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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.

Table 7—Polynesian Month Names
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