Peoples of the Pacific

The History of Oceania to 1870

Paul D'Arcy

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9780754662211
• eBook ISBN:
  9781351912259
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

Presenting the history of the inhabitants of the Pacific Islands from first colonization until the spread of European colonial rule in the later 19th century, this volume focuses specifically on Pacific Islander-European interactions from the perspective of Pacific Islanders themselves. A number of recorded traditions are reproduced as well as articles by Pacific Island scholars working within the academy. The nature of Pacific History as a sub-discipline is presented through a sample of key articles from the 1890s until the present that represent the historical evolution of the field and its multidisciplinary nature. The volume reflects on how the indigenous inhabitants of the Pacific Islands have a history as dynamic and complex as that of literate societies, and one that is more retrievable through multidisciplinary approaches than often realized.

1
The Birth of New Lands, After the Creation of Havai'i (Raiatea)

Teuira Henry

From the MSS. of the REV. J. M. ORSMOND, written in 1817 from the lips of ARAMOUA and VARA, Raiatean Scholars.

Miss Teuira Henry of Honolulu sends us the following ancient chant in the Tahitian or Raiatean dialect. It is very interesting as showing the extent of the geographical knowledge of the Raiatean people before they had any intercourse with Europeans. It is a specimen of the rich treasures of Polynesian folk-lore that Miss Henry has inherited from her grandfather, the Rev. J. M. Orsmond, and to which she herself has added. We understand that this valuable collection, together with Miss Henry's translations and notes, are nearly ready for publication.

Taken in connection with Tupaea's chart, the chant is a valuable contribution to the geographical knowledge of the Tahitian branch of the Polynesian race.—EDITORS.

(Tahiti had already been taken to its place.)

Ia tupa a te fenua mai Havai'i atu! O Mariua te fetu, o Aeuere te Arii i Havai'i, fanau-raa fenua.

Mauri i te poipoi a ee i te au marere i hiti tovau.

Ia tari a oe! Tari a rutu mai i hea? E rutu mai i te Moana-Urifa i hiti tooa!

Areare te tai, o Vavau, matahiapo i te nuu ai rua; e o Tupai, na motu o te Arii ra.

A rutu a! Areare te tai, o Maurua (Maupiti), areare a, o Maupihaa, o Putai, e o Papa-iti (Motuiti).

Ia tari a oe! Tari a rutu mai i hea? A rutu mai i hitia! Areare te tai, o Huahine nuu piri fatu, i te Moana o Marama.

Let more land grow from Havai'il Spica is the atar, and Aeuere is the king of Havai'i, the birthplace of lands.

The morning Apparition rides upon the flying vapour, that rises from the chilly moisture.

Bear thou on! Bear on and strike where? Strike upon the Sea-of-rank-odour in the borders of the west!

The sea casts up Vavau (Borabora), the first-born, with the fleet that consumes both ways, and Tupai, islets of the King.

Strike on! The sea casts up Maupiti, again it oasts up Maupihaa, Scilly Island and Bellinghausen (Motuiti).

Bear thou on! Bear on and strike where? Strike east! The sea casts up Huahine of the fleet that adheres to the Master, in the sea of Marama.¹

Ia tari a oe, e rutu mai i toa! Areare te tai, o Maiao iti manu, i te Moana o Marama.

Ia tari a oe! Tari a rutu mai i hea? Te fetu o Mariua a rere i toa, a rutu mai i toerau i hitia!

Areare te tai, o Nuu-roa,¹ i te aru e huti i te Tai o Vaua, oia o Paumotu.

Ia tari a oe! Tari a rutu mai i hea? O te au a marere i hiti atu o Vaua, a rutu i reira!

Areare te tai, o Pupua, rutu ae i toe-rau roa! Areare te tai, o Nuuhiva roa i te are e huti i te tai o Vavea!

Tari a oe i toerau i tooa! Rutu i hea? E rutu ia vavea! Areare te tai, o Hotupapa o te vavea!

Tari a rutu a oe i te vavea! Areare mai o Tai-nuna i o atu i Hotu-papa.

Areare te tai o Rutu-ninamu, o Maahu-rai te fenua, areare a, o. Oatutaata-mahu-rei.

Areare te tai o Nuu-marea, o Fa'ta-pumai ra.

Areare te tai o Manunu, o Te-vero-ïa fenua.

Tari a oe! Tari a rutu mai i hea? Itoerau!

Areare te tai, o Matai-rea, te fenua o te pahu rutu roa.

O Taputapuatea te marae hoho roa.

E rutu mai i hea? I toerau! Areare te tai, o Arapa iho; e o Raparapa iho. Tei tai atu o Tai-Rio-aitu.

