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The Material Culture of the Cook Islands (Aitutaki)

6.—Roads and Paths

6.—Roads and Paths.

Whilst stone does not seem to have been used much in Aitutaki for paving paths and roads, the subject of stone-work cannot be dismissed without reference to the famous road in Rarotonga known as Te Ara-nui-a-Toi, The Great Road of Toi. This road runs completely round the island, and stands further inland than the present Government road. Before the advent of Christianity all the villages were on the inland side of this road. In the neighbourhood of the villages the road is completely paved, with a raised edge of larger stones at both sides and flatter stones between. It is after the style of a cobbled road, except that the stones are not cut to fit against one another. In some places the stones have been removed for other purposes but in spite of this a considerable portion of the stonework is intact, though overgrown with vegetation.

Any part where the soil was wet was paved. Hollows and depressions were filled in and the road raised over them. Culverts were built by making two walls and laying flat stones over the top.

At some points cobbled roads lead back to the house site of some important chief or priest. Such a one is that page 212near the famous marae of Arai-le-tonga, Fig. 185. In the foreground is the curb of the Great Road, which makes a step. The back of this is lined with coral slabs, toka-a-punga. Behind that again is the surface of the branch road which leads back to the site of the house known as Harerangi. On the left and the right are large stones used as seats.

Figure 185.Junction of Side Road to Harerangi with Great Road of Toi, Rarotonga

Figure 185.
Junction of Side Road to Harerangi with Great Road of Toi, Rarotonga

In Percy Smith's1 description of Arai-te-tonga, he erroneously described this junction as a row of seats, whereas it formed a step up on to the side road, which was at a higher level, though it could be used as a seat.