4. To build a canoe (to 'create life') you need dry planks. The perspective given by comparing toa with tao leads naturally to the thought that toa represents either 'a dead (broken) canoe' or the kind of dried plank necessary for building a canoe. Given the wood shortage on Easter Island the planks of 'dead canoes' certainly were reused in building new vessels. According to Fischer tahua means 'board, plank' and Large Washington Tablet has its curious form because it has been reused as planking in a fishing boat. The Easter Island language is unique in having toa as a word for sugarcane. The other islands have to: "1. Moa toa, cock. P Pau., Mgv., Mq., Ta.: toa, brave. Mq.: toa, male. (But Mgv.: toa, female.) 2. Sugarcane. T Pau., Mgv., Mq., Ta.: to, id. (To., Niuē: to, id. Sa., Fu.: tolo, id.) This form occurs only in Rapanui. In New Zealand, where the plant does not grow, the name is applied to any similar haulm." Churchill. Then, to investigate what meanings are adhering to the word to proves to be illuminating:
Not only do we find the planking for canoes but also a genitive sign and the early morning rise of the sun. We realize one reason why the cock could be called moa toa. He could be a symbol for raising the sky roof (to let in the morning light). The hard wood timbers needed for raising the roof are toa, ironwood:
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