Ethnology of Tokelau Islands
Nature Lore — Calendar
Nature Lore
Calendar
The Tokelau calendar (table 7) shows eleven names in common with the calendars of Vaitupu and Nukufetau of the Ellice Islands and Manihiki and Rakahanga of the Cook Islands. One name, Kelekele, which is in the Vaitupu calendar but not in the Tokelau, appears in a compound name at Manihiki and page 168 Rakahanga. The calendars of Samoa and Tongareva have nine month names each, in common with the Tokelau calendar.
A basic calendar containing the eleven names, Palolo mua, Palolo muli (toe), Mulifa, Takaonga, Silinga mua, Silinga ma (toe), Utua mua, Utua muli (toe), Fakafu, Kaununu, and Oloamanu, is common to Samoa, Tokelau, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Tongareva, Manihiki, and Rakahanga. The twelfth and thirteenth names of this system cannot be determined from the existing data.
Tonga, closely related to Samoa in culture, has but five Samoan names in its calendar, one outside the basic system and two duplicative pairs included in the system. The Tongan calendar has its closest affinities with those of Uvea and Futuna.
Western Polynesia possesses three calendrical lists, the Tongan, the Rotuman—unique to that island (15), and the Tokelau-Samoan, called here the basic calendar which is also found in the western islands of eastern Polynesia.
Tokelau | Vaitupu and Nukufetau (13) | Manihiki and Rakahanga (30) | Tongareva (29) |
---|---|---|---|
Palolo mua | Palolo mua | Palolo mua | Palolo mua |
Toe Palolo | Toe Palolo | Palolo muri | Palolo muli |
Mulifa | Mulifa | Muriha | Silinga mua |
Takaonga | Takaonga | Takaonga | Silinga muli |
Silinga | Kelekele | Hiringa kerekere | Aitua mua |
Toe Silinga | Silinga | Hiringa ma | Aitua muli |
Utua mua | Silinga (Nukufetau only) | Utua mua | Hakaahu |
Toe Utua | Utua mua | Utua muri | Aloa manu |
Vainoa | Toe Utua | Rehu | Tokaanga |
Fakaafu | Fakaafu | Piripiri | Hakaunuunuu |
Kaunonu | Kaununu | Whakaau | Serehu |
Oloamanu | Luamanu | Unuunu | |
Ngataitokia | Oroamanu |
Samoa (11, 14) | Tonga (40) | Futuna (38) | Uvea (4) |
---|---|---|---|
Palolo mua | Hilinga kelekele | Mataliki* | Hilinga kelekele |
Palolo muli | Hilinga meaa | Tolu | Hilinga maa |
Mulifa | Aoao | Palolo mua | Aoao |
Lotumanga | Fuufuunekinganga | Palolu muli | Fuufuu |
Taumafa mua | Uluenga | Munifa | Uluenga |
Toe Taumafa | Tanumanga | Tauafu | Tanumanga |
Utuva mua | Ooa-kifangaongo | Vaimua | Liha mua |
Toe Utuva | Liha mua | Vai muli | Liha muli |
Faaafu | Liha muli | Lisa mua | Vai mua |
Fanonga (Lo) | Vai mua | Lisa muli | Vai muli |
Aununu | Vai muli | Fakaafu ola | Vai mo vai |
Oloamanu | Fakaafu moui | Fakaafu mate | Fakaafu olu |
Fakaafu mate | Ualoa | Fakaafu mate | |
Tulalupe |