat a large drum and a small one, as they ail uttered con¬
cluding invocations, and the solemn sound resounded over land and sea and
of gods.
was
echoed back from the inland mountains.
This awakened Kkig Ta’ihia, whose head was throbbing with the Sound,
and lie sent for the high priest, Arue-te-fatu-nu’u
(Praise-the-lord-of-hosts),
interpret the meaning of so strange a
thing. Then the warriors awoke and came forth to enquire of the priest
what it could be, while ail the people of the clans lay still but sleepless in
their beds.
The wise old priest replied that it was a sure token of the
arrivai of a son to Rehia, who had been ignominiously slain and buried by
who was also aroused, to corne and
foui hands.
“Where
can
his
son
hâve
corne
from?” said the warriors.
“His wife, who was beset by some of you, concealed hini and besought
Ta’aroa to save him from you, and the gods hâve been his nursing fathers,”
Then fear came over the warriors, and
the priest replied by inspiration.
they said :
Rehia and
what they did.
“Tomorrow we shall go and see if there be really a son of
try his strength.” The priest warned them to be careful
Then ail fell asleep.
At first dawn of day, while the warriors were Consulting together about
what they should do concerning the new arrivai and were planning to make
inquiries of the mother, who had lived in constant fear of them, Pai apIiroached his homestead, and full of émotion he cried :
“F Pateaino^ e, a iriti mai” (O Lady-dear, open to me). Thinking that
the murderers had corne to get lier by déception she inquired plaintively
who it was and advised him to wait until the day had set in to take lier away,
hoping still to find a way of escape. This moved the son still more, and he
wept aloud most bitterly. Then ensued questions from the mother and
answers from the son, which terminated at last in the wonian’s recognizing
her child and letting him enter the house, when they fell on each other’s
necks and gave vent to mingled feelings of joy and sorrow. Soon they
repaired for safety to the sacred enclosure of the marae and on arriving
^
Patea
father.
means
“lady,” and pateaino
is
a
term of respect
applied to
a
mother, paino to a
586
Bernice P. Bishop Miiseum—Bulletin 48
there, they saw sitting upon the lawn a score of gods who had accompanied
Pai.
“Who
are
these?” said the mother.
“They are my nursing fathers,” replied the son, “here to protect us
from the enemy.”
The gods arose and accompanied them home, where
they prepared for
magically spread
before them; and the gods as feia metua (parental
hosts) waited upon the
mother and son (who, according to custom, sat
apart from each other) and
Ta’aroa’s adopted son and his mother a feast, which was
ate
their portion afterwards.
Then Huauri went to the river to fill her water bottle to
place at the
disposai of her son for washing his face and hands, when she was accosted
by two warriors armed with spears, who had corne to ascertain the truth
of the arrivai of her son and to challenge him to
fight the following day on
assembly ground. Pluauri gave direct answers to their questions, and
when they were gone, terror-stricken and
feeling that he and she had not
the
long to live she delivered their message to Pai. But he, undaunted, reassured his mother, telling her that she had
nothing to fear.
Soon Pai prepared to accept the challenge. Pie asked his mother for his
father’s bows and arrows, and she led him to the little house in which
kept.
they
Pie went in, took one and tried it, then another and another;
but the bows ail snapped in his muscular hands, and as he found them too
small and the arrows too light he abandoned the
thought of appropriating
his father’s weapons for the coming
emergency.
“Alas, you and I are doomed to he slain !” exclaimed the mother, fearful
because her son had never been trained for battle, not
knowing that the god
Ta’aroa had implanted a valiant warlike nature in his
gentle, Herculean
were
physique.
“Fear not, my dear mother.
replied.
I shall make my own bow and arrows he
He set to work, trying different kinds of wood and cord.
to make a bow of purau
He first tried
wood, but found it too light, and it broke when he
bent it.
Finally he made a bow of toa with a fine arch, so great that
an ordinary man could not raise
it, and of the same wood he màde his
arrows to
to their
suit the bow.
Then Pai told his mother that he must take them
priest to place in the marae ail night until early in the morning,
when he would equip himself and go forth to meet the
champions, of whom
a famous warrior named
Upoo-ofai (Stone-head) was the chief.
The priest, Tuatua-ra’i (Many-skies), received Pai
cordially and placed
the weapons in the marae with invocations to the
gods to bless them to the
use of the young
champion. When Pai returned home, his nursing fathers
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
587
had prepared a sumptuous feast, and they ail partook in the same manner as
before, after which the gods and Pai drank
ava and fell blissfully to
sleep, while Huauri lay awake anxiously thinking of the morrow.
At third cockcrow, Pai awoke, feeling hungry after the effects of the
’ava, and he went and ate ail the food that remained from his own, his
mother’s, and the god’s portions, which gave him great strength. After this
lie went to the marae to pray and to get his bow and arrows. Then it was
daybreak, and the sky was gorgeons with red clouds, when ail in the house
awoke, and they heard people passing by towards the assembly ground, talking excitedly about the coming encounter of the champions; but the gods
told Pai not to go out until messengers came to escort him.
As the sun rose from its bed of gold, people of both sexes from ail
directions were gathered upon the assembly ground in the presence of King
Ta’ihia, who awaited with much interest the arrivai of the young man. The
sun was high, and as Pai still did not
appear at last two messengers were
sent to fetch him.
When Huauri saw them approach, she told lier son to lie
down and feign to be asleep, which he did, being equipped ready to accompany them.
Soon the two men arrived and were welcomed by Huauri and
when they inquired after lier son she pointed to him still lying upon his mat,
and they exclaimed :
“What a late sleeper this son of Rehia is ! He cannot be a valiant cham¬
pion. Does he not care to win renown to the memory of his father, who
died like
a
pig?”
Then Huauri went and called lier son by the names Ta’aroa had given
him, Pai-toa-nu’u, te Pai-a-ra’i, and he arose and greeted the messengers
with ease and grâce, and said :
“Ah, you hâve corne for me!”
“Yes,” they replied, “the champions are awaiting you, and ail the people
are assembled to see you meet.
Corne and let us go.”
“I am ready,” replied Pai. When he was taking up his bow and arrows,
the attendant gods inquired if they should accompany him. “No,” he said,
“stay here and mind my mother that no harm befall lier.” They agreed to
do so and remained with lier.
Pai
suspended his bow and arrows upon a tree as he approached the
assembly ground and appeared unarmed before the gazing crowd. A murmur of admiration arose as he. presented himself before
King Ta’ihia, who
welcomed him with kindly greetings and invited him to choose a bow and
arrows from among his supply.
Then arose spiteful taunts from among
the champions, who claimed that the son of a human sacrifice could hâve
no power in combat and that his best bow would be his backbone.
Kindly
expressions followed from men and women, censuring the champions for
588
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
their unkind
language; and the King called ail to order by beckoning Pal
bis side and placing bis bows and arrows at his
disposai. But Pai, declining them with grateful récognition, replied that he did not need any, as he
to
had his
own
bow and arrows, and when he fetched them and bore them
gracefully before the people they ail applauded him, saying:
“Maeva, Pai-a-ra’i!” (Hail, Pai-the-prince ! )
The champions that stood in array against Pai were nine in number, and
in this combat they were to consign the young chief to the marae where
they
had placed his father, or Pai was to assert his dignity and save himself and
his mother from constant dread of deadly pursuit at their hands.
When a wide space was cleared between two throngs of
people and a proper distance apart was allotted to the champions, the orator of Ta’ihia called
ail to order and commanded that fair play should be shown
by the nine men
In breathless silence ail watched the course of the arrows.
There flew one aimed at Pai’s heart, which he dodged while he returned the
attack by aiming and hitting the head of his opponent, who- fell and was
immediately borne away by friends into the hands of their tahu’a (doctors).
There followed another arrow, which missed Pai’s head, and he returned
by disabling his new opponent in the arm. So Pai’s enemies fell one after
another, while he stood unscathed ; and lastly came the arrow of Upo’o-’ofa’i
with the same resuit, and he fell speared in the temple, never to rise
again.
Then, as a last test of superiority as a warrior, Pai let fly an arrow at large,
which the two witches, before mentioned, went to seek. After
looking in
likely and unlikely places, behold they found it standing erect upon sacred
ground before the royal marae, beneath the beautiful arch of a rainbow !
Then up went a great shout in praise of Pai, and the king and ail the people
to their opponent.
did him honor as a victorious warrior who had redeemed his father’s house
from destruction.
Thus did his mother find comfort in her son, who was
always thoughtful of her. Some of the champions that fell died. Others
recovered from their wounds, and Pai forgave them their past offenses.
Now the two witches, who were a terror to ail Tautira, remained to be
disposed of. They liyed on a mountain side in a cave, which was concealed
by a clump of purau of peculiar hard tough wood. Pai went up," pulled
away the clump by the roots, slew the witches, and left them in their cave.
Then he took the trees and planted them together down on the river side
by the sea and called them Ru-fau-tumu (Transplanted-fau-trees), which,
it is said, grew there a long time.
Of a long fau shoot Pai made his war
spear, tipped at each end with a bone taken from the arms of the witches
to give it magical power, and he named it Ru-fau-tumu after the wood
clump.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
589
With this spear and the favor of the gods, Pai excelled as a warrior,
and he aided King Ta’hia in subjugating neighboring tribes to bis supremacy.
feat that he performed with his spear was in rescuing from
peninsula between Opunohu and Paopao in Aimeo (Mo’orea),
which, according to this story, was formerly one with the mainland. One
night when the waning mçon was rising and the inhabitants of Mo’orea
were wrapped in soundest sleep, Hiro and his band of thieves landed from
Ra’iatea, and attaching long pohue vines to the adamant peaks of the Rotui
range they set to work drawing it ont, intending to take it to Ra’iatea. But
while they were succeeding in their enterprize, and the parting land was
almost detached from the island, Pai, who happened to be at Punaauia, was
awakened out of his slumbers by his nursing fathers, who said to him :
The greatest
Hiro the
“A rave na i to omore ia Ru-fau-tumu, a vero i Aimeo i- te rara varu!”
(Take thou thy spear Ru-fau-tumu, and throw it to Aimeo of eight radia¬
tions).
Then Pai arose and girded himself and went up on Tataa Hill (the tail
of the fish, Tahiti), which commands a fine view of Mo’orea, and sent ofif his
spear, which in an instant went across the channel and pierced a great hole in
a high mountain peak, since then named Mou’a-puta (Pierced-mountain).
Whizzing like a meteor, it passed Hiro’s band and did not stop until it arrived south of Ra’iatea, where it settled upright upon a cone-shaped hill,
which in conséquence has been indented on its summit ever since.
The
commotion of the spear passing through Mo’orea awoke ail the fowls, so
that the cocks crew lustily from mountain heights to bordering plains, and
the thieves felt that they must flee before daylight. Still tenaciously holding
on to the entangled pohue, they rushed into their canoës and thus tore away
with them from the end of Rotui range a cone-shaped hill, which they took
to Opoa and there set it near the seaside.
In proof of this event, the hill
stands today, as it did then, covered with small toa trees, unique among
the foliage of the landscape around it and corresponding with the trees of
the Rotui hills.
The beautiful peninsula, washed hy the two deep bays,
remained as it is today.
TE-PUA-ITI-TE-I-RAU-ONINI AND MAIRURUi
In the
valley of Pape’iha, Hitia’a (East Tahiti), there once lived a
Te-pua-iti-i-te-rau-’onini (The-little-flower-inbudding-leaves), whom we shall call simply Tepua. She had many suitors,
and at last she accepted as her husband a young man from Ra’iatea, named
Ta’arei (Fall-on-nape-of-neck), who became greatly enamored by her. They
beautiful
maiden,
named
^
A legend of Pape’iha, Tahiti, told by Tu-ma-tahi (Stand-alone), who is still living at Papeari, Tahiti.
This story is recorded by the descendants of the family of Ma’iruru still living in
the district of Papeari.
Many of the words and idioms are now obsolète, showing its antiquity.
Bernice P. Bishop Mtisettm—Bulletin 48
590
Tepua met a new admirer
Papeari in South Tahiti, named Ma’irûrû (Trembling-sickness), who
became their guest and completely won her affections from lier husband.
Soon being awakened to the fact, the husband became jealous and determined
lived happily together for some time, when finally
irom
to
hâve his revenge, contrary to the usage of
So he invited several friends to
been plentiful in the beautiful river of Pape’iha, and his wife
quite naturally joined the party, having no suspicion of evil de¬
hâve always
and guest,
hospitality of that time.
join him in fishing for ’o’opii, which
signs. They went out in the morning with line and hook and were soon
busy ascending the valley along the river bank, drawing up ’o’opti from the
pools. By noontime there was an abundance of the desired fish, and then
the women set out to gather wild taro pota (spinach) while the men went
higher up the valley for fe’i (wild plantains). In a most natural way the
two rivais found themselves alone together in a ravine, where there were
fine fe’i. Then the hour had corne. While Ma’rûrû was intent on
disentangling a fine bunch from vines overhead, Ta’arei stole up behind and
slew him with a heavy pôle, so that he fell backwards to the ground. Then
Ta'arei mutilated his body with a bamboo knife and eut off a piece of his
flesh, which he wrapped in leaves and placed among his fe’i; and he took the
body into a family marae, where he left it covered over with maire fronds,
after which he returned home coolly with his load of fe’i and the secreted
many
flesh.
AU the company had returned to the house and were
preparing the food
The men had made an oven, and the women
were wrapping the fish in the taro leaves, which in turn were enveloped in
banana leaves to steam in the oven, when Tepua seeing her husband arrive
to eat
when Ta’arei arrived.
enquired after their guest, he merely replied evasively, inferring that
he thought he had already returned home.
Then Ta’arei sat down and
helped make up the bundles of fish and spinach, into one of which he slipped
the piece of human flesh, taking care to mark the bundle apart from the
rest.
At length the food was ail cooked, and as the shades of evening
were falling it was brought out and served under a spreading tree.
According to custom, they formed little groups of members of different families,
uniting together at short distances from one another, and soon ait were
happily feasting.
Ta’arei opened the spécial bundle and placed it before his wife with
fe’i, and he opened one of the other bundles for himself. Soon she was
struck with the firmness of her supposed fish and enquired into the cause,
as she commenced to bite it.
After a few evasive remarks, he answered :
“That is a portion of thy heart’s desire, is it not according to thy taste?”
Then light began to dawn upon her mind, and she enquired where he had
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
591
“In the présence of thy god,” he said, “under fronds of the
left Ma’irûrû.
sacred maire fern.”
Tepua realized the painful fact of the tragedy committed by her
Thus
and leaving her food uneaten she went away in bitter grief, girded
on her tapa, braced herself with strong cords, and set ont into the dark
woods, improvising plaintive dirges for the lost Ma’irûrû.
spouse,
night long she wandered in the valley, and the following day she
AU
arrived at the marae, where she found the mutilated body, and with wonder-
Then she bore it ont
monrning for her dead, and adhering thus to her burden,
refusing to give it up or to be comforted, for two days and two nights, as
she bewailed him in the following strain :
ftil strength she raised it and strapped it to her back.
into the village,
Tuputupu te maire fai nuanua.
Fai tû tui rà, iia roto i te hati
Ra’a
mûri
ta’u hoa iti
na
e !
E iti
te
Snatched
taiha’a
I te ’aroha iti i te tane e !
Tei ni’a nui tei mitimiti aru ra,
Tei au au a rupe,
Tei te nina hara motu.
E ta’ata iti tere roa Ma’irûrû,
E tatari au e, e roa a e,
A roa i te hi’a na, a roa.
Te tui ra i ta’u manu iti e ta’i nei,
Tuitui
ra
e !
Fa’a fati onoi hau
Te tere hiti momoere,
Momoere tera mai aea e !
Na te û riri, i manua ai noa.
Tei tahatai ta’u tane hoa,
Ti’a maira; i ti’a na e.
Te aha poipoi e I
I ti’a maira i te Iiuru
O toa nui, toa nui ra’a
Tere nui
no
te tapu,
I te fenua i tini rau e hoa
No te mauri, te mauri.
Tau hoa vahiné e tai nei.
Te tui a manu manu.
A ari ra i ta’na heiva.
Te tu’ia i raro a roa,
A motu,
Sacredness following thee, O my
e
tei Iiau a i te niho ;
dear
friend !
The ’ie’ie that stretched fortli is divided,
Is eut away, alas.
I indeed am clinging [to it]
Like the maire fern.
Oh, our attachment was' [firm] as the
earth I
Te ’ie’ie e toro i vae rota,
I tapu hia tura e, are!
’O vau ho’i e piri noa
Mai te maire iti,
Taua e a au ra e, e fenua !
Harua !
The maire grew for the hard curse.
But a curse with requiem in peace,
away I
Mourning is
Delayed by falling delayed.
But the requiem by my little bird
singing.
Oh, the requiems ! To break the evil
spell
Of the errand to sacred border,
Gloomy sacredness is that indeed I
From anger kindled, in haste consumed.
On the seaside was my lover.
Standing; Oh, he was standing
For the morning prayer !
He stood in the midst
Of great rage, of great rage
a !
inadé¬
quate
To the sorrow for a lover !
Overwhelmed amid the surf,
Am I struggling unconsoled,
For him leveled, eut ofï by crime.
A man of long errand was Ma’irûrû,
I awaited him and he still delayed,
[for the]
Great errand of sacrifice.
brooding
of many friends !
departed spirit, the departed
In the land
For the
spirit,
thy woman friend now weeping,
With requiem of birds.
But frightful was his deed,
To strike [thee] down full length,
To eut, still worse to cause to bite;
Is
Bernice P. Bishop Muscian—Bulletin 48
592
A tahi
Area
a
mau
toa maua
manu
ri’i ri’ari’a !
These
nei,
I tua te heva ; a
Heva, heva,
a
horrifying
little
birds
As for the great rage tow'ards us,
My lover has’ gone away
With short requiem to sky space.
O ta’u tane hoa tera roa
Tei te tui poto i o a ra’i reva.
Te tua pure no rirerie ra,
ta’i, a ta’i au,
ta’i au i te hoa
are
(deeds)!
e,
Mo’emo’e i te rau faena !
Piri noa mai te maire iti
Taua e, a au ra, e fenua.
Many prayers are for the outraged,
Loudly did I bewail ; I weep, weep,
Mourn, mourn, O I weep for the
friend,
Lonely, from many déceptions !
Cling together as the maire” fern
Shall we two, as [firm as] land.
The
family of the victim, Ma’irûrû, at last obtained from Tepua his
hody, which they buried at his home in Papeari. The unhappy Tepua gave
way to meloncholy and died not many months after the tragedy, while her
husband returned to Ra’iatea, finding life no longer tenable in Tahiti, as the
sympathies of ail the people of that time were turned in favor of Tepua.
LEGEND OF PU-NA-AU-IA'
On the western side of the district of Pare,
extending southward, are
Fa’a’a (To-heat) and Pû-na-‘au-ia ( The-trumpetis-mine), which has also an old name, Mano-tahi (First-thousand). Following is a legend connected with the new name.
the adjoining districts of
In the old times when Tahiti
was divided into many little monarchies,
(To-heat) a beautiful young princess named Pere-itai (Search-seaward) of the house of Mahea-nu-u (Changing-paleness).
She was an only daughter, just verging into womanhood, and had a
young brother of about six years of âge called Mata’i-rua-puna (Windof-fruitful-source), a handsome child, to whom she was much attached.
They were children of sunshine, brought up in nature’s lap of luxury,
and had ail their wishes gratified. Their spacious home was upon a tableland surrounded by lovely hills and dales that were dotted with the roofs
of other dwellings peeping out among grand old trees.
Their attendants
were
faithful retainers, and their playmates were chosen from the aristocracy of the land. In other districts they also had adoptive parents,
with whom, according to the conimon practice of their race, from time
immémorial to the présent day, they sometimes lived.
Pere-i-tai’s adoptive
parents’ home was on the border of the deep twin lakes of the Vai-ta-piha
(Water-in-rooms-) River in Tautira (Set-mast) district, and thither she
often loved to go, always chaperoned by her faithful nurse, Rohivahine (Take-courage-woman), who loved her as her own child, and whose
there lived in Fa’a’a
Being a creeping fern, which clings very closely to rocks and trees, the maire is
appropriate emhlem of affection in this lament.
^
Told by Pe’iie (Mat), chieftain and doctor of Fantaii’a.
^
This name is derived from two lakes feeding the river.
2
a
very
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
husband, Rohi-tane
down his life to
(Take-courage-man), would at
their royal young mistress.
593
any
time bave laid
serve
These children and their companions were
particularly fond of passing
long sandy points fanned by breezes beneath the grand
waving plumes of coconut groves and spreading trees, while fishing parties
enlivened the scene, and it was on one of these occasions that the stately
young Pere-i-tai—^with beautiful, sparkling black eyes and wavy raven
hair, looped back with wreaths and falling in ringlets upon her finely
rounded shoulders and arms draped in tapa—met her first love.
their time upon
Away on the slopes of the hills of Fautau’a, on the eastern side of
Pape’ete, lived a fine, handsome young man of good though not royal
birth, named Te-muri (Behind), the only child of a man named Ha’amarura’i (Shaded-sky), and his wife. One morning, the son purposed going to fish
for mullet along the shores of Taunoà (Alighting), and so his father
made him
a
fishhook of
of the strong roa bark,
for his expédition.
Te-muri
a
Solarium shell, which was attached to a
line
while the son prepared bait and equipped himself
simple waistcloth of brown tapa, which was draped
body and extended down to his knees, thus showing ofif to
advantage the élégant tattooings of his manly figure and limbs resembling
richly embroidered tights ; and wearing a braided coconut-leaf shade upon
his head, he set ofif in high spirits to the seaside.
wore
a
around his
He had not been there
most
long when a great shoal of lively mullet came,
Allured by the pleasant
of which would not wait to taste his bait.
sight, he ran along the shore in pursuit of them, not heeding where he
was, until they arrived in a little bay at Fa’a’a.
Plere they stayed, and
standing out in their midst with his fishing basket on his arm he was soon
meeting with great success, when looking up and realizing where he was
he saw an assembly of persons who had been fishing in deep 'water and
gathering sea eggs and other shellfish out upon the reef. They were now
preparing a luncheon just on the outer side of the point, while on the
inner side, half screened by the drooping boughs of fara trees, was
a group of young people spreading out leaves upon the clean, white sand,
on
which to lay the food.
Last of ail, his eyes fell upon the young
princess, who, with two or three companions, was sitting in a shady nook,
witnessing his good luck with sympathetic pleasure.
He soon saw that he was in the presence of high-born maidens and
was hastening to withdraw from the place, when, according to Tahitian
ruleS of hospitality, a messenger was sent to invite him to join the party
in their feast.
So as he was some distance away from home and noon
was approaching, he gratefully accepted the invitation.
Sorting out some
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
594
of his finest mullet, he carried them as
a présent to the princess, who with
delight accepted them, and the young man, modestly retiring among the
attendants at the point, was cordially welcomed and aided them handily
in their work. After the repast was over and Te-muri
prepared to return
home, he found that his parents were not forgotten. With usual Tahitian
hospitality, his kind hostess had ordered their share of food to he neatly
packed in green coconut-leaf baskets for him to carry home with the
mullet he had already cooked; and taking leave of his new acquaintances,
he went on his way rejoicing.
Ha’amaru-ra’i and his wife and a few neighbors had become somewhat
as the day advanced and eventide set in and he did
anxious for Te-muri
But great was their surprise and pleasure when at last he
arrive, laden with good .things and giving them a glowing account of
not appear.
did
his
day’s adventures.
Wishing fo requite the kindness which Te-muri
had received, his parents aided him in preparing a présent of the products
of Fautaua to take to the royal house of Fa’a’a, and soon he went with
happy heart. On arriving at that district, with the strictest propriety he
presented himself at the royal dwelling, where he was ushered into the
presence of the royal family, who were enjoying the morning, lounging
upon mats and digesting their recent breakfast.
The king, Mahea-nu’u
(Changing-paleness), and his queen, Moe (Sleep), were surrounded by
courtiers of matured persons, while their daughter and her maids formed
a separate
group in another part of the dwelling. Te-muri stood respectfully in the doorway, holding his présent in his hands, and when he found
himself welcomed by the royal inmates, he said :
a
“1 hâve
brought these little tokens of remembrance from my parents,
Fautau’a.” Some of the attendants then received them
and a mat was spread for him, upon which he was
cordially invited to sit in the presence of the king and queen. Fine
mountain eels and vi (Brazilian plums) were exposed to view and admired
by the appreciating household, and conversation became free and easy.
The young visitor was questioned in a cordial way about his home and
parents and invited to remain until evening, but he declined doing so and
prepared to take leave of his agreeable hosts. As it would not hâve been
royal to allow him to return home empty handed, baskets of fine, baked
chestnuts {Inocarpus edulis), for which the district of Fa’a’a is still
famous, were presented to him to take home.
your servants, in
from his hands,
Thus friendly feelings were established between the two families of
unequal standing, the parents of the young man feeling highly gratified that
their son was thus honored, while, without the least suspicion of the
parents of either side, the young peuple, through mutual attachment, did
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
not
feel the wide différence of rank between them.
of the
595
The young companions
princess agreed with her that Te-muri was fitted for a far higher
station than that to which he
was
born.
So months rolled on, and our hero often found himself
visiting Fa’a’a
varions pretexts, sometimes meeting the real object of attraction, and
at others not seeing her at ail.
He formed congenial acquaintances with the
on
young men of Fa’a’a, with whom he exchanged visits and pleasure excur¬
sions.
Surf-riding, cock fighting, football, cricket (much like the English
game) ; wrestling, foot-racing, and kite-flying were common with them.
