Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Niuē-fekai (or Savage) Island and its People

Ko e Tau Tupua tuai

Ko e Tau Tupua tuai

1. Ko e tokolima e tau Tupua ne fehola mai he Motu-galo. Ko e tau tagata nofo noa a lautolu, nakai taute he galūe. Ne taute galūe e tau matua ha lautolu mo e kai oti ni, nakai momoi atu ma lautolu; ko e tiaki he teva. To mahani mau pihia, kua loto-kai lahi a lautolu, mo e fehola ke kumi motu ma lautolu ke nofo mau ai.

2. Kua tolu e talahau ki a lautolu:—ne hau i Fonua-galo, ti hau i Tulia, ti hau i Toga, mo e falu a motu. Ko e tan higoa he tau Tupua, hanai: Ko Fāo, ko Fakahoko, ko Huanaki, ko Lageiki, ko Lagiatea.

3. Ko e vaha loto i Liku mo Lakepa ko e tahi ne higoa ko Motu, ko e hana higoa ia ke hoko mai ke he aho nai, ko e tofola tote, ko Mata-kao-lima i tokelau. Ko Makato he fahi uta, ke hoko atu ki Hiola ne puna ai e tau vai-lele ke inu ai a lautolu—be lele mai i loto he maka.

4. Ne huhu hake a lautolu mai lalo he loloto; ne hu a Fāo he pokoahu, ti pu ai e hala hana, ti hake leva ke ta e kaina i Toga-li-ulu. Taha ni e mena tote ne moua, ti tu vivivivi ai hana hui hema ka e nikiti ki luga hana hui matau, ko e tau peau ne hau liga ni e tafia.

page 92

space, on which he stood trembling (insecurely) with his left foot, whilst the right was elevated, and the waves came up as if to sweep him away.

5. Then appeared Fakahoko, and he remained at the gateway by which he came, not ascending to visit Fao at Toga-liulu, and help him in the work he was preparing.

6. Next came up Huanaki. He said to Fakahoko, “Why do you remain here, and not ascend and assist in the work?” Then he went up to Toga-liulu: one of his feet (the left) stood insecurely, whilst the right was elevated, and the waters and the waves came, so that within a little the island was swept by the flowing water.

7. Then these two—Fāo and Huanaki—worked away. The island increased through Huanaki's work, and they soon possessed a place to dwell in; and Fāo had a place for both feet through the celerity of Huanaki's work. When the island was completed by these two, then Huanaki gave names to the land, thus: Nuku-tu-taha, Motu-te-fua, Fakahoa-motu and Nuku-tuluea. These are the meanings of the names: Nuku-tu-taha, a single island without companions; Motu-te-fua, a desolate, barren island; Fakahoa-motu, because the work of Fāo was not finished, but was completed by Huanaki.

8. When the work was completed, Huanaki said to Fāo, “The work you undertook was left undone.”* Thus was this name applied to the village of Liku, “Tuanaki noa he toli o atua.” The village of Lakepa is named “Malē-loa he fakaeteete,” because the feet of Fāo could go smoothly over the malē or plaza, as made by Huanaki from one corner to the other.

9. A likeness of Huanaki was made of stone at Vai-hoko, on the coast at Mutalau, on the point to the west side of Vai-opeope, the rough reef of Ulu-vehi being to the east, and Kavatā on the west; Vai-hoko is between. The (former) village of Vai-hoko was often called the “Kaupu of Huanaki.” At the large rocks a house of stone was built by the feet of Huanaki to shelter the people; the likeness and the house thus named are permanent—it is a cave, unto this day.

10. Lage-iki also came up, and he remained there to await the coming of the female tupuas who should follow the others, and he married some of them, for this was his custom. He had children, who were also called Lage-iki, who dwelt all round the island of Niuē, but the parent remained at Alofi, and is the chief tupua at Puna-fofoa. He caused the death of many women, through his evil actions ….

* Tuanaki, and Faka-tuanahi, a work left undone because each thought the other would do it.

This is one of the symbolical or complimentary names given to Liku; see par. 89 also.

page 93

5. Kua hu hake a Fakahoko, ti nofo hifo he gutuhala ne hau ai, nakai hake a ia ke ahi a Fāo ki Toga-li-ulu ke logomatai e gahua ne taute e Fāo.

