Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Hawaiki: The Original Home of the Maori; with a Sketch of Polynesian History

Sojourn in Eastern Polynesia

Sojourn in Eastern Polynesia.

In the time of Atonga (who lived in Upōlu) or circa 950, the Rarotonga history first mentions a permanent residence of any of these Maori-Rarotongans in Tahiti, not that this was the first occupation of the island, but rather of that particular branch of the race shown on the genealogies. Apakura's great great grandson was Tu-nui, and he lived on the western side of Tahiti. The saying about him is "Tahiti was the land; the mountains above were Ti-kura-maramaru, and Oroanga-a-tuna, the koutu (marae) on the shore was Puna-ruku and Peke-tau." Puna-ruku is the well known Puna-ru'u river in the Paea district of Tahiti. This is a very common form of saying in Tahiti as applied to a high chief, and amongst the Maoris we find a similar one which is illustrated by the following: "Ko Tongariro te inaunga, ko Te Heuheu te tangata." Tongariro is the mountain, Te Heuheu is the man. Similar sayings are applied to many high chiefs.

page 166

From Tu-nui the history is again silent as to any doings of his successors for six generations, when we find flourishing in Tahiti, Kaua and his wife Te Putai-ariki and Kaua's brother Rua-tea with his wife Vairoa, who were parents of Ono-kura, one of the most famous of Rarotongan and Tahitian ancestors, about whom are some very lengthy legends. The son of Kaua and Te Putai-ariki was Tangiia-ariki, whose brother was Tutapu (not Tutapu-aru-roa, as the Rarotonga native history is careful to tell us). The fact of there being a Tangiia-ariki and a Tutapu. flourishing at this period (circa 1100), and a Tangiia-nui with a cousin named Tu-tapu-aru-roa (circa 1250) is likely to mislead people into confusing the two, especially in comparing the Tahitian version of Hono-'ura with the Rarotongan account of Onokura. Indeed, there is confusion in the Tahitian version, where people who lived in 1250 are introduced in connection with Hono-'ura. In view of the completeness of the Rarotongan genealogies we must accept their version as being correct, especially when we consider the details of the family connections given.

The history of Onokura is a very remarkable one, whether the Tahitian or Rarotongan account is considered. In the latter, the narrative is interspersed all through with songs and recitative, which would take many hours in delivery. It is, in fact, a complete "South Sea Opera," the full translation of which, I fear, will never be obtained, for the songs are full of obsolete words and phrases, the mean ings of which are probably unknown to the Rarotongans of these days. It is a remarkable thing that this celebrated ancestor is unknown to the Maoris, and, I think, to the Hawaiians also. I can only suggest that this poet, warrior, and navigator is known to Hawaiians and Maoris by some other name, but even then his deeds are not recorded. Possibly the great fame he has acquired is due to Tahitians page 167and Rarotongans descending more directly from him—as they do—and also to his feats having been gradually and increasingly clothed with the marvellous and wonderful in ages long after the hero himself flourished. As Onokura flourished circa 1100, and as the Maoris left those parts in 1350, they ought to have some record of him. Again, as he lived in the middle of the second era of navigation, and during the period, or just before, communication was re-established with Hawaii, he ought to be known to the latter people, but he is not.