Meanwhile, Pere-i-tai frequently heard praises of the young Fautau’a
amiable and dexterous in ail his engagements with the youths of her
district, and she was delighted sometimes to meet him. He was frequently
man,
présent in her thoughts as she also was in his. And so time went on as
they occasionally met and exchanged only shy glances and kindly greetings.
The young man’s attachment was locked up sacred to himself, for he dared
not fathom his own feelings.
But the princess gradually expressed her
sentiments to her good old nurse, Rohi-vahine, and also to her faithful
young waiting maid, Ave (Traiir), and her affections grew stronger for
the young plebeian as they remonstrated with her and tried to rally her
out of so preposterous a frame of mind.
They brought before her
instances of love between royalty and plebeians where death was coldly
afflicted upon the plebians by order of the guardians of the higher culprit.
But she also was acquainted with unequal alliances that had been equalized
by the high priest at the grand marae and argued in her own mind that
this could be done for her.
Thus reasoning, ail the obstacles between
her and happiness seemed to be removed, and with almost buoyant spirits
she unreservedly made known her feelings to her parents, imploring their
aid in making such a marriage possible.
They listened calmly to their
daughter’s confession, and what was her great disappointment when she
received this
answer :
we are willing to part with our only
daughter! Such a marriage would be a disgrâce to our
high, untarnished lineage, which we proudly trace to the gods. Forget
this, your (Siildish freak, and we shall help you choose a worthy husband
from among the many suitors that are already applying for your hand.
You must nbt meet Te-muri again.”
“Pere-i-tai, it is not thus that
and much-loved
Had the parents shown
hâve had courage to abide
rage
at this interview, the girl would still
her time and renew her entreaties at some
better moment, but their tone and manner showed that their minds were
fixed and that she could not hope to hâve them changed.
The king took
the earliest opportunity of secretly requesting Te-muri not to return again
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
596
to
Fa’a’a, which mortified the feelings of the young man more than he
good parents soon perceived that something was
with their hitherto light-hearted son, and as he no longer rambled
towards Fa’a’a they concluded that he had fallen ont with somebody there ;
liked to
admit.
His
wrong
but the real truth
never
dawned upon
their imsuspecting minds.
would it hâve been had he confided his secret to
comforted him somewhat
Better
them, who could hâve
by giving him sound advice.
Fa’a’a friends came and went, and now for
were exchanged between the proscribed
lovers.
These messages were mostly quite unintelligible to the carriers,
unacquainted with the circumstances of their literal meaning, but they
served to fan up young romantic, smouldering love to such an extènt that,
unguarded and unguided in their steps, after two moons had waxed and
waned they formed plans to meet each other and decided their future
Some of Te-muri’s young
the
first
time
secret
messages
course.
During this time, the parents of Pere-i-tai made known to her lier many
eligible suitors, requesting her to choose from among them the one in
whom she could place her happiness, showing her also the social and
political advantages she would dérivé for herself and her district in
any one of such alliances.
But with remarkable dignity for her years, she
told them she could not décidé upon making such a choice, and so for the
time being they let the matter drop, expecting her to change her mind
after more matured thought.
But her mind was already inflexibly made
up, and this was her plan of which she felt certain her lover would approve :
On the night of the next full moon, they would go with some of her
faithful retainers to Tautira, to her fond adoptive parents, Te-anuanua
(Rainbow) and his wife, of high descent, and there secure from molesta¬
facilitating their marriage, which could
be performed at that district, and they would help her reconcile her proud
parents to the choice she had made. Moreover, no one in Tautira would
ever suspect the noble-looking Te-muri of being a plebeian, and his pleasing
manners would soon win for him the respect and regard of ail there.
tion she would obtain their aid in
The
princess obtained permission from her parents to go tq Tautira,
which pleased them much, as they thought that this proved her résignation
to her abandonment of ail thoughts of Te-muri and that their friends in
Tautira would easily influence her young mind and
channel for her future welfare and second them in
turn it into the right
aiding her to make a
wise choice of a partner.
Préparations were being made for Pere-i-tai to travel in a manner
becoming her station. A great double canoë, with mats for sails and long
pennants of red and yellow cloth, were chosen for the occasion and on it a
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
little house or awning was
597
erected to protect her from the keen sea air of
night’s voyage. Retainers were busy making rolls of fine white and
feather headdresses and neck ornaments, as présents for her
to take to her adoptive parents and to give friends in return for gifts that
she would be likely to reçoive on arriving aniong them. A strong bodyguard was chosen to man the canoë and she was to be accompanied by her
good nurse, Rohi-vahine, and her maid, Ave.
a
red tapa and
Thus everything was progressing to the satisfaction of parents and child
from widely different standpoints.
and yet
when Pere-i-tai and Te-muri must meet
And now the time approached
in order to mature their plans.
unsophisticated times, the lady felt as free to make advances in
as the lover, and the princess could command in wooing a
man of inferior rank to herself.
Chivalry burned as ardently in the bosom
In those
love matters
of the
gallants in these yet unexplored régions as it did in the hearts of
his contemporaines,
also here.
European knights, and heroes and heroines flourished
Pere-i-tai’s maid, Ave, who was
about her own âge, was an orphan
good birth whom she had chosen in childhood from among the family
retainers as her spécial attendant and companion. Their characters blended
together, and they grew up much attached to each other. Ave had a
brother older than herself, named Vaiiho (Leave), who was very friendly
of
frequently visited him at Fautau’a. It was this young
man that Pere-i-tai generally chose as the carrier of her enigmatic messages
to their mutual friend, and he was faithful in bringing back the answers
to her, never betraying either side or seeking to be enlightened in regard to
their meaning. He was of a quiet, retiring, though observing turn of mind
and probably understood more than he admitted.
At last Pere-i-tai sent
her final message to Te-muri by Vaiiho, and she said:
with Te-muri and
“The old
moon
is out and the new one will soon appear.
On the
night before it is full and just as it begins to shine over the mountains,
me in your canoë at the point where you and I first met.
And
bring your best apparel with you.” Yet this message was still an enigma
to the bearer.
How could the invitation for his friend to go and meet
meet
the
to
princess at Fa’a’a, which he intuitively knew was
forbidden ground
him, be in harmony with her intended trip away, and for what purpose
w'as
he to go in his sailing canoë with his best
clothes ? But without further
inquiries he bore the communication as it was given, and in reply Te-muri
said :
“Yes, I shall be there,” which surprised Vaiiho still more.
598
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
At the royal marae of Fa’a'a, named Ahu-ra’i
(Sky-heat), prayers were
offered for the welfare of the princess, about to leave the district, to the
Cricket,^ who was regarded potent at that shrine.
As the
new
moon
god
began smilingly to shed its silvery rays in the west,
the cries of the birds of land and
in accents loud and shrill
or
sea
became
suggestive.
Day and night,
soft and sweet, in measured and uneven tones,
they delivered their messages from the gods to the royal house of Fa’a’a
and also to Te-muri and his anxious parents at Fautau’a. These
auguries
impressed each party according to their state of mind. The king and queen
felt perplexed by them and without satisfaction sought to understand their
meaning. They turned to their priests to interpret these mysteries; but the
only answer the priests could give was that the cry of the cricket also was
loud at the marae and that they should be prepared to receive some
important révélation from the gods. The two young lovers were cheered
by these signs, interpreting them favorably to themsleves; while Te-muri’s
parents, who also consulted their gods and priests in their perplexity and
obtained vague answers, were depressed.
Meanwhile, ail was made ready for the trip to Tautira, and the evening before the full moon, the time appointed for the meeting of Pere-i-tai
and Te-muri, arrived. The boy Vaiiho was in the habit of fishing in the
evening outside of the point where the rendezvous was to be, so that the
princess and her maid frequently strolled that way to see what success he
met with, and on this spécial evening no one wondered to see them wend
their way thither just as twilight was almost imperceptibly blending into
bright moonlight. Nor was it unusual to see a passing canoë sail into the
little bay, screened from the outside wind, to take rest before running its
course onward to some outer district.
Vaiiho would be too busy fishing
to
notice those that came.
As the two maids
walking to the point, Pere-i-tai prepared her
companion for what was coming, receiving from her in return the assur¬
ance that she had her
sympathies and would not betray her to a single
soûl, just as young ladies exchange confidences ail over the world. When
they arrived at the point, Vaiiho was out on his fishing ground by the
coral reef, and they seated themselves upon the sandy shore, when soon
they saw a sail against the horizon. Then they perceived the figure of a
man, guiding a light canoë, heading towards them.
It was the chivalric
Te-muri, who, while his parents supposed him to be out fishing in his own
district, had ventured at the risk of losing his life to obey the summons
were
of his fair charmer.
He looked well
’
as
For the regard that the
he
approached the shore, dressed as a gentleman of
people had for the cricket (p. 392).
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
599
fringed cape, a figurée! waistcloth, and turban of yellow
Wreathing in his sail dexterously as he neared the shore,
with a masterly push of his paddle he landed high up on the sandy beach
in the bay beneath a great spreading purau tree.
Here he was soon joined
by the princess, whose attendant stayed in the rear. They greeted each
his time, in a
printed tapa.
a heartfelt '7a ora na” and a respectful shake of the hands,
always a native custom, and then they sat a little apart upon
the sand, overshadowed by dense fara trees.
There in the stillness of
the evening, with ail nature smiling upon them, they sat for a few moments
motionless, neither of them uttering a word, while their bosoms heaved
with émotion. At length, Pere-i-tai exclaimed :
other with
which
was
“Oh, Te-muri, my heart has gone out to you, and our séparation has
been cruel to me !”
And he answered ;
“My heart has also been aching for you, my sweet gardénia, my
And their tears fell fast as they again relapsed into silence.
brilliant pearl.”
After these
two
children of nature had thus unburdened themselves,
they gradually talked over freely their respective plans, which appeared to
But Te-muri’s plan was at last decided upon, which
them practical enough.
was to bear Pere-i-tai at once away to Papenoo
(Confluent-water), the
Tahitian “City of Refuge,” where fugitives and discontented factions were
safe from pursuit.
There his father’s brother was chief of a clan and
would welcome them ; and at his local marae they could be United in mar-
riage.
In that district they would remain until the princess’s parents
became reconciled to their union and would reçoive them to their
home.
éloquent pleadings, Pere-i-tai exclaimed:
good plan, Te-muri, and I agréé to your proposais.
Oh, take me with you, and jour home shall be mine and your people my
people!” And the young man, flushed with joy and pride, answered:
“Then corne now with me, ere traitors see us ! Princess thbu art, and
When Te-muri ended his
“This is indeed
a
queen shalt thou ever be in my heart and among my people.
Hina (Gray) in the moon is now watching over us, and ail
The goddess
the gods are
We hâve nothing to fear.”
here,” answered Pere-i-tai, “while I go and fetch
more covering for me to wear in the cold night air.
And I must take my
maid, Ave, with me.” Thus speaking, she rejoined lier faithful attendant,
and they speedily returned home, where, unquestioned by those who saw
them, they took a mat to spread in the canoë and tapa sheets to wrap
themselves in and quietly walked out of a side door, as they had often done
before to en joy the cool air under the trees.
They passed by ail their old haunts upon the promises and stealthily glided
along through the shade away from the trodden footpath until they again
favoring us.
“Wait yet a moment
6oo
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
reached the shore vvhere Te-muri’s canoë was safely
But they soon perceived that Te-muri was missing,
lying as they had left it.
evidently soon to return.
So they sat down and patiently awaited him for some time, but he did not
reappear. Upon reflection, the young girls, knowing that Te-muri had to be
prudent in his moves, concluded that he had retired from the shore because
of some alarm during their absence, in which case he woüld
probably be
safely hiding in some shady nook and not return until towards midnight,
when ail stray ramblers would be in their homes
asleep. So as Vaiiho
returned from fishing, they decided to go home with him and wait there
until they could again steal away. Placing their things in Te-muri’s canoë,
they retired, leaving Vaiiho quite in the dark in regard to ail their proceed-
ings.
As the two maidens lay "upon their beds close beside each other,
they
could not sleep, and as the night advanced Pere-i-tai became so restless that
she sent for her old nurse and second mother to corne and sit
by her. The
good woman promptly obeyed the summons, and seeing her beloved young
mistress toss uneasily upon her bed she stroked and rubbed her down, as
she had often donc in former times when she was
her
a
little infant entrusted
form of massage
much practised arnong the Polynesians
everywhere under like circumstances. At length Pere-i-tai could bear it no
longer, and she unburdened her heart to the sympathizing Rohi-vahine, who
to
care—a
replied :
“Oh, my child !
Why did you not confide in me sooner ? I, a plebeian,
as only a plebeian can, and I entreat
you to release
him of this intrigue. Your plan to ennoble him later might never be
pos¬
sible, and meanwhile he would be a fugitive, pursued and watched by some
accomplice of your royal house and eventually slain and sacrificed to the
gods, and then you would be brought home to mourn your loss, a reproach
to your own people.
It is only for. deeds of valor and heroism, when
royal personages hâve been rescued from outrage or death in some extraordinary way that kings and queens consent to raise people of our standing
to their rank.
This is what Te-muri’s parents would undoubtedly
say also
to you and him were they consulted in the matter, for no
plebeian.s could
ever wish to bring down wrath
upon themselves and even their district by
forming such a union.”
can
feel for Te-muri
This matured reasoning caused the royal maiden to see for the first time
the disadvantage of a misalliance and the serions evil to which it
inevitably would hâve led; but not yet quite willing to be convinced of its
utter folly she answered :
“Oh ! Why indeed did I not confide in you before !
It is too late now
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
6oi
Te-muri must not be disappointed, and we will trust to
gods for future developmeiits to save us from the evils you portray.”
for me to retract,
the
Now, while Te-muri finds his life
jeopardy is the best moment to break ofî this engagement. Let me go
and reason with the poor misguided though brave young man, for his
parents’ and your sakés.” A dead silence ensued, and Pere-i-tai wept with
regret and relief combined, and at length she said :
“Yes, I agréé to what you say, my dear second mother. Te-muri is
probably waiting anxiously now for my return. Bear him my deep 'aroha
(affectionate regards) and tell him that I pray the gods to give him a
handsome wife worthy of him and whom he must regard as my second
self.” As the nurse quietly glided away from the dwelling, the girl drew
a long deep sigh, exclaiming, “Aue !” which, throughout Central Polynesia,
from Hawaii to New Zealand, is a word used to express deep or undefined
feelings. And now she grew calm and fell into a peaceful slumber, which
she so much needed. AU was quiet and peaceful in the king’s premises, and
Pere-i-tai’s secret was safe in her plebeian friends’ keeping.
in
“No, my child, it is not too late!
for the trip to
The evening approached, and the final meal was made ready before parents and child were
to part for a season.
They were just about to partake of it when the king,
seeing the high priest enter the courtyard, went out to meet him and speak
on private matters.
At the same moment, the boy, Vaiiho, who had been
sent out on an errand, approached looking much agitated, and as soon as
he was able to speak, in a hoarse whisper he said:
“Hâve you heard the news?”
“What news?” asked the girls much surprised.
“Do you know where Te-muri is?”
“Has he not gone home to his parents ?” asked the princess.
“Alas, alas, no!” replied the young man.
“Then where is Te-muri?” she gasped.
“Our good friend, Te-muri, whom you met last night, is with the gods
The following day, as final préparations were being made
Tautira, Pere-i-tai entered into them with a light heart.
in the marae.”
“What is he doing with the gods there?”
“Ta’aroa in Hades only knows that!”
Not
realizing what had happened, Pere-i-tai turned to her nurse, Rohi-
vahine, who had also just corne in, and asked her if she had met him to
Her reply was in the négative, and she added that
she had remained out by the canoë ail night and had been on the alert to
meet him ail day, but had seen no signs of him.
Now light began to dawn
deliver her message.
upon
their minds, and just as Pere-i-tai was about to enquire
again of
Bernîce P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
6o2
Vaiiho what had really befallen Te-muri, her father returned from his inter¬
view with the priest, looking very grave, and he called her to him.
“Pere-i-tai,” he said, “you hâve brought sorrow upon us and upon the
plebeian lover! We did not expect this of you.- Te-muri
house of your
is no more!”
Fully realizing the evil she had unwillingly caused and overwhelmed
sorrow and regret, she fell senseless upon the mat where she had
stood with her father and was soon borne away in the arms of ready
attendants to her bed, where she was gradually restored to consciousness ;
and she became a prey to deep and bitter remorse.
The cause of Te-muri’s doom was that a priest who was out on duty for
the night, seeking for omens and révélations from the gods, was led by the
cry of the cricket to the pomt where the young people were, and seeing
them in earnest conversation on royal promises he felt it his duty to know
who they were and ascertain the purport of their conversation.
So he
stealthily approached them in the thicket behind where they sat, the sound
of the wind off the sea preventing them from noticing any rustle while it
carried their voices distinctly to his ears in his place of concealment. He
overheard ail their plans and abided his time to frustrate their purposes. As
the young girls disappeared, he saw the unsuspecting Te-muri kneel down
upon the sand and address an invocation in a low tone to the gods of the
sea to be by him and his ladylove in their hour of need and then lay himself out with his face down and chin resting upon the back of his hands (a
favorite posture of repose among Polynesians), and now the décisive
with
moment had corne.
Noiselessly approaching him from hehind, the priest raised a club, which
and with steady aim administered a
heavy blow upon the nape of the young man’s neck, which caused instantaneous death while it averted the spilling of blood and breaking of bones,
circumstances that were carefully avoided by Tahitians in slaying victims for
their gods.
Filled with religions zeal, he picked up the corpse and threw
it over his shoulders as though it were nothing—so strong were the heathen
priests of Tahiti when executing the functions of their office. He then
bore the body away over sandy, shaded shores and around bleak, woody
bluffs, avoiding meeting stray wanderers, and at last he arrived at the
grand marae. Here he presented his offering to the high priest, telling him
ail that had happened, who acceptéd it in the name of the god Cricket, to
whom they offered invocations to secure the departed spirit as a new guard
to the sacred grounds, rendered superlatively sacred by many human victims
that from time to time were buried there.
A grave was dug beneath a
he carried in his bosom when on duty,
great tree,
supposed to be inhabited by numerous spirits that were ever
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
603
there to watch over the dreaded premises, and this was the end of Te-muri’s
young life.
evening so long looked for with conflicting hopes and fears,
for the royal house of Fa’a’a. Te-muri’s parents watched expectantly for the arrivai of their only son to his home, and as night
advanced went to rest, supposing that he was safe with some of his
friends on the seaside, yet with some misgiving, and they were troubled
in their dreams about him. It was a sleepless night for Pere-i-tai and lier
Thus the
ended sadly
parents.
The child’s sorrow was poignant and heartrending, and the parents
truly sorry for the sad termination of their friendship for Te-muri
and his good parents, while the murder of the young gallant was a natural
course of events under the circumstances in those times—regretted but not
censured by the great, and mourned but not murmured at by the common
people. The news broke the hearts of Te-muri’s parents, who soon fol-
were
lowed him to the other world.
Days passed into months and still the princess was inconsolable.
Seeing
that she was pining away and in a morbid State of mind, her parents became
concerned about her and decided to make a grand effort to make her forget
her sorrow and become herself
again.
Accordingly, it was arranged for ail
the family to go to the leeward islands on a visit to the royal familles there,
in order that Pere-i-tai might
rank the likeness and, in their
minds, thé affinity of the last Te-muri, so as to transfer her affections from
the dead to the living, as was the custom of those times. Great préparations
were soon made, and one fine morning they set out on their voyage in a
large double canoë, followed by two long single ones. The closing day
verged into a clear, calm moonlit night, and early in the morning the
travellers found themselves nearing the island of Huahlne (Gray-fruit), the
nearest of thé leeward group.
Soon they entered the straits that sever
Great Huahine from Small Pfuahine, and quickly the news was carried from
one settlement to another along the shores that a royal canoë from Tahiti
was in their midst, until, long before they approached the northern port of
P'are, the royal family there were apprised of their approach, and hasty
préparations were made to receive their guests in a becoming manner.
they were distantly connected,
in the person of some young man of
with whom
meet
An escort was
soon
sent to meet
the visitors from the king and queen
(whose liâmes are not mentioned), who were waiting in State in their royal
Attended by varions members of their household
they sat on a great mat, and before them was spread another large mat
ready for their guests. Servants of the establishment were in waiting
around the premises.
The Tahitian personages were soon ushered into
their presence and welcomed with :
home to receive theni.
6o4
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
“Manava ’outou,
na
ari’i no Fa’a’a e!
A haere mai i
(Welcome to you, O royal family of Fa’a’a !
the guests
answered;
“B teie matou, to ’outou ta’ata ri’i tupu.”
kindred
neighbors).
fo tatoti
Pare.”
Corne into our home).
(Yes, here
we
And
are, your
After a cordial shake of the hands and emotional
embracing the guests
thoroughly at home. The following day there was a
feast and an exchange of présents between the two parties, and friendly,
good feelings existed among them, which lasted as long as they remained
together. Pere-i-tai became the center of attraction in Huahine. Of suitors
she had many from among the princes of the land, but while the change of
scene imparted to her new life and better
spirits, yet her heart remained
constant to the memory of her lost Te-muri, and she declined the ofïers of
were
made to feel
those who did not resemble him.
Two months thus passed, and the Fa’a’a guests took leave of their kind
hosts with an inter change
of sincere regrets at parting and set sail for the
neighboring island of Ra’iatea, which they reached in a few hours. Here they
were received by the royal
family of Tamatoa in the same manner as in
Huahine.
It was not long before Pere-i-tai’s beauty became the theme of
conversation and song in Ra’iatea, and suitors were eager for her hand. At
length her parents’ hearts were gladdened by seeing that she had at last
found the likeness of her lost lover in the person of a young high chief
named Te-’ra’i-marama (Moonlit-sky), who was a member of’the royal
family and who paid her his addresses, which she difïidently accepted, not
having quite recovered from her late terrible expérience. Their marriage
took place at Ra’iatea, as Pere-i-tai did not care to return to Tahiti after
her recent troubles, and there was great rejoicing in the land. When Perei-tai’s parents returned home, Mata’i-rua-puna, her young brother, was
allowed to remain with her for a time as a binding link between her and
her own family circle in Tahiti, and her personal servants also remained
with her.
A year passed pleasantly by, and Pere-i-tai found herself the
happy
mother of a fine little girl, who was the image of herself.
Mother and
child were the pride and joy of the family, whose friends and retainers
brought them an abundance of food and other présents in token of
gratulations on the occasion, according to the native custom.
con¬
When the child was about six months old, the season for beating out
tapa cloth arrived and ail the women of the land were busy in the pleasant
It was the custom for matrons to forni groups for such work
apart
from the young maids, and the song of the tapa mallet was everywhere
heard in the cool morning hours. The Tahitian princess had not yet joined
Work.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
605
of these parties, but one day seeing some young women, who had
newly corne from a neighboring island, happily working in a shady nook
by a rippling stream, she decided to get some cloth bark and join them.
They were ail unmarried girls, and seeing her young like themselves apan}?
proaching them, they very readily made room for her, and she United with
them in work and song ; and so moments flew, until they beat out long sheets
of beautiful tapa from their tapa boards and spread them out in the sun
to
dry.
The
following morning, leaving her child with her nurse as she had
Pere-i-tai again went to work with her new and con-
done the day before,
But meanwhile, the child, who had been sleeping, awoke
so that the faithful Rohi-vahine sent Pere-i-tai’s
brother, Mata’i-rua-puna to fetch her home, which he did promptly. Perei-tai had been informed that her companions were ail single girls, but not
vrishing to break the circle in the morning’s work she chose to remain and
finish her part with them, intending to retire from their midst gracefully
and not return again. During an interval when the mallets ceased to beat
and the song had also ended, Pere-i-tai distinctly heard the voice of her
brother shouting :
“Pere-i-tai, ua ara 0 alu!” (O Pere-i-tai, the child is awake!) Hoping that he might not find her, she kept quiet and soon resumed her work,
which would shortly hâve been finished.
^
genial friends.
and cried
inconsolably,
of tapa beaters but not seeing his
sister, he went on his way, continuing to call, until at last he perceived her
in the distance and ran up to her quite unconscious of heing indiscreet. As
The brother passed different groups
ail the young maidens looked up in astonishment, first at the
lad and then at their beautiful companion, who in her confusion was speechhe did so,
less.
Mortified in the extreme, Pere-i-tai
abandoned her work and the
her way shedding tears
strangers, her hrother
following her astonished at her émotion, and not understanding it.
group with whom she had been so happy and went
from chagrin at being thus exposed to the ridicule of
She went home,
care
quieted her child, and leaving her once more to the
( Long-valley), not far off, and sat
of her nurse she went to Fa’aroa
weeping upon a great stoiie at the point called Te-’ora’a-’otaha (Digging-ofthe-man-of-war-bird), and numerous white spots upon that stone are known
to this day as Pere-i-tai’s tears.
Thither also her brother followed her, and
avoiding him she arose and is said to hâve plunged into a dark hole at the
side of the river, which led down to the netherland, where some of her
ancestors dwelt.
Seeing her disappear her brother descended in pursuit of
her.
Downward they went, passing through dark space and water, the
sister gliding on easily, while the brother’s head sonietimes came in colli-
6o6
Beruice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
sharp rocks in passages through which they descended, until at
spirits of people
dwelt. They were welcomed by their ancestors, with whom
they remained
a
year, and Pere-i-tai recovered from her late chagrin.
sion with
last they arrived at the Pô, or région of darkness where the
In that
région were immense conch trumpets, which the inhabitants
played and which produced beautiful sounds. One of them was given to
the young boy, and it was named Pû-i-roroi-tau (Conch-from-beneath-thesunken-rocks), and with delight he learned to play it skilfully. Outside
of the reef, at the district of Mano-tahi, Tahiti, is a chasm in the rocks
called To’a-te-miro (Long-standing-rock), near the
passage of the same
name.