6. Ko Huanaki ne hu hake a ia, ti tala age ki a Fakahoko. “Ko e ha ne nofo ai a koe; nakai hake ke logomatai e gahua?” Ti hake leva a ia ki Toga-li-ulu; ko e taha ni e hui hema kua tu vivivivi, ko e hana hui matau kua nikiti hake ki luga, ko e vai mo e tau peau ne hau, toe tote ti lofia e motu he vailele.

7. Kua gahua e tokoua na, ko Fāo laua mo Huanaki. Ati tolomaki atu e motu i a Huanaki, kua fai mena ke nofo ai a laua, ti tu ua e tau hui a Fāo ki lalo, he vave e gahua a Huanaki. Kua oti e motu he gahua e laua, ti fakahigoa ne fai e Huanaki e fonua hanai:—Ko Nuku-tu-taha, ko Motu-tē-fua, ko Fakahoa-motu, ko Nuku-tuluea. Ko e kakano e tau higoa hanai: Nuku-tu-taha; ko e motu tokotaha, nakai fai kapitiga; Motu-tē-fua, ko e motu tufua ni; Fakahoa-motu, kua fakahoa e motu ne gahua e Fāo, ti nakai mau, ka e mau i a Huanaki.

8. Ne oti e gahua, ti pehe age a Huanaki ki a Fāo, “Kua tuanaki noa ne fua a koe!” Ati, ui ai pihia e higoa pihia he māga i Liku ko e “Tuanaki noa he toli o atua.” Kua ui e māga i Lakepa, ko e “Male-loa he fakaeteete.” Kua fakaeteete tuai e tau hui ua a Fāga he male loa ne ta e Huanaki ke fina atu ai ke he taha potu mo e taha potu.

9. Kua ta tuai e fakatino a Huanaki he maka i Vai-hoko, ko e tahi ia i Mutalau. Ko e mata-potu he fahi lalo i Vai-opeope, ko e afati ko Ulu-vehi, ke he fahi uta, ko Kavatā ke he fahi lalo, ko Vai-hoko i loto. Ne fa ui ai pehe ko e māga i Vai-hoko ko e kaupu ia a Huanaki. Ne ta ai foki e fale maka lahi he tau hui a Huanaki ke fakamalu ai e tau tagata; kua tumau ai e fakatino mo e fale ia ne higoa pehe, ko e ana, ke hoko mai ke he aho nai.

10. Ko Lage-iki ne hu hake a ia, ti nofo hifo ni ke leo mo e tatali ai he tau tupua fifine ka mumui mai ki a lautolu, ti hoana ni e ia. Ne nofo a Lage-iki ke gahua fifine, ko e Katuali hana ika ne polovalu e fakatāne a Lage-iki, ti fa mamate e tau fifine ki a ia. Ne fanau e ia e tau tama, ti ui ni ko Lage-iki, ne takai e motu ko Niuē he nofo ai e tau tama a Lage-iki, ka e nofo e matua i Alofi, ko e Patu ni i Punafofoa. Ne mamate oti e tau fifine ki a ia; ko e hanā mahani ke fakaolo hake i Vali-kele, ko e tahi ia i Mutalau ne lata tonu hifo he fahi tokelau he fale he akoako i Lalo-toi. Ti hehele fakaave aki e Havilia e fohi, ne higoa foki ko e kolōta, ti mamutu e fa e polo; ati, tupu mai e falu a ika mitaki.

Ko Havilia, ko e tama a Huanaki, ati, fa mahala ai mo e matakutaku a Katuali ke he matagi Havilia, neke fakamotu e mena fa ne toe. Ko e mena ia ka tu e matagi mo e havili atu ke he kili-moana, ti alumaki e Katuali ke hola.

page 94

11. Lagi-atea appeared last, and found Lage-iki awaiting the coming of the women; then he went up to Huanaki at Toga-liulu, and after speaking to Faka-hoko, visited Fāo, but the work had then been completed by Huanaki, so he remained on the cliff-tops. Both he and Lage-iki were alike in their evil courses….

12. The road by which they came from the sea at Motu is a pool in the reef. Lage-iki came up near the place where the waves break, and Huanaki in the middle part. Both Fakahoko and Fāo came up near the place where the waves break, and Huanaki in the middle part. Both Fakahoko and Fāo came forth near the cliff-foot. Lagiatea came after, and ascended to the cliff-tops.

