Social Customs

Certain matters concerned with social organization must be mentioned to complete the picture. The Mangaians differ somewhat from their neighbors in the other Cook Islands in the emphasis they gave to success in war. In the numerous wars that took place, the leader of the victorious tribe was publicly installed as the Military Dictator of the island. He was regarded as having secured the Mangaia, which is not only the page 73name of the island but refers also to absolute temporal power. His installation was marked by the offering of a human sacrifice to the god Rongo on the inland temple where the Inland-high-priest officiated. After this first ceremony, the human sacrifice was carried to the shore temple of Orongo, where the Shore-high-priest formally installed the victor in his office of Dictator. The Dictator then named his supporting chiefs as chiefs over districts and subdistricts in the conquered area and also in his own territory. They were installed with public announcement by the Shore-high-priest, who gave each a portion of flesh from the human offering. These were then taken back to the districts and offered on the local temples to insure a successful rule and the fertility of the land. Drums were beaten on the temple of Orongo by a hereditary drum beater and his family. There was a procession around the island, during which the drums were beaten on each district temple in turn. The drums announced the cessation of war, and the survivors of the defeated tribe emerged from their hiding places in safety. The hereditary drum beater received a grant of land from the new administration.