Tari a oe. E au tia i hea? E au tia i te taha o te ra, e au tia i te Urumeremere. O atea te maunu a tae oe. Tupu o ura, e tupu i rei o te moua a tae oe, moti mai ai te moana i o atu e!

Bear thou on and strike north! The sea easts up little Maiao of the birds in the sea of Marama.

Bear thou on! Bear on and strike where? The star Spica flies south, strike north-east!

The sea casts up Long-fleet in the rising waves of the Shaven-sea—i.e., the Shoal-of-Atolls. (Paumotu).

Bear thou on! Bear on and strike where? The vapour flies to the outer border of the Shaven-sea, strike there?

The sea casts up Honden Island, strike far north! The sea easts up the distant Fleet-of-clans (Marquesas) of the waves that rise up into towering billows!

Bear thou on to the north-west! Strike where? Strike the towering wave! The sea casts up Surging-rock of the towering wave.

Bear thou on still and strike the high waves! There is cast up the Mixed-up-shoal beyond Surging-rock.

The sea of the Sooty Tern casts up the Island Cleared-by-the-heat-of-Heaven. There is cast up again the People's Headland.

The sea of the Parrot-fish casts up Clustering-pile.

There comes up in the Sea-of-cramps, Fish-producing-storm Island.

Bear thou on! Bear on and strike where? Strike north.

The sea casts up Breeze-of-Plenty, land of the long beating drum.

Taputaputea is the temple with the long porch.

Strike where? Strike north! The sea casts up Basket Island, alone and Angular Island alone. Just over the sea stands Aldebaran (weeping for god Rio).

Bear thou on! And swim where? Swim toward the declining sun, swim toward Orion. Distance will end at thine approach. Bedness will grow, it will grow on the figurehead of the mountain at thine approach, as the sea ends over there!

A huti te vera hiehie, tupu o ura, tupu i rei, moti mai ai te moana io atu e!

Oia o Aihi, fenua o te matau nui, fenua e a noa mai te vera hiehie, fenua hutiahia mai na te matapoopoo o vavea mai te Tumu mai! O atu Oahu ia.

Angry flames shoot forth, redness grows, it grows upon the figurehead, as the sea ends over there.

That is Aihi,¹ land of the great fishhook, land where the raging fire ever kindles, land drawn up through the undulation of the towering waves from the Foundation! Beyond is Oahu.

The above coincides with what Judge Pomander says in his book, vol. II., p. 9, in regard to islands referred to in old Hawaiian folk lore, that must formerly have connected the northern and southern groups.

Aihi is probably the origin of Vaihi,¹ which is the lahitian name for the Hawaiian Islands.

Paumotu is also called Tua-motu, which means Sea-of-atolls, or Many-atolls. All the names of the seas above mentioned are quite forgotten, and tai, or moana, simply, are now spoken of instead. Commencing with Hotu-papa, none of the islands and shoals or seas mentioned now exist between the Marquesas and the Hawaiian groups.

God Rio was the Bonito fisherman's god in Tahiti and the Leeward Islands. Ninamu now means green;² and pa'opa'o sooty.

Before the birth of new lands, Tahitian folk lore states that Tahiti and Moorea (or Aimeo) were one tract of land, which formed part of Tahaa-nui (or Uporu), and was connected with Havai'i (Raiatea), but it broke away from its place and floated off to the east, where Moorea became detached, and then Tahiti was called Tahitinni, and Moorea was named Tahiti-iti, the name Tahiti signifying transplanted or placed on the border.

Following this is the modern Tahitian of the above, which may prove interesting to the philologist:—

Ia tupu a te fenua mai Havai'i atu!

O Meriu te fetia, o Aeuere te Arii i Havai'i, te fanau-raa fenua.

A ee te Tuputupua o te poipoi i te au e marere i te hiti toehaunui.

A faatere a oe! E faatere, e rutu mai i hea? E rutu mai i te Moana-ha-uriuri i te hiti o te tooa-o-te-ra. A toareare te tai, o Vavau (Porapora), matahiapo, i te nuu ai piti, e o Tupai, na motu o te Arii ra.

A rutu a! A toareare te tai, o Maupiti, a toareare a, o Maupihaa, o Putai (Mairaa'e), e o Papa-iti (Motu-iti).

A faatere a oe! E faatere e rutu mai i hea? E rutu mai i te hitia-o-te-ra! A toareare te tai, o Huahine nuu piri fatu, i te moana o Marama.

A faatere a oe, a rutu mai i te apatoa! A toareare te tai, o Maiao iti manu, i te moana o Marama.