Often on calm days, people passing that way in canoës or fishing
upon the reef heard the sounds of Mata’i-rua-puna’s beautiful music issuing
from that spot, and so they searched for the cause of it.
They picked up
varions kinds of shells and rocks and tried to make them produce musical
notes, but ail of no avail; the sounds still corne from away below the
surface of the sea!
Meanwhile, Te-ra’i-marama was distracted and inconsolable in losing his
wife.
The disappearance of her little brother also made her absence a still
greater mystery. Friends had seen them both at the point in the distance ;
but no one saw them return or go away from there, and
nobody ever
suspected that they had travelled downwards.
The baby girl soon became
AU
search for the missing ones was at last abandoned, so that two homes were
made very sad.
attached to a kind foster mother, and was growing fast and winsome.
When the year was passed, Pere-i-tai and her brother were told that
they
So they were conducted to a great
tunnel that led up to the cave in the rocks of Mano-tahi in Tahiti, and in
an instant
they were pushed up as if by magic into the opening above and
were delighted to find themselves surrounded with a
calm, smooth sea, and
to see the light of day once more.
Mata’i-rua-puna sounded his trumpet
loud and sweetly and soon attracted the attention of the inhabitants on
must return to
the land of the living.
shore, who in a little while went out in canoës to search once more for
the wonderful treasure and beheld with astonishment the long-lost chUdren
of the king of
among
their neighboring district, sitting alive and well in the cave
While one canoë approached to take them on shore,
the rocks.
others hastened to be first to tell the story of what they had seen, and soon
they were cordially received by the royal house of Pohue-tea (White-convolvulus) of the district of Mano-tahi, while messengers were dispatched to
tell the news in Fa’a’a, and before nightfall the parents were rejoiced to
clasp once more in their arms, the children for whom they had been
mourning as dead.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
607
The great conch trumpet, Pû-i-roroi-tau, greater than any that had been
before in Tahiti, was presented by the boy, Mata’i-rua-puna, to the
high chief, Pohue-tea, who perpetuated the memory of this story by changing the name of his district, Mano-tahi, to Pû-na-’au-ia, (The-trumpet-ismine).
The chief, T e-ra’i-marama of Ra’iatea, was soon informed of the
astounding news, and he brought home the babe and faithful servants to
Tahiti, where the family lived happily together; and no persuasion could
seen
induce Pere-i-tai to return to her husband’s
ever
with such humiliation.
ried a high chief
land, where she had met
The child, who inherited her mother’s name, mar-
of Huahine, who adopted the name Pere-i-tai, which has
of that line ever since.
been a hereditary family name of the chiefs
So ends the story of the famous trumpet that caused the change of the
of
district in Tahiti.
which was consecrated to
the district, was held too sacred
to hand down to profane European hands and was thrown into a Whirl¬
pool at Ma-piha’a, when the idols and other treasures of old heathen times
were hidden away or
destroyed after Christianity was ushered in and the
early converts were enthusiastic in breaking down the ancient temples of
their former gods and in destroying their sacred property.
name
a
But that trumpet,
the use of the gods of the great marae of
HURI-I-TE-MONOI
(Twin-cloud) was the king, Toae-hau (Oration-of-peace)
and there was born to them a princess, whom they prophetically named Huri-i-te-mono’i-a-’are-vahine (Pour-perfumed-oil-uponthe-woman’s-billow). Hiti-poto (Short-border, or Mangareva) was the
Mahu-tu-rua
was
his queen,
land.
(Long-border, or Tahiti) was the land, Manua (Hasty) was
king in the north, Ma-tu-tere (While-standing-to-sail) was his queen,
and there was born to them Pua (Flower), a daughter, Me-to (Towed), a
daughter, and Mua-va’a (Front-canoe), Roto-va’a (Inner-canoe), Oti-va’a
(Last-canoe), and Tui-hani-potii (Invocation-of-girl-caressed), who were
Hiti-roa
the
sons.
beauty of the princess, Huri-i-te-mono’i (Pour-perfumed-oil), of Hiti-poto extended to ail lands, and many high-born suitors
set out to find that land and marry the princess; but
they were lost in
mid-ocean and were never heard of any more.
At last the two Tahitian
princesses. Pua and Me-to, said to their brothers :
“Préparé a ship and go to Hiti-poto for the beautiful princess and bring
her here that she niay become the spouse of whichever one of you may
prove deservfng of her.”
The famé of the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
6o8
This proposai, approved of by the parents, pleased well the young men;
they feared to go, for, said they, “Many valiant suitors bave gone
woo this beautiful maid,
but they hâve perished at sea, been
devoured probably by the guardian shark of her land or liy other monsters
around her shores.”
The sisters urged, and the brothers objected that
storras would overtake them and high seas would engulf them; but the
sisters continuing to press them at length prevailed upon them to make the
but
forth to
attempt.
So a ship ^ was built with four little thatched houses upon its
deck for
princes and was laden with provisions and présents. They named the
ship Uru-e-hau (Forest-of-food-and-peace), manned it with experienced
navigators, and set out to sea with ail the usual religions rites for the
occasion and the good wishes and encouràging prédictions of those they
left behind. They sailed away with a fair wind, which soon wafted them
without adventure towards the shores of the land they wished to visit.
On
the day they hove in sight, the princess was enjoying the gentle summer
the
breezes at a pretty seaside résidence
of
a
facing the harbor on the leeward side
promontory that obscured her parental home, attended only by a fair
daughter of a retainer, Hina-te-pipiro (Gray-of-rank-odor). Having the
gift of clairvo3^ance the princess foresaw that a ship was approaching with
young suitors for her hand, and so she said to her maid:
ship that will soon arrive with princes
over yonder for sweet-scented
ferns and flowers with which to deck myself, and when you see the sail
in the horizon corne and notify me that I may be prepared to receive them.”
So Huri-i-te-mono’i went her waj^ and shortly afterwards the lookedfor sail appeared.
But Hina-te-pipiro suddenly became ambitions to be
“Remain here and watch for
from Hiti-roa,
a
while I go into the woods
herself the heroine of the
romance
that
was
to
follow, and
so
she
re-
flected :
in the royal bathing pool close by and then
apparel of my mistress, of which she has a
supply in this house, and Fil wear her royal wreath of red and yellow
and purple feathers and seat myself upon the royal mat for the réception
of those princes, that they may believe me to be the princess.” 'And inimediately she began to put her plans into execution.
She bathed in the limpid cool waters of the pool sacred to royalty, but
finding on coming out that her plebeian odor still remained with her, she again
bathed, anointed herself with sweet-scente'd oil from an aroro (small gourd)
of her mistress, and arrayed herself as a princess. Then she hastened to
complété her préparations, and by the time ail was ready the vessel had entered
“1 must go and plunge
corne and put on the royal
^
Pahi,
a
great canoë decked over, signifies a “ship.”
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
609
the spacious lagoon, unnoticed by the people, who were enjoying their noon-
day nap in their buts on the windward side of the headland.
It was decided that the three elder brothers should bear the message to
the princess, while the youngest brother staid on board to mind the ship.
So
they landed, and as they approached the door of the honse, the scheming
girl seated upon the royal mat welcomed and greeted them in the usual way
and bid them enter the dwelling. They greeted her as the princess and yet
wondered to see her entirely unattended. But having no misgivings, they told
her that their errand was to invite her in the name of their parents and sisters
They then spread before
of choice mats and tapa and feather prnaments they had
brought for her and her parents, to whom they also wished to be presented.
to go with them to Hiti-roa and make it her home.
her the présents
According to the custom of those times, the visitors should hâve been
escorted to the dwelling-place of the family and there made to feel at home.
Then as soon as possible a feast should hâve been spread before them with
exchange of présents.
Moreover, a princess should hâve been provided
But
Hina-te-pipiro replied that she was highly gratified to go to Hiti-roa and
cordially accepted the présents on behalf of her parents as well as herself, and
she added that she regretted much that she could not take them to her home
or offer them hospitalities, as
they must make ail speed and bear her away
before her numerous gods came to molest them and prevent her from leaving
her land, which she said the princes would not mind as their errand was to
fetch her. This answer sounded feasible, and feeling charmed with her readiness to
accept their proposai they decided to do as she advised. So they
quickly took in a new supply of water and coconuts, and one man carried
her in regai style upon his shoulders to the ship. Then they sailed out of the
harbor as quickly as they had corne in and were out of sight of land just as
the sun was setting.
an
with présents and a chaperone and retainers to go to a strange land.
While the real princess was gathering her flowers and weaving them with
sweet-scented fronds and leaves into a wreath and garland,
she heard spirit
rappings and a low cry that was communicated to her from the seaside house
through the ground to tell her ail that was happening, and as soon as she
completed her work and realized the import of the strange warnings she
emerged from the woods and returned to the house just in time to see the
strange vessel in full sail passing outside of the reef. She looked around in
the house, and saw that her oil gourd, her choice apparel, her feather wreath
and girdle, her mat, and other royal insignia were ail gone, and then she knew
that her plebeian maid had really usurped her place and fled. Impelled by her
guardian spirits, she took a surf-board and prepared to launch out upon it in
pursuit of the voyagers, singing as she did so in the following strain :
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
6io
Hini riaria te tai
o
Terrifie are tlie
te atua,
of tlie
waves
océan
of
gods',
Roaring as they rise.
Benighted is my oration,
Impelled by the applauding terrifie, ter¬
the
E hoho mai i ni’a.
Tei po ta’u vana’a tue rire,
Hini, hini e!
rifie
waves.
Then she launched out into the sea singing :
Tau ’aura’a tei tua; tei Hiti-roa
To ro’i ai’a e ri e,
To ro’i ai’a e taa au ra
Tei tua tei Hiti-roa e!
Thy swimming extends
out to sea; to
Hiti-roa far off
Will thy bed of refuge lodge,
e
Thy bed of refuge upon which I départ
Away to
sea.
to
Hiti-roa !
The wind lulled, and as Huri-i-te-mono’i swam out upon her surf-board
she lost sight of the sail in the horizon, and when she reached the open océan
darkness surrounded her.
steady purpose she continued her
gods. Ail night and ail day she swam, and after
the second night, as day dawned, she saw the ship appear behind her and
awaited its approach. Soon the navigators were gazing with amazemeiit upon
But with
one
course, guided by her océan
the beautiful woman, so much more beautiful than the one under their care,
poised upon the swelling sea.
The princess accosted them in a melodious
voice, and said to the eldest prince, whose deck-house was foremost :
“O Mua-vaa, take me up into your ship !”
But just as he was about to do
the faithless maid on board, now desperately bold, warned him not to
corne in contact with her, saying that she was a fiendish phantom from the
rocks beneath the océan, intent on doing them harm, and so he pushed her
so,
away with a long pôle.
Then Huri-i-te-mono’i turned to the second brother, Roto-va’a, whose
house was in the center of the ship, and implored him to reçoive her ; but his
actions were also overruled by Hina-te-pipiro.
So also she appealed to the
third brother, Oti-va’a, with the same resuit, and finally she implored the
fourth and youngest brother, Tui-hani-potii, who was yet but a young lad,
to
reçoive her, and he heeded not the artful adventuress, but filled with pity
he asked:
you?”
“Who
are
“1
Huri-i-te-mono’i-a-aru-vahine, the true princess whom ÿou came
am
to seek.
In
That woman you hâve with you is my servant maid,” she replied.
spite of ail démonstrations from the other woman, the young man
lowered a rope, which Huri-i-te-mono’i firmly grasped, and he soon aided her
up into his house in the mizzen of the ship, which he placed at her disposai.
She was exhausted, cold and hungry and thirsty, and he gave her dry clothes
to wear, but when he went for food and water for her, Hina-te-pipiro induced
his brothers to oppose him in doing so,
saying that such a phantom of the
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
6ii
deep did not require food but would shortly bring a dire calamity upon the
ship, and they told him lie must not^allow ber to corne out of the bouse on
pain of death and that she should not be cast overboard. But Tui-hani-potii
stood firm in bis deep sympathies for Huri-i-te-mono’i in whom he recognized the refinement of a princess, and he contrived later to procure her food
and water, which she so much needed.
A great calm, caused by the gods in honor of the princess, ensued.
Sup-
posing the pretended princess was possessed of magical charms the brothers
asked her to invoke the winds to blow, and as she bethought herself of the
waistcloth of her mistress she consented to do so. Telling them to draw up
the sails and tighten the ropes for the breeze, she went forwards to the bows
of the vessel and waved the cloth vigorously in the air. But instead of a
hreeze, the ship was soon filled with a rank odor, so that ail the men exclaimed :
“Oh, what can this odor be ?”
She replied :
“You see I came away from my land in haste and hâve taken away the
waistcloth of my servant maid instead of my own.”
But as no breeze fol-
lowed, the elder brother told the youngest brother to go and ask his guest to
corne
and try her powers of bringing it, and so Huri-i-te-mono’i, after much
persuasion from them ail, went forward, and taking the sanie waistcloth
waved it in the air as her maid had doue, and soon a sweet odor pervaded the
ship and the steady-blowing maoa’e (northeast trade wind), the royal wind
of her land, came in obedience to her bidding.
The three elder brothers were amazed and began to suspect Hina-te-pipiro
to be an imposter and Huri-i-te-mono’i to be the real princess, as the very
éléments obeyed her, while the youngest brother was delighted and upheld his
protégée in whom his confidence had not been shaken. But the artful im¬
poster, still equal to the emergency, exclaimed :
“That phantom woman is the démon Fe’e-matotiti (Octopus-of-therocks) of our reef, intent upon destroying us. Witness my sweet odor and
my royal breeze that she lias stolen from me! L,et her not live.”
Then were her adhérents ahout to slay the princess, who besought them
not to kill
her, but to wait until they reached a confluent current in the sea,
into which they could cast her. This to them
which they soon would pass,
proof enough that she was the denioness, and they thought it would be
prudent to allow her thus to disappear. Knowing that her hour soon must
corne, the princess, full of émotion, in the following strain invoked her an¬
cestral fish gods to receive her :
was
Maoa’e maoa’e hia é,
Maoa’e ri’i mata ioio ra.
Te maoa’e hia e!
la riro atu vau i ta’u tupuna,
The trade wind has corne
Trade wind with brilliant sea caps.
The trade wind has corne !
Let me go to my ancestor,
6i2
Bernicc P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
O Tonu ma vaha, te niaoa’e
la Tonu-ma-vaha, nui ra.
Te maoa’e, maoa’e, maoa’e hia e !
la riro atu vau i ta’u tupuna,
la Roi, ia Roi matao matao ra;
la riro vau i ta’u tupuna ma’o,
la
Tama-’opu-rua, te maoa’e e !
To Tonu-raa-vaha, O trade wind,
To Tonu-ma-vaha with great niouth.
The trade wind, trade wind, trade wind
lias corne !
Let me go to my ancestor,
To Roi (Black-fish), Roi so dark;
Let me go to my shark ancestor
To Tama-’opu-rua (Child-of-two-stom-
achs), O trade wind!
A strong attachment had grown between the maideii and her young bene-
tactor, and they felt that it would be hard tiras to part forever, but as her
antagonists were relentless they sorrowfully awaited her fate for two days
and two nights, when they came to the confluent current. Then the wind
suddenly ceased, and there approached the ship the great shark, Tama-’opurua, with the tiger fish (Tonu-ma-vaha) on one side and the black fish (Roi)
on the other.
Rising upon the crest of a towering wave the shark opened
his great jaws and received the girl as she was thrown overboard by cruel
hands, and she safely entered into an inner réceptacle, where she was kept
alive, and her fish ancestors bore her away as queen of the sea.
The trade wind sprang up again, and the following day the ship hove in
sight of Tahiti. So préparations were made for the réception of the famous
heauty of Hiti-poto. A royal mat was laid for her in a place of honor in the
house, and little banners that were insignia of royalty were stood around the
mat.
But the banners would not remain stationary; they fell down in spite
of care, which was an omen of something unusually wrong. Mats were laid
from the royal dwelling down to the sea shore for her to walk upon, and the
two sisters of the princes went forth to await her disembarkation.
Forebodings came to those young women, and they exchanged thoughts concerning
their guest just arriving and sang as they went :
Tau tapaau ua hara ;
E ta’ata paha tei tai i hiti e.
Thy banners' are deviating ;
Perhaps some person is at sea in the
A ti’a mai, a haere mai i uta nei e !
Arise and
horizon.
corne
to this
land !
They said : “We shall soon see if this is a princess by her actions: she
will walk unhesitatingly upon the mats laid before her if she be royal ; but
she will not tread upon them if
she be a plebeian.”
Soon the vessel anchored, and arrayed in her mistress’s clothes the pre-
tended princess was borne on a man’s shoulders to the shore.
the line of mats, where she was set down,
On arriving at
she clumsily stepped aside and
walked upon the ground on one side of them to the house, despite the démon¬
strations of the princesses, who walked alone upon the mats.
On arriving at
seeing the king and queen surrounded by
other royal personages ready to receive her, she became completely discon-
ihe entrance to the house and
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
613
outside of the house to conceal herself. In vain
they bade her welcome and tried to reassure her in her supposed maidenly
diffidences ; but she would not accept the proffered honors.
certed and shrank away
On their arrivai on the scene, the three admirers of Hina-te-pipiro were
surprised to meet the family without the guest and went also to beg her to
enter the house; but she persisted in remaining isolated in a shed outside,
where she proposed holding her court with them. When they returned and
told this to the family, the sisters asked ail particulars concerning their meet¬
ing and bringing her away unattended from her home, in answer to which
they related the circumstances of their meeting at Hiti-poto and their hasty
depar-ture, omitting to record their adventures with the beautiful maid they
had encountered at sea. But Tui-hani-potii, had a different story to tell, and
his account as above described convinced his sisters that their forebodings
were right and that the real princess had been cruelly wronged.
Then the
eldest sister. Pua, said to this brother :
“You and I must immediately go in search of Huri-i-te-mono’i of Hitipoto.” Notwithstanding his conviction that the attempt would be futile, she
persisted, and excluding ail others from the ship they two set sail, he at the
helm guiding the ship and she seated in the center, amid a terrifie trade-wind
wafting them to the confluent current.
“B ta’n Tuahine e ua pohe taua!” (O Sister, we are lost!) exclaimed the
brother. But she replied :
E utue,
Te
e
parare
The pledge of peace will disperse it.
ia.
iti a’e a te ora
Teréira ia.
’Aore paha ia’u nei, tei
ora
ia’na
ra
Mai to’na ui, mai to’na ua,
Mai to’na patu tere i te moana,
E
tere au
i te
moana.
paha,
A narrow escape of life
Will it be.
Not perhaps with me, it is
her.
perhaps with
In her season, in her rain.
As she propelled her course
océan,
So shall
I
move
on
in the
in the
océan.
Soon they encountered a tempest and were surrounded with darkness so
thick that they could not see each other; this indicated the presence of the
god ancestor of Huri-i-te-mono’i, Roi, and the brother exclaimed:
“O Sister, we are lost !” She made the same reply and they sailed steadily
on.
The storm dispersed and light appeared, and a great wave came that
raised them to the sky.
“O Sister, we are lost!” said the brother again; but she bravely replied;
“Biaha e metau!” (Do not fear!) And on they went upon the billow
until it passed and divided itself on either side of the ship. Then the sea
became smooth, without a ripple, and they perceived red rocks in the depths
below. This the sister said was the desired spot, and she directed her brother
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
6i4
to spread a mat
ont upon the water and give her the princess’s gourd of oil,
which he soon did.
the princess,
She invoked the shark god to corne forth and yield up
while she poured the oil upon the mirror-like sea, and as its
Sound and soon
sweet odor descended into the depths they heard a rumbling
saw
the shark corne out of his cavern in the rocks and ascend towards them.
When he arrived by the ship they presented acceptable présents to him, and
Pua told him that she had brought her brother to recover the princess whom
The shark
replied approvingly, opened his spacious mouth, and soon yielded up the beautiful maid, who had been cared for and fed in her strange fishy chamber and
who was safely received in the mat and cleansed of the fishy slime with the
oil upon the surface of the sea. Then the strong arms of her lover lifted her
up into the vessel, and they returned triumphantly to Hiti-roa.
he so much loved and to take her as queen to his heart and home.
When the same préparations that had been made in Hiti-roa for the récep¬
tion of the expected guest in the
first place were made again, the princess
Me-to noticed that everything was harmoniously accomplished, the royal in-
signia falling naturally into their places.
As the guest was escorted to the
house by her lover and Pua, she walked with a regai step upon the mats from
the seashore and into the house and saluted with dignity the members of the
royal family, accepting with grâce their tokens of respect. A murmur of applause and admiration at last ran through the house with the exclamation :
“B ari’i mau teie vahiné, e hau roa to’na nehenehe i to te ao nei!”
is indeed a princess, whose beauty exceeds ail other in this land ! )
(This
Huri-i-te-mono’i were now dismayed, and each in his turn afterwards strove to win over the beautiful girl.
The three brothers who had cast away
But she was firm in her attachment to her benefactor and became affianced to
him, awaiting for their marriage the arrivai of her parents, who were to be
sent for in a befitting manner.
Although Hina-te-pipiro, for whom a separate house and a few attendants
had been set apart, still exercised some influence with the three princes she
had deceived, yet they envied their more
fortunate brother and planned his
destruction. They proposed a game at archery, hoping to pierce him through,
and in order to facilitate their design they proposed to him to stand foremost
But he deferentially declined, saying that as he was the youngest
His spear alone reached the target, and so he won the
applause of the spectators. They took him fishing out to sea and there smote
in the game.
he must be last.
and threw him off the canoë as dead; but the waves bore him to the shore,
and his
sisters, who waylaid him by inspiration, restored him to life by
massage and the application of sweet herbs, singing :
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Tuia e, tuia hani potü nei !
E te va’a fau rua e, te ravaai nei !
Tuia e, tuia !
615
Touched, touched by caressing girls !
Oh, the double canoë is fishing!
Touched, touched !
Gradually life returned to the young man, and he opened his eyes and
exclaimed :
“Oh, what delightful sleep I hâve had!” And he arose and returned home
with his sisters.
There
they rejoined Huri-i-te-mono’i, and shortly after-
wards the elder brothers arrived and were astonished and conscience-smitten
brother, whom they thought they had left dead in the
safe and well. Yet they still sought by varions contrivances to
get rid of their rival. But they utterly failed, and at last their sisters advised
them to remain content as servants to their younger brother, who had won the
fair princess and who would be appointed king over North Tahiti by their
parents. To this they agreed, and domestic harmony in the family soon followed. Amid auspicious circumstance and in due time the marriage of the
happy young pair took place.
to
the younger
see
open océan,
Hina-te-pipiro, the heartless maid, became a prey to shame and chagrin,
and at last, after a painful interview with her mist'ress, she died uttering her
dirge:
own
Te ’are
o
te
moe,
Patua
tai, ’ore, ’ore tei po moe,
nei. E vaiiho
I te tane ari’i ei tapu,
Ua mate au !
was
night sleep, .sleep,
propelled me. I must leave
My princely suitors in rétribution,
Which
vau
And this
The waves of the sea do not, do not at
I
the last of
am
dead !
Hina-te-pipiro, whom they quietly buried be-
neath the drooping boughs of a toa tree in North Tahiti.
THE TUNA (EEL) OF LAKE VAIHIRIA'
There was once a beautiful young princess of Papeuriri, Tahiti, of the
highest lineage, whose celestial patrons, the sun and moon, had named her
Hina (Gra)^). When this young girl had reached the stature of womanhood and was becoming much admired for her beauty—flashes of light
emanating from her person restricted her to a very select circle—the sun
and moon espoused her to the king of Pake Vaihiria, before she had any
Personal acquaintance with him or her even seen him. The king’s name
was Fa’arava’ai-anu
(Cause-to-fish-in-the-cold), and as her parents agreed
to the marriage Hina felt no doubt of the suitableness of the match and
entered happily into ail the préparations for her wedding. Hina chose for
her maids of honor, two childhood companions, named Varua (Spirit) and
Te-roro (Brain), and when at last the marriage day arrived they were
^
Received
from Madame
Butteaud, née Gibson,
a
descendant of the Hina of the legend.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
6i6
attractively dressed in white tapa grâce fully wound around their persons,
with garlands of maire fern interwoven with red fara strobile tips and snowwhite tiare, and in their flowing raven hair they entwined similar wreaths.
The bride also wore, in token of her rank, a necklet and girdle of rich red
and yellow 'ura (parrakeet feathers).
At length the bridai party set ont to meet the bridegroom, accompanied
with the measured beat of the drum and the soft notes of the bamboo flûte
and other primitive musical instruments, and they had gone half way up the
valley to Lake Vaihiria, when, lo, the bridegroom was seen descending the
declivity to meet them. And there in the distance Hina saw to her great
horror, an immense eel, as great and long as the trunk of a tall coconut
tree ; this was Fa’arava’aianu, king of Lake Vaihiria, the intended bride¬
groom for the beautiful Hina !
Terror-stricken, she turned to her parents and exclaimed: “It is indeed
this, O my parents? Do you wish me to be wedded to a monster and not a
person ? O how cruel of you ! And now I shall seek my own salvation !”
And she fled out of the
valley to her home.
arriving there, the people were surprised to see her and enquired
what had happened.