Divested of the marvellous—which is to be found very fully in the original—the history of Onokura in brief, according to Rarotongan tradition, is this: the chiefs of Tahiti had for some few generations back been desirous of proceeding to Iva for the purpose of conquering that group. Iva, from what follows, is clearly the Marquesas, and not the country of the Hiva clan of Raiatea. Onokura appears to have been born at Tautira, Tahiti, which is corroborated by the many place names in the story that are situated near there. On a visit made to this place in 1897, Ori-a-ori the chief of Tautira pointed out to me the places connected with him, and he claimed, moreover, that both Onokura and Tangiia-ariki were his ancestors. The history mentions that at this period the inhabitants of Tahiti had increased to great numbers, and yet amongst them were no brave warriors to be found who would attempt to over come the monsters of the deep, and other difficulties that lay between them and Iva. At last Onokura was fetched from his mountain home of Ti-kura-marumaru, where he lived on wild fruits (amongst them the Mamaku and wheki, well known Maori names for species of the tree-fern, the heart of the first named being still eaten by them), the kokopu (trout), and koura (cray-fish). Under his direction a page 168grand pāi, or canoe, was built, and finally launched with much song and ceremony. Then the chief—Tangiia-ariki —prepared for his voyage to overcome the chief of Iva. They now launched forth on Te Moana-o-Kiva, which is the Rarotonga form of the Maori name for the Pacific Ocean (Te Moana-nui-o-Kiwa). In one of the songs here introduced is found the name of Tamatoa-ariki, of Poa, (Opoa), at Ra'iatea, which seems to show that this name, borne in this century by the ruling chief of Ra'iatea, was in existence so long ago as the year 1100. The expedition was overtaken by a dreadful storm off Akaau Island (Fakaau, one of the Paumotus) where Onokura, by his strength and skill repairs the vessel, the name of which was Te Ivi-o-kaua. Then follow visits to the people of Akaau, whose chief was Te Ika-moe-ava, who was related to the visitors; and here Onokura marries his first wife, Atanua, the chief's daughter. In connection with this island is mentioned the name Te Raii, which is probably the Maori Te Raihi, some island or place beyond Tawhiti-nui (or Tahiti), according to Maori traditions.

After a lengthened stay at Akaau, the expedition next proceeds to Te Pukamaru (or Takume, one of the Paumotu group), Onokura leaving his wife and son behind. On arriving at this island, Ngarue, a chief from Iva was found there, with whom there was much fighting, in which Ngarue was defeated, but Onokura loses his ariki, Tangiia, ariki, who was killed by the enemy. Next they arrive at Iva, where more fighting occurs, and they apparently settle down for some years, for the next event is the arrival of Nga-upoko-turua, Onokura's son, by his wife Atanua, from Akaau. After this there are further wars with the Marquesans, at Rua-unga (Uauka Island) and Rua-pou page 169(Uapou island)* where lived Parau-nikau, whose daughter Onokura marries; her name was Ina. From here Onokura goes to Tupai, where he died of old age, and his spirit went to Navao. I cannot say which Tupai this is, possibly the little island north of Porapora, Society group.

The above is an extremely abbreviated account of the doings of Onokura which in the original covers 50 pages of closely written foolscap. No doubt it relates a nautical warlike expedition from Tahiti to the Marquesas, undertaken by these Rarotongan and Tahitian ancestors. It is interesting as showing the intercourse that took place in those times between distant groups, and the extent to which the ever-warlike Polynesian carried his arms. We must remember that this is about the middle of the period of Mr Stair's so-called "Samoan Voyages," and it was during Onokura's life-time (or in 1150) that communication was again established with Hawaii, after a seclusion of 500 years, of which Fornander has given so excellent an account in his "The Polynesian Race." In the story of Onokura, I do not recognise the name of any of the Maori ancestors, unless Ngarue, referred to above, is the same as one of that name shown on Maori genealogies, but proof is wanting.

The following is a confirmation of the communication with Hawaii above referred to from Rarotonga History. In the times of Tamarua-paipai, who was a contemporary of Onokura (circa 1100), and who lived in Avaiki-raro (either Fiji or Samoa), great disputes arose over the distribution of certain food, part of which was the ariki's tribute. Naea was the ariki, but his younger brothers

* In both of these names we shall recognise two of the smaller islands of the Marquesas, if we remember that the Marquesans do not sound the "r" and that they change "ng" into "k" very frequently.

page 170disputed his rights, and rebelled against him. The names of these brothers were: Tu-oteote, Karae-mura, Tiori, Tu-natu, Kakao-tu, Kakao-rere, Uki, Pana, Pato, and Ara-iti. This revolt ended in a desolating war, which obliged Naea to flee from his country. He proceeded to the east, and on to Vaii (Vaihi, or Waihi, the Tahitian and Maori names for the Hawaiian Group). The narrative is a little obscure here, but apparently he settled in Oahu (Va'u in Raroton-gan, which is the Maori pronunciation—Wahu—of Oahu) at a place named Tangaungau. I do not known if such a name is be found in any of the Hawaiian Islands; its Hawaiian form would be Kanaunau or Konaunau. The Hawaiian Islands are called in this particular narrative, in Rarotongan, "Avaiki-nui-o-Naea."