13. This is the song of Huanaki after the residence had been settled; he sung it to his brethren:—

To haku higoa
A Fou-tavali
Ke he tuanaki noa.
Noho fakaoti au ia,
Noho fakaoti au ia.

13A. Then follows the counting (?) of the island of Huanaki and his offspring. These were the children of Huanaki:—

1.

Tagaloa-pupu-ki-maka

2.

Tafa-he-moana

3.

Tali-mai-nuku*

4.

Maka-poe-lagi

5.

Fakana-tua

6.

Lia-vaha

7.

Lagi-tai-taea

8.

Lage-iki-ua

9.

Havilia

10.

Leo-matagi

13B. Each one of these was gifted with great strength (? power); they ruled over all—the ocean and all things in it, the waves, all great waters, the fish, the sands, the rocks below,—to glorify Huanaki. The “Kingdom” of rocks, of the very centre of the deep-seated rocks, was the dwelling place of Huanaki.

14. Maka-poe-lagi (No. 4 above) ruled at Namuke, a part of the coast between Liku and Hakupu. It is he that frequently resounds from that part of the sky to the east—that his strength may be manifest in all parts. It is he that causes to fall the meteoric stones that burn the trees and … and his “guns” are before all others (louder) in the thunder.

* Taramai-nuku. One of the Maori ancestors was also so called, but it does not follow that they are one and the same person.

Mo e hoka aki e gutu, an expression I cannot translate.

page 95

11. Lagi-atea; ne hu fakamui mai, kua leo tuai a Lage-iki he tau fifine ka o mai, ti hake ni a Huanaki, kua hake tuai ki Toga-liulu ti vagahau mo Fakahoko; ti hake ke ahi i a Fāo; kua oti tuai e gahua he taute tokoua mo Huanaki, ti nofo a ia he feutu i luga he mata he toafa. Ti takoto ne fai he puhala ke alai he hala ka hifo mai he motu e tau fifine; ti avaga hake e ia, he tatai ua e tau fakatane ha laua mo Lage-iki. Ka mafiti e fifine mo e laka vave e tau hui, fa e polo, ke hu atu ke he fifine, te moui e fifine ia. Kua fakatu ai e fifine mo e laka fakatekiteki, ti hu oti e polo-valu, ti mate e fifine ka pihia.

12. Ko e puhala nai kua huhu hake ai a lautolu i Motu, he tahi, he loloto, he tuatua. Ne pu a Lage-iki tata hifo ke he mena ne fafati ai e peau, ti lotoga a Huanaki; ti pu hake ai a Fao he pokoahu. Kua mui a Lagi-atea, ti hake leva ke he feutu i luga.

13. Ko e lologo a Huanaki he mau e kaina—ne uhu ke he tau mata-kainaga hana:—

To haku higoa,
A Fou-tavali,
Ke tavali
Ke he tuanaki noa.
Noho fakaoti au ia,
Noho fakaoti au ia.

13A. Ko e totou ne fai e Motu i a Huanaki mo e hana fanau—ko e tau tama hanai a Huanaki:—

1.

Tagaloa-pupuki-maka

2.

Tafa-he-moana

3.

Tali-mai-nuku

4.

Maka-poe-lagi

5.

Fakana-tua

6.

Lia-vaha

7.

Lagi-tai-taea

8.

Lage-iki-ua

9.

Havilia

10.

Leo-matagi

13B. Kua igatia a lautolu mo e malōlo-lahi; kua pule a lautolu i lalo he tahi mo e tau mena oti i ai—ko e tau peau, mo e vai-lahi, oti ia, mo e tau ika, mo e tau oneone, mo e tau maka i lalo oti ni ke fakalilifu atu ni ki a Huanaki. Ko e motu he toka he uho-toka-hokulo, ko e kaina in a Huanaki.

14. Ko Maka-poe lagi (4) kua pule a ia i Namu-ke, ko e tahi ia i Liku, he vahaloto mo Hakupu. Ko ia ne fa paku-lagi mahaki mai he fahi lagi i uta, ke haolo atu ke he tau fahi hana malolo. Ko ia ne mokulu hifo ai e patuliki, ke huhunu ai e tau akau mo e hoka aki e gutu, ko e tau fana hana ne mua he pa lahi ke he pu-lagi he tau paku-lagi oti ni.

page 96