On knowing her grief and disappointment, sorrow
and sympathy filled their hearts towards her.
On
I must seek my salvation quickly away
shall return again; but meanwhile, my dear
“And now,” she said, “farewell.
from here.
If ail be well, I
If I live, I shall return
district, to be with you, my dearly loved ones.”
Willing hands quickly prepared a swift canoë, and just as the moon
was rising in its full glory, Hina, with trusted retainers, set off for Vairao,
Taiarapu, to seek the aid and protection of the great Mâûi who had noosed
and controlled the sun, and there they arrived just before daybreak.
friends, I entrust ail my treasures to your care.
to my own
Hina found Mâ-û-i was out, but she was kindly
Shortly afterwards he came in and enquired of his
wife what caused the brilliant flashes of light in their dark abode, and she
replied :
'
“This is Hina of the ’iira girdle, Hina of lightning flashes in' the east,
Hina, child of the sun and moon; her wind is the northeast trade wind.”
Then Mâ-û-i welcomed Hina, and kindly addressed her saying, “O Hina,
beloved daughter of Mataiea, what is your errand, my Princess?”
“O Mâ-û-i,” she exclaimed, “save me from the hideous monster, the
king of Vaihiria, who will be coming here to daim me as his wife! Hâve
pity on me, behold now outside, and what is the wind? It is possessed,
darkness is overshadowing the land, and the sea is foaming so that the
On entering his cave,
received by
his wife.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
617
océan beyond cannot be seen?” And then, while Hina told ber sad
story,
they saw the eel king breaking an entrance passage in the reef.
Mâ-û-i
horrifîed, and he hastened to place bis two stone gods upon
sharpen bis axe and make ready bis fishhook for action.
Then, as the eel was approaching the shore, Mâ-û-i placed some tempting
bait upon the fishhook and secured it with Hina’s hair.
was
the cliffs and to
As soon as the eel saw him, he roared out in a thundering voice, “Mâ-û-i,
deliver
me
my
bride!”
And Mâ-û-i cast his fishhook into the sea, saying, “This is I, Mâ-û-i the
king can escape me here in my héritage; he will become food
images.”
Then the eel perceiving the food, opened wide his mouth and swallowed
the fishhook and bait, and soon Mâ-û-i drew him up on to the shore. He
chopped off his great head, which he wrapped in tapa, and presented it to
Hina, saying :
“Hold this, and put it not down an instant until you arrive home ; then
take and plant it in the center of your marae ground.
This eel’s head
contains for you great treasures; from it you will hâve material to build
and complété your house, besides food to eat and water to drink.
But
remember my warning, tbat you lose not your valuable property by putting
it down before you reach home.
Then you will ever be remembered as
Hina-vahine-e-anapa-te-uira-i-te-Hiti’a-o-te-ra (Hina-of-lightning-flashes-inthe-east).”
So Hina took the great bundle, which became light by magic, and sending on her canoë along the coast, she and an attendant maid preferred walking a few miles. So they went on their way rejoicing, and arrived at a
place called Pani (To-close), where they saw a nice deep stream of water,
at which they stopped to drink.
In doing this, Hina thoughtlessly put down
her bundle. Soon the two girls made up their minds to take a bath. So in
they plunged and dove first upwards in the stream and then downwards,
when Hina ail at once remembei'ed her eel’s head and left the water quickly
to go and take it up again.
But lo, as she approached it, she found the
tapa removed, and there the head stood erect, rooted to the ground and
sprouting! It had become a young coconut tree. Then Hina saw and
understood why Mâ-û-i had told her only to put it down at her own marae,
and she wept bitterly.
Just then a woman of the people, but of good standing in the land, came
along and enquired of the girl her trouble, and when Hina told her, the
woman whose name was Rû-roa (Great-haste), said comfortingly :
“Be not troubled for this land is ours; corne and sojourn with me so
as to watch the growth of your new tree, which shall always be yours.”
brave!
for my
No
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
6i8
Hina, comforted, accepted the woman’s kind invitation, and after sending her companion on to the canoë with word for her people to return
home, she committed herself to the care of her new friend, who soon made
her very comfortable in her home not far off.
partaking of a hearty breakfast, Hina threw herself down upon
asleep, -which rest she needed, and towards evening as she
awoke, she heard voices outside not far from the house. Looking ont she
perceived two handsome young men, sons of Rû-roa, who had been ont fishing; and she heard them enquire of their mother as to the cause of flashes
of lightning that they saw coming out of their dwelling, to which she
replied :
“It is Hina, princess of Papeuriri, and child of the sun and moon. She
has a young coconut tree growing yonder, which she is staying here to
After
a
mat, and fell
watch until it matures.”
Awe-struck, the young men would not enter the house but remained
The younger brother went to see the new tree, and found it
loaded with coconuts.
So he picked one and husked it and took it to his
mother and brother, and while they were examining and admiring it,
Hina, wishing to place them ail at ease in her presence, called to them to
outside.
corne
in.
She said to the elder brother:
Mahana-e-anapa-i-te-po’ipo’i” ( Sun-that-flashes-inAnd to the younger brother she said: “You must be called.
Ava’e-e-hiti-i-te-ahiahi” ( Moon-that-rises-in-the-eyening ).
“Your name must be
the-morning).
By giving them these names, which plebeians never dared to adopt in
times of yore, she created them nobles, an act which also gave rank to
their mother.
Thus United in bonds of friendship, they ail lived happily
together, the family being charmed with the beautiful and affable Hina,
and they enjoyed eating the coconuts, which had become the admiration
Tai’arapu.
Mahana-e-anapa-i-te-po’ipo’i became much attached to each
other, and they were married, and in due time she had a daughter whom
they named Te-ipo-o-te-marama (Pet-of-the-moon). But to her great sorof ail
Hina and
row
Hina’s
husband
soon
died.
She afterwards
married
the younger
brother, who reminded her much of her deceased husband, and by him
she had another
loved).
daughter, whom they named Te-ipo-o-te-here (Pet-who-
day, as each child held a matured coconut in her hand, they were
caught up by the gods on to a rainbow, by which they were conducted to
Taka-horo, in the atoll of Ana (Chain Island), in the Tuamotus. The
younger sister, finding that her coconut was without water, changed it for
that of her elder sister, unbeknown to her, which displeased the gods ; and
One
Henry—Ancicnt Tahiti
619
causing her to drop the coconut, which was sprouting, they carried her away
in the clouds, and she was never seen again.
So Te-ipo-o-te-marama
became the sole owner of this, the first coconut tree that grew at Ana,
from which were produced ail the coconut trees that hâve spread throughout the group and hâve developed into many varieties.
The tree stood,
towering high above ail other trees of the group, until the cyclone of
February 8, 1906, broke it ofï in three pièces, which were washed away by
the
sea.
Hina lived long and happily with her
husband, sometimes in Tai’arapu,
sometimes in Pape’uriri, and she had numerous issue.
A Variant^
There
king in ’Arue (North Tahiti) who had malicious
propensities and who mysteriously disposed of persons for whom he conceived a dislike, so that he was much dreaded by his people. Of him they
said, “Ua ’amu te ari’i i te ta’ata” (The king has eaten man), a vague statement that was generally believed.
His wife was a beautiful woman, whose
home was on the Southern border of L,ake Vaihiria, the favorite abode of
her parents from Papeno’o, where her grandparents still lived.
It came to pass that one day the king went to Papeno’o, where he was
well received by his wife’s grandparents, who prepared him a feast.
But
when it was ready and he was invited to sit down and eat, he suddenly laid
hands on the old people and killed them. Then he attached them beneath
his canoë, in which he placed ail the food, and returned to ’Arue.
There
he had the bodies secretly conveyed to a swamp and hidden. This his wife
accidently discovered; but suppressing her sorrow and not appearing to
know the secret, she quietly determined to hâve her revenge on her wicked
was
once
a
husband.
The king had a fine pet eel, which was bewitched by his evil genius and
which he kept in
Pû-’o’oro ( Gurgling-pool ), unapproachable to ail the peo¬
The queen, feigning sickness, assumed great fastidiousness, refusing
to eat fish of ail kinds, until at last she persuaded her husband to give her
his pet eel, assuring him that she would enjoy it if he would allow it to be
ple.
cooked for her.
This grieved the king sorely, and he went out for the day fishing so as
the eel killed.
brought into the queen’s presence,
her servants, telling them to go on
the hills for certain leaves in which to wrap it for cooking; and while no
one was near, she eut the eel in half, buried the upper part in the ground
not to
see
When it was
she showed great delight, and dismissed
-This legend
of the eel Fa’arava-ia-nu’u (Darkness-in-gliding), dift'ering from the story just
light on others, was given by Pe’ue of Fautau’a, and is
told in a few minor points and throwing
also recorded by people of Tai’arapu.
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bidletin 48
620
ofïering to the evil genius and placing the tail end in a gourd of
by her, kept it well covered. When the people returned with
the leaves and found the eel gone, she pretended that she had roasted and
as
an
water
close
eaten
it.
Finally, the queen sought and obtained permission of her husband to
carrying the gourd containing
attendants by a mountain pass
that led through the valley of Fautau’a, where they rested for the night
at the house of two sorcerers, which was named Fare-hape (Wrong-house).
The queen carefully guarded her gourd, calling it her maimoa (toy) and
allowed nobody to handle it or know what it contained.
But the two
sorcerers, intuitively knowing what was there, said ominously, “’E’ita e
mau” (It will not hold), which at the time she did not understand.
go and visit her parents at Vaihiria, and
the eel herself, she went with a retinue of
Arriving at Vaihiria the following day, she opened her gourd, and lo,
a new head and was swimming around in the
gourd ! She and her parents were surprised and pleased to see it, and she
said it must be made king of the lake. But in placing it there, it would
not stay, getting out as fast as they put it back.
Then the queen remembered the words of the sorcerers and sent for them to corne and explain
what they meant, and when they came, they said that the water of Pû-’o’oro
was not the same as that of Vaihiria, and that she should first take the
eel to her marae and there consecrate it to her gods.
she found that the eel had
(which now stands in ruins
Church), and placed it with the water from the
gourd in the hollow part of a large smooth stone (still there). Then the
sorcerers each took a branch of ti leaves, and naming the eel Fa’arava’aianu
(Cause-to-fiish-in-the-cold), uttered incantations as they brushed it
over with the leaves, which made it lie very still.
After this, they returned
to the lake, and when they let the eel go in the water it swam down into
the depths, and they had no more trouble with it.
A long time afterwards, when the queen was again visiting her parents
at Vaihiria, she was bathing one day in the lake, and feeling something touch
her side she looked and beheld the eel, which had grown enormous and was
carressing her in a friendly way with his head. At that time the proposai
was made for him to wed the beautiful Hina of Pape’uriri, and the events
mentioned in the foregoing legend followed. But in this second version it is
stated that Hina’s parents hid away in a cave in the mountain in Pape’uriri
to escape the eel in a rage, as he went sniffing the air to fînd them at their
house; and also that Mâ-û-i laid great logs as rollers across the path from
the sea to his place on the mountain in Vaira’o, whither Hina had fled, for
the eel to glide up by, and went and hid himself, hatchet in hand, in a
So they took it to her marae in Pape’uriri
in back of the Protestant
Henry—Ancient Taliiti
621
Then wlien the eel came and was well up
Mâ-û-i went behind and chopped off his tail and continued
chopping off piece by piece, unheeded by the monster until he reached the
middle, when the eel exclainied : “O Mâ-fi-i, you attack me from behind, so
that I shah die, but had you corne before me, I should hâve killed you !
Give me my bride that I may see her and die in peace.”
thicket by the sea to await him.
on
to
the logs,
But Mâ-û-i answered that that was the way to
should be encountered face
to
kill an eel, while a man
face ; that an eel should hâve an eel for a
wife, while he would protect Hina to espouse a man.
off the eel’s head and gave
Then Mâ-û-i chopped
it to Hina, charging her to take it home, as in
According to this story, she stopped to bathe at Papeari,
and there on a point the eel’s head developed twin coconut trees, which grew
to a great âge, and hâve only recently died.
the first version.
LEGEND OF THE GREAT MOO OF FAUTAUM
times, when hamlets extended far up Fautau’a Valley, the
inhabitants there came down occasionally with gourds and bamboos to fetch
In former
sait water to use in seasoning their food.
On one of these occasions it
happened that as two women approached the shore with their gourds, one of
them saw in a cluster of mo^ic (sword grass) an immense egg, which she
took and placed in an open gourd with a stopper, called a hue fafaru (gourd
for raw fish), and took to her home.
This was a great cave, where she
dwelt with her husband and two children, a boy and a girl, and there in a
secluded nook she placed the gourd with the egg, where it remained undisturbed.
Some time afterwards while the family was outside sitting at a
meal, they heard a loud, cracking noise inside the cave, and in going to see
what could hâve caused it, the woman found that her egg had produced a
great lizard. She took it and carefully tended it, and it grew to an immense
size, was very docile, and became a great pet with ail the family, living with
them in the cave.
A time came when there was drought and
scarcity of food in the land,
obliged to go far into the interior for fe’i (plan¬
tains). In going for that purpose, the man and his wife took their two
children and the lizard with them, and when they reached the summit of a
certain mountain, the children being fatigued were told to remain there with
the lizard, while the parents went on to procure the desired food. During
their absence, the children and the lizard became very hungry. Finally the
so
that the people were
Obtained by Mrs. Walker from Pe'ue, cliieftain of Faiitau’a.
The name mo’o in its broad
is applied to alligators and crocodiles, of which none exist in Tahiti, but to which this and
the legend that follows appear to refer.
For in the distant past these people came through far-off
lands.
^
sense
Bernice P. Btsliop Muséum-—Bulletin 48
622
lizard
opened its great mouth and ate first one child, then the other, and
extended itself comfortably among the ferns and went to sleep.
When the parents arrived with the fe’i, they looked for their family, but
Seeing how corpulent it had become, they
Then furious they were about to slay
the lizard with a great stone, when it awoke, sprang forwards, and ran up
the mountain range before them, until it reached the highest peak of Mount
Te-ao-ra’i (World-in-the-sky). Seeing its pursuers close on its track, it
leaped over the cliff and fell thousands of feet below, where it died, broken
into atoms. The disjointed tail of the lizard sprang up and became a bamboo clump, which stands there to this day, unique of its kind—being so
brittle that it cannot be used by man for any purpose whatsoever. Inland
of Fautau’a, marks that are safd to be footprints of the lizard are still to be
seen upon a rock.
found only the lizard sleeping.
knew at
once
what had happened.
MOO-TUA-RAHA=
Papeno’o whose name was Pai-ti’a
He went with some of his people into the valley for
timber for a canoë.
They chopped down a fine tree and prepared it for
further work, when evening came and the men dispersed to return to it on
There was
once a
bachelor chief in
(Correct-judgment).
the
morrow.
It happened that in descending into a ravine on his way home, the chief
lost sight of his men, and suddenly he saw across his path a great lizard, of
(Lizard-with-broad-back).
gender, begotten of human beings, and
becoming enamored with the chief she charmed ® him so that he became
spellbound and seemed to live long in bliss with a beautiful being, although
in reality it was only for an hour before nightfall.^ When he came to himself, Mo’o-tua-raha was gone. Pai-ti'a went his way bewildered, not remembering his first encounter with the strange créature.
which he had never heard, named Mo’o-tua-raha
It was
a
monster of the féminine
The canoë was completed, and the lizard, living in strict séclusion, gave
birth to a son, who became the exact image of Pai-ti’a, whose name she gave
father, for she cotild act and speak like a
When he was about fifteen years of âge there was a great
feast in the land, and the different clans went in procession to présent themselves before their chief, mentioning their pedigree. Being taught by his
mother what to say, the lad went also, elegantly dressed, wearing a girdle of
him and whom she taught to call
human being.
Obtained by Orsmond Walker from Te-me-’ehu (The-black-thing), of Pape’ete.
From the statement that the lizard charmed the chief it would seem that lhe powers of the
serpent were confoiinded with the habits of tiie lizard.
*
This resembles Eastern hypnotism.
^
®
Henry—Ancient Taliiti
623
the smooth, giossy skin from off the under side of his mother, and
presented
himself, saying,
“I am Pai-ti’a, your son.” This caused the chief and ail the
assembly to
look amazed, and the chief replied :
“I hâve no son.
“Do you not
Whence do you corne?”
The boy said:
remember what happened in the valley vvhen you were
making a canoë?”
“No,” replied the chief. “l hâve no wife and you are not my son.” Then
the people exclaimed :
“He must be your son, O our chief ; for see how he resembles you !” And
what was the man’s humiliation when the boy added :
“I am your son by Mo’o-tua-raha, whom you met in the ravine when
you
were returning home from your work at the canoë.”
Light then flashed across the chief’s mind, and he almost sank to the
ground with mortification at this révélation before ail his people, especially
the nobility, who prided themselves in their unbroken aristocratie lineage.
This blighted the festivity; the chief could not give the son of a lizard a
place in his family, nor would his subjects hâve recognized such as a chief
to rule over them.
So the poor lad, dejected, returned to his mother and
told her ail that had happened.
Very soon after this commotion, Pai-ti’a, feeling, his humiliation, went
away to Tetiaroa, the favorite watering place of the royal family and
the poor lizard, hearing of it and still wishiiig to obtain favor for
her son, swam across the océan to go and plead his cause.
But when
the chief saw her approaching the reef-bound coast of the atoll, horrified, he sent his attendants to kill her where she was; and just as she was
grappling the rocks to get up, she received a death b)ow upon her head
with a stone. There she lay, her skeleton remaining long afterwards close
against the shore of Tetiaroa.
It is said that descendants of the despised son of Mo’o-tua-raha are still
living, although now they cannot well be traced.
TARUIA
OF TAHITI'
On the eastern side of the town of
Pape’ete, the capital of Tahiti, is the
valley of Fautau’a (Confédération), famous in Tahitian history
and romance, with its rapid, winding stream, for miles along the banks of
which are scattered élégant and humble dwellings of rich and poor. Far in
back, at the head of the valley, stands in bold relief the circle of basaltic
peaks called La Diadème, nature’s royal insignia gracefully worn by the
beautiful
^
Received from Peue (Mat), the famous chieftain doctor of Fautau’a,
descendant of Taruia (Cenighted) and Tui-hana-taha-te-ra (Evening-prayer).
who claimed to be
a
624
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—-Bulletin 48
“Queen of the Pacific,” peaks that form a background, perfect in its outlines, for other beautiful valleys that rise to this central point.
At the base of La Diadème is a tableland called Rupe (Mountain-
pigeon), where in former times stood a little hamlet that was the birthplace
of Taruia (Benighted), the hero of this story. He was the son of Hihi-maivao
(Sun-rays-of-the-recess), the chieftain and priest of the clan of that
région, and his mother’s name was Ra’i (Sky). He also had a younger
brother whose name was Vini (Whistling-parrakeet).
They lived at a
time when the districts for Tahiti formed little independent kingdoms, over
which reigned high chiefs and chiefesses, called ari’i (kings or queens).
With the youths of their clan the two’ lads grew up, accomplished in the
use of bow and arrow, in hunting and in fishing, and in ail the arts and
sports of their time. Taruia was also taught the oral traditions of his country and ail the mysteries of priestcraft by his father, whose double office of
priest and chieftain he was to inherit. Light of foot, the young mountaineers scaled the heights up to their lofty peaks,after pretty feather birds,
which were used for ornaments in those times, and in their rambles they
descended into the valleys, where they plunged or slid down over smooth
slippery rocks of slanting cascades into deep pools of water, in which they
rivalled the fishes in swimming and diving.
They sometimes went down
on to the plains and out into the sea to swim and ride upon the surf and
to fish, where, it is said, Taruia and his brother were carefully guarded
from harm by their great blue shark god, which was possessed with the
.spirit of one of their ancestors and made itself known to them by caressing
movements against their persons, to the great dismay of their playmates.
The story opens in the beginning of the reign of Teri’i-tau-mata-tini
(King-of-the-period-of-thousands), and ancestor of Paraita (Tattoo-marking), a chief who became regent under Queen P'omare and was a prominent
figure in the history of his island.
It was at harvest time, the height of the breadfruit season and most
other fruits, and, according to custom, after the people had offered the first
fruits to their god at the national marae, a public festivity, called the feast of
the ufnu-opi’o (oven-long-cooking), was proclaimed.
In an immense oven
of heated stones were placed in a great heap hundreds of breadfruit in ail
stages of ripeness, whole and unpared. These were covered with banana,
breadfruit, and purau leaves, hilled over with earth, and left thus for a couple
of days, after which they were thoroughly cooked and most enjoyable to the
taste.2
For the feast of the umu-’opi’o, food in varions other ways was
prepared also, and great hogs were baked whole in ordinary ovens covered
before daybreak and opened at noon.
^ For
family cooking breadfruit is still prepared in this manner
ing less time to be ready to eat.
on a
small scale, then requir-
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
625
On native festive occasions long sheds are erected itpon a lawn, generally
near
the chief’s
house,® covered with braided coconut fronds, and tastily
decorated with green and yellow ti leaves, stripped into fringes, and garlands of fiowers interwoven with sweet-scented fern fronds and herbs. Pre-
vious to the modem use of tables, chairs, and hardware, banana or other
broad leaves were laid in a row upon the ground along the center of each
shed and upon them were spread large purau leaves for tablecloths and
plates, on either side of which the people sat. For each person was set a
coconut-shell cup, containiirg sauce served from gourds, and within everybody’s reach were bowls of gourd or coconut shell and wooden dishes, containing the steaming méats and varions delicacies with an abundance of
fresh coconut water, the natural wine of the country, and cool fresh water
to drink.
In olden times the people took their seats according to rank and
clan, and the men and women had their feasts apart from each other, boys
and girls uniting with fathers and mothers, respectively ; but modem civiliz-
ation has changed those restrictions.
On this
spécial occasion, the strangers and sojourners in the land were
of the day, besides whom the young King Teri-’i-tau-matatini, who dwelt at Taunoa (Alighting), a place on the sea side of the plains
facing Fautau’a Valley, wished to hâve as his guest the handsomest man
in his dominion, irrespective of nationality or rank. Accordingly, two days
before the feast was to take place, messengers went forth to invite the
guests. Two men who were considered good judges were sent to find the
handsomest man, and after their search over the plains the first day they
returned and told the king that they had only met ordinary-looking men.
He bade them not be discouraged but to go again and search on the morrow,
as it was then nightfall.
That night the king had a dream; he heard the voice of his great god
Tipa (Healer) address him, and he answered promptly:
“B, teie au!’’’ (Yes, here am I!) The god said:
“You will find a young man of perfect beauty in the clan of Rupe. Send
for him to-morrow ; his name is Tamia.” But the king answered :
“1 hâve never heard of Tamia and hâve never been to Rupe.” After
giving him, the information concerning the young man that is mentioned
above, the god said no more and left him sleeping soundly.
Very early in the morning, the king awoke, and thinking of his dream
he told it to his wife, for whom he had a great regard and in whose judgment he always felt great confidence, asking her what she thought of it.
“You must be in favor with our great god,” she replied. “You and the
people hâve borne away the sins of our kingdom by offering him and his
to be the guests
5
Thè natives still build in the districts for public meetings the so-called fare hau
bouse).
(government
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
626
spirit guests the first fruits of our Harvest, and now it is évident that he
approves of the feast you are preparing for us mortals.
Your dream can
be 110 déception.” The husband answered : “1 believe you are right, my dear
Miriama !”
And he
arose
and went and sent the two messengers
day before in search of Târuia in Fautau’a Valley.
of the
The two men passed different hamlets, inquiring where the place called
Rupe was, and were directed farther and farther, until at last they came
to the rising ground.
After reaching a considérable height above the level
of the sea and the plains below had disappeared behind the towering mountains forming ravines and dales, they saw before them a stronghold enclosed
in an amphitheatric range of mountains United away inland by La Diadème.
At their feet lay a formidable précipice extending from one side of the
valley to the other, down the center of which falls the” sparkling water of a
magnificent cascade 426 feet high. The water descends into a great gorge,
where it forms a pool and issuing thence in roaring and musical sounds
among the boulders, it meets rivulets, great and small, on the way downward to the plains, where it forms rapids and pools—nature’s bathing places,
much frequented by the people—and thence flows onwards to the sea.
Following a footpath across a précipitons pass to the left, the messengers
the amphitheater.'* Here they found some habitations, and inquiring
of the people if that was the place they were seeking they were told it was
not but that it was the settlement that they could see at the farthest end
of the valley, beneath La Diadème. They went on their way rejoicing that
enter
they so soon would reach their goal.
As they were approaching Rupe,
communication from the god of the
local
errand and that he must conceal his
son
the priest, Hihi-mai-vao, received a
marae,
where he and his
son,
Taruia, were working, telling him of the arrivai of the two men and of their
from them-in the marae, which
stood on a terrace on the side of the mountain.
turned to the
son
So the father immediately
and directed him what to do.
They moved away a
great slab that concealed a vault on the inner side, in which he entered and
was
closed in.
arrived, they found the priest and his'wife-and
younger son Vini sitting beneath a spreading tree in front of their house,
and they were cordially greeted with:
When the messengers
“Manava, liaere mai!” (Welcome, corne hither!) The young men respectfully answered: “El la ora na ’outou i te atua” (Aye, may you live in
the gods).
^
This has since been named “The Fort of Fautau’a,”
for three years. from 1843 to 1846, resisted the French.
being the stronghold where the natives
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
627
A fara leaf mat was placed for the visitors under the tree, and when
they were seated comfortably upon it the dignified host sat them at ease by
opening the conversation, and saying:
“A great errand must hâve brought you to our inland clan.”