This is clearly not the same Naea who lived in Tangiia's time (circa 1250), for three lines of genealogies show this one to have lived about 1100—a period which is only fifty years from the date assigaed by Fornander as the opening of communication afresh between central Polynesia and Hawaii, and it is the first mention of the latter group in Rarotongan story since circa 650. The name of Naea is not to be found in Fornander, but it is quite possible he is known to the Hawaiians by some other appellation. The first of these southerners to arrive in Hawaii, according to Fornander, was a priest named Paao (probably Pakao in the southern dialects), who afterwards brought over one Pili-Kaaiea, who became King of Hawaii Island.*

It has been shown by Fornander that voyages from the central Pacific to Hawaii ceased in the time of Laa-mai-kahiki, or about 1325, and from that time down to the

* There is some confusion in the Native history about these two men named Naea—one account states that the names mentioned above were the names of the brothers of that Naea who arrived in Rarotonga in Tangiia's time.

page 171visit of Captain Cook in 1778, the islanders remained isolated from the rest of the world. Recent researches, since the time of Fornander, however, go to prove that a Spanish navigator, Juan Gaetano, really discovered the group in the year 1555.* It has been a matter of some enquiry as to what was the cause of this cessation of voyages to Hawaii, after they had endured for some one hundred and seventy-five years, or from the year 1150 to 1325. This story has shown the great probability that some of these voyagers were the Rarotonga-Maori branch of the race then residing in Tahiti, Marquesas and the Eastern Pacific. In 1250 a large party of these bold adventurers settled in Rarotonga, and in 1350 others removed to New Zealand. This being so, it seems to me that new outlets having been found for their energies, and the boldest navigators of the race having found fresh lands on which to settle, there no longer remained the strong inducement to keep up communication with Hawaii that had previously existed—they no longer required the Hawaiian lands on which to settle, and so the voyages ceased.
The expedition of Onokura to Iva, (Marquesas) described above, is not the only one we hear of at this period. In the times of Onokura (circa 1100) according to the genealogies, there lived in Rangi-ura—one of the islands to the north of Fiji—a chief named Anga-takurua, whose ancestor Rua-taunga, seven generations before him, or say about the year 925, was still living in Avaiki-atia, or Indonesia. Whilst living at Rangi-ura, there came on a visit to Anga-takurua, a chief named Makea, which is the first of that celebrated family we hear of, under that name, in the Native History. Makea's visit was to obtain men

* W. D. Alexander's "A Brief History of the Hawaiian People, 1891."

page 172to form an expedition to Iva. The story then describes the selection of the men for the expedition, with which went Anga-takurua and Pou-o-Rongo as the leaders of their party. The expedition started in two canoes, and made their way to Iti-nui (or Fiji) where they were reinforced by some people from there, and then went on to Iva, where they were very successful, for as the story says, they killed 1510 of the Iva people. Anga-takurua now returned to Rangi-ura, his own country, whilst Pou-o-Rongo joined Makea. Five generations afterwards, a descendant of Anga-takurua named Tara-mai-te-tonga settled in Raro-tonga with Tangiia, of whose party he was a member.

These long expeditions, undertaken for purposes of war, show to what a pitch the Polynesians, at that time, had carried their powers of navigation. The love of the sea, and its accompanying adventures, must have been very strong in them.

From Onokura for two generations there are no events to record, but in the third, or in the year 1200, flourished Kaukura, who lived in Upōlu, but removed from there and settled in Tahiti. We have now arrived at an interesting period in the history of Eastern Polynesia, where, as is shown in the Rarotongan Native History, communication was frequent throughout Central Polynesia. These are the times of Tangiia-nui, or circa 1250.