A faatere a oe! E faatere e rutu mai i hea? Ua rere te fetia, o Menu, 1 te apatoa, a rutu mai i te apatoerau i te hitia-o-te-ra! A toareare te tai, o Nuu-roa i te are e huti i te tai o Vaua. oia o Paumotu (te Tua Motu).

A faatere a oe! E faatere e rutu mai i hea? Ua marere te au i te hiti i rapae atu i Vaua, a rutu i reira! A toareare te tai, o Pupua (Pukapuka). A rutu ae i te apatoerau roa! A toareare te tai, o Nuuhiva roa i te are o te tai e faateitei mai.

A faatere a oe i te apatoerau i te tooa-o-te-ra! E rutu i tea? E rutu i nia i te are teitei! A toareare te tai o Hotupapa o te are teitei!

A faatere a oe e rutu i te are teitei! A toareare mai, o Tai-anomoi x pihai atu i Hotu-papa.

Toareare mai ra te tai, o Putu-pa'opa'o, o Ma-ahu-rai te fenua; toareare a, o Outu-taata-o-te-pari.

A toareare te tai o Nuu-marea (Nuu-pahoro), e o Fatapu mai ra.

A toareare te tai o Manunu, o Te-vero-ïa te fenua.

A faatere a oe! Faatere e rutu mai i hea? Ite apatoerau! A toareare te tai, o Matai-rea te fenua o te pahu rutu roa. O Taputapuatea te marae hoho roa.

E rutu mai i hea? I te apatoerau! A toareare te tai, o Arapa iho, o Oraparapa iho. Tei tai atu o Tai-Rio-atua.

A faatere a oe! E au tia i hea? E au tia i te taharaa o te mahana, e an tia i te Uru-meremere. E topa mai te atea ia tae atu oe ra. E tupu te uraura, e tupu i nia i te puuraa moua ia tae oe ra, moti mai ai te moana i o atu e! E pee te auahi riri i nia, e tupu te uraura, e tupu i te puuraa moua, moti mai ai te moana i o atu e!

Oia o Aihi (Vaihi), fenua o te matau rani, te fenua e a noa mai te auahi riri, te fenua i hutihia mai na te hapoopooraa o te are teitei mai te Tumu mai! I pihai atu, o Oahu ia.

The drum, called the pahu, was wood hollowed out, with the hide of some animal placed tightly over each end, and the sound resounded very far when it was beaten. But the modern drum, introduced by foreigners, is called a tariparau.

¹ The Sea of Marama is known traditionally to the Maoris of New Zealand, see Journal, vol. II., p. 35.—EDITORS.

¹ Nuu-roa, is known traditionally to the Maoris &a Nukuroa; it is also an ancient name for New Zealand.—EDITORS.

¹ Waihi, and Owaihi are places known traditionally to the Maoris. The latter name is mentioned in an invocation used in drawing th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• General Editors' Preface
• Map
• Introduction
• 1 The Birth of New Lands, After the Creation of Havai'i (Raiatea)
• 2 'Expanding' the Target in Indigenous Navigation
• 3 Voyaging
• 4 The Colonisation of the Pacific Plate: Chronological, Navigational and Social Issues
• 5 Man's Role in Modifying Tropical and Sub-Tropical Polynesian Ecosystems
• 6 Man and the Sea in Early Tahiti: A Maritime Economy through European Eyes
• 7 The Ipomoean Revolution Revisited: Society and the Sweet Potato in the Upper Wahgi Valley
• 8 The Value of Tradition in Polynesian Research
• 9 Understanding Polynesian Traditional History
• 10 Oral Traditions among the Binandere: Problems of Method in a Melanesian Society
• 11 Status Rivalry and Cultural Evolution in Polynesia
• 12 Chimbu Tribes: Political Organization in the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea
• 13 The War of Tonga and Samoa and Origin of the Name Malietoa
• 14 Exchange Patterns in Goods and Spouses: Fiji, Tonga and Samoa
• 15 Kula: The Circulating Exchange of Valuables in the Archipelagoes of Eastern New Guinea
• 16 The Place of Ulithi in the Yap Empire
• 17 Yapese Politics, Yapese Money and the Sawei Tribute Network before World War I
• 18 The Stranger-King or Dumézil among the Fijians
• 19 Institutions of Violence in the Marquesas
• 20 European-Polynesian Encounters: A Critique of the Pearson Thesis
• 21 From Conversion to Conquest: The Early Spanish Mission in the Marianas
• 22 The Sandalwood Trade in Melanesian Economics, 1841-65
• 23 Firearms and Indigenous Warfare: A Case Study
• 24 Pacific Island Depopulation: Natural or Un-Natural History?
• 25 The Case of the Wesleyan Mission in Tonga
• 26 Our Sea of Islands
• Index