They
answered :
“Yes, indeed, we hâve corne on a great errand.”
“Tell it!” expectantly replied the former.
“You know,” said they, “that our harvest feast is to be tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“The king wishes to hâve as his spécial guest on that occasion the handsomest man
to
in the land, and he has sent us here to invite your son, Taruia,
be that guest.”
The parents replied:
“Here is our son, but that is not his name, we called him Vini.”
messengers, prompted by their god
But the
said :
“We know that you hâve another son, and that you had hidden him away.
Permit us to go and search for him.”
Permission was granted, while -the parents still denied having any other
son.
So the messengers went searching in likely and unlikely places until
they arrived at the marae, and thinking he might be hidden somewhere
within the structure they removed a slab or two on the outer side and at the
ends, but finding no vault they replaced them and continued their search on
the inner side, when lo ! as they moved away a great central slab, they found
the handsome young man, who met ail their expectations, sitting within.
Being inspired what to do, he welcomed his discoverers and went out with
them after they had closed the vault as before.
The parents were much chagrined on seeing that their son, Taruia, was
found by the strangers, but the father, recovering himself, said:
“It is well ! I am persuaded that it is the will of the gods that my son
should obey the summons of the king and go as his guest tomorrow. But
the matter now rests with himself, ask him if he is willing to do so. Repré¬
sentatives of
our
clan will be there also.”
Turning to Taruia, the messengers delivei'ed the royal invitation and
explained that it was by révélation that they had been directed to corne to
him. He answered that he accepted the invitation, liighly gratified at such
an honor.
Elated at their success, the messengers wished to take him away
at once to Taunoa; but he preferred going early in the morning, inviting
them to tarry at his home with him until then. This they declined doing,
and not even waiting to'partake of food hospitably offered them, they took
their leave and hurried home to inform the king of their happy success.
As the sun was declining towards the west, the two men arrived at
Taunoa and found the j'oung king and queen awaiting them with much
628
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
interest to know the resuit of their errand.
When
they were told ail the
circumstances of their search and that the young man was coming early on
they were highly pleased and patiently waited for the time to
Early in the morning, before the eastern
sky was gilded with the rays of the rising son, the drums of the varions
the morrow,
corne
to see
their handsome guest.
clans announced that the final
préparations for the feast were being made.
setting to work to accomplis!! their
respective parts, while the children, in high glee, were everywhere rejoicing.
Men and women, old and young, were
Faithful to his promise, Taruia left Fautau’a early on his way to Taunoa.
As the heir to a chieftainship, he attired himself becomingly in a gay waist
cloth of fine tapa
and a richly fringed poncho of the same material, ornastudded with small red pipitio seeds, his clothing
arranged so as to reveak élégant tattooing upon his bare limbs. Upon his
head he wore a soft tapa turban, entwiiied with a garland of sweet-scented
mountain ferns and flowers, and in his hand he carried, as an insignia of
rank, his ancestral wooden spear, which was about six feet long and which
served as a weapon of defense in cases of emergency and as a staff in
going on a journey. Taking an early break fast prepared by a retainer,
Taruia took a lingering leave of his fond parents and set out on his
journey, ail feeling strange presentiments of something coming that the
gods did not reveal to them.
mented with
rosettes
On arriving half way down the
valley at a picturesque little vale called
(Prayer-for-life), where stood the home of the king’s sister,
Tui-hana-taha-te-ra (Evening prayer), enclosed in a high stone wall, where
she lived with her adopted parents, he was invited in, his famé having preceded him, and the young girl’s guardians proposed that they should ail go
to the king’s house together in a little while, which Taruia
agreed to do
and sat down upon a proiîered mat.
The young princess was tall, fair,
and comely, about sixteen years of âge, with gentle manners, soft regular
features, and a profusion of flowing raven hair, loosely looped up and
interwoven with a wreath of white, starlike Tahitian gardénias.
She was
gracefully draped in soft, lightly printed white tapa, which was passed
around her body and secured upon one shoulder with- her arms exposed.
Upon her tapering fingers, wrists, and ankles were beautifully tattooed
circles resembling finger rings, bracelets, and anklets, and upon her feet
were tattooings
that much resembled élégant sandals. Other high-born
Pure-ora
ladies of the house
were attired and tattooed in much the same fashion,
wearing bright-colored flowers in their wreaths and garlands,
only the maidens having the right in those days to wear the simple gardénia.
the matrons
The princess was soon to marry a young
of the neighboring kingdoms, and though she
prince who was heir to one
had no deep-seated affection
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
629
for him she had been brought up to feel that such a union would be most
suitable and proper.
But now when the eyes of the fair young damsel
and the élégant mountaineer met for the first time and they bashfully exchanged the friendly greeting, “la ora na” (May you live), they at once
felt a kindred attachment for each other, which they could not shake off.
In
a
little while, the sound
of the drum summoned the clan to meet
together on the assembly ground, which was some distance away and out of
sight of the house, where they were to form in procession ready to proceed
to Taunoa.
Taruia was requested to remain on the road until the proces¬
sion approached, when he was to join it also. The strictest étiquette was
always observed by the natives in falling into line and presenting themselves
before their chiefs; and every clan claimed a certain place in prestige that
was always maintained and recognized by their rulers.
Just at the lower end of the stone wall at Pure-ora (Prayer-for-life) a
little rivulet made its escape across the public pathway towards Fautau’a
River, and upon the bank of this little stream, near the wall, was a spot
saturated with gore, where hogs for the feast had lately been slaughtered.
Not far from this spot was the road where Taruia stood, holding his spear
by his side, nothing doubting, in readiness to join the procession.
Meanwhile, four of the royal retainers carried the news to the
king
that on this festive day a fierce young stranger was intent upon doing mis-
chief wherever he could find opportunity, and that they last saw him close
by the young princess’s premises with his spear in his hand, after killing lier
and her chaperone while they were out alone, the évidences of which they
had themselves seen.
This story was corroborated by others who followed,
party stating that they had seen the man at the place menEnraged, the king sent the four retainers armed with spears to
seize him, whoever he might be, and carry him to the grand marae, there
to be slain and offèred to the gods and buried at once before the opening
of the feast, as executions were not performed during such an occasion or
just afterwards. So they sped up to Pure-ora and there saw the spot
mentioned and Taruia not far off sitting upon a log, his spear held erect
in his right hand, ready to rise as the procession approached.
each
new
tioned.
In the minds of the men,
this attitude confirmed the story they had
supposing that he was ready to
spear them, they surrounded him and taking his staff said :
“Where is the king’s sister?”
“Over there,” he replied, pointing in the direction where the family had
told, and not giving him time to move,
gone.
“What is that from?” they asked, looking at the stain.
630
Bernice P. Bisliop Muséum—Bulletin 48
“I do not know,” he said, “I only arrived here this
morning.” Then
they said :
“The king has heard that you hâve killed his sistei- and has sent us
to arrest you and take
you to the marae, where your doom awaits you.
Inspired by the spirit'of his ancestor of the shark god, Tai'uia replied;
“If you slay me and bury me in the ground, I shall live
again ; but if you
bind me and sink me in the sea, I shall surely die.”
So saying, he feignèd to fall in a swoon, from which they could not
recover him, and
binding him hand and foot, attached him to a pôle, which
was
placed upon the shoulder of a man at each end, and they carried him
to the marae, whence they sent to enquire of the
king what should be done,
after what Taruia had told them.
“Take him far
out
The king answered ;
into the sea, and invoke the great
god, Rua-hatu
(Source-of-fruitfulness), to keep his spirit from troubling us.”
The men then fastened stone weights to Taruia’s feet, as he
lay motionless, placed him in a canoë, and took him through the passage of Pape’ete
Harbor.
Outside of the reef, opposite the islet, they dropped him
deep
down among the wide, spreading branches of coral, one of the haunts of
great, deep-ocean fishes, and while they were still committing his spirit to
the océan god, they saw the long, blue shark that Taruia knew,
approaching
him, as they thought to devour him. Thus leaving the young man in his
watery bed, they hastened to return home to continue their festive duties.
On
arriving at Taunoa they found that the king’s sister and her clan
had arrived at her brother’s house safe and Sound, and soon afterwards
Taruia’s clan arrived, expecting to be met and headed by their
young chief
in presenting themselves before the king and queen, who did not
yet know
supposed foe lying at the bottom of the sea was their intended
guest whom they were expecting soon to see. When the king saw his
sister, he enquired :
“Mai hea mai ’oef” (Whence do you
corne?) Feeling surprised at his
question, she replied:
that the
“Mai Pnre-ora mai nci au”
(I hâve corne from Pure-ora).
But he told
hap-
her he had been assured that she was dead and recounted ail that had
pened that morning. Soon ail the people heard the sad story. There was
general wailing, and their gladness in coming together ended in bitter
a
sorrow.
It was almost sunset when the young princess,
recovering from the first
be taken out to see the place where the young
As she was fixed in her détermination to go, the
men who had done the deed
quickly bore her across the smooth, ebbing
current to the spot, and looking down in the
glimmering light, they saw the
terrible shock, begged to
victim had been dropped.
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
631
body of the young man lying upon his coi'al bed, bis limbs unfastened and
appearing as if asleep, with his guardian shark at his side. Sitting in the
stern of the canoë, in the seat of honor, the young woman bade the men
return home, and as they turned the canoë round to do so she suddenly
plunged beneath the waves, out of their reach, and with the darkening
waters separating them, she too soon lay heside lier late acquaintance and
the shark, leaving her attendants no alternative hut to go and tell her brother
of the sad event.
But the
been the
stead,
as
reports.
tragedy did not end there !
cause
The king had the men who had
of Taruia’s downfall slain and buried at the marae
in his
example to ail his subjects never again to circulate false
Thus the day of rejoicing was turned to one of mourning; and
an
Umu-’opi’o no one ever sought to know.
as dead were preserved alive by
the océan gods, and that night while the king’s heart was sorest their faithful guardian bore them in his great jaws on to the sandy shore of Taunoa,
where he resuscitated them, and knowing their affection for each other he
told them that now was their opportunity to go and obtain permission from
their king to be United in marriage. When they were seen approaching the
royal dwelling early in the morning, they were regarded as specters from
the sea, and the news spread everywhere that the ghosts of the two young
people had returned among them. But their dripping, briny clothes gradually convinced the king and queen that they really saw their sister and her
companion in the flesh. Moreover, they found also that their voices and
actions were not supernatural, and soon they were received with open arms
hy the royal couple and people, and the glad tidings was carried to Taruia’s
parents, who joyfully went forth to meet and reclaim their son for whom
they had mourned as dead.
Permission was obtained from ail parties concerned for the marriage of
the young people, the former lover of the princess magnanimously consenting to relinquish his rights to her hand in favor of the hero of the day.
A marriage feast was made ready, and escorted by their respective nearest
relatives, the happy young pair met the high priest before the great altar
of the royal marae and stood apart on either side of him. In solemn tones
he addressed the bridegroom with the following question:
“Do you consent to take this woman as your wife, to remain with her
until you die ?” Taruia answered :
“Yes, I do.” Then turning to the bride, he answered :
“Are you willing to be the wife of this man until you die?”
She also
answered in the affirmative. Then taking their left hands in his, the priest
placed that of the bride in the bridegroom’s, saying ;
what became of the
But the two bodies left with the shark
632
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
“It will be well with you if you thus keep your vows,” and he dedicated
them in wedlock to their god.
The
royal nuptial feast lasted three days, and then the wedding party
proceeded to the bridegroom’s home, where in becoming pomp the marriage ceremony was repeated in the same manner by Taruia’s father, the
priest of Rupe. Here also the feast lasted three days, and there was great
rejoicing among the mountain clans of Fautau’a.
This is how'they say Taruia, a petty chieftain, became the husband of a
princess of Pare. They lived long and happily together, dividing their time
among their people in the highlands and lowlands, and were much beloved
by them. It is well known that they became the ancestors of some of
Tahiti’s illustrions personages.
Vini, the younger brother," also grew up a handsome }mung man and married a fine young chiefess of his own rank in another clan, where they dwelt
in harmony and also begat sons and daughters who became a crédit to their
race.
INDEX
Page
A
Page
Aaraeo, subdivision of Opunohu
92
Adoption
141, 274, 319, 579, 592, 628
Aeuere, king
399
Afareaitu, district of Moorea.-.Sg, 90, 94, 114
Ahahamea, daughter of Tefatu
373
Ahe, ruler of
110
Ahifatumoana, démon of the sea
469-495
Ahuare, poetical name for Mahaena
72
Ahutoru, brother of Ereti
17
Aiaru, goddess
416
Aihi, land, birth of
401
Aikanana, man of Tahiti
566
Aimeo (Moorea) 89; war with
21
Airaro, princess
449
Airiha, arioi of Raiatea
95
Aito, mythological warrior
347
Aitu, second man
347
Aitupuai, daughter of Oro,...i4S, 231, 375, 417
Aitutaatamaitatai, of Tahiti
536
Aitutaatamatataitearoaua, son of Honoura
Alfred, Prince, in Tahiti
Alii
Alliance by marriage
Alliance of islands, see
527
115, 285
577
130
Taputapuatea
Amanahune, see Itiaa
104
Amanu, island of Tuamotus
log
Amara, god
356
Amaru, under chief of Papetoai
93
Amataiatea, king of océan
464
Amo, high chief of Papara 13, 14;
overthrow, 17; and Cook
21
Amusements, see also Games
27s
Ana, island of Fakarava, Tuamotus..i07, 109
Ana, grandfather of Hiro, teacher in
school Tapuataiterai, Tahiti
537
Anaemoeoho, démon of the sea
470-495
Anafeo, god
342, 343
Anaheuheupo, god
361, 362
Anahoa, god
361
Anaiteuhutaramea, district of Tuamo¬
tus
,
Anaiva, god
Anamua, god
Anamuri, god
Anania, god
Anaroto, god
Anatahuataatametuatetupumavae, god....
Anatahuavahineotoatemanava, goddess
Ana Tauaro, district of Tuamotus
Ana Tautua, district of Tuamotus....
Ana-Tipu, god
Anau, district of Porapora
Anavaru, god
Aneirai, goddess
Animais, représentation of gods, 383 ;
origin, 383; birth of
..
114
362
361
361
362
361
361
361
114
114
361
103
361
371
41S
Anini
loi
Anuanua, canoë of Tafai
558
Aoaomaraia, god
427, 428, 429
Aoropaa, ancient name of subdivision
of Papara
80,81
Aoua, division of Manorua
78
Apataki, island of Tuamotus
106
Apiriteohu, arioi house
246
Apitaaiterai, démon of the sea
477
Apoohihiura, pool, legend of
97
Aporau, messenger of Tane
369
Apuaa
87
Apuhi, high chief of Vaitia, Maupiti.... 105
Araarahu, god
341
Arapa, land, birth of
401
Aratika, island of Tuamotus
107
Archery
614
Arematapopoto, démon of the sea....470-495
Aremataroroa, démon of the sea
469-495
Arihinuiapua, cousin of Tafai, 556, 559,
560, 562; grandson of Hina
555
Ariifaaite, prince consort
388
Ariifaataia, under chief of Papara
79
Ariimana, chief of Raiatea
139
Arii-Paea, under chief of Teporionuu 76, 111
Ariipaea, prince of Huahine
296
Ariipaeavahine, queen of Huahine
220-223
Ariipeu, under chief of Teporionuu
76
Arioi houses, description of
230
Arioi houses of Huahine ; Teruaotema-
tai, 101; Tivau, 101; Pararaau
101
houses of Maraa, Teratorerea,
description
241, 242
Arioi houses of Moorea: Taumataura,
Arioi
Teataepua, 93; Teaurouru,
Teoneaiai, 91 ; Uramea
90;
94;
Arioi house of Porapora : Farerua
Arioi houses of Raiatea: Nanuu, 95;
Fareohe, 95 ; Faremeia, 95 ; Tairoiro, 95 ; Opoa
.'.
Arioi houses of Tahaa: Taputemu, 99;
Tuaoteuira
Arioi houses of Tahiti : Apiriteohu, 78 ;
Araiteva, 82; Atita, 74; Farenao-
93
103
95
99
88 ; Fareroa, 78 ; Fareute, 83 ;
laiti, 88 ; Maaitera, 72 ; Marahaava,
nao,
Matahira, 73; Matiti, 85; Na¬
76, 88 ; Pararo, 87 ; Parurumehau, 88 ; Peafau, 77 ; Pereue, 71 ;
Poumariorio, 72; Taharoa, 88; Tahunaahuru, 86; Tavania, 84; Teaoereva, 73; Tehiraarupo, 81; Tepuumaru, 86 ; Teratorerea, 78, 241 ;
Terehe, 79; Tetaitapu, 77; Titipua72;
nuu,
roa
80
Arioi marriage
284
Arioi society ....190-195, 230-246, 275, 282, 516
Ark
133, 136, 165, 168, 174, 302, 314, 320
Armor
299
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 4S
634
Page
Aromaiterai, sec Terürere.
Artisan’s marae
147
Aru, under chief of Tiarei
73
Aruaruvahine, god
374, 406
Aruaue, son of Queen Pômare, death
of
295
Arue, subdivision of Teporionuu
75, 61g
Arueitefatunui, priest of Porapora
516
Aruetefatunuu, high priest of King
Taihia
585
Aruru, wife of Tane
369, 455, 456
Arurunuurara, god
371
Arutarutatamaumauauahi, goddess
416
Arutua, island of Tuamotus
106, 110
Assembly ground of Huahine : Tamapua 102
Assembly ground of Maupiti : Rereaitu 105
Assembly grounds of Moorea: Arue,
90; Faretou, 94; Faratea, 93; Pahoa, 93 ; Paopao, 92 ; Papeare, se£
Vaiare, 90; Paraoro, 91; Pehau,
93; Pihaena, 92; Punipuniarea, 453;
Tehaarupe, 94; Tahiura, go; Tara,
va,
93,
453;
Teiriiripuurutahi,
90;
Temae, 91 ; Teoneaiai, 91 ; Tiura,
90; Urufara, 93; Vaiare, go; Vaihere
92
103
tiitahuaroa
95
Assembly ground of Porapora ; Vaitape
Assembly grounds of Raiatea : MataAssembly grounds, Tahiti: Aiurua, 8t ;
Faaria, 74; Faofao, 78; Faroa, 83;
Hutumaru, 79 ; Oroperu, 77 ; Paepaeteitei, 81 ; Parurumatai, 88 ; Pia,
73 ; Poreho, 80 ; Poroura, 72 ; Potii,
84, 85 ; Punaauia, 354 ; Taaiva, 85 ;
Tahuaiteare,
73;
Tatere,
453;
Tauaa, 77 ; Taruruamoa, 78 ; Tatatua, 516; Teiriiri, 70; Teoneuri, 88;
Teparauahui,
78;
Tiaraao-Pere ;
Toerefau, 84; Tuturumaaiore, 80;
Urumaru, 86 ; Vairota
Assembly grounds, Tuamotus: Adjustment, 111; Eatumotu, 108; Fangatapu,
107 ;
Farefarematagi, 108 ;
Kuporu, 108; Mahina, 108; Marata,
107 ;
Marotauetaratemarohere,
75
107 ;
Matahai, 107; Nukuhaumaro, 107;
Nukuhaumaroro, 111 ; Nukurua, 107 ;
Oneroa, 108 ; Orereanoa, 108 Oromania, 109 ; Pagoi, 106 ; Pakapaka,
106 ; Paparoa, 107 ; Patapata, see
Pakapaka, 106 ; Patitiiteragihaea,
108; Purourouteirihaea, 111; Tahuamanu, 107; Tefaravivo, 108; Tepuaroaimakemo, 108; Temahaeomoreteauraa, 108; Teruapatiri, 108;
Temokohikueru,
108;
Terunaga,
108; Tokotoko, 108; Teonemahina,
Tepitotauiratea, 109; Toruru,
Vaihau, 107; Vaerota
113
Astrologer
561, 568, 569
Ata, son of Ruatupuanui
359
109;
109;
Page
Atea, arioi of Huahine
lot
Atahitoarii, high chief of Matahiva
106
Ataia, queen
529, 532
Atanua, daughter of Ikamoeava, wife
of Honoura
536
Atariheui, god
374, 407
Atea, arioi of Huahine
233
Atea, daughter of Rumia
35s
Atea, god, 109, 112, 128, 129, 180, 184,
342, 344, 349-51, 364, 365, 372, 39597, 406, 407, 410, 416, 429, 455, 457,
458, 571, 572.
Atea, district of Huahine
100
Atea, priest of marae Mahaiatea
116
Ateataonui, wife of Ruatapuanui
359
Atetoofa, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
Atihau, ancient district of Taiarapu
Atiiemaave, ancient subdivision of Tai¬
87
87
arapu
87
Atimaha, district of Moorea
89, 94
Atimaono, clan district
8i
Atinua, ancient district of Taiarapu
87
Atioro, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
87
Atioroioroitepuatea, ancient subdivi¬
sion of Taiarapu
87
Atipi, district of Maupiti
105
Atipou, ancient chief of Atitauturaro....
87
Atipou, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
87
Atitamatea, ancient subdivision of Tai¬
arapu
87
Atitautu, chieftain
243
Atitauturaro, ancient subdivision of
Taiarapu
87
Atitauturoto, ancient subdivision of
Taiarapu
87
Atitia, district of Porapora
103
Atitiao, district of Huahine
100
Atitioroi, messenger of Mahaena
73
Atitupuai, ancient subdivision of Tai¬
arapu
87
Ativahia, district of Porapora
103
Ativiri, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
87
A.toatoa, wind
393
Atoroirai, god
377
Atupii, district of Huahine
100
Aturuanuu, district of Huahine
100
Atutahi, god
360, 361
Auatoaitahiti, son of Rumareihau
517
Auguries, 147, 181, 182, 225, 297, 303,
316, 321, 383, 391, 393, 394, 481, S09,
529, 533, 598, 612, 616.
Auna, goddess
416
Auroa, chief of Raiatea
524
Auroa, Tuamotuan, warrier chief 522, 524, 530
Ava
531, 538, 539, 562, 583, 587
Avaikinuio-Naea, see Naea
536
Avaro, god
382, 378
Ave, maid of Pereitai
595, 597, 599
Ave-aitu, god
379
Avaeehitiiteahiahi, son of Ruroa
618
H e n ry—A n c i e n t T ah i t i
635
Page
Avera, district of Raiatea
95
128
Awarua
B
Banks, Joseph, in Tahiti
Banyan tree, origin
17, 139
463
Battles
131
Bellinghausen, see Temiromiro
Betrothal
Bird life
105
281
384-388
-
Birds, représentation of gods
Birth, rites for
384
183-187
Birth of lands
Birthplace of gods
Birth
of
constellations
and
stars,
Black art
399
394
359-360
361, 415
203,291
Bligh in Tahiti
Boar himt
Boenechea in Tahiti, 19; death
25, 27, 28, 31
477-479
22
Bonnet, Captain, in the Tuamotus
Borabora, see Porapora.
Bougainville in Tahiti
Boundary dispute
Bouset, Commandant
Bow and arrow
Boxing
Breadfruit, legend of origin
Brodien, Gustaf, of Raiatea
Broughton in Tahiti
Brown and Tu
Burial, 295 ; in mountains
Burial caves
Burial ground, see marae.
106
16, 17
86
286
586, 587, 624
277
423-426
214, 215
30
27
149
72, 80
Butcher, John, in Tahiti
31
c
111
21
146
281
243
539, 551
549-SSi
489
458
Canoë, rites for
473
Canoë, sin bearing
321
Capes
403
Centipedes, représentation of gods
390
Ceremonies, see Ofiferings
Chicken, représentation of god
384
Children
182, 200, 274-275, 279, 280, 284
Children’s games,
Christian, Fletcher, in Tahiti
Churchill, mutineer
Circumcision
608, 609
70-83
Clan districts
Clan
Clerke in Tahiti
144
23
Cloaks, feather
579
Clothing, sec ornaments
137, 152, 285-289
Coconut, origin, 421, 422, 619; uses, 44;
magic
617, 621
Colors
Combat
335
588
Comedians, see arioi.
Conch-shell trumpet
123,
578, 606, 607
Constellations
363, 359, 401, 418
Cook, in Tahiti, 17-24, 169, 275, 276; in
Moorea, 92; in Raiatea
95
188
Coronation
Cox, J. H., in Tahiti
Crabs, représentation of gods
Création
Création of people
Cricket, god
Dances
312, 391, 392,
27
392
337-349
403
598, 602
D
21, 236, 275
Dead, treatment of
289
Dead, treatment of victims of war....3i2-3l5
Deans, see Rangiroa
106
Death
200, 378, 380
Death of raan
Defence
De la Ronciere, French governor
405
128, 298
Dfluge
141
141,399, 445-452, 574
Disease
289, 382, 417, 427
Directions, named by Ru
Disease, cast out by Roo
459
373
20g
Disenchanter
Districts, see clan districts.
Cannibalism, legend of, 350; prohibited
Canoë, 157, 179-182, 189, 280, 281, 573,
580-86, 601 ; decked, 608 ; dedication
of, 489, 551; double, 471, 487, 596,
603; sacred, 129, 136, 313, 317, 379,
413, 461, 473; war canoës
Canoë builders’ marae
Canoë builders, sacred
Canoë gods
Canoë marae
Canoë of Hiro, making of
Canoë of Rata, description
Canoë of Tumunui
Page
Clairvoyance
SS6-5S7
26, 27
28, 29
188, 197
Districts of Tahiti
Doctors
Dolphin représentation of spirits
Dress
Drum of Laa, description.
