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The
Peruvian Taqui Hua-Hua ought to be understood immediately by
a Polyensian (at least anciently). Hua is Polynesian for
'fruit', i.e. offspring, and to double a word implies its meaning is
intensified. Hua-hua would be 'much fruit' = 'twins'. Taki is described by Fornander: Dieffenbach, in his 'Travels in New Zealand', mentions that a title or appellation of the chiefs there was 'Taki o te Wenua', and explains it to mean 'the root of the land'. As the New Zealanders also came from the Samoan group, it seems as if what once was a national appellation, in course of time became the title of a chief. If Diffenbach's interpretation of the title is correct, it corresponds to the Hawiian Kumu-honua, the name of the first man. The same author also mentions, p. 67, a place where chiefs go after death, and says it is called Taki-wana ... when a chief dies he first goes to Taki-wana, where his left eye remains and becomes a star. Then he goes to Reinga and further. Spirits sometimes leave the nether world and come back on earth and communicate with the living ... Reinga was a place near the North Cape, New Zealand, where the spirits of the dead collected previous to their final departure. The root is of course a clear symbol of 'origin'. From the root comes growth ('multiplication', 'spreading out'). Reading Thursday according to H we can understand the kava signs not only as 'lightning' but also as 'roots'. Taqui Hua-Hua is a good translation of
To conclude the case we must remember that the ginger root was named kava on Easter Island.
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