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The Maori Division of Time

hawaiian nights of the moon

hawaiian nights of the moon

Here again, far north of the Equator, 1,300 rolling leagues away from Aotea-roa, we encounter our Maori list of names. In this case the letter changes are a more serious matter, for the Hawaiians first discarded the letter k, and then, with charming inconsistence, transformed the t into k. This results in a somewhat uncouth dialect. We also note that r has become l. The following is the Hawaiian list:

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No. 12
1. Hilo Hiro. Whiro.
2. Hoaka Hoata.
3. Kukahi Tutahi.
4. Kulua Turua.
5. Kukolu Tutoru.
6. Kupau cf. whakapau and akaoti.
7. Ole-kukahi Kore-tutahi.
8. Ole-kulua Kore-turua.
9. Ole-kukolu Kore-tutoru.
10. Ole-kupau.
11. Huna.
12. Mohalu Moharu. Mawharu.
13. Hua.
14. Akua Atua.
15. Hoku Hotu.
16. Mahealani.
17. Kulu Turu.
18. La'au-kukahi Rakau-tutahi.
19. La'au-kulua Rakau-turua.
20. La'au-pau Rakau-pau. cf. whakapau.
21. Ole-kukahi.
22. Ole-kulua.
23. Ole-pau.
24. Ka'aloa-kukahi Tangaroa-tutahi.
25. Ka'aloa-kulua Tangaroa-turua.
26. Ka'aloa-pau Tangaroa-pau.
27. Kane Tane.
28. Lono Rongo.
29. Mauli Mauri.
30. Muku Mutu.

Herein we find, as in the Tahitian and Cook Islands lists, three Rakau nights against two in Maori lists, also the two series of Korekore nights. The three to four Tamatea nights of the Maori are represented by two in the Cook Islands list, and one at Tahiti; at Hawaii they disappear. It is quite possible that nights 3 to 6, inclusive, of the Hawaiian list are, properly speaking, Tamatea nights, of which only the terminal qualifying expressions remain. These latter, as meaning first, second, etc., have assuredly formed a secondary part of the name in past times, so that the only new term here is No. 16, Mahealani.

In Fornander's list of these names there are marked four series of tapu nights (days), each composed of two nights; these are Nos. 2 and 3, 12 and 13, 23 and 24, and 27 and 28. The last two are the names, Tane and Rongo, of two of the most important of Polynesian gods. These tapu days were quite apart from the five intercalary days added to the lunar month Welehu.

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