70-83
145
390
598-599
Drum, sacred, 100, 123, 133, 135, 153,
156, 157, 159, 160, 168, 169, 190,
196, 225, 234, 276, 301, 487, 585, 628.
Duck, représentation of gods
Ë
Eaaipu, goddess
Eama, district of Huahine
Earthquake of 1797
Eaua, cave on islet of Teraatahoa...
Edwards in Tahiti
Eel and Hina
Eel catching
Eel of Tii, legend of
Eel god
Eel of king of Arue
Ehuakama, see Kamaehu
Elizabeth, see Tovau
Embalming
Ereerefenua, wife of Ruatupuanui.
.
569
384
416
100
31
109
29, 30
.
616
88
.97, 98
■
.
■
.
-
■
389
619
576
106
295
359
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
636
Page
Page
Ereti, chief of Hitiaa
Eteturi, man of Maraa
16,20
241, 246
F
Faaa, clan district
77, 78, 592
Faaarahia, ancient chief of Taiarapu....
87
Faaarahia, messenger of Haapape
74
Faaarahia, priest of Opoa
5
Faaau, see Niau
106
Faafana, messenger, of Vairao
;
84
Faahiro, messenger of Maraa
78
Faahotu, ancient subdivision of Taiarapou
Faahotu, mother of Roo
Faahotu and Atea
87
210, 349
372
373,402
377
Faahotu, wife of Tefatu
Faaipo, god
Faaipu, goddess
416
Faaite, island of Tuamotus
' 107
Faanoa, district of Maupiti
105
Faanounou, chief of Raiatea
139
Faanui, district of Porapora
104
Faaravaaianu, king of Lake Vaihiria..6i5-62i
Faaravaiterai, god
356,361,404
Faarori, god
427
Faarua, wind
394
Faatae, god
356, 406
Faatota, sorcerer, Raiatea
213
Faatupu, god
377
Faautamoeroa, warrior of Tautira
S79
Fafa, artisan for Roo
370, 455
Fai, god
356
Faimanoarii, mother of Hiro
537
Fairies
383
Fakarava, island of Tuamotus, 107;
chant
Famine in Tahiti
112
Fauterooroo, son of Atea
Feast, préparation
Fee, see Moorea
;
Feematotiti, démon
370
594 623
574
624
89
611
579
Fenua, mythological women
347
Fenuaaihuaraau, name of ancient sub¬
divisions of Taiarapu
87
Fetutea, son of Metuaaipapa
361
Feu, god
374, 406
Fig tree, origin of
463
Fiji, firewalking
216
Fire, sacred, 133, 168, 172, 204; discovery by friction
427
Fire walking
f.
214-220
Firifiriaufau, goddess
417
First fruits
177, 425, 624, 626
Fish gods
611
Fishermen’s gods
167
Fishermen’s
marae
Fishes, représentations of gods
Fishhook, magic fishhook of Tafai
Fishing
Fishing apparatiis
280-81,
Food, préparation of
Fortifications
Fowl, birth of
148
389
558
280
590
624
83
380
G
276, 556, 557, 595
Gaines
Généalogies
Gentry
Ghosts
Gods, arrivai in Moorea
Gods of
Tuamotus
139, 141, 247-272
403
144, 383, 380, 416
94
109
128
Gods, list of greater
Gods’ house
Gore, scientist, in Tahiti
Gourd, magic ancestral
422,423
Fanaue, under chief of Hitiaa
71
Fangatau, island of Tuamotus
109
Fara of Tii, legend of
97, 98
Fararoa, warrior prince, Taravao
519
Farauta, warrior prince, Taravao
519
Fareatae, ancient chief of Tahitiea
87
Farefarematai, land of birth of gods.... 394
Fareihi, district of Huahine
100
Faremarama, district
525
Faretou, district of Huahine
100
Faro, god
374, 406
Fatapu, birth of
401
Fateata, son of Purua
85
Fattening
274
Fatunuu, god
484
Fatutiri, god, 128; ancestor of Tane—. 330
Fatuuratane, god
351
Faurepa, district of Raiatea
95
Faurourou, cloud goddess, mother of
Roo
Fautaua Valley
Fei plant, legend
426
15
528
H
Haamarurai, father of Temuri
Haapiti, district of Moorea, 17, 18, 74,
93, 94, 114-
593
Haapiti, north wind with two currents 364
Haapori, fattening
76
Haapoua, high chief of Porapora
102
Haapu, district of Huahineiti
100
Hades, see Po.
Haeiteoa, see Oahivari
454
Haenovaiurua, god
376
Haete Oa-Tahuea, teacher of Vairao..,.
84
Hagemeister, see Apataki
,
106
Haia, messenger of Papeuriri
82
Haiatota, messenger of Papara
79
Haiatoti, messenger of Papara
79
Hamuri, goddess
421
Haoaoa, sister of Oro
231, 375, 416
Haorangi, island of Tuamotus
109
Haotu, see Hoatea.
Haputua, woman of Haapiti
90, 91
Haraiki, island of Tuamotus
108
Hartwell, Mr., in Raiatea
214
Harurupapa, wife of Taaroa
337
Hau, petty chief of Hau
15
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
637
Page
Page
Hau, and Cook
17
Hau, god
.144, 14s, 163, 164, 384, 390
Haufaatauaroha, international alliance.. 103
Hauino, district of Tahaa
98
Haumi, district of Moorea
89, 90
Haupahunui, alliance
128
Hautia, god
213
Hauvanaa, wife of Tuihiti
468-477
Havaii, see Raiatea
115
Havaii, birthplace of gods
394, 399
Hawaii, 24, 341, 343; intercourse with
24, 568
Hawaii, birth of
571
Hawaiian islands, origin
558, 566
Hawaiian islands, moved by Tafai
559
Hawaiiloa, discoverer of Hawaiian
islands
565, 567
Hinanuitearaara, daughter of Atea....407, 214
Hinaraurea, surf rider of Mahaena
72
Hinataaifenua, daughter of Atea
407
Hinatahutahu, goddess, wife of
Hema
556, 559
Hinateivaiva, wife of Ruatupuanui
358
Hinatepipiro, maid of Huritemonoi..6o8, 615
Hinateuutimahaituamea, daughter of
Hawaiki
Head, appellation
Headdress
Heaven, ideas regarding
128
425
286, 293, 597
201
Heima, god
377, 394
Heiva, dance
21
Heivaino, arioi of Mataoae
85
Hema, son of Hina
555
Hema, father of Tafai
561, 566, 573, 574
Henry, Captain, in Tahiti, 197; in
Moorea
225
Hiatakaalawamaka, Hawaiian goddess 576
Hiatanoholani, Hawaiian goddess
576
Hiataopio, Hawaiian goddess
576
Hiatatapuenaena, Hawaiian goddess
576
Hiatawawahilani, Hawaiian goddess
576
High chief
158
Hihimaivao, chieftain of Rupe
624, 626
Hihi-Ra, husband of Uahea
408
Hiiakaikapoliopele, Hawaiian goddess
576
Hiiakaileiia, Hawaiian goddess
576
Hikueru, island of Tuamotus
108
Hills, Mrs. Uuu
85
Hina, goddess, 151, 180, 287, 392, 599;
in Raiatea
462
Hina and Ru, voyages of....4S9, 460, 461, 464
..
620
Hina and the eel
463
464
Hina, changes of name
Hina, comparative folklore
Hina, daughter of Noua
Hina, wife of Atea
552
571
463
Hina, wife of Tafai
563
Hina, princess of Papeuriri, Tahiti
615
Hinaarii, daughter of Rehia
579
Hinaereeremanua, goddess
287, 403
Hinafaauru, daughter of Atea
407
Hinafaauruvaa, see Hina
459
Hinahele, goddess of fishes
467, 468
Hinahinatotoio, daughter of Hihira
408
Hina’s visit to the moon
431, 432
Hinaiaaitemarama, daughter of Atea....
Hinaiakamalama, goddess
Hinamahaituamea, goddess
Hinanuifaaharamaau, son of Tii
407
574
416
403
_
_
Tefatu
402, 405, 413
Hinatuania, daughter of Tefatu
373, 387
Hinatuarai, daughter of Tefatu
373
Hinatuatai, daughter of Tefatu
373, 387
Hinatuauta, 120; daughter of Tefatu.... 373
Hinatuauta, mother of Orotaua
375
Hinatuoraro, daughter of Tefatu
373
Hinatutuhaa, daughter of Atea
407
Hinavahineeanapateuiraite-Hitia-otera.. 617
Hinenuitepo, ancestress of Maui
466, 467
Hinoiatua, title of Pômare
114
Hinutaia, wind
394
Hirivari, god
375
Hiro, god....S, 129, 131, 171, 391, 413, 356, 537
Hiro, teacher of Haapape
74
Hiro, maker of sand hills
75
Hiro, hero
79, 80, 537-552
Hiro, comparative folklore
552
Hiro and Pai
589
Hita, arioi of Manorua
78
Hita, arioi of Maraa
78
Hiti
69
Hitiaa, clan district
70
Hitiaurereva, old name for Pitcairn
Island
69
Hitihiti....25, 27, 28 ; and Cook, 20 ; and
Bligh
31
Hitihiti, subdivision of Opunohu
92
Hitiirapae, district of Moorea
89
Hitiitearapiopio, old name for Taiarapu 69
Hitimaiterai, warrior of Tautira
522
Hitimarama, démon of the sea, also
island
70, 505
Hitinia, old name for Tahiti and Moorea.. 69
Hitipoto, old name for Mangareva,
Tepoto, 69; district
607
Hitiraro, old name for Raiatea and
T ahaa
69
Hitiroa, old name for Tahiti and Moorea
69
Hitiroa, district
607
Hititai, ancient district of Tahiti
473, 477
Hititautauatu, old name for Timoe
69
Hititautaumai, old name for Moruroa..
69
Hitiuta, ancient district in Tahiti
473
Hiva, gods
163, 164
Hivaroa, high chief of Tepoto
109
392
Hoa, man of Papeiha, Tahiti
Hoalanikalani, god
570
Hoane, god
456
Hoani, god
163, 354, 374, 412
Hoaniiteao, god
374
Hoaniiteatua, god
374
Hoaniitepo, god
374
Hoaniitetaata, god
374
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
638
Page
Hoatameamea, son of Oro
376
H'oatapu, son of Oro
231, 238, 376
Hoatatinorua, son of Oro
376
Hoatauri, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
87
Hoatauriitai, ancient subdivision of
Taiarapu
J
87
Hoatauriiuta, ancient subdivision of
Taiarapu
87
Hoatea, third man
347
Hoatu, mythological wornan
347
Honohonatai, high chief of Raraka,
Tuamotus
107
Honoura, god
516-536
Hopuu, under chief of Haunii
90
Horo, wife of Tauruanuiamoaha
362
Horofanae, god
356, 364, 40S
Hospitality
593-594, 609
Hotu, god
405
Hotu, daughter of Tefatu
373, 374
Hotu, wife of Atea
407
Hotuiterai, god
342, 343
Hotupapa, island, birth of
400, 401
Hotupuu, district of Raiatea
96
Hotuteina, ancient subdivision of Taia¬
rapu
87
Hotutuaana, ancient subdivision of
Taiarapu
87
Huaatua, arioi of Afaahiti
88
Huahine, gods
128
Huahine, island
99-102, 400
Huanuumarae, god
371
Huatau, wind
393
Huatere, priest of Opoa
S
Huatua, arioi of Tahiti
233
Huauri, wife of Rehia....578, S79, 580,586, 587
Hue, subdivision of Opunohu
92
Hue fafaru
Huhura, god
Huma, man of Maupiti
Huototoiae, son of Raiatea
Huri, wife of Roura
Huriaau, warrior
Huriaro, artisan god
Huriitemonoi
Huritane, artisan god
Huritua, god
Hurumanu, district of Maupiti
621
371
213
423
407
305
356, 365
607-615
365
356, 365
105
Hutu, Hiro’s artisan
550, 551
Hutuhiva, daughter of Tutapu of Raia¬
tea
100
Hypnotism
205
I
Ihi, daughter of Taaroa
Ihuata, god
483,
Ikamoeava, chief of Akaau
Images, 121, 130, 133, 134, 135, 137,
142, 148, 152, 153, 154, 162, 165, 166,
168, 169, 173, 178, 180, 190, 191, 193,
194, 203, 205, 206, 208, 304, 344, 345,
382, 383, 525, 617; destruction of....
374
489
536
Page
Images, European dolls
Image, tii at Ruaotetoa
Ina, wife of Honoura
Inauguration of kings
Incarnations of gods and spirits
Infanticide
78
536
188
382
235, 240, 275
Insects, birth of, 380; représentations
of gods
Insignia
Interraarriage
Tahiti
391-392
between
612, 614, 628
Moorea and
131
loremumu, brother of loreroa
476
lorepoto, brother of loreroa
476
loreroa, brother of Matamatataua....473-476
lorevava, brother of loreroa
476
Ire, god
356, 369, 4P3
Irinau, god
163, 164, 357
Iripau, district of Tahaa
98
Itea, wife of Tu
23, 25, 27
Itia, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu....
87
Itiaa, district of Porapora
104
Ito, god
376
T
Joulard, de, Governor
115
K
Kaaiea, see Pili
Kahai, see Tafai
565-68, 570, 572,
Kahikiku, birth of
Kahikimoe, birth of
Kahulakea, chief, son of Papa and Eono
Kamaehu, Hawaiian god
Kamahualele, astrologer of Tahiti-.-568,
Kamehameha
S70
574
571
57i
572
576
569
577
Kamohoalii, Hawaiian deity
576
Kanaloa, god
570, 574
Kane, see Tane
571, 574
Kanehoalani, god
S70
Kapuheeuanuu, fisherman of Tahiti
570
Kariki, brother of Tawhaki
574
Karukaru, see Mauitiitii
352
Katiu, island of Tuamotus
108
Kauai, birth of
571
Kauehi, island of Tuamotus
107
Kaukura, island of Tuamotus
106, 110
Kaula, birth of
572
Kaulawahine, wife of Atea
;
571
Kauluakalama, ancient navigator
568, 569
Kaumualii, king of Kauai
570
Keapapanuu, rising wind
571
Kehowao-Hawaii, discoverer of Ha¬
waiian islands
565
Kekamalua, two children
372
Keolo
578
Kila, son of Moikeha of Hawaii
569
Kings of Tuamotus
110, 111
King, inauguration of, 190, 191, 193 ;
déposition of
195
Kites
607
90, 91
Krusenstern,
Ku, god
see
Tikahau
279
106
571
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
L
Page
M
Maahurai, birth of
401
Maahurai, island now submerged
386
Maatahi, god
359
Maatea, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
87
Maatea, group of districts on Moorea.Rp, 90
Maau, god
415
Maemaearohi, under chief of Maharepa
91
Maemaearohi, sister of loreroa
474
Maemaearohi, mother of Rata
493
Maeva, Huahine-nui
148
Maevarua I
149
Maevarua, II, queen
149
Magic, 129, 133, 143, 14s, 149, 391, 392,
586, 588, 614, 617, 618, 626, 627.
Mâgicians
i
203, 204, 203
Mahaena, clan district
70
Mahai, of Raivavae
105, 454
Mahanaeanapaitepoipoi, son of Ruroa,— 618
Maharepa, subdivision of Teaharoa
91
Mahatura, Tuamotuan chief
113
Maheanuu, high chief of Papeari, 83 ;
king of Faaa
594
Maheu, under chief of Paopao
92
Mahi, man of Opoa
232
Mahina, district of Tahiti
552
Mahine, high chief
24, 94
Mahinui, high chief of Nihiru
108
Mahitua, man of Tahiti
296
Mahufaturau, daughter of Oro
231, 375
Mahuie, wife of Aoaomaraia....309, 427, 420
Mahunia, son of Tauruanuiamoaha....362, 379
Mahurai, ancient subdivision of Taia¬
rapu
87
Mahuraro, son of Tauruanuiamoaha—- 362
Mahurua, man of Opoa, Raiatea
213
Mahuru, king of Raiatea
425
Mahuta, high chief of Tuanaki
108
Mahuturua, king
607
Maiaha, man of Tahiti
296
Maiaoiti, island, birth of
400, 558
Mai and Cook
Mai, god
Page
family of Porapora
Maihae, canoë builder of Opoa
Maio, genii
Maioa, native teacher, Maupiti
Mairau, high chief of Haumi
Mai
Laa, adopted son of Moikeha
567, 569
Lanai, birth of
571
Land ownership, 141, 142; by conquest 315
Lands, birth of
399
Langara in Tahiti
22
Lata, see Rata
566
Liliuokalani of Hawaii, ancestor Paao,
569; Queen
576
Lizard, Mootuaraha
622
Lizard, représentation of god
383
Lono, god
117, 570, 571
Lonokaeho, god
570
Lonokulani, god
570
Lua, husband of Papa
572
Luukia, Hawaiian woman, wife of Olopana
567, 569
20-23
213
639
Mairuru,
260, 390
550
352
213
90
of Papeari, South Ta¬
589-92
Makatea, island of Tuamotus
106, 110
Makemo, island of Tuamotus
108
Makolewawahiwaa, Hawaiian goddess 576
Makuakaumana, priest of Tahiti
569
Man, birth of
366, 402
Mana.
129, 146, 351, 575, 586
Manai, man of Maraa
241, 246
Manea, under chief of Papetoai
93
Manea, chieftain, Moorea
224, 225
Manea family
130
Mangareva, 117, 118; origin
558, 607
Manihi, island, ruler of
110
Mano Rua, political division
78, 114
Mano Tahi, political division....114, 592, 606
Manua, high chief of Mahaena, 73 ;
king
607
Manuae, island
103
Manuiteaa, legendary bird, 84; repré¬
sentation of Taaroa
384
Manutahi, high chief of Hurumanu,
Maupiti
105
Manuteaa, warrior of Tautira
522
Manutetapearii, warrior of Tautira
522
Mara, teacher of Hitiaa
71
Maraa, subdivision of Paea
79, 241
Maraaipupua, wind
393
Maraamumoana, wind
364, 393
Mao, of Tahiti
212
Maoae, northeast wind
71
Maomaoreva, ancient subdivision of
Taiarapu
87
Maopurotu, god
389
Mapihaa, island, 97, 105 ; birth of
400
Maraa, revenge of,
241
Marae, after deluge, 452 ; attendants,
151-53; birth place, 143; burial in,
135, 539; 545, 590, 631 ; canoë builders, 146 ; in canoë, 474 ; customs, 150 ;
classes of, 119; doctors’, 145; fam¬
ily or ancestral, 141 ; established at
Tahiti, 128 ; first, 413, 426 ; local,
building of, 139-141 ; national, build¬
ing of, 131-138; place of marriage,
143, 359; ruins of, 141,
148-49;
sacredness of, 150; social, 144-45;
stones, 132, 142 ; worship
134
Marae, legendary, Apooao, 430 ; Tuihana, 362; Taputapuatea, 401; Paepaeruahinetepupumaireiari
145
Marae of Tane and Taaroa
398
Marae of Huahine : Anini, 128 ; Atea,
100; Atitao, 100; Aturuanuu, 100;
Eama, 100; Fareihi, 100; Faretou,
100; Faao-aitu, called also Matairea, 100; Maeva, 148, 206; Manuhiti
man
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
640
Pags
nuiterai, 148, 363; Matairea, 128,
148, 195, 206, 220, 221, 452; Miru,
100; Tahue, 454; Tauraimua, 100;
Tauraimuri, 100; Toerauroa
loi
Marae of Maupiti : Vaiahu
105, 12g
Marae of Moorea: Ahuare, 91, 453;
Ahuruatama, 453 ; chief’s marae,
Maraetefano, 90; Maraetehoro,
Maraetapuhoro, 94; Maraeteuta,
Matahihae, 453 ; Matair.ea, 453 ;
Matiti, 94; Nuupure, 90; Nuurua,
93, 186, 363, 453; Oio, 94; Paetou,
90 ; Taero, 90 ; Taputapuatea, 93,
130, 131, 225, 453; Tepuatea, 453;
Tiaia, 91 ; Umarea, 90, 186 ; Urufara, 93; Vaiotaha
92;
94;
92 ;
93
Porapora: Avarau, 363;
Faanui, 104, 121; Farerua, 103, 122,
129; Vaiotaha
129,-231, 363
Marae of Poura, Maiao
128, 452
Marae of Raiatea : Ahunoa, 423, 425 ;
Opoa, 129; Taputapuatea, 95, 119,
120, 129, 148, 363 ; Tahuea, 128, 191,
363, 423, 452, 454; Vaiotaha
121
Marae
of
Marae of Tahaa; Ahuroa
99, 129
Marae of Tahiti: Ahurai, 77, 598;
Ahutoru, 76; Aifa, 73; Farepua, 81,
83; Fareroi, 74; Faupua, 74; Hitaa,
70 ; Ivirau, 73 ; Lanikeha, 567 ; Mahaiatea, 80, 138, 139, 140, 453; Ma¬
tahihae, 85, 453 ; Maraetaata, 78 ;
Alataoa, 79; Matarehu, 79; Nuutere,
84; Outurau, 80; Outuroa, 81; Papeuriri, 620; Pouriro, 84; Punaauia,
77, 78 ; Pureoa, 86 ; Raiamanu, 75 ;
Raiipu, 72 ; Raiteha, 567 ; Raitua,
77 ; Tahitiaea, 88 ; Taputapuatea, 70,
86, 130; Tarahoi, 75, 149, 186; Teahuorua-Tama, 130; Tomaru, 73;
Tuatua, 144 ; Tuitui, 78 ; Tumarama,
129, 386 ; Utuaimahurau
78, 130
Marae of Tuamotus : Ahuroa, 106 ;
Apaapaiterangi, 109; Faratogoao,
Hekeua,
108 ;
Taputapuatea, 107; Tepito,
Tetupu, 113; Tokonaiteragi,
108;
108 ;
Fareura,
109 ;
Hitiaa, 106; Kotukurere, 106, 107;
Maofa, 108 ; Maramaramaiteatea,
108 ; Mataho, 107 ; Mataeho, 107 ;
Matitimaru, 107, 110; Metuaitera,
106 ; Metuaiterangi, 108 ; Motuokoro, 109; Nanahaotangaroa, 107;
Niutahi, 106; Onemake, 107; Oneura, 107; Otuurere, see Kotukurere,
106, 107 ; Paeratorohi, 108 ; Peauura,
109; Poureva, 109; Poutupu, 108;
Puatauhumu, 108 ; Putuaru, 108 ;
Rangihoa, 107 ; Ragimaeva, 107 ;
Raratogoao, 108; Tainoa, see Tainoka, 106; Tainoka, 106; Tamatefauhere, 108 ; Tapuhina, 106, 525 ;
113;
•
Page
Totaramahiti, 109; Tupuaifareika,
108; Turemoke, 107; Vaiahu, 108;
Vaimoho
106, 107
Marama, high chief of Haapiti.,.,
94
Marama, high chief of Teavaro
90
Marama, goddess
400
Marama, sea
400
Marama, son of Hiro
543
Maratea, teacher of Hitiaa
71
Mare, high chief of Toopua, Porapora 103
Marei, under chief of Urufara
93
Mareinuiatapurangi, Tuamotuan scholar 110
Marere, high chief of Hikueru
108
Marere, high chief of Reitoru
108
Marerenuimaruatoa, king
441
Mariua, star
340, 399
Maro, legendary warrior
438
Maroe, district of Huahineiti
100
Marokau, island of Tuamotus
108
Marotetini family of Porapora....g9, 122, 262
Maroura, arioi of Hitiaa
77, 233
Marriage
143, 281. S18, 631-32
Maruate, high chief of Raroia
108
Maruatoa, legendary warrior
438, 441
Maruia, queen, wife of Teauroa
528
Marutea, island of Tuamotus
108
Massage
Mataa, arioi of Papara
14S. 600
79, 233
243
241
106, 110
Matahiapo, chief
Matahihae, district
Matahiva, island of Tuamotus
Mataiea, see Papeuriri
81, 82
Mataiea, father of Hina
616
Mataiehaa, canoë builder for Hiro....546, 548
Matai feetietie, wind
394
Mataiiteurarea, god
349, 350
Matairea, birth of
401
Matairuapuna, brother of Pereitai
592, 604-607
Mataitai, god
374, 406
Matakerepo, see Uhi
574
Matamataarahu, god
287, 374, 406
Matamatataua, wife of Tumunui
468-473,
477, 481
Matamatataua, wife of Vahieroa
495
Matamatataua, wife of Tafai
573
Matarii, son of Tauruanui
362
Matata, first man
347
Matatahi, god
375
Matatini, god
378
Matau, teacher of Teporiomiu
76
Mateha, high chief of Taatoi
105
Matititau, son of Faanui
360
Matohi, god
414
Matohifanaueve, son of Papatuoi
356
Matuaaaro, warrior of Rata
492
Matuafaauu, warrior of Rata
492
Matutere, queen
607
Matututaotao, demon....494, 496, 503, 505, 509
Maui, noosing the sun, 84, 353, 430,
431 ; god, 162, 196, 320, 348 ; Tuaraotuan
account,
349-353;
first
Henrv—Ancient Tahiti
641
Page
priest, 408, 413, 414; legends, 42g;
comparative folklore, 464-468, 565 ;
liâmes of
467, SS8, 616, 620, 621
Maui, island, birth of
571
Mauimatahiapo, son of Tangaroa
352
Maiiimua, son of Hilii-Ra
408, 413, 414
Maui-Muri, son of Tangaroa
352
Mauipgtii, daughter of Hihi-Ra
408
Mauipufenua, son of Hihi-Ra
408, 409
Mauiroto, son of Hihi-Ra
408
Mauirua, son of Tangaroa
352
Mauitaha, son of Tangaroa
352
Mauitaha, son of Hihi-Ra
408
Mauitiitii, son of Hihi-Ra.,..409, 410, 411, 431
Mauitiitii, son of Tangaroa
352
Mauitoru, son of Tangaroa
352
A'Iauiupoovaru, son of Hihi-Ra
408, 431
Maumaitai, fisherman for Hiro
546
Maumaiuta, fisherman of Hiro
546
Maimuteaa, god
377
Maunuura, son of Tauruanui
360
Maupiti, island
104
.•
Mauri, spirit
206
Mauriuripeevaa, wind
393
Maurua, see Tepoto
109
Maurua, see Maupiti
104
Maurua, island, birth of
400
Mauu, god
128, 376
Mavete, legendary warrior
438
Maveteaitune, see Mouahaa
438
Mawaelualani, birth of
572
Maweke, Hawaiian in Tahiti
567
Meaehioimua, half-brother of Hiro....S37, 541
Meaehioimuri, half-brother of Hiro
537
Meaehuitetae, half-brother of Hiro
537
Measures
Medicine
326
145-146, 391, 392
Mehao, high chief of Tevaitoa
g6
Mehiti, slayer
73
Memeru, royal artisan of Opoa..546, 548, 550
Mere, under chief of Haumi
90
Mere, son of Tauruanui
362
Meruereoreo, legend of
77
Meto, daughter of Manua
607, 614
Afetu, origin
558
Metua, magician of Oro
206, 349
Metuaaipapa, son of Atutahi
360, 361
A'Ietuaaro, ancient chief of Taiarapu....
87
Aletuapuaa, son of Tumoanaurifa
381
Miha, under chief of Urufara
93
Mirp, district of Huahine
100
Missionaries, arrivai of
31, 32
24
Moana, chief
Moanaaanohurihara, son of Atutahi....
Moanaaere, son of Atutahi
Moanaohunoaeihaamoehara,
Atuatahi
son
o f
Moanaroano-Tane, wind
Moaura, ancient subdivision of Taia¬
rapu
Moe, god
Aloe, king in Taiarapu
377,
360
360
361
393
87
551
389
Page
Moe, queen of Faaa
Moeata, chief of Hitiaa
Moearu, high chief of Afaahiti
Moehau, god
Moehauiterai, goddess
Moeore, scholar of Porapora
594
70
88
377
407
Moerehuturituriroroano-Peretei, wind
..
290
393
Moerurua, goddess
416
Moeterauri, high chief of Mataoae
85
Moikeha, Hawaiian prince
567, 569
Moiri, monster pig of Hawaii
562
Moller, see Amanu
10g
Molokai, birth of
571
Money
326
Monoihere, lover of Hina
552
Monster, of Temehaniavearii of Raiatea
98, 616
Months
332
Alore, god
357
Alorne, Lient, de Vaisseau, in Raiatea.. 215
Moruu, district of Aloorea
89, 93
Motutunga, island of Tuamotus
108
Mouahaa, grandmother of Terehe
438
Alouaputa, legend
589
Moo of
Moons
Fautaua
621
333
Afoorea, 89-93 ; war with, 21, 25 ; controlled byTu, 30; prestige, 113-115 ;
gods, 128, 435; origin, 558, 566;
legend
589
Alootuaraha, lizard
622
Moouri, god
377
Mua, Tahitian chief
567
Muavaa, son of Manua
607-615
Mummy
296
Alunanui, high chief of Haorangi
109
Aluneeitai, Tuamotuan warrior
531
Muneeiuta, Tuamotuan warrior
531
Murake, warrior
535
Mureo, teacher of Haapape
74
Afusical instruments
276, 616
Mutahaa, arioi of Tahaa
99
Mutilation
184, 188, 282, 283, 292, 579-580
Alutineers of the Bounty
27-30
N
Naea, prince
Naisa, see Rangiroa
Nana, god
Naotare, legend of
Napotata, démon
Napotiti, démon
Nataoeha, division of Alanorua
536
106
356, 365
93
402
402
78
National marae, see also marae
131
Nihiru, island of Tuamotus
108
Navenave, son of Orotaua
375
Navigation
280, 464
Nevaneva, god
...-163, 164, 357, 374, 407
New, Captain in Tahiti
31
Ngaupokoturua, son of Honoura
536
Niau, island of Tuamotus
106, 110
Nights of the moon
331
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
642
Page
Page
Nihonihotetei, godcless
Niihau, birth of
Niua, district of Tahaa
Noa, chief of Tahiti
Nohoarii, god
Nona, chieftess of Tahiti
Nott, missionary, and Pômare II
Numbers
Nunua, district of Porapora
Nuuhiva, island, birth of
Nuumarea, sea
Niuiroa, island, birth of
Oropaa, royal house, 376, 383, 567 ;
see Olopana.
Oropuaamahui, god
383
Ororahitootoa, image of Oro
130
Orotaua, son of Taaroa
375, 376
Orotaua, god
383
Orotetefa, son of Oro
232, 238
Oroveliiura, god
384
Oru, god
349
Otai, man of Papara
296
417
572
99
SS4
423
552, 566
212, 213
323
102
400
401
400
Otuuhaamanaataaroa,
84, 348
376, 385, 452, 454
Oarangi, chieftain of Mangaia
Occupations
O’Connor in Tahiti
571
533
280, 281
31
P
Pa
Octopus
390, 40s, 560
Offerings, 111, 123, 129, 136, 148, 168,
169, J 71, 174-79, 186, 187, 188, 194,
196-98, 241, 242, 277, 289, 290, 303,
312, 315, 321, 381, 384, 413, 458, 482,
486, 489, 491, 503, 521, 577, 58s, 602,
620, 625-6.
Ohuna, friend of Tafai
441
Ohutumoua, daughter of Tefatu
373
Oina, artisan for Roo
370, 455
Oio, district of Moorea
94
Olopana, Hawaiian prince
567
Omamao, arioi of Afareaitu
90
Omito, woman.of Haapiti
90, 91
One, son of Ruatupuanui
359
Onokura, see Honoura
533, 535
Oohutumoua, god
390
Ooia, artisan for Roo
370
Opeitearauroa, high chief of Atipi,
Maupiti
105
Opeti, phantom warrior
228
Opoa, district of Raiatea
95, g6
Opoa, royal families in Tahiti
116
Opuatipa, teacher of Hitiaa
71
Opunohu, subdivision of Teaharoa
92
Ora tree, origin of
463
Orerorero, daughter of Ra’a
357
Orerorero, goddess
416
Ornaments, 137, 170, 189, 193, 234, 235,
236, 242, 273, 579, 597, 608, 616.
Oro, god, 73, 74, 81, 85, 95, 107, 120,
121-126, 129, 130, 132, 137, 139, 144,
145, 162-64, 169, 188-96, 206, 221,
230-33, 236, 237, 240, 241, 244, 304,
309, 314, 322, 338, 376, 383, 388, 390,
the
....470-495
.118, 208. 316
Paa, arioi of Faaa
Paaiherenui, Tuamotuan warrior
Paao, Tahitian prince
Paaowalinuu.
77
531
569
goddess
571
77
79
393
Paea, district
Paea, song of
Paetahi, god, 377 ; wind
Pafaite, northwest wind
Pafaite, son of Ratairi
Paheroo, warrior of Raiatea...
Pahuanuiapitaaiterai,
sea
démon
364
421
101
of
Pahuatutahi, god of the sea
Pai, legend of
Paiatua ceremony
Paita, messenger of Manorua
Paitia, son of Paitia and the lizard
Panee, messenger of Papeari
Pani, high chief of Tufenuapoto
Pani, stream
the
1S6
470, 49s
496, 503
578-589
289
78
622
83
95
617
126, 127
Paoauri, guardian at Opoa
123, 126, 127
Paopao, subdivision of Teaharoa
91, 92
Papa, high chief of Kauehi, Tuamotus 107
Paoatea
391, 393, S3S, SSi-
Oroitemarotea, god,
384
Oroitemaroura, god
385
Oromarotea, god
121
Orooroipua, grandson of Hina
555, 562
Oropaa, god
165, 344, 358, 388, 494
of
92
Oua, under chief of Paraoro...
72
Outu, under chief of Mahaena.
Oututaatamahurei, birth of
401
Ovirinioeaihere, god of mourning.... ■293, 378
Owl, représentation of god
384
Orotaua, son of Taaroa
-375, 376
O
Oa, mud god
Oahivari, démon
Oahu, birth of
démon
sea
Papa, goddess
570, 571
Papahonu, ancient district of Tahihi..., 473
Papaita, of Raiatea..;
:
215, 219
Papaite, northwest wind
■.
71
Papaiti, island, birth of
400
Papaiti, see Temiromiro
105
Papara, clan district
18, 79, 139, 270
Paparaharaha, deity....338, 342, 356, 358, 374
Paparai, god
376
Papatea, ancient name for Makatea.... 106
Papatuoi, god
3S6, 364
Papauru, under chief of Maatea
90
Papeare, district of Moorea, 90; see
also Vaiare
89
Papeari, clan district
83
Papeete, description
75
-
,
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
643
Pags
Papehau, god
581
Papehere, see Vaihere
92
Papenoo, clan district
73
Papenoo, place of refuge
73, 74, 619
Paperurua, god
581
Papetoai, district of Moorea....89, 93, 94, 114
Papeuriri, clan district
81
Paraita, descendant of Teriitaumatatini
Paraoro, subdivision of Teaharoa
Parapu, son of Ratairi
Pare, chiefs
Pare, district
Parea, district of Huahineiti
Paroa, district of Manorua
Parrakeets, représentation of gods
Parau Nikau, father of Ina
Patterns
Pau, god
Paue, a prophet
Paufata, legendary warrior
Pauterefenua, god
Pauturoa, god
Pearls
624
91, 92
421, 422
266
17, 75
100
78
79, 384
536
33S
371
9
438
341
293, 378
....,129, 390
473, 477
Peeai, ancient district of Tahiti
Pehauitoa, district of Moorea
89
Pehe, under chief of Teavaro
90
Pele, goddess, 104, 201, 359, 417, 576,
577 ; comparative folklore
576
Peperu, god
374, 406
Pere, goddess
359
Pereitai, city of refuge
599
Pereitai, princess of Faaa
592-607
Perkins, Edward T., in Raiatea
96
Peter in Tahiti
Peue, chieftain of Fautaua
Peuruaro, legendary warrior
Phantoms
31
146
438
91
Pig, .sacred, 32-34, lor ; birth of
380,
Pihaa, messenger of Pueu
88
Pihaena, subdivision of Teaharoa
91, 92
Piho, daughter of Hiro
543, 545
Pili, Tahitian
570
Pinai, subdivision of Opunohu
92
Piraetea a Tane, son of Fetutea
361
Piri, see Pili
570
Piritua, high chief of Niau
106
Pitere, man of royal farriily, Tahiti
213
Pitiiri, god
422
Pitimaua, wife of Tangaroa
110
Pitoura, wife of Ratairi
421
Pitoura, wife of Pitiiri
422
Plants, list of, 33-68 ; origin of
420
Po, Hades, 96, 144, 172, 173, 175, 178,
200, 201, 202, 319, 343, 345, 3S3, 354,
357, 36s, 373, 374, 378, 380, 390, 486,
492, 525, 538, SS5, SS7, SS9, s6o, 563,
576, 577, 580, 582, 584, 601, 60s, 606.
Poa, subdivision of Opunohu
92, 536
Poatuto, warriors of Mangareva
118
Pohuetea, under chief of Teoropaa
77
Pohuetea, royal family
518, 606, 607
Page
Poie, wife of Rofero
407
Poiriri, prince of Rarotonga
121, 122
Political relationships
69
Polygamy
285
Pômare family, 76, 247, 265, 268, 273,
352, 468, 512, 567.
Pômare I, 9, 17, 76, 110, 111, 113, 114,
138, 139, 206, 577.
see also Tu.
Pômare II
Pômare IV
Pômare V
23, 70, 153,
186, 188, 383
285, 624
272,
Pomareono, grandchild of Queen Pô¬
149
mare
388
Porapora
69, 102-104
Poraporairauata, god
371
Poroatai, god
371
Poroauta, god
371
Portlock, Lieut. in Tahiti
31
Potiitarire, goddess
379
Pououmafenua, teacher and priest, 85, 86, 440
Priests
153, 157, 158
Prophecy, see also Clairvoyance
4, 430
Pua, princess
607, 613, 614
Puaa, chieftain
243
Puaariitahi, .son of Hina, 553; sons of, 561
Puahaha, arioi of Teoropaa
77
Puarai, warrior prince
loi
Puarai, spirit
206
Puatutahi, démon of the sea
469-495
Pueu, subdivision of Tiarapu
88
Puhi, man of Punaauia
78
Puhiava, high chief of Hotupuu
96
Puiroroitau, conch trurapet
606, 607
Pukaruha, see Serle Island
113
Pumatahevaheva, orator of Tautira.... 579
Puna, king of Hitimarama, 494, 496, 546-54
Puna, island
494
Punaauia, district, Tahiti, 78, 518, 522;
607 ; legend of
S92
Punaruu, arioi of Porapora
103
Punishment
143,
149
Punuaarii, under çhief of Mahaena
72
Punuapaevai, god
377
Punuaiteraiatua, high chief of Varari..
93
Punuamoevai, god
128, 163, 164, 377
Puonoono, goddess
416
Puooro, pool
619
Pupua, island, birth of
400
Pupumatearearea, god
349
Puputetipa, man of Raiatea
202
Purea, wife of Amo, 13, 17 ; and Cook,
21; and Langara, 23; and Wallis....
15
Purua, woman of Vairao
85
Puta, under chief
90
Putai, island, birth of
400
Putara, high priest
122
Putoi, high chief of Itiaa
104
Putuninamu, sea
401
Q
Quiros in Tahiti
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
644
R
Raa, god, 128, 144, 160, 163, 164, 357,
394, 46s, 466, 520, .551.
Raafaarai, son of Tii
403
Raamauriri, god..-227, 306, 377, 385, 516, 537
Raapoto, king
94, 435
Rahero, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu 87
Rahero, chieftain
244, 246
Rahute, attendant of Moe
389
Rai, princess of Opoa
,
116
Rai, wife of Hihimaivao
624
Raiatea, 95-98, 115-116, 188, 214, 223;
dispute with Tahiti
436, 437
Raiatea, gods
128, 423
Raiehooatanua, woman of Hiva, 526;
wife of Honoura
527
Punaauia
592
Raimainateatua, wind
392
Rainbow, emblem of victory, 588 ; magic
618
Rainuiatea, daughter of Atea and Ran. 116
Raipuatata, god
413
Raitupiia, king
413, 414, 415, 417, 418
Raitupuanui, god
356
Raitupuanuitefanaueve, son of Papatuoi
356
Rangiroa, island of Taumotus
106, 110
Rank, 618, 625, 629; see legend of
Raparapa, island, birth of
401
Rapatia, god
357
Rapatia, wind
394
Raraka, island of Tuamotus
107
Rareahu, under chief of Papeuriri
81
Raroia, island of Tuamotus
108
Rarotonga
121, 217
Rata, hero
468, 474, 476-496, 512
Ratairi, god, father of winds
364, 421
Rati, under chief of Afaahiti
88
Rauahatea, teacher of Hitiaa
71
374
Rauatamea, daughter of Taaroa
Rauataura, daughter of Taaroa
374
Rauatiati, daughter of Taaroa
374
Raupaa, arioi of Mahaena
72
Raupenapena, daughter of Taaroa
374
Raupua, under chief
90
Rauti, god
356
Rayera, warrior
112
Reao, island of Tuamotus, description 112
Rearea, daughter of Raa
357
Rearea, nurse of Ruatupuanui
357
Refuge, Papeeno, 73, 74, 89, 229, 391,
436, 585, 599Rehia, chief of Ataaroa
578, 579
Rehuaiterai, god
410
Reitoru, island of Tuamotus
108
Reitu, god
163, 164, 357
Rekareka, island of Tuamotus
109
Religion
119-202
Riddies
Page
Page
71
Rifarifa, legendary woman
380, 381
Rimarau, François Douât
106
Rimaroa, god
356, 361, 365, 401
Rio, god
361, 374
Rofero, god
407, 408
Roferorooata, son of Taaroa
407
Rohitane, husband of Rohivahine
593
Rohivahine, nurse of Pereitai, 592, 595,
597, 600, 601, 605.
Roi, fish god
612, 613
Romatane, god, 163, 164, 173, 177, 201,
236, 238, 241, 291, 378, 396.
Ronciere, De la, Governor
115
Rongorongo, god
128
Roo. god, 151, 164, 180, 183, 210, 213,
354, 369, 373, 412, 450, 456, 525, 551,
569Rooata, genii
352
Rooiti, genii
352
Rooteroroo, god, 128, 15g, 160, 162,
163, 164, 209, 210, 286, 412.
Roro, god
382
Roroo, son of Atea
374
Rctovaa, son of Manua
607-615
Rôtira, god
407, 408
Roura, high chief of Mahaena
72
Royalty, beginning of
403
Royal family
403
Royal family of Raiatea, preserved
from flood
451
Tuamotus
107
Royal house of Oropaa
383
Royal pool
608
Ru, 351, 407-10; comparative folklore,
464; voyages of
459-464
Rua, god
344
Ruaapahapa, high chief of Tahanea,
Ruafairai, son of Atea
407 ■
Ruahatu, ancestor god, 80, 148, 164;
god of sea
140, 448-454, 630
Ruahatuotetaieuea, see Ruahatutinirau
148, 448-53
Ruahatutinirau, god of fishermen, 148,
358, 448-450.
Ruahinemetua, goddess
416
Ruahinenihonihororoa, goddess
417
Ruahua, ancient district of Taiarapu....
87
Ruaifaatoa, god
278, 376
Ruaitemuhumuhu, god
344
Ruanuu, god, 322, 349, 357, 385, 412,
416, 455, 457Ruaomere, wife of Tauruanui
360
Ruapapa, wife of Ru
408
Ruapuna, god
377
Ruataata, god
423, 424
Ruatama, high chief of Marutea
108
Ruatea, father of Onokura
534
Ruatupuanui, god, q6, 163, 164, 201,
357-59, 364, 403, 412, 418-20.
Rufarara, ancestor of Tane
350
Rufautumu, see Pai
589
Ruhonu, ancestor of Tane
350
Ruitaaiitefenua, son of Atea
407
Ruitotooiterai, son of Atea
407
Ruraareihau, princess of Porapora
516
Rumareitapu, princess of Porapora
516
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
645
Page
Runiauarii, wife of Raiatea
423, 425
Rumia, god, 339, 342, 344, 355,301,409.
413. 4120.
Rupe, clan
Rupe, district
Rupoto, ancestor of Tane
Rurick, see Arutua
Ruroa
and
625
624
350
106
617
Hina
Ruroa, ancestor of Tane
Russian navigator
Rutetoorai, son of Atea
Rutia, family of Hitiaa, Tahiti
Rutuapuu, ancestor of Tane
Ruukia, see Luukia
Ruutia, district of Tahaa
350
90
407
390
350
56g
98
S
Sacrifice, animal
Sacrifices, human,
389, 585
24, 31, 73, 78, 84,
113, 124, 129, 132, 135, 136, 148, 150,
151, 152, 156, 166, 169, 172, 182, 186190, 196-98, 211, 242, 301, 312, 313,
313. 319, 320, 522, 587, 600-603, 629.
Salamanders, représentation of gods, 384, 386
Salmon, Mrs. Ariitaimai, chiefess of
Papara
141
Schoois
■
154
Schools, native, of Tahiti: Fareee, 80;
Farefatu, 76; Fareorometuanui, 86;
Faretii, 85 ; Haapape, 74 ; Mahateao, 71; Opoa, 75: Punaauia, 77;
Tapuataiterai, 74; Tauvaa, 77; Tevanaaaehae, 84; Utumea, 76; Vauri
76
Sea, names of
400-401
Sea, a marae
143
Serle Island, subjugation by Reao
113
Shark god
389, 403, 413, 624, 630
Sharp, Granville, in Tahiti
20
Sick, treatment of
289
Sins, mortal
Skulls
Sky, raising
131, 314,
Social classes
198-200
380; Wall of 86, 87
410-415
229
212, 620
112, 628
Sorcery
145, 166, 168,
Spears
Spear of Paheroo
loi
Spider, shadow of god
392
Spirits
384, 390, 602, 609
Stars
363, 399, 401, 418
Stone, incarnation of
382
Stone monument
Suicide of Tuamotuans
Supernatural, belief in
Surf-riding
Symbols
T
Taarei, man of Raiatea
Taaroa, god, 80, 107, 109, 120, 128, 129,
133, 136, 144, 146, 147, 163, 164, 166,
173. 178, 180, 184, 196, 201, 202, 306,
310, 311, 336, 341, 342-365, 369, 374-
90
113
203
278
384
589
Paos
76, 382, 385-389, 390, 402, 404, 405,
407, 413, 418, 420, 426, 438, 445, 452,
453, 487, 488, 489, 491, 530, 551, 570,
571-
Taaroa, vvarrior of Hoiioura
Taaroaarii, high chief of Maharepa
Taaroaarii, high chief of Paopao
Taaroaarii, high chief of Paraoro
Taaroaarii, high chief of Pihaena
Taaroaarii, high chief of Temae
Taaroaimanuiteaa, bird god
Taaroaitefaa, ancient subdivision of
Taiarapu
Taaroanuitahitumu, god
Taaroanuituhimate, god
Taaroanuitumutahi
531
91
92
92
92
91
384
87
322
201
338
Taaroaofaiitepari, stone, legend of
382
Taaroarii, high chief of Urufara
93
Taatoi, district of Maupiti
105
Taefeiaitu, messenger of Tane
36g
Taehaumoana, ancestral shark god
390
Taenga, island of Tuamotus
108
Taere, god, 146, 147, 156, 180, 287, 341,
353, 406, 456Taere of Ruapapa, son of Tepori 373,374
Taerefauoa, son of Tepori....373 ; god 406
Taerematuatoitoi, son of Tepori, 373;
god
Taeremaopoopo, god, 163, 164, 373, 374,
406, 484.
Taerepipine, son of Tepori,
Taero, high chief of Haumi
373; god
406
406
90
Taero, high chief of Tefarearii
104
Taero, son of Faanui
360, 362
Taeroitepoairoa, orator of Hotupuu
96
Taetaefenua, wife of Raamauriri
537
Tafai, god, 104, 201, 440-42, 465, 468,
552-76.
Tafaiiriura, son of Hinatahutahu
556
Tafaiuriitetuai-Havaii, son of Hinata¬
hutahu
556
Tahaa, island
98
Tahanea, island of Tuamotus
107
Tahauru, god
378
Tahianuu, brother of Tahiarai
404
Tahiarai, legendary man
404
Tahiarii, wife of Faanui
360
Tahiti, discussion of name, 69, 70; dis¬
tricts of, 70; prestige, 113-115; the
fish
433, 558
Tahitiea, ancient subdivision of Tai¬
arapu
87
Tahiti-iti, see Moorea
8g
Tahitumu, god Taaroa
336
Tahu, herald of Tane
372, 373
Tahua, goddess
416
Tahuaamuri, god
374
Tahuamuai, god
407
Tahui, deified shark
192
Tahumate, subdivision of Opunohu
92
Tahurimaitoa, god
344
Taiarapu, peninsula
18
,
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
646
Page
Page
Taiaro, island of Tuamotus
107
Taiau, deity
81, 375
Taie, king of Raiatea
98
Taiea, son of Auatoai-Tahiti
520
Taihi, man of Raiatea
425
Taihia, king
579‘589
Taihia, king of Tautira, 524, 536, 578,
585, 587Taihiaarii, king of Tautira
516, 517
Taihuka, chief of Reao
;....ii2, 113
Tainuiatea, legendary warrior
438
Tainuna, birth of
401
Tanemanu, god
540-543
Tanemao, god
541
Tanerai, under chief of Mataoae
85
Tanerai, under chief of Toahotu
84
Tanetefaukura, high chief of Faaite
107
Tanetehoe, god
378
Tanetufenua, under chief of Mataoae..-.
85
Taneuapoto, ancien! chief of Taiarapou
87
Taneuapoto, under chief of Pueu
88
Tangaroa, god
109, 348, 349
Tangaroa, high chief of Fakarava
107
Tangaroaitepo, god
347, 348
Tangaroamatavera, god
351
Tangihia, king Taihia
536
Taoeapua, grandson of Hina
555, 562
Taoeha, district of Haapiti
453
Taorau, high chief of Rekareka
109
Tapoa dynasty of Porapora
258
Tapoauri, ancien! district of Taiarapu..
87
Taiomanunu,
401
sea
558
Taiovaua, origin
Taipari, sce Ahunoa
Tairaau, high chief of Tumaraa
Tairanu, son of Auatoai-Tahiti
423
96
520
Tairioaitu, star or constellation
401
Taitaata, legendary warrior
438, 440
Taitearaara, god
322
Taitearii, father of king Taihia
579
Taiti, god
3/8
Taitoa, legendary warrior
438, 440
Taiva, god
3S6
Taivarua, god
375
Takahoro, Tuamotus
618
Takapoto, island of Tuamotus
107, 110
Takaroa, island of Tuamotus
107, 110
Takume, island of Tuamotus
108
Tamachu, god
386
Tamaehu (Tama-tea), god, 359, 377,
391, 417, 453-
Tamahuarere, see Kamahualele
Tamaia-Atea, messenger of Teoropaa....
Tamanui, high chief of Aratika, Tua¬
568
Tamanuitera, god sun
466
612
96
motus
Tamaopurua, shark ancestor
Tamarii, chief of Vaia
Tamarua, god
Tamarua-Orometua, teacher of Rarotonga
I
108
II, of Raiatea
family of Raiatea
Tamaumauorero, goddess
Tame, see Rata
Tamera
536
195
153
189, 604
416
496
-
Tamuri, god
Tane, god, 84, 102, 109, 128, 129, 131,
137, 144, 146-148, 156, 163, 164, 17981, 183, 184, 189, 192, 221, 293, 322,
350, 351, 353, 356,
128
377, 391
S, 95, 129, 232, 233,
III
349
241, 242, 384
Tamatea, god
Tamatefauhere, god
Tamateina, god
Tamatoa
Tamatoa
Tamatoa
Tamatoa
77
107
364, 371, 378, 383,
7o
376
385, 387, 389, 395, 398-400, 411, 414,
416-20, 445, 452-60, 500, 540, 550,
551, 570, 571; Tuamotuan account 349,353
Tane, ancien! subdivision of Taiarapu
87
Tanehetiri, Hawaiian deity
576
576
118
Tapu
131, 149, 385
Taputapuatea, international marae, Rai¬
Tapohaitahiora, Hawaiian deity
Tapoko, Mangarevan warrior
atea
186, 190, 192, 194
Taputapuatea, royal marae at Tautira,
Tahiti
127
Tarapaa, god
293, 378
Taratefeiao, son of Raiatea
423
Taravao, isthmus, description
83, 88
Taroi, Tuamotuan scholar
106
Taruia, hero
624-632
Taruiapofatu, high chief of Makatea.... 106
Tatakoto, island
112
Tataura, chief, Raiatea
454
Tati, under chief of Papara
79, 80, 81
Tatoa, god
358
Tattooing
234, 237, 287, 569, 593, 628
Tau, wife of Temaru, Papara
296
Tauaea, high chief of Taiaro, Tua¬
motus
Tauariioatea, Tuamotuan scholar
Tauaroa, high chief of Papetoai
Tauaroaro, daughter of Raiatea
Tauatea, messenger of Atimaono
Tauhiro, under chief of Maharepa
Taumariari, canoë builder for Hiro....
Taunee, god
Taunoa
Tauraaatua, arioi of Moorea
Tauraaatua, arioi
Papetoai
and high chief of
Tauraimua, district of Huahine
Tauraimuri, district of Huahine
Taurere, high chief of Haraiki,
motus
Taurua, name of stars
Taurua, god
Taurua, woman of Tahiti
Tauruanui, son of Anaheuheupo
Tauruanui, son of Faanui
Tauruanuiamoaha
Tua¬
107
110
93
423
81
91
550
34i
628
233
93
100
100
108
363, 417
362
233
362
360
1362, 363
Tauruanuiiteamoaha, son of Tauruanui
362
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
647
Page
Tautai, legendary warrior
438, 440
Tautira, ancient subdivisions of 87; 130, 592
Tautu, god
37S, 376
Tautu, friend of king Taihia
520, 523
Tautumaau, arioi
243
Tauvini, messenger of Faaa
77
Tavaa, elf
499-504, 509, 510
Tavi, chieftain
244
Tavi, messenger of Tautira
87
Tavi, messenger of Teahuupoo
86
Tavi, messenger of Toahotu
84
Tavihauroa, messenger of Mataoae
85
Tawhaki, son of Hema
574
Tchitschag—see Tahanea
107
Teafao, spirit
206
Teahahurifenua, high chief of Vairao....
84
Teaharoa, district of Moorea
89, 91, 114
Teahatea, division of Fakarava, Tuamotus
Teahoroa, warrior
Teahoroa, legendary
107
305
of Raiatea,
448, 449, 4S0
Teahumarua, teacher of Teahuupoo....
86
Teahuupoo, district, 18, 86, 87 ; see also
man
Matahihae
241
Teanoa, daughter of Taaroa
Teanuanua, adoptive parents of Pereitai, Tautira
Teaonuimaruia, warrior prince
Teaorai, Mount
Teaotea
Teaouri
poo
Teariinavahoroa, chief of Tautira
Teariinavahoroa, high chief of Pueu....
Teariinavahoroa, prince of Taiarapu....
Teariitaputuua, god
Teariiterupeharatau, high chief of
Amanu
Teariivaetua, high chief of Faaa
Tearo, high chief of Marokau
Teatuanuiemaruiterai, high chief of
Teoropaa
Teatuanuihaamarurai, under chief of
Teatuanuihaamarurai, under
Teahuupoo
596
100
622
123-127, 128
128
Teariifaatau, high chief of Atimaono....
Teariimaevarua, queen of Porapora
Teariimana, high chief of Maatea
Teariinavahoroa, high chief of Teahuu¬
Tautira
374
chief of
81
105
90
86
87
88
206
357
109
77
108
77
87
86
Teauroa, warrior chief of Takume;
Tuamotus, also sea god
528
Teaurouru, arioi of Haapiti
94
93
Teautaaia, high chief of Moruu
Teautaia, high chief of Oio
94
Teavaro, district of Moorea
90, 94
106
Teaviu, high chief of Kaukura.
438
Teehu, legendary warrior
Teena, king of Taaroa district, Tahiti 516
Tefaahira, orator
244, 255
Te^Faanaunau, god
378
.
-
■
.
Page
Te Fana, political division
Tefarearii, district of Maupiti
Tefatakotako, high chief of Motutunga
Tefatu, lord of the océan
Tefatu, prince of Porapora from Rotuma
Tefatu, god, 146,
402, 412.
147,
180,
322,
103,
356,
114
104
108
122
122
Teharuru, priest, Tahiti
129
Tehau, god
349, 350
Tehaumoorere, dynasty of Huahine
loi
Teheiura, god
377
Tehinu, high chief of Tufenuaroa
95
Tehono, high chief of Fangatau
109
Tehopuraavaio-Hina, pool in Tahiti.... 553
Tehuaihi, high chief of Paraoro
92
Tehuiarii, high chief of Tiipoto
104
Teieie, ancient chief of Taiarapu
87
Teihoarii, teacher of Teoropaa
l
77
Teihoatua, high chief of Papeuriri
81
Teioinia, group of districts on Moorea
89
Teioiraro, district of Moorea
89
Teipootehere, daughter of Hina
618
Teipootemarama, daughter of Hina
618
Teiramatatufenuaroa, royal orator of
Hotupuu
96
Teiriifaaotua, high chief of Hauino,
T ahaa
98
Teiripotb, warrior of Rata
492
Teiriroa, warrior of Rata
492
Teitei, priest of Raiatea
5
Teiti, woman of Porapora
426
Tekonoheka, warrior chief of Reao
113
Temae, subdivision of Teaharoa
91
Temaru, chief of Papara
296
Temataaarai, grandson of Hina, 555 ;
cousin of Tafai
562
Temataeinaa, district of Maupiti
104
Tematahiapo, under chief of Pueu
88
Tematakihavaiiki, high chief of Tovau 106
Tematatuiauiaroo, grandson of Hina 555,562
Tematua, ancient chief of Taiarapou....
88
Tematuanui, under chief of Pueu
88
Temauiarii, high chief of Faanui
104
Temauriarii, high chief of Teaouri
126
Temavae, high chief of Tetei, Maupiti 105
Temehani, volcano
584
Temehaniura, mountain in Raiatea
96, 97
Temehara, goddess of wisdom
85
Temehara, god
163
Temeharo, god
128, 376, 386
Temiromiro, island
105
Temoreariivahine, Princess of Punaauia
518
Temuhumuhu, scm of Raa
357
40S
Temumuhu
Temuri, goddess, mother of winds...
364
Temuri, of Papeete, lover of Pereitai 593-607
Teniuroa, title of Pômare
114
Teoahitamataua, Hawaiian deity
576
Teohiumaeva, god
377,383
Teomarama, warrior
112
,
Bernice P. BisJiop Muséum—Bulletin 48
648
Page
Page
Teonehaaiapapaiterai, see Tefatu
103
Teoraaotaha, point in Faaroa
605
Teore, god
213
Teoropaa, clan district
77, 129
Tepahauaitaipare, high chief of Faurepa
95
Tepapa, high chief of Iripau, Tahaa,...
98
Te-Papa, god
347
Tepapateaiaruea, pillar of Opoa
120
Tepau, under chief of Faaa
77
Tepauarii, high chief of Afareaitu
90
Tepauihauroa, royal line of Huahine 100, lot
Tepehauitoerau, district of Moorea
89
Tepeva, greater king of Tuamotus....iio, 111
Tepihaiateta, former district of Tahiti
73
Tepoi, high chief of Tevaitapu
103
Tepori, god
34i
Tepori of Ruapapa, daughter of Tefatu 373
Teporionuu, clan district
75, 113, 114, 473
Teporouaraiarii, high chief of Teaouri 126
Tepoto, island of Tuamotus
109
Tepuaitiiterauonini, maiden of Hitiaa 589-592
Tepuava, high chief of Apataki
106
Tepuna, wife of Tutapu
524, 525, 527
Teraaroa, arioi of Teahuupoo
86
Teraaroa, arioi of Tautira
87
Terahitiarii, messenger of Manorua
78
Teraimarama, chief of Raiatea
604, 607
Teraitupu, chasm, description..
82
Teraituroroa, wife of Metuaaipapa
361
Teramanini, arioi of Raiatea
Teramaniou, arioi chief of Raiatea
95
233
438, 440
423
Teratai, legendary warrior
son of Raiatea
Tereefaaariimaiiterai, wife of Anaheuheupo
362
Terehe, goddess
438,439
Tereitiauiui, under chief of Atimaono....
8l
Teremahiamahiva, ancestral shark of
Tafai
561
Tereroa, priest of Huahine
5
Tereva, teacher of Hitiaa
71
Teriifaatau, high chief of Ruutia
99
Teriiitepotaotao, high chief of Atitia.. 103
Teriirere, high chief of Papara....79, 80, 139
Teriitaria, see Ariipaeavahine
220
Teriitaumatatini, king, ancestor of Paraita
624, 625
Teriitua, chief of Hitiaa
71
Teritooterai, under chief of Haapape....
74
Terminology
323
Teromatane, arioi
240, 241
Teroro, companion of Hina
615
Terupo, arioi of Atimaono
8t
Teta, chief of Tepihaiateta
73, 74
Tetamanu, division of Fakarava, Tua¬
motus
107
Tetavaitai, district of Papara
81
Tete, Tahitian sorcerer
213
Tetei, district of Maupiti
104
Te Teva i Tai, political division
114
Te Teva i uta, political division
114
Teraühaehae,
,
Tetevaiuta, district of Papara
Tetiaau, under chief of Temae
Tetiaroa, clan district
Tetiaroa, origin
Tetoao-Hiro, rock
Tetoofa, under chief of Maraa
Tetoofa, under chief of Nataoeha
Tetuaeaa, under chief of Pihaena
Tetuaeaha, under chief of Maatea
Tetuanuimaraetaata, under chief
Pueu
81
91
76
558
74
78
78
92
of
Tetuaraa, high chief of Temataeinaa,
Maupiti
Tetuaririi, high chief of Vaiea, Maupiti
Tetumanuaatefatu, ancient chief of Ati-
90
88
104
104
tauturaro
87
pou
87
Tetumanuatefatu, ancient chief of Ati-
Tetumu, under chief of Temae
91
Te-Tumu, god
347, 349, 553
Tetumunui, see Tumunui.
Tetupuamiha, priest, Tahiti
129
Tetupuoaiai, god
341
Teu, chief of Pare
17
Teuaatepo, Hawaiian deity
576
Teuhunui, warrior of Honoura
531Teunutaiahu, princess of Rarotonga
121
Teunutaimarae, princess of Rarotonga.. 121
Teupooihi, under chief of Paraoro
92
Teupoonui, high chief of Avera
95
Teura, princess of Porapora
122
Teura, wife of Puaariitahi
S5S
Teuraiterai, princess of Havaii
561
Teuratauiapo, woman of Hiva
526, 331
Teuratauiepa, wife of Tauruanui
362
Teuri, goddess
231, 375, 416
Teuri, legendary warrior
438
Teurumeremere, son of Tauruanui
362
Teurutuiaiteau, subdivision of Opunohu
92
Tevaearai, son of Tefatu
122
Tevaearai, of Porapora
122
Tevahinehuarei, wife of Puna
496
Tevahinenuitahurai, goddess, 214, 216,
290, 464
Tevahitua, high chief of Paea
241, 244
Tevahituai-Patea, high chief of Maraa
78
Tevahituai-Patea, high chief of Mano¬
rua
78
Tevahunuhunu, son of Raa
357
Tevaitapu, district of Porapora-.
103
Tevaitoa, district of Raiatea, 96; god 192
Tevaruaharae, chiefess of Haapiti
90, 91
Teveroia, island, birth of
401
Theft
207,208
Thompson, a mutineer
,
28, 29
Tiaau, arioi
i
74
Tiahani, under chief of Afareaitu
90
Tiama-Taaroa, god
343
Tia-Maui, ancestor of Pômare
76
Tiaoatea, god, 162, 163, 164, 365, 357,
372, 413, 414.
Tiaouri, god, 163, 164, 357, 413, 414, 365, 372
Henry—Ancient 7'aliiti
649
Pags
Tiapaerairai, half-brother of Hiro
537
Tiapou, arioi of Papeari
83
Tiarei, clan district
73
Tiareiti, islets
87
Tiatia, arioi of Papeuriri
82
Tieniaofe, daughter of king Puna.—Soô, 512
Tifaiotepeho, god
379
Tihinui, high chief of Katiu, Tuamotus
Tii, minister of State, 21 ; death of
108
23
Tii, the eel and fara
97, 98
Tii, first man
203, 402
Tii, god
109, 287, 385
Tii, image, 78, 136, 203, 204, 207-09.
Tiihiva, under chief of Papetoai
93
Tiipa, high chief of Haapape
74
Tiipa, god
377
Tiipoto, district of Porapora
104
Tiitaeavaetoetoe, son of Orotaua
375
Tiitiipo, god
374
Tikahau, island of Tuamotus
106, 110
Time
327
Tinorua, god
148, 344, 359, 389, 410, 439
Tiotahua, teacher of Papara
79
Tipa, god
128, 145, 376, 383, 567,625
Tipaerui, name of Papeete
75
Tirahate, messenger of Teahuupoo
86
Tirahate, messenger of Tautira
87
Tirahate, messenger of Toahotu
84
Tirahate, messenger of Mataoae
85
Tiri, high priest at Opoa
121
Titiharape, messenger of Maraa
78
Titihirape, messenger of Nataoeha
78
Titiraataifaaaro, god
355
Toaehau, queen
607
Toahiti, god
163, 164, 498
Toahitiatoa, god
379
Toahitimata, god
180
Toahitimatanui, son of Mahunia
379
Toahitiotevao, god
379
Toahitiotevaotere, god
386
Toahitiotevavea, god
379
Toahotu, district of Taia Rapu
84, 114
Toahuripapa, princess of Porapora
103
Toarere, warrior of Honoura
531, 532
Toatemanava, teacher of Haapape
74
Toatemanava, sister of Tupuanuitefaaonoono
129, 130
Toatemiro, rock in Tahiti
606
Toaii Apataki, island of Tuamotus
110
Toaumaa, warrior of Honoura
531
Toeanuioehau, woman of Opoa
425
Toerau, wind
394, 443
Toeraumaraimoana, north wind with
clear sky
364
Toerau-roa, son of Ratairi
422
Togotago, rocking stone
118
Toheura, arioi of Varari
93
Tohoimaro, god
167
Tohu, god of tattooing
234, 377, 389
Toi, under chief of Afareaitu
90
Pags
Toimata, daughter of Oro, 198, 221-22,
231, 304, 322, 375.
Tonuniavaha, fish god
612
Too
153
Toofa, under chief of Manorua
78
Tooiva, messenger of Alahaena
72
Toopua Island
103
Toopuaiti, district of Ativahia
103
Topa, artisan of Tahiti
543
Topatai, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
87
Toraganui, Mangarevan warrior
118
Torohia, high chief of Arutua
106
Totoropotaa, god
379
Touuraoiore, see Hinaraurea.
Tovanaa, artisan of Tahiti
543
Tovau, island of Tuamotus
106
Trees, incarnation of, 382; list of
395-398
Trumpets, conch-shell
156
Tuahu, friend of Cook’s
19
Tu, god, 100, 107, 109, 114, 128, 129,
144, 163, 180, 310, 311, 317, 338,
341, 342, 369, 370, 386, 391, 392,
393,
402,
404,
40s,
43S,
437,
443,
56s, 569.
Tu, king, and Bligh, 25, 31 ; and Cook,
17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 169; and Cox, 27;
and Edwards, 29; and Itea, children
of, 25; and Watts, 24; marriage of
23
Tuahu, chief
19
Tuaiva, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
87
Tuamea, high chief of Ana, Tuamotus 107
Tuamotu Islands, 106-115; annexed to
Tahiti, 110; birth of, 347, 400, 558;
godsj 128; prestige
113-115
Tuanaki, island of Tuamotus
108
Tuaraatai, god
359
Tuarae, high chief of Faanoa, Maupiti 105
Tuaroa, high priest
188
Tuata, high chief of Taenga, 108;
legend of
77
Tuatau, warrior of Paea, death of
86
Tuatau, ancestor of VaituamataiteupooTahiti family
144
Tuatuahaapapu, god
355
Tuatuarai, priest
■ 586
Tubai, islets
104
Tubuai, island, birth of...
400
Tuete, god
380
Tufariua, king of Tuamotus, high chief
of Takapoto
107, 110, 111
Tufenua, god
344
Tufenuapoto, district of Raiatea
95
Tufenuaroa, district of Raiatea
95
Tufeufeumaiiterai, wife of Oro
231, 375
Tuhariua, high chief of Takapoto,
445,
Tuamotus
107
itaumatatini
628
Tuihaa, warrior
522, 528, 529, 532
Tuihanatahatera, sister of king TeriTuihanipotii, son of Manua
607-615
Tuihiti, king
468, 469, 470-473
Tuiora, artisan for Roo
370
650
Bernice P. Bishop Muséum—Bulletin 48
Page
Tuiteraimarama, god
355
Tuitetoiaiaataaroa, god
355
Tuitumoanaurifa, wife of Atutahi
360
Tuma, son of Auatoai-Tahiti
520
Tuma, brother of Honoura
526
Tumaraa, district of Raiatea
96
Tumaraa, god
192
Tumaroura, god
355
Tumataaroa, high chief of Tikahau
106
Tumatahi, démon of the sea
524
Tumatariri, arioi of Vairao
84
Tumetua, god
355, 384
Tumoanaurifa, legendary man .■
380, 381
Tumoua, god
344
Tumu, god
71, 173, 398-400, 406
Tumuhororire, god
337, 338, 376
Tumuiti, god
382
Tumunui, god, 96, 337, 342, 343, 353.
356, 358, 364, 382, 395-398, 405. 419.
420, 458, 460, 468-77.
Tumunui, king
486
Tumuoteoteo, god
378
Tumuraifenua, god, 338, 356, 390, 405,
412, 441.
Tumurua, sec Faarua
Tumuruperupe, god of summer, 378 :
wiiid
Tunshell
394
394
204
Tunuieaaiteatua, god
355
Tunuiaeiteatua, chief of Teporionuu,
76, 164, 355.
Tuoea, priest of Huahine
102
Tuoipapapapa, artisan elf
485-490
Tuoteraimarama, god
383, 385
Tuotetauiniaitefeiaemehohaerera, god....
355
Tuotetoioi, god
393
Tupaia, high priest
15, 18
Tupapa, wife of Raa
357
Tupatai, chief of king Puna
505. 507, 508
Tupauta, chief of king Puna
505, 507, 508
Tupeioahu, démon of the sea
470-495
Tupetupeifareone, goddess
371
Tuporomai, daughter of Taaroa
374
Tuporotu, daughter of Taaroa
374, 426
Tupu, under chief of Atimaha
94
Tupua, of Raiatea
215
Tupuaioterai, chief of P^penoo
73
Tupuanuitefaaonoono, priest of Oro,
Tahiti
Tupuna, district of Hiva
Tupuotemoana, god
Turahunui, god
Turaipo, god
Turei—see Tiarei
Turi, demigod, 72;
navigator
129
526
287,
355,
374,
127,
344
438
406
73
128
Turtie, birth of, 380; legend, 381; rep¬
résentation of god,
381
Turuhemana, messenger of Teporionuu
76
Turtie head stones for marae to Oro....
132
Tutae, warrior, Tahiti
543
Tutaeavaetoetoe, gods of Hades
314. 318
Tutahoroa, god
201, 375. 564
Page
Tutairimoana, god
355, 388
Tutapu, high chief, 90; king of Raia¬
tea, 100,
Taihia
524,
525 ;
friend of king
579
Tutapuhoatua, woman of Hiva
526
Tutavae, god
384
Tutea, under chief of Mataoae
85
Tutea, under chief of Toahotu
84
Tuteha, chief of North Tahiti
18
Tutehoua, high, chief of Rangiroa
106
Tutoa, god
355
Tutoia, under chief of Haapape
74
Tutono, god
374, 406
Tuturi, god
427, 428
Tuturumaa, arioi of Pueu
88
Tuumao, deified shark
192
U
Üahea, goddess
348, 352, 408, 431
Uhi, woman of Po
560, 574
Uira, under chief of Teavaro
90
Uiura, grandmother of Rata
496-511
Ulu genealogy, référencé to
566
Umbilical cord
184
Upaparu, arioi of Mahaena
73
Upaupaino, arioi of Mataoae
85
Upooofai, warrior
586, 588
Uporu, district of Tahiti
74, 554
Urataetae, god
378
Urufara, subdivision of Teaharoa
91, 93
Uri, arioi of Manorua
78
Uru, god
356, 40s, 41s
Urumaraihau, queen of Porapora
105
Uruoteoatia, god, son of Tii
403
Urutetefa, god
232
Utaarii, high chief of Niua, Tahaa
98
Utensil
621
Uturoa, district of Raiatea
95
Ututeau, god
3S8
Uu, sorcerer, Maupiti
213
V
Vaaitimatetoiitepihaiateta, arioi
73
Vahieroa, brother-in-law of king loreroa, 474; prince of Pare, Tahiti,
495 ; son of Tafai and Hina
565, 573
V'ahiueaitaata, see Noua
552, 566
Vahinemauitepaefenua, goddess
378
Vahinemaunia, goddess
.-.
378
Vahinemauraro, goddess
378
Vahiné Nautahu, goddess
349
Vahinenuitahurai, chieftainess, friend
of Hina
216, 464
Vahinereureuamoa, goddess
378
Vaia, district of Raiatea
96
Vaiarava, ancient subdivision of Taiarapu
Vaiare, district of Moorea,
Papeare
^hiari, sec Papeari
Vaiarii, god
89;
see
88
9°
83
344
Henry—Ancient Tahiti
Vaiau, native teacher
V'aiea, district of Maupiti
V'aiea, son of Orotaua
Vaihao, Tahitian
Vaihere, subdivision of Teaharoa
Pags
P.ACE
213
104
375
213
91, 92
Verohutiiterai, god
377,'S20
Vini, brother of Taruia
624, 632
Vivirau, under chief of Vairao
84
Viviteruaehu, god
389
Voyages between Tahiti and Hawaii.... 568
Vaihira, lake, description
82, 615, 619
Vaiiho, brother of Ave, 597, 598, 600,
601, 602.
Vaioraa Tane, god
336, 361
Vaipoiri, cave
86
Vairaatoa, représentative to Tuamotus 111
Vairao, district of Taia Rapu
84
Vairora, under chief of Vairao.—
84
Vaita, priest of Opoa
4
Vaitafai, legendary warrior
438, 442
Vaitafai, see Tafaiiriura
556
Vaitaio, high chief of Anau
103
Vaitia, district of Maupiti
105
Vaituamataiteupoo-Tahiti, family
144
Vaitumarie, wife of Tutae and of
.Hiro
543,
544
Vaitupo, river of Raiatea
96
Vaiuriri, see Papeuriri
81, 82
Vaiuru, see Vairao
84
Vakuarii, high chief of Makemo
108
Vanaa, under chief of Papenoo
73
Vanaanaa, daughter of Raa, 357; goddess
416
Vancouver in Tahiti
651
30
Varari; district of Moorea
93
Varoanui, high chief of Takume
109
Varna, companion of Hina
615
Vavau,i
Porapora, 102; birth of
400
Vavea, god
377
Vehiatua, high chief
18, 19, 28, 86, 296
Vehiatuaitematai, see Teariinavahoroa
86
w
Wahieloa
Wallis in Tahiti
$66
6, 10-16, 431
War, 128, 131, 297, 391; between north
and South Taiarapu, 86 ; in Huahine, 101 ; between Raiatea and
Porapora, 99 ; with Searle Island,
113; between Tane and Atea, 45658; between Tarutira and Tuamotus,
520-24; between Tarutira and Hiva,
525 ; between Tahiti and Tarutira,
resuit, 532; against Reao
112
War canoës
21, 112, 113, 118, 316
War ceremonies
War song
80,
Warriors
Watts in Tahiti
157, 160
24, 27
Weapons
Weather
Weatherhead in Tahiti and Tuamotus..
Weights
Whale, représentation of god
Winds, liâmes of, 364, 392, 393,
395, 571, 611, 616.
Witchcraft
Witches
Wittengensterin, see Fakarava
Worins, représentations
Wrestling
301
102
298
383
30
326
389
394,
205, 210,
588
588
107
392
277
Fait partie de Ancient